3 x Humbucker Gibsons...magnet orientations

[Ratae Corieltauvorum]

OK, I have a 72ish SG Custom with 3 humbuckers that a customer has left with me to overhaul.

It did have some work done some years ago, and the owner is vague but he thinks they "remagnetised the pickups"

Nicely, they didn't resolder the covers back on, but epoxied the whole lot back together

Now when I play it, it sounds phasey and odd with the middle pickup engaged

So I've taken the 3 pickups off and this is what I get

Neck
Screw poles - N
Slug - S

Middle
Screw poles - S
Slug N

Bridge
Slugs - S
Screw poles - N

The above shows the orientation of the pickups also with the bridge screw poles facing the bridge, the neck screw poles close to the neck and the middle screw poles facing the neck, so basically two "normal" pickups with the N at the screw poles, and the middle reverse polarity.

Is this right, I don't see any reason why they shouldn't all be screw poles Ns?

[David Schwab]

On those three pickup guitars the middle pickup was usually out of phase with the other two. So the middle position on the switch was the middle and bridge pickup. This gave a thin bright tone. I guess it was their way to try and sound like a Fender. The pickups came from Gibson that way, and with the epoxy.

I had a girlfriend back in the 70s with one of those SGs. She hated that setting and never used it, so I swapped the middle with the neck pickup. If the pickups were not sealed with epoxy I would have flipped the magnet around on the middle pickup to put it back in phase with the other two.

[Ratae Corieltauvorum]

Yup, thats the kiddy David, so interesting whoever told him they "remagnetised the pickups" would have been bullshitting, or could they pump gauss down the poles?

Whats usual with buckers, N up or S up?

On those three pickup guitars the middle pickup was usually out of phase with the other two. So the middle position on the switch was the middle and bridge pickup. This gave a thin bright tone. I guess it was their way to try and sound like a Fender. The pickups came from Gibson that way, and with the epoxy.

I had a girlfriend back in the 70s with one of those SGs. She hated that setting and never used it, so I swapped the middle with the neck pickup. If the pickups were not sealed with epoxy I would have flipped the magnet around on the middle pickup to put it back in phase with the other two.

[David Schwab]

The screw poles are usually South, and the slugs are North.

[Ratae Corieltauvorum]

The screw poles are usually South, and the slugs are North.

I've just checked about a dozen pickups with a compass and the screw poles are all reading North apart from one Epi Dot neck pickup which is S up????

[Steve Conner]

Well, if I remember right, the North end of a compass needle is magnetised north and is attracted to things with south polarity. Such as the earth's magnetic north pole, oddly enough.

[David Schwab]

I've just checked about a dozen pickups with a compass and the screw poles are all reading North apart from one Epi Dot neck pickup which is S up????

Like Steve said, the compass needle points to a south magnetic pole. So the screws are magnetic South, and so is the Earth's North magnetic pole.

[Ratae Corieltauvorum]

Well, if I remember right, the North end of a compass needle is magnetised north and is attracted to things with south polarity. Such as the earth's magnetic north pole, oddly enough.

Like Steve said, the compass needle points to a south magnetic pole. So the screws are magnetic South, and so is the Earth's North magnetic pole.

Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear.....I fail

[Ratae Corieltauvorum]

She hated that setting and never used it, so I swapped the middle with the neck pickup.

And that gave you no phasey shabby sounds?

[David Schwab]

And that gave you no phasey shabby sounds?

No, because you could not combine the neck pickup with the other two, and the middle position was the middle and bridge, in phase.

[Ratae Corieltauvorum]

No, because you could not combine the neck pickup with the other two, and the middle position was the middle and bridge, in phase.

OK, I'll give that a go then Sounds like a solid plan.

On another front, I see you do very well priced bass pickups and I have a customer who wants an Aria Pro II SBRalike build and I've been wondering what pickups to use in it, so I may drop you a line....are you familiar with the SBR sound?

[David Schwab]

OK, I'll give that a go then Sounds like a solid plan.

On another front, I see you do very well priced bass pickups and I have a customer who wants an Aria Pro II SBRalike build and I've been wondering what pickups to use in it, so I may drop you a line....are you familiar with the SBR sound?

Oh sure, I'm familiar with those basses. Drop me a line and we can discuss it.