ALS48 pickups... Alnico or Ceramic?

Tokai Forum

Help Support Tokai Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
E

Essex

Member
Joined
Jul 8, 2011
Messages
6
Reaction score
0
Location
South Australia
Hi all, just bought my first Tokai today, a brand new ALS48VF. Like so many others, I can't believe how good it is for the money. If they build them like this in China, the Japanese Tokais must be just stunning!

I've only had a short time with it so far and I quite like the standard mk4 pups. I'm just curious as to whether they're Alnico or Ceramic magnets in there.

I've searched the forum, and although there's lots of posts on the various types of pups that Tokai use, there's no definative answer to that question.

I'm guessing the mk2s on the Japanese models will be alnico for sure...
 
Thanks felixcatus, I did see that post when I was searching but it's still not a definitive answer. Quote from that post:

MKII's are, allegedly, Alnico V magnets and the MKIV's are ceramics.
Not sure about wire used or winds but the ones I've had seem to come in between 8-10 dc resistance depending.
Sound wise the II's are better, but still a tad lifeless to me.
Th IV's can be improved greatly by swapping in an A5 mag.

So it seems that no-one actually knows and Tokai are a bit light-on for specs when they describe their pups as PAF Mk4.

Perhaps one day somebody will pull apart a dead one to see what's in there!
 
Thanks stratmoto, I guess given the price point of these, Ceramic would be right. I had some time to play it again today after changing the factory strings and I gotta say these standard pups sound good to my old ears.

Clean crisp tops (without any Ceramic harshness) and strong bottom end with almost no mud. This is in direct contrast to a new Epi LP I set-up for a friend a few months back. It had stickers on the pups yelling about the Alnico magnets but the sound was 90% mud and 10% tone.

Back in the late '70s I had one of the first sets of Di'Marzio Super Distortion HBs fitted to a microphonic Ibanez Artist I was gigging. They transformed the guitar and they were (still are?) Ceramic.

After today's session on the Tokai I'm now pretty happy with my Mk4s!
 

Similar threads

guitar hiro
Greco 'Double Trick'ed = Yet Another MIJ 'Curve Ball'
Replies
3
Views
407
guitar hiro
guitar hiro
Z
Tokai Strats
Replies
1
Views
160
Sigmania
Sigmania
L
Hello Hello
Replies
5
Views
256
lorsban
L
A
Tokai 3 pickup Firebird copy in red
Replies
17
Views
805
Sigmania
Sigmania
L
Looking for my first Tokai - Goldtop
Replies
1
Views
528
Sigmania
Sigmania

Latest posts

Back
Top