Members mbengs1 Posted March 29, 2018 Members Share Posted March 29, 2018 I learned recently that pickups can be wired in reverse polarity. what's the difference in the tone of a normal wired pickup as to when it is in reverse? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Ratae Corieltauvorum Posted March 29, 2018 Moderators Share Posted March 29, 2018 https://www.premierguitar.com/articles/24908-mod-garage-whats-the-deal-with-pickup-polarity Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DeepEnd Posted March 29, 2018 Members Share Posted March 29, 2018 Reverse polarity means everything is backward. Instead of the signal coming from the guitar to the amp the signal goes from the amp to the guitar. That's how pro's get those great feedback effects. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members badpenguin Posted March 29, 2018 Members Share Posted March 29, 2018 When in the middle position of the pickup selector switch,(On a 2 pickup guitar) the sound comes out kind of thin and nasally. The guitar solo in Kansas "Carry on Wayward Son" is a perfect example. A 4 conductor pickup can be wired in reverse polarity, but you have to really mess with the wiring to do that on a single pickup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mbengs1 Posted April 3, 2018 Author Members Share Posted April 3, 2018 No. it means the hot wire goes with the bare wire in the volume pot and the end wire goes to the pickup selector. It sounds a little different from the standard wiring but has more mids. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mbengs1 Posted April 3, 2018 Author Members Share Posted April 3, 2018 When in the middle position of the pickup selector switch,(On a 2 pickup guitar) the sound comes out kind of thin and nasally. The guitar solo in Kansas "Carry on Wayward Son" is a perfect example. A 4 conductor pickup can be wired in reverse polarity, but you have to really mess with the wiring to do that on a single pickup. The guitar I put the pickups in is a Jackson JS23. It has HSS pickup config. I was able to put the super distortion in. It came with a washer for the volume pot to increase impedance but I didn't put it on. It sounds like the old super distortion I had in the 90's but with a more open mid. it has that 'aww' sound like the paf pro. I had bought two single coil pickups too. one Duncan Custom for strat and tesla VR-1. I tried to install the single coils but encountered a problem with the mounting screws not fitting. So I had to send it to the luthier because of that problem. I got it back and the super distortion was wired backwards and sounded different from the last time I tried it. Both reverse wiring and standard wiring have their advantages. For this pickup I think reverse wiring sounds better. The super distortion is the odd ball in my pickup purchases though so having it wired in reverse is fine with me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members badpenguin Posted April 4, 2018 Members Share Posted April 4, 2018 What is 'a washer to increase impedance"? There is no such thing as far as I know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mrbrown49 Posted April 4, 2018 Members Share Posted April 4, 2018 I think someone sold him some magic beans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 1001gear Posted April 4, 2018 Members Share Posted April 4, 2018 It's an oddity in Newtonian mechanics referred to as rotational impedance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Grant Harding Posted April 4, 2018 Members Share Posted April 4, 2018 Can't you achieve the same thing by installing the pickup upside down? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mbengs1 Posted April 4, 2018 Author Members Share Posted April 4, 2018 Can't you achieve the same thing by installing the pickup upside down? No, man. the pole pieces won't capture and string vibration Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mbengs1 Posted April 4, 2018 Author Members Share Posted April 4, 2018 What is 'a washer to increase impedance"? There is no such thing as far as I know. It's a round piece of metal you place between the guitar body and the pot. I think having that on the volume knob makes the pickup sounds bassier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gardo Posted April 4, 2018 Members Share Posted April 4, 2018 I guess if a pick holder can change the tone so can a washer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Grant Harding Posted April 4, 2018 Members Share Posted April 4, 2018 You believe that but are unwilling to flip your pickups? I give up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gardo Posted April 4, 2018 Members Share Posted April 4, 2018 I think he is confused about flipping them.. Top to bottom or front to back Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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