What's the purpose of a reverse polarity pickup?

[Phalanx200bc]

I have an American Special Spalted Maple Telecaster with a SD 59 rev. polarity in the neck pos. What attributes does reverse polarity give me I would not have otherwise?

Thanks!!

[uOpt]

That doesn't make sense.

A Duncan 59 is a humbucker. It always has one normal and one reversed polarity and reversed wind coil.

[just_one_more]

I think what he is saying is it is reverse polarity compared to the standard off the shelf SD59. Totally guessing but the idea would be it needed to be reverse polarity to be in phase with the tele pickup that was already in there.

[uOpt]

Well, it could have been done to pick "the other" coil to be hum-canceling in combination with the bridge pickup when the 59 is split.

Assuming the bridge is a single coil.

[Sam Sherry]

What attributes does reverse polarity give me I would not have otherwise?
Tonally: Nothing, except when it does.

Let's say you have a single-coil pickup with the "inside" or "start" wire hooked up as 'hot' and the "outside" or "finish" wire hooked up as 'ground.' Let's say that the magnet(s) are set so that North is pointed toward the strings. Hook an old-fashioned VOM up to the pickup, put a screwdriver across the poles and pull sharply up. Let's say that the meter swings toward the left.

If you were to switch the leads so that 'outside' is 'hot' and vice-versa, the meter would now swing to the right. Similarly, if you were to leave 'inside' as 'hot' but turn the magnets upside-down so that South pointed toward the strings the meter would also pull right. If you switched both the meter would still pull left. And no matter what, you would hear no difference as long as that was the only pickup you were using.

Now, let's add a second single-coil pickup to the guitar. If one pulls left and one pulls right, the pickups are out of phase and much of their signals will cancel each other out. The result is lower output and nasal sound.

Single-coils make two noises: One comes from strings vibrating (the intended noise) and the other comes from the coil picking up 60-Hz noise by acting as an antenna (the unintended noise).

A humbucking pickup has two coils. For the sake of this discussion, say that one is 'in=hot North=top' and the other is 'out=hot South=top.' So, for the sake of this discussion, each coil produces an intended noise with "pulls to the left," i.e. the two coils produce a signal that is in-phase when strings move. But because one coil is one way and the other coil is the other way, the unintended, "antenna" background hum is canceled out.

HERE'S THE PUNCH-LINE: Two humbuckers which are out-of-phase with each other also produce lower output and nasal sound. If you install your "reverse" Duncan on a guitar with a "regular" Duncan that's what you will get.

Hope this helps.

[VaughnC]

I have an American Special Spalted Maple Telecaster with a SD 59 rev. polarity in the neck pos. What attributes does reverse polarity give me I would not have otherwise?

Thanks!!

If your Tele has two single coil pickups, and one of them is built RWRP (reverse wound & reverse polarity), when the pickup selector is set for both pickups to be active, you will get hum cancellation in that position only.

The other issue is absolute phase through your rig...but that's other discussion.

[declan]

Or to put it in the simplest terminology I can think of,

It provides an additional option allowing the manipulation of noise cancellation and phasing between pickup coils.

For any single coil pickup played in isolation, it's polarity or winding direction is pretty much irrelevant.

Declan

[Phalanx200bc]

Both pickups are humbuckers..(standard to model) SD 59 rev polarity in the neck and SD Pearly Gates Plus at the bridge
Tone control also has a split coil tap.

http://i927.photobucket.com/albums/ad120/Phalanx200bc/100_0739.jpg?t=1276708599

[uOpt]

As I said earlier, then it doesn't make any sense.

A humbucker always has one straight coil and one rw/rp.

[VaughnC]

Both pickups are humbuckers..(standard to model) SD 59 rev polarity in the neck and SD Pearly Gates Plus at the bridge
Tone control also has a split coil tap.

http://i927.photobucket.com/albums/ad120/Phalanx200bc/100_0739.jpg?t=1276708599

Being that both pickups are humbuckers, as long as both pickups are in phase with each other, hum canceling won't be an issue in any position. However, if the pickups are out of phase with each other, then the "both on" position will have a hollow/clucky tone.

Beyond that, a lot of players experiment with the absolute phase of their rig. Many feel that their rig sounds better when the speaker cone moves forward on the initial string attack while others can hear no difference either way. Another fact is that, under distortion conditions, the signal to the speaker may not be symmetrical...so, in that scenario, having the strongest half of the wave pushing the speaker cone forward generally gives the rig more presence. The easiest way to check effect of your rig phase is to reverse the polarity of the cable between your amp and speaker(s). Many put banana plugs in their speaker line so they can switch speaker polarity quickly for comparison.

[Bill M]

As I said earlier, then it doesn't make any sense.

A humbucker always has one straight coil and one rw/rp.


Not true, both coils on humbuckers are wound in the same direction.

[uOpt]

But they are connected out of phase which amounts to the same thing, hum canceling while leaving the strings through.

[Bill M]

Both pickups are humbuckers..(standard to model) SD 59 rev polarity in the neck and SD Pearly Gates Plus at the bridge
Tone control also has a split coil tap.

http://i927.photobucket.com/albums/ad120/Phalanx200bc/100_0739.jpg?t=1276708599

What makes you think that the 59 is reverse polarity. It shouldn't be if it is stock. Is the 4 conductor wire wired improperly? If it is your 2 pickups can be electrically out of phase, which, when both pickups are on it will sound very thin. The same effct will happen if you just flip the magnet in 1 pickup. ALA the peter green sound. Won't work in your guitar because it only has 1 volume control.

[Bobby D]

this thread is confusing me :eeks

[Phalanx200bc]

What makes you think that the 59 is reverse polarity. It shouldn't be if it is stock. Is the 4 conductor wire wired improperly? If it is your 2 pickups can be electrically out of phase, which, when both pickups are on it will sound very thin. The same effct will happen if you just flip the magnet in 1 pickup. ALA the peter green sound. Won't work in your guitar because it only has 1 volume control.


Overview (http://fender.com/uk/products/search.php?partno=0262600521#overview)
Specs (http://fender.com/uk/products/search.php?partno=0262600521#specs)

Fender's Custom Telecaster Spalted Maple HH is a unique and stunning natural beauty. Spalted maple is highly sought after for its unmistakably beautiful look and is typically found on guitars in the premium price range. Other features include a set neck, slim body, carved top, spalted top with lush grained look, Seymour Duncan® pickups, and push/pull coil tap. Case not included.




Model Name:Custom Telecaster® Spalted Maple HHModel Number:026-2600-(521)Series:Special Edition SeriesColors521) Natural,
(Urethane Finish)Body:Mahogany, with Spalted Maple TopNeck:1-Piece Mahogany, Set Neck, Slim “C” Shape,
(Gloss Urethane Finish)Fingerboard:Rosewood, 15.75” Radius (400 mm)No. of Frets:22 Jumbo FretsPickups:1 Seymour Duncan® SHPGP-1B Pearly Gates Plus Humbucking Pickup (Bridge),
1 Seymour Duncan® SH-1N RP ‘59 Reverse Polarity Humbucking Pickup (Neck )Controls:Master Volume, Master Tone with Push/Pull Coil Select FeaturePickup Switching:3-Position Toggle:
Position 1. Bridge Pickup
Position 2. Bridge and Neck Pickups
Position 3. Neck PickupBridge:6-Saddle Strings-Through-Body Hardtail BridgeMachine Heads:Cast/Sealed Tuning MachinesHardware:ChromePickguard:NoneScale Length:25.5" (648 mm)Width at Nut:1.625" (41.3 mm)Unique Features:Carved Mahogany Body with Spalted Maple Veneer Top,
Cream Colored Body and Neck Bindings,
Oversized Abalone Dot Position Inlays,
Graphite Nut,
Seymour Duncan® Pickups,
Push/Pull Coil Select FeatureStrings:Fender Super 250L, Nickel Plated Steel,
Gauges: (.009, .011, .016, .024, .032, .042),
p/n 073-0250-003Accessories:NoneCase:NoneIntroduced:3/2007Notice:Product Prices, Features, Specifications and Availability Are Subject To Change Without Notice

[Phalanx200bc]

I'm confused too!!! Yet I'm more in AWE of the amount of knowledge the forum users here have!!!!!!!:eeks

I will experiment after work and see if the tapped reverse polarity 59 gives me more of a quack or twang....don't think it would though ,I dont use the coil tap much at all.

[uOpt]

Overview (http://fender.com/uk/products/search.php?partno=0262600521#overview)
Specs (http://fender.com/uk/products/search.php?partno=0262600521#specs)

Fender's Custom Telecaster Spalted Maple HH is a unique and stunning natural beauty. Spalted maple is highly sought after for its unmistakably beautiful look and is typically found on guitars in the premium price range. Other features include a set neck, slim body, carved top, spalted top with lush grained look, Seymour Duncan® pickups, and push/pull coil tap. Case not included.




Model Name:Custom Telecaster® Spalted Maple HHModel Number:026-2600-(521)Series:Special Edition SeriesColors521) Natural,
(Urethane Finish)Body:Mahogany, with Spalted Maple TopNeck:1-Piece Mahogany, Set Neck, Slim “C” Shape,
(Gloss Urethane Finish)Fingerboard:Rosewood, 15.75” Radius (400 mm)No. of Frets:22 Jumbo FretsPickups:1 Seymour Duncan® SHPGP-1B Pearly Gates Plus Humbucking Pickup (Bridge),
1 Seymour Duncan® SH-1N RP ‘59 Reverse Polarity Humbucking Pickup (Neck )Controls:Master Volume, Master Tone with Push/Pull Coil Select FeaturePickup Switching:3-Position Toggle:
Position 1. Bridge Pickup
Position 2. Bridge and Neck Pickups
Position 3. Neck PickupBridge:6-Saddle Strings-Through-Body Hardtail BridgeMachine Heads:Cast/Sealed Tuning MachinesHardware:ChromePickguard:NoneScale Length:25.5" (648 mm)Width at Nut:1.625" (41.3 mm)Unique Features:Carved Mahogany Body with Spalted Maple Veneer Top,
Cream Colored Body and Neck Bindings,
Oversized Abalone Dot Position Inlays,
Graphite Nut,
Seymour Duncan® Pickups,
Push/Pull Coil Select FeatureStrings:Fender Super 250L, Nickel Plated Steel,
Gauges: (.009, .011, .016, .024, .032, .042),
p/n 073-0250-003Accessories:NoneCase:NoneIntroduced:3/2007Notice:Product Prices, Features, Specifications and Availability Are Subject To Change Without Notice

OK, I am 99% sure now that they simply mean out-of-phase, so that the middle switch position is OOP.

Also note "coil select", which is probably marketing monkey speech for "split". I highly doubt that this thing always splits and you can "select the coil" :)

[Bill M]

Overview (http://fender.com/uk/products/search.php?partno=0262600521#overview)
Specs (http://fender.com/uk/products/search.php?partno=0262600521#specs)
Fender's Custom Telecaster Spalted Maple HH is a unique and stunning natural beauty. Spalted maple is highly sought after for its unmistakably beautiful look and is typically found on guitars in the premium price range. Other features include a set neck, slim body, carved top, spalted top with lush grained look, Seymour Duncan® pickups, and push/pull coil tap. Case not included.




Model Name:Custom Telecaster® Spalted Maple HHModel Number:026-2600-(521)Series:Special Edition SeriesColors521) Natural,
(Urethane Finish)Body:Mahogany, with Spalted Maple TopNeck:1-Piece Mahogany, Set Neck, Slim “C” Shape,
(Gloss Urethane Finish)Fingerboard:Rosewood, 15.75” Radius (400 mm)No. of Frets:22 Jumbo FretsPickups:1 Seymour Duncan® SHPGP-1B Pearly Gates Plus Humbucking Pickup (Bridge),
1 Seymour Duncan® SH-1N RP ‘59 Reverse Polarity Humbucking Pickup (Neck )Controls:Master Volume, Master Tone with Push/Pull Coil Select FeaturePickup Switching:3-Position Toggle:
Position 1. Bridge Pickup
Position 2. Bridge and Neck Pickups
Position 3. Neck PickupBridge:6-Saddle Strings-Through-Body Hardtail BridgeMachine Heads:Cast/Sealed Tuning MachinesHardware:ChromePickguard:NoneScale Length:25.5" (648 mm)Width at Nut:1.625" (41.3 mm)Unique Features:Carved Mahogany Body with Spalted Maple Veneer Top,
Cream Colored Body and Neck Bindings,
Oversized Abalone Dot Position Inlays,
Graphite Nut,
Seymour Duncan® Pickups,
Push/Pull Coil Select FeatureStrings:Fender Super 250L, Nickel Plated Steel,
Gauges: (.009, .011, .016, .024, .032, .042),
p/n 073-0250-003Accessories:NoneCase:NoneIntroduced:3/2007Notice:Product Prices, Features, Specifications and Availability Are Subject To Change Without Notice


I see, the 59 does come reverse polarity. So, when both humbuckers are on it must sound thin and weak. Why would they want to do that? I can see if the guitar had 2 volume controls you can roll one down a bit and get some real interesting tones. unless it has something to do with the coil splitting feature.

[Whiskey N Beans]

Beautiful Tele Phalanx. I'll let others field your technical question.

[Sam Sherry]

Beyond that, a lot of players experiment with the absolute phase of their rig. Many feel that their rig sounds better when the speaker cone moves forward on the initial string attack while others can hear no difference either way.
You've carefully stated this in a neutral fashion; good going.

Play an A on the G string and your speaker is moving backward and forward 440 times a second. If somebody claims they can hear which way the coil started, either they have very acute hearing "or maybe not." Count me in with the skeptics!