Phat Cat / P-90 Magnet orientation

T

The Usual

New member
So I know that the long edge of the magnets need to repel one another, toward the pole pieces. But does it matter in terms of which flat side is up? Is there a secondary orientation that needs to be considered, that may possibly impact phase with the other pickup?

I am going back to an A2/A4 in my Phat Cat, that I am selling. I label the stock mags when I pull them out, so I know that the A2 will be in the right position, but as for lining up the A4, I'd like to get it on the first crack. Mostly because I have messed with the neck position's mag so much, I really won't have a "stock" reference, and I don't want to ship someone an out of phase PC if they don't want one.
 
Re: Phat Cat / P-90 Magnet orientation

You need both south poles facing in. Just get a polarity tester (yes, here I go again) from Stewmac for $12 shipped. Will save you headaches not only with this situation but countless others down the road.
 
Re: Phat Cat / P-90 Magnet orientation

do polarity testers tell you which way to sit them on the baseplate..? still having the original direction indicated by one of the stock mags, if you lined them up together the same way so they were attracting, then turned one of them over horizontally so that the long edge repelled; would that be the correct position of a soapbar p/up in itself, without taking RW/RP considerations into account?
 
Re: Phat Cat / P-90 Magnet orientation

The polarity tester tells you only which long side is North and which is South.

So long as both South poles are touching the pole screws (or keeper bar holding them), you're fine. It will still function perfectly fine if the North poles are facing each other but it will likely be out of phase with other pickups.

If you're using different Alnico grades, you have to remember which one was facing the bridge or neck.
 
Re: Phat Cat / P-90 Magnet orientation

So if I lablelled the stock A2, and I know that it will be in the correct position, all I have to do is make sure the A4 repels against that edge? I't hard to explain, but what I want to understand is are there 2 souths? Isn't it possible to mount the same long edge, two ways? Does that matter, as far as phase is concerned?
 
Re: Phat Cat / P-90 Magnet orientation

The Usual said:
So if I lablelled the stock A2, and I know that it will be in the correct position, all I have to do is make sure the A4 repels against that edge? I't hard to explain, but what I want to understand is are there 2 souths? Isn't it possible to mount the same long edge, two ways? Does that matter, as far as phase is concerned?
Click to expand...

If the A2 has been in the same position all along, than hold a magnet against it in the exact same orientation, then turn the PU around to the other side, and put that magnet in the other side. Bingo! You have it. You guys are making this a lot harder than it is.
 
Re: Phat Cat / P-90 Magnet orientation

I wish I had a diagram, and you are probably right about making this complicated. I get the idea that the long edges need to repel one another, but what about the short edges? Are they a factor?
 
Re: Phat Cat / P-90 Magnet orientation

The Usual said:
So if I lablelled the stock A2, and I know that it will be in the correct position, all I have to do is make sure the A4 repels against that edge? I't hard to explain, but what I want to understand is are there 2 souths? Isn't it possible to mount the same long edge, two ways? Does that matter, as far as phase is concerned?
Click to expand...

There is only one South and one North per magnet. One side is South and the other North, period. Turning it end over end 180 degrees doesn't change anything as long as both South poles are facing the screws.
 
Re: Phat Cat / P-90 Magnet orientation

If the pair was RWRP then the question of whether North or South are inside becomes on of which of the RWRP pair it was.
 
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