just installed new pickup - strange sound in middle position

[Lution]

I just got in a used 57 Classic Plus bridge pickup for my PRS SE Singlecut.

Took a close look at the wiring before I begun work, took pictures, etc.

The lead wire went to one side of the switch and the ground wire went to a metal part of the switch.

Soldered the new pickup in exactly as the bridge was.

All pickups make a sound, however the middle selection of my three way switch is not as loud as the bridge and neck pickups when they are separately on and it has this cocked wah sort of sound.

what could be the issue?


Also this 57 classic plus really howls with feedback when I place my hand close to the pickup when overdriven.

is this normal for this pickup? It is a covered pickup.

thanks for the help. I can post up pictures if it will help.

Robbie

[Lution]

here are some pictures to clarify.

The original PRS bridge Pickup was the yellow wire

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f51/lution777/SDC10193.jpg

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f51/lution777/SDC10196.jpg

[sysexguy]

you have a pickup that's out of phase with the other....some people like this....70's Dean guitars were factory wired this way and others do the Peter Green mod and reverse the neck pickup which creates a similar effect (as well as slightly changing the neck tone).

One cannot see from the heatshrink but if at least on pickup doesn't have at least 2 conductors plus the shield (assuming it isn't a coil tap) You will have to swap the other pickup, reverse it (ie a reverse Peter Green mod) or live with the Dean type wiring. You could also take it to someone who winds pickups and they can change it for you. If you have at least one pickup with modern style wiring ie 4 conductors + shield, it's just a matter of getting the wiring right. Stewmac and seymour duncan are good sites for wiring details.

Andy

[Lution]

thanks.

is it normally lower in volume than the other two pickups when out of phase?

It is an interesting sound when overdriven and the volume change isn't as prominent when overdriven, but when in my clean channel the volume drop is substantial and there is more switch noise when going from neck over to bridge.

[operanonverba]

No expert here but I have never had to wire a pickup right to the switch selector. If that's what your doing, one of the pups are in reverse polarity by the sound of it. Or there is a ground issue. On all of my LP's the pups are wired to the pots. I have seen some posts on reversing the magnet in a humbucker. Might do a search on that if all else fails. You will get some better advise on this post prolly in the am. I hate it when this type of crap happens. Spent 2 hours last night running down a buzz. Good luck!

[Lution]

btw, here are the wiring pics with the 57 Classic in.

not the best soldering job, but it's working. :)

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f51/lution777/SDC10200.jpg

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f51/lution777/SDC10199.jpg


If anyone can help me with the feedback issue I'm getting on this new pickup I would appreciate it. I'm wondering if taking the cover off would help. I notice when i back off the tone knob it does stay within control, but it's sort of acting like an unpotted pickup. Howling even on the blue channel of my XTC.

Thanks.

[lalaland]

Sounds like the pup is reversed phase and microphonic.

[Lution]

I removed the pickup cover and the feedback is now gone. whew! I was hoping that was it. I tried to put a cover one time on a burstbucker pro pickup and the same thing happened so I should have known.

This reverse phase in the middle position is fascinating. I can see why some people like it. Sounds pretty unique when overdriven and sounds great with a fuzz pedal.

I think I might keep it this way for a while.

thanks for the help! :BEER

[Bob V]

When you removed the cover, did the '57 Classic Plus turn out to be an un-potted pickup? If so then it's probably easy to flip the magnet. Since the pickup has single conductor plus shield, you can't just reverse the wires at the switch, and you probably don't want to go reconnecting the fragile wires at the pickup end. The magnet comes loose if you have small enough screwdrivers (you'll need no. 1 and no 0 phillips screwrdrivers) to loosen (but not entirely remove) the bobbins from the baseplate, noting carefully the position of the magnet, the spacers, and the bobbins. You can reverse the magnetic polarity by flipping the magnet while maintaining it's long axis, in other words the long side that was next to the screw polepieces is going to moved over so it's next to the slug polepieces. Picture a long roast on a spit, you're not flipping it end for end. By the way if the Gibson pickups turn you on, then you might want to consider leaving the '57 Classic the way it is and modify the other PRS pickup - so in the future if you decide to replace that one with a Gibber then you're not doig this magnet mod all over again. That is assuming you want to get them back in phase.

I agree that you should try the out-of-phase thing for awhile. If you had independent volume controls you'd discover that you can control the intensity of the honk effect by backing off one pickup.

[jefesq]

I removed the pickup cover and the feedback is now gone. whew! I was hoping that was it. I tried to put a cover one time on a burstbucker pro pickup and the same thing happened so I should have known.

This reverse phase in the middle position is fascinating. I can see why some people like it. Sounds pretty unique when overdriven and sounds great with a fuzz pedal.

I think I might keep it this way for a while.

thanks for the help! :BEER

You might want check out the Jimmy Page mod that allows you to switch in and out of the phase with push pull pots., among other things. Requires 4 connector wiring though.

http://www.seymourduncan.com/support/wiring-diagrams/schematics.php?schematic=jp_style