In phase/out of phase switch

CHguitar_70

New member
Hello

I have a 3 wire(red,white and braided ground) vintage Japanese pickup I want to wire together with a duncan p 90. I am considering using a dpdt switch for in/out of phase options on the Japanese pickup. I was told that the in/out phase switch will only work when it is used with the other pickup but not on its own(ie: neck/single coil and bridge/p90 combined; phase switch works. Neck/single coil alone switch has no effect)

Is this true?

Thanks

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Re: In phase/out of phase switch

There is no absolute phase. Pickups are a/c, so the signal goes both ways down the wire. Hence attaching the ground to the hot and vice versa makes for exactly the same signal.

Out of phase only makes any difference when combined with another signal - which means the two cancel in part.
 
Re: In phase/out of phase switch

There is no absolute phase. Pickups are a/c, so the signal goes both ways down the wire. Hence attaching the ground to the hot and vice versa makes for exactly the same signal.

Out of phase only makes any difference when combined with another signal - which means the two cancel in part.
You need to look at mustang/jaguar circuits. Both of those feature in/out of phase switches.

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Re: In phase/out of phase switch

Yep, and the phase switches act on a single pickup......making the combination an in phase or OOP sound.
 
Re: In phase/out of phase switch

I was told that the in/out phase switch will only work when it is used with the other pickup but not on its own(ie: neck/single coil and bridge/p90 combined; phase switch works. Neck/single coil alone switch has no effect)

Is this true?

Yes
 
Re: In phase/out of phase switch

Thanks for the input. I'll probably scrap that a just go one vol, 2 tones.

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Re: In phase/out of phase switch

The simple answer is...yes. You are correct that the phase switch will only have an effect when both of your pickups are played together. You need only to wire one pup out of phase. You will not hear any difference when either pup is played by itself.
 
Re: In phase/out of phase switch

Phase switching seems to be an 'all or nothing' thing, in that you will either use the sound a lot or really, really hate it.
 
Re: In phase/out of phase switch

With just the one pickup being able to be switched in/out of phase, will it be noticeable beside the P90?

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For one - OOP is about cancellation. If you have the two pickups both with switched phase then you go back to where you started and have zero effect. So your terminology is flawed - as it the very fact that 'just the one' pickup is switched that makes the whole effect happen in the first place.

Two - the specific cancellation depends on what the individual pickup signals are. So that includes the type and strength of the pickups, how they are setup in the guitar for height, and of course the individual instrument itself. I assume that you have tweaked the pickups so the volumes between the two are not outrageously different.
 
Re: In phase/out of phase switch

I ordered a push/pull pot to use as a tone for the neck pickup. See how it sounds.

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Re: In phase/out of phase switch

Mays sound works because all the pickups are in series.

Are you sure about that? Where did you get that info?

I have a Red Special and have played every combination of the pups. I haven't taken it apart to analyze the wiring, but it sounds to me like they are in parallel.

I'm not doubting the accuracy of what you are saying, just curious where it came from.
 
In phase/out of phase switch

Are you sure about that? Where did you get that info?

I have a Red Special and have played every combination of the pups. I haven't taken it apart to analyze the wiring, but it sounds to me like they are in parallel.

I'm not doubting the accuracy of what you are saying, just curious where it came from.

I have a Brian May too. It says right on the web site how it’s wired. You can also hear it from the man himself.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=wkhmDEKeaBU

https://shop.brianmayguitars.co.uk/brian-may-guitars-product-support.html

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Special

Next time you change strings, just take the sratchplate off and take a look.
 
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