Installing pickups and phase issues, any way to get it right the first time?

[Slobrain]

Hey Folks,

Have you ever installed some oddball pickups in a throw together guitar only to find that the pickups are out of phase once the guitar is back together?

I have run into that from time to time but the aggravating issue if that on some guitars you have to unbolt the neck to get the pickguard off to fix phase wiring problems.

Anyone have a sure fire way to test the phase of mixing pickups before putting the guitar back together? I find this time to time when using for example, mixing a GFS humbucker with a Seymour Duncan humbucker or sometimes mismatching other brands of single coils like Squier brand and maybe Ibanez pups...

Cheers

[bbsailor]

Hey Folks,

Have you ever installed some oddball pickups in a throw together guitar only to find that the pickups are out of phase once the guitar is back together?

I have run into that from time to time but the aggravating issue if that on some guitars you have to unbolt the neck to get the pickguard off to fix phase wiring problems.

Anyone have a sure fire way to test the phase of mixing pickups before putting the guitar back together? I find this time to time when using for example, mixing a GFS humbucker with a Seymour Duncan humbucker or sometimes mismatching other brands of single coils like Squier brand and maybe Ibanez pups...

Cheers

Try this.

Obtain a digital volt meter (DVM) and two test leads with alligator clips on each end.

Set the DVM on the lowest DC voltage scale.

Attach the DVM to the pickup leads using the alligator clip leads to free your hands.

Place a ferrous metal ruler or small screwdriver across the pickup touching the magnets.

Quickly remove the ruler or screwdriver and note if the DVM display is positive or negative.

Do the same thing on the other pickup.

If both DVM readings are the same, meaning positive or negative, then both pickups are wired in phase.

This should do it.

Joseph Rogowski

[big_teee]

Here is a Vid showing how-to.

[eschertron]

Here is a Vid showing how-to.

Yeah, I have that Micronta meter. Shows how old I am!!


... good vid, by the way.

[Slobrain]

Thanks for the replies guys. That video helped me figure out why I was having an issue with matching a Ibanez V7 humbucker with some old Squier single coils.

The single coils were wired wrong from the factory. they were wired backwards. The white should have been the positive and the black negative, but they were backwards. After correcting the issue they matched up with the Ibanez pup. I need to go buy a compass tomorrow too. Man that was a great video, I found that guy did a few more and watched on of the others.

I find when working with pups made by Seymour Duncan or Dimarzio I don't find any problems but cheapo pickups I sometimes have issues with... I learn something new everyday, and that's a good thing considering I'm 52...

Now to figure out why an Ibanez V8 pup I have sounds so mid rangey.. almost like its in a cocked wha position, I'll bet they have the coils miswired on the darn thing...

[big_teee]

Thanks for the replies guys. That video helped me figure out why I was having an issue with matching a Ibanez V7 humbucker with some old Squier single coils.

The single coils were wired wrong from the factory. they were wired backwards. The white should have been the positive and the black negative, but they were backwards. After correcting the issue they matched up with the Ibanez pup. I need to go buy a compass tomorrow too. Man that was a great video, I found that guy did a few more and watched on of the others.

I find when working with pups made by Seymour Duncan or Dimarzio I don't find any problems but cheapo pickups I sometimes have issues with... I learn something new everyday, and that's a good thing considering I'm 52...

Now to figure out why an Ibanez V8 pup I have sounds so mid rangey.. almost like its in a cocked wha position, I'll bet they have the coils miswired on the darn thing...

I keep that link to the video on the Get Started Thread in the B/H forum.
Lots of other info there you may want to look at.
T
http://music-electronics-forum.com/t30228/