Wiring '60 ES-330 out of phase?

[Bluefinger]

I have all my Gibsons wired out of phase except for my vintage ES-330 because I am a bit scared to modify this 100% original guitar. Still I want to rewire it because that's my sound. Has anybody ever taken an old P90 apart? What about the glue/wax inside? are they easy to take apart and flip the magnets without damaging anything? I am a bit afraid that they might be fragile due to their age ...

thanks

[big_teee]

I have all my Gibsons wired out of phase except for my vintage ES-330 because I am a bit scared to modify this 100% original guitar. Still I want to rewire it because that's my sound. Has anybody ever taken an old P90 apart? What about the glue/wax inside? are they easy to take apart and flip the magnets without damaging anything? I am a bit afraid that they might be fragile due to their age ...

thanks

If it were mine.
I would take out the pickups and store them in a safe place.
I would keep them for their original historic value and put new pickups in there place.
It would only require doctoring and changing one pickup to get them out of phase.
Good luck,
Terry

[Plucky]

If it were mine.
I would take out the pickups and store them in a safe place.
I would keep them for their original historic value and put new pickups in their place.

THIS.

/Don't try to fight it.

[Bluefinger]

thanks ... playability and usability is more important to me than collectors value so I might do it anyways. I just wonder if those pickups tend to get brittle or fragile inside due to their age so that they are prone to break if I open them a bit.

[big_teee]

thanks ... playability and usability is more important to me than collectors value so I might do it anyways. I just wonder if those pickups tend to get brittle or fragile inside due to their age so that they are prone to break if I open them a bit.

In that case, it should be nothing to it.
Loosen the strings where you can get to the pickup.
Take the Pickup loose and ease off the cover.
Remove the 2 bottom bobbin screws.
Then if it was wax potted, I would warm it up with a hair dryer so nothing breaks, or flakes.
You can do this with the cable attached to the guitar if the cable is slack and long enough.
Reverse both magnets on one pickup, that should make the guitar out of phase when both P/Us are selected.
Here's an exploded view of everything.
Good Luck,
Terry

[Bluefinger]

Thanks ... actually I know how to do it. I have done it on all my P90 guitars. But they are all rather new ones. I was just wondering if the material and wires in the old ones are usually brittle and tend to break due to their age when you mess with them.

[Ronsonic]

Your concern is not unreasonable. SOme P90 bobbins are very fragile. The ones with clear bobbins come to mind. But even some other older ones have a tendency to come apart.

[big_teee]

Thanks ... actually I know how to do it. I have done it on all my P90 guitars. But they are all rather new ones. I was just wondering if the material and wires in the old ones are usually brittle and tend to break due to their age when you mess with them.

Probably!, But you said you were going to do it anyway.
So back to Square Uno!
Good Luck,
Terry

[Bluefinger]

Probably!, But you said you were going to do it anyway.
So back to Square Uno!
Good Luck,
Terry

True Well, let me put it this way. I will not do it, if there's a fair chance that I will seriously damage these great pickups but keeping it's collector's value is not my first priority. It's an instrument I will probably keep for the rest of my life so first of all it has to sound and play the way I want it to.

[Sweetfinger]

Honestly, if you've done this with other P-90s, I don't see much of a problem. They're built the same way and the older ones weren't originally potted. You should be able to easily slide the magnets out and flip them without having to de-solder or remove the wiring harness.

[big_teee]

Honestly, if you've done this with other P-90s, I don't see much of a problem. They're built the same way and the older ones weren't originally potted. You should be able to easily slide the magnets out and flip them without having to de-solder or remove the wiring harness.

I concur with sweetfinger!
Just to be on the safe side.
After I got the cover gently off, I would slip a hand towel under the pickup, and warm the P/U a bit with a hair dryer.
Not Paint bubbling hot, just warm. Heat always seems to loosen things, and make them less brittle.
If you stick a knife blade under the magnets, and keeper bar, and don't pry on the bobbin itself, I don't see a problem.
Sometimes those old covers can be real brittle, if it doesn't want to slip off I would warm it just a bit!
I think you got it covered.
Pictures would be nice to see.
I like to look at old guitars.
Later,
Terry