NIBro Magnets
NIB = Neodymium-Iron-Boron
Turn your Supro/Valco/National steel guitar or "Coodercaster"... into a serious force to be reckoned with
These magnets are exact replicas of the original "String Through" pickup magnets ... except they are more than 10X stronger ... giving you a better bass response, clearer harmonics, etc
So if your pickup looks like this ...
You will want these ....
One set of NIBros (2 magnets) - $40 shipped
Contact Rick at : nibroinfo@gmail.com
NIBro Installation
********* Caution *********
Neodymium-Iron-Boron is an extremely strong magnetic material (strongest permanent magnet that exists).
It will Interfere with and/or disrupt Pace-Makers, Heart Monitors, etc .
Handle with a firm grasp ... they will "Leap" at each other or any ferromagnetic substance (steel, iron, cobalt, etc).
They will also erase any magnetically stored data.
To Install
1) To function the magnets must be seated so that "Like Poles" are Pointing up.
It doesn't matter if it's both the "Norths Up" or both the "Souths up". A compass is handy but the repulsion between "like poles" is quite obvious as you bring them close (a couple inches).
2) Just lay them in carefully, then lay the top plate on and screw it down. That's it !!!!
3) You will probably need to adjust the pole pieces to taste. The entire sound will be quite different than you are used to.
Enjoy ...
What folks have to say:
I have Rick's Nibro magnets in my black Airline Valco. It was a good sounding guitar to begin with, but the Nibros really fattened up the midrange, producing a stronger, richer sound. A big improvement, no doubt about it.
I just installed Rick Aiello’s NIBro magnets in my old National lap steel and… WOW! The guitar sounds Completely different. The tone is full and rich, and the output is way hotter. I have never heard a Valco lap steel sound like this, and I’ve played a lot of them.The guitar originally had a single magnet and a “dummy” magnet. The tone was thin and sweet, but there wasn’t much midrange or low end. The change is radical… and good. I can’t wait to try it on a gig.If I ever part with this guitar these magnets are staying with me… and the dummy is going back in! Okay, no jokes about the dummy on the outside of the guitar
Thanks Rick!
Okay, so having already experienced your mag magic with a couple of my horseshoes I knew that the Supro would sound a whole bunch better with the NiBros installed, but I was hardly prepared for this! I popped them in (perfect match, no shimming needed) and from the first strum it sounded like a new instrument: stronger attack, better articulation, crystal clear harmonics, longer sustain. But it was only when I went out to do my weekly gig in a neighborhood club that I realized what a huge transformation those two little black bars had wrought. The way that it cuts through the rest of the band and the moan that kicks in when you crank the volume - whoa, this is one mean little guitar! Everyone in the band asked what was different and when the bandleader took a break for a couple of tunes he said several people in the audience commented on how great the steel sounded. I'd also brought the seven-string Rickenbacher along but never took it out of the case. You're a miracle worker, my friend. I'm so excited by the tone of this instrument that I'll be keeping my eye out for more Supros and it would be nice to have one or more sets of magnets on hand.
My wife got me a set of Rick’s NIB magnets for Christmas that I installed in my Oahu lap steel this weekend. The difference was incredible. Tone like I never imagined and bass response that was almost too much for my amp. All of the sudden I want to play my lap steel more, thanks Rick.