The Steel Guitar Forum

I have a very small practice space and sometimes I use a lap top to play practice tracks. How concerned should I be about setting the lap top next to my amp? That giant magnet can’t be good.

Thinking along these lines, a lot of people put digital effect pedals on top of their amps. Is that a good idea? How close can a computer, or a digital toy get to an amp magnet before harm is done? Maybe I’m just paranoid.

I have rubbed floppy disks over the back of a Black Widow magnet in an attempt to erase the disk. It didn't work. I put my laptop on top of my amps all the time with no ill effect. I wouldn't put my hard disk ipod in the back of my amp, but as long as you keep them a foot or two apart, you should be okay. I don't know about neodymium magnets, but I would be more careful with them too.

As far as effect pedals and other devices like that, they store their information in EEPROM or flash chips and are not sensitive to magnetic fields.