- [u]All[/u] passive pickups use 'permanent' magnets. As the good Doctor pointed out, these are formed by aligning the magnetic poles of the material. I don't know if it's done at the atomic or the molecular level, but once formed, a magnet will stay magnetised unless something is done to it to reduce the uniformity of the magnetic polar alignment.
- Physical shock, high heat, or the presense of a strong, varying magnetic field are the sort of things that could reduce the strength of a magnet. The kind of magnetic materials in pickups are specifically chosen to retain their magnetism very well.
- There are measurable differences in the way different magnetic materials react to fluctutions in their magnetic field. This is the basis for the distinctions made between Alnico and Ceramic magnets, for instance.
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hmm...