Epiphone AFD LP Neck pickup phenomenon!!!???

[bmwfreq]

I was checking the continuity on my Epi AFD LP, and I noticed something very odd....5 of the 6 poles on the top side of the neck PU have continuity to ground (regardless of where the toggle switch is set), and one of the poles on the other half has continuity to ground. My question is; is this normal, and if so, why and how? Shouldn't all of the poles of the PUs only have continuity to the center conductor (plus side) of the instrument cable??? Thanks in advance to all that reply.(see diagram attached for details)

[Aceman]

Re: Epiphone AFD LP Neck pickup phenomenon!!!???

Because the drunk monkey putting it together messed up?

[CTN]

Re: Epiphone AFD LP Neck pickup phenomenon!!!???

the polepieces and slugs have no real electrical function. they are used to transmit the magnetic field from the magnet upwards to the strings. When the faraday induction principle takes effect as a result of string vibrations, current and voltage is induced in the coils, not the magnet, or the polepieces.

So the polepieces being grounded or not makes absolutely no difference to the functioning of the pickup as long as they are transmitting the magnetic field properly (which can be done even with a certain amount of physical separation between magnet and polepiece/slug, as per the Dimarzio "air" technology.

as for how the grounding happens, it's probably just a matter of whether or not the polepieces are making physical contact with the keeper bar and the baseplate, or in the case of the slugs, whether or not they're making physical contact directly with the baseplate. The only thing really that could obstruct that connection is wax potting. Like I said though, it really doesn't matter whether or not they're grounded.

[bmwfreq]

Re: Epiphone AFD LP Neck pickup phenomenon!!!???

the polepieces and slugs have no real electrical function. they are used to transmit the magnetic field from the magnet upwards to the strings. When the faraday induction principle takes effect as a result of string vibrations, current and voltage is induced in the coils, not the magnet, or the polepieces.

So the polepieces being grounded or not makes absolutely no difference to the functioning of the pickup as long as they are transmitting the magnetic field properly (which can be done even with a certain amount of physical separation between magnet and polepiece/slug, as per the Dimarzio "air" technology.

as for how the grounding happens, it's probably just a matter of whether or not the polepieces are making physical contact with the keeper bar and the baseplate, or in the case of the slugs, whether or not they're making physical contact directly with the baseplate. The only thing really that could obstruct that connection is wax potting. Like I said though, it really doesn't matter whether or not they're grounded.

Thank you CTN for the in-depth reply! That was interesting and insightful, and I appreciate it.

Take care!