Quick Tip 5: Testing Guitar Pickup Phase and Magnetic Polarity

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The quick tips series consists of short videos on a guitar or amplifier repair or maintenance topic. In this episode, I demonstrate how to test a set of mismatched pickups for phase compatibility and magnetic polarity.
Who am I? I'm just a hobbyist, not a luthier. I've picked up a few skills along the way, and I continue to learn. If you're into DIY projects and musical instruments or gear, you may enjoy my channel. If you do, please like, subscribe, and leave a comment.

[@miltontuffpuff]

You have gained a subscriber for life bcos of the awesome video. Such a simple and to the point video. And if you keep posting other things you will have my like and comment mostly always. Cheers

[@hacksguitarhobby]

Thanks for the sub!

[@Apo458]

Dude, you're a lifesaver. Thanks!!!!

[@hacksguitarhobby]

Glad to help!

[@swissanthony]

Thank you so much for explaining this. I could never get my head around on how to know which is the hot wire and which is the ground wire. You’ve explained it perfectly 👏👏👏👏👏

[@hacksguitarhobby]

Glad I could help!

[@blop1738]

Great video, a question please;
what consequences does a different magnetic polarity have on the sound? Pros and nons to get a north pickup instead a south one and viceversa. Thanks so much

[@hacksguitarhobby]

I don’t think a north by itself or south by itself will sound distinctive. The idea is to use one of each together (along with reversed windings) to do hum canceling. Also, I’ve never read this part specifically, but I imagine if all pickups had the same pull on the strings, that might affect sustain or some other tonal aspect of the sound, where alternating the magnets would reduce the effect overall.

[@Moremetal..]

Great straight forward understandable video, thanks...

[@hacksguitarhobby]

Glad it helped!

[@knuckleheadsaloon]

Great vid, thankyou

[@hacksguitarhobby]

Welcome!

[@mde9395]

Dude. Thanks ❤

[@hacksguitarhobby]

No problem!

[@RaymondLandis]

Great video! How does that work with humbuckers? and/or a mixture of the types... Say...HSH?

[@hacksguitarhobby]

It's a little tricky with them, because the coils are essentially independent single coil pickups and can wire them so many ways. But, if the coils are in phase with each other, you can test them the same way.

[@ucanliv4ever]

Nice video. I have a question though. Why is the middle pickup reversed magnetic polarity?

[@hacksguitarhobby]

For noise cancellation, when used with one of the pickups next to it.

[@ucanliv4ever]

I knew that, I was just checking to see if you knew that... just kidding...!
My parents made me this way... just kidding...!
Thank you for the great vid and I will check out your other vids...!

[@rlwcese]

To do a voltage polarity test you need to set the DMM on DC voltage, not resistance. You are not measuring correctly.

[@hacksguitarhobby]

If you don’t believe me, believe Lindy Fralin: www.fralinpickups.com/2017/11/22/use-multimeter-guitar-pickups/

[@paulpeterlin1799]

I didn’t know that I work on my own guitars

[@hacksguitarhobby]

Thanks for watching

[@JohnAdams-xc5yk]

Your out of touch there is an app for your phone called pole dector just point it at the pickup it will tell you all you need to know

[@hacksguitarhobby]

Thanks for watching.