Does polarity change the sound?

Desert

Desert

New member
Hello everyone, I've made the big jump out of the lurker's closet.

Nice to meet you.

First question...

I've got a '78. In doing some experimentation recently, I ended reversing the polarity of the entire pickup (for another reason). In doing so, though, it really sounded like the overall sound changed...and I'm quite surprised by this.

It wired it back to the stock polarity, and presto...the old sound was back.

I sure don't know why, though....to me, why would it make a difference what order the coils are in, if they are in series??? I'm really baffled by this.
 
Re: Does polarity change the sound?

welcome to the forum!

in theory it shouldnt matter, there may have been other things going on. hard to say.

i have a guitar with a phase switch and there is very little if any difference changing phase. i dont think i can hear a difference and usually my ears are pretty good
 
Re: Does polarity change the sound?

Thank you! it is possible that my ears are deceiving me. The thing is, I wasn't looking for any difference with that.

Wit it reversed, it seemed that i was hearing the slug coil a lot more. I have the screws set pretty even with the slugs.

I should do what you did, and hook up a switch.
 
Re: Does polarity change the sound?

changin polarity on one pickup
( swapping from black=hot & green=ground to Green=hot and Black=ground)
no

changing polarity on the bridge pickup that is in parallel with the neck pickup
(one wired correctly and the other reversed hot and ground)
oh yea

changing the polarity using red and white as hot and tying black and green together
I dunno
 
Re: Does polarity change the sound?

If you changed the polarity by re-soldering (which you seem to imply), it's possible that one of the soldering jobs was done better than the other. Other than that, I can't imagine why it would make such a difference.
 
Re: Does polarity change the sound?

ehdwuld said:
changin polarity on one pickup
( swapping from black=hot & green=ground to Green=hot and Black=ground)
no

...
Click to expand...

Yes, that what I did. I will have to do more experimenting, as this really messed my head.
 
Re: Does polarity change the sound?

what about phased to itself?
could exchanging the north start and the south start affect the tone?
 
Re: Does polarity change the sound?

I have a phase switch as well and I can notice a small difference as well. Maybe its my ears playing with me but my neck pickup will just sound a tad different. One time I was like WTF? why does my neck seem odd today? Flipped the switch and it seemed fine. It so minuscule that I can't say what the difference is. So it makes me believe I'm deceiving myself.
 
Re: Does polarity change the sound?

You really have to record this and then sit down judging.

The physics are very strong on the side that reversing the polarity of the coils connectors shouldn't do anything if no other pickup is connected. A strong difference is definitely a wiring screwup in one or both positions.

Changing the magnet polarity can be discussed. We don't really know whether he pickups are far away from each other to see, or not see, each other's fields.
 
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