direction of pickup

[dan rather]

Hi everyone,

I just installed a pickup for the first time. The pickup works and my guitar wasn't destroyed(amazingly) but I am now wondering something: did i put the damn thing in backward? It's a duncan 59 for the neck and it doesn't have anything printed on it. I have the adjustable polepieces facing the bridge. Is this wrong? Does it matter?

Thanks

 

[beandip]

Re: direction of pickup

Usually, the screws are facing the neck if it's in the neck position, and the bridge when in the bridge postition, but there's no "correct" way. Glad to have you to the forum, and good to know your guitar wasnt destroyed. You know, Dan Rather is a local icon in my town.

 

[Chi3f]

Re: direction of pickup

Just like beendip said usually the screws in a neck position pickup are next to the neck. It doesn't really matter as long as when you split the humbucker (if you do that is) That it sounds right with the other pickups on your guitar.

 

[dan rather]

Re: direction of pickup

Hey guys,

Thanks for responding! Its a big relief to know I didn't totally screw it up.

beandip, yeah, dan rather is an icon here as well. I admit it, he was just on TV when I registered and I decided to besmirch his name instead of using my own. My name is really Ted Koppel.

 

[Davey]

Re: direction of pickup

it doesnt really matter THAT much.. i got the 59n in 'reverse' (screws facing the bridge) and it still works without a problem

 

[korovamilkdud]

Re: direction of pickup

Well it will affect your tone slightly, but it's all a matter of preference. That's actually how Peter Green (Fleetwood Mac) has his guitar. His neck pickup is backwards, which gives him a little more bass (this is because the magnetic field around the slugs is stronger than it is around the polepieces) and his pups are out-of-phase. The added bass at the neck helps give the o.o.p tone in the middle a bit more bottom so it doesn't sound quite so thin.

 

[dan rather]

Re: direction of pickup

korovamilkdud,

I am really jealous of your awesome handle.

I think I will try the pickup the other way when I put a new bridge pickup in. I'm curious to hear the difference in tone.

Thank you for your help.