The "Peter Green" Humbucker Mod

[ReginaldBisquet]

I decided to experiment and figure out for myself what the infamous "Peter Green" mod was all about. Here's my work:


Shows the screws being undone for pulling the casing apart.


The magnet first comes out.


The gets flipped around 180. I marked it just to make sure.


Back in the guitar. Did not flip the actual humbucker around because I wanted to see what would happen when placed back in normally.

My tone: The bridge sounds normal... but the neck pickup now sounds like a Telecaster neck pickup. The middle position has a "honk" like tone. Lots of noise in the neck pickup... very single coil like. Is that all there is?

[minime]

It sounds to me like you must have shorted the series connection between the two coils to ground! I'll bet if you tap (lightly) on your neck pickup only one coil will respond. The neck pickup sound sound like a normal HB by itself. The P.G. effect should only function in the middle position.

[ReginaldBisquet]

Ah ha... sounds like that's exactly what happened. Is there any way to fix this... or do I live with it?

It sounds to me like you must have shorted the series connection between the two coils to ground! I'll bet if you tap (lightly) on your neck pickup only one coil will respond. The neck pickup sound sound like a normal HB by itself. The P.G. effect should only function in the middle position.

[dumbassbob]

P G Mod

I thought you took the whole thing apartinsted of just pulling it out since it is potted,old PAF didn't have the wax?

[minime]

The green wire is ground. The black is hot. The white and red are your series connection. This is probably where you'll find your problem. Carefully disassemble and look at these wires. I think the magnet may be grounding out this connection. Alnico is electrically conductive. Resolder and/or tape thse wires to insulate. Good Luck!!

P.S. Flipping the pickup so the screw poles are on the other side has virtually no effect on the tone.

[Steve Conner]

I hope I don't kick off too much of a sh!tstorm by saying this, but isn't the Peter Green mod just the same as putting one of your pickups out of phase?

OK, it's done magnetically instead of electrically but doesn't it just amount to the same thing?

[Sweetfinger]

I hope I don't kick off too much of a sh!tstorm by saying this, but isn't the Peter Green mod just the same as putting one of your pickups out of phase?

OK, it's done magnetically instead of electrically but doesn't it just amount to the same thing?

Yup. All the OP had to do was switch the black and .... ahem, ... green wires.

[ReginaldBisquet]

Yup. All the OP had to do was switch the black and .... ahem, ... green wires.

Ha ha... duly noted for next time. I may live with this unintentional mod for a month or two just to try it out. In order to get the OOP sound though with this set up... I need to turn the neck pickup volume down slightly while the bridge is turned all the way up. Interesting.

So, basically, I have a single coil in the neck and a humbucker in the bridge?

[David Schwab]

I hope I don't kick off too much of a sh!tstorm by saying this, but isn't the Peter Green mod just the same as putting one of your pickups out of phase?

OK, it's done magnetically instead of electrically but doesn't it just amount to the same thing?

Yes, it's EXACTLY the same, though people seem to think it sounds different.

You don't need to flip the magnet, just swap the hot and ground wires, unless you have vintage style 2 conductor coax. Then flipping the magnet is easier.

[David Schwab]

Ha ha... duly noted for next time. I may live with this unintentional mod for a month or two just to try it out. In order to get the OOP sound though with this set up... I need to turn the neck pickup volume down slightly while the bridge is turned all the way up. Interesting.

So, basically, I have a single coil in the neck and a humbucker in the bridge?

Probably when you slid the magnet back in it shorted on one of the leads and connected it to ground.

Try sliding the magnet back out. Look for the wires it might be touching and tape them back up.

[Sweetfinger]

In order to get the OOP sound though with this set up... I need to turn the neck pickup volume down slightly while the bridge is turned all the way up. Interesting.

One of the secrets to dialing in the OOP sound is working the volumes to get just the perfect amount of phase cancellation. I don't like them set where maximum cancellation occurs, I usually back the bridge off slightly to where the low end comes back into the mix just a bit, but you still have the funky nasal tonality.

[Hurricane]

Peter Green Mod

Can this be done and undone with a small toggle bat handled switch ?

Thank for any response in advance .

Hurricane Ramon

[Ronsonic]

Can this be done and undone with a small toggle bat handled switch ?

Yes.

If.

The pickup needs to be wired with a multi-conductor lead. You don't want to be switching shield and signal leads. But if it has a shield and either two, three or four conductors then yes you can do it.

[Hurricane]

re : Peter Green Mod

Yes.

If.

The pickup needs to be wired with a multi-conductor lead. You don't want to be switching shield and signal leads. But if it has a shield and either two, three or four conductors then yes you can do it.

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Ronsonic

Thanks I will take a gander and see if these SMs have the multi-conductor leads . This eliminates asking the question about how you turn the magnet - -

around it's axis when laying flat or rotating the magnet like when you roll a stogy in a horizontal manner - -

Whew --

The guitar in question to { attempt } this is my Godin LGXSA



it's got a 5 way switch on it . Really love this guitar I do , I wonder what the results will be if it's a go .

Thinking on Peter Green and what he created and how it affected a whole generation as it appears to be affecting the same way ( by his work/style/innovation and artistic uniqueness ) later generations , I wonder and hope his " feel and groove " will manifest itself some how some way into the fabric of the music scene like it did to many of the Baby Boomers .

He still inspires me more than any other UK electric guitar - song writer - and vocalist and many a favorite UK electric guitarist / song writer /vocalist I have , couple of which ( well one doesn't play guitar ) I have had the good fortune and honor to have known and performed with .

Peter Green : Mans got soul deep as an ocean inside and lets it rip out like a Hawaiian volcanic explosion .

Truly being heaped in top of the

" mountain "

like Peter's been leaves a mark , I truly hope this humble giant has a great life of what life he has left on this plain .

Easy man

Hurricane Ramon

[Ronsonic]

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This eliminates asking the question about how you turn the magnet - -

around it's axis when laying flat or rotating the magnet like when you roll a stogy in a horizontal manner - -

Whew --

In this case, either would work. It's flopping it end for end vertically that wouldn't help.

Nice guitar.