PURPOSE: To obtain an instrument which is capable of measuring the electromagnetic conversion characteristics, such as MR characteristic and frequency characteristic of an MR element without requiring slider working and mounting on a gimbal plate.

CONSTITUTION: This MR characteristic measuring instrument is an instrument to evaluate the electromagnetic conversion characteristic of the MR element disposed in an MR/IND head and has an AFM/MFM 12, a magnetic field impressing medium 14 having a magnetic reference mark 26 at the top end face, a first positioning device 16 and a second positioning device 18. The first positioning device 16 has an imposing surface 24 and places the MR/IND head on the imposing surface by aligning the central axis of the MR element with the Z direction of the three-dimensional coordinate system of which X direction and Y direction are the track width direction and thickness direction of the MR element, respectively and positions the MR/IND head by freely moving the head in the X-, Y- and Z directions. The second positioning device positions the magnetic field impressing medium by freely moving the medium in the X-, Y- and Z directions while holding the magnetic field impressing means by aligning its magnetic field direction with the Z direction. The AFM/MFM is a microscope commonly used for interatomic force and magnetic force to obtain the information on the ruggedness of a surface and the information on magnetism.