out-of-Phase?

Vick

Oky,i was just wondering how this works...as on a fender mustang,the pups can be 'on','of' or 'out-of-phase'...what is 'out-of-phase'..? Duz it have to do with the phases of the powersorce,that the guitar unsynchronize the power phases?and if it is,is it by a fixed amount?and wil changing the amount change the sound the pups delivers?

Thanx guys ?

MikeM

Basically instead of the sine waves alligning to increase the amplitude of the sound (series for example), one is inverted, which lowers the sound output, typically cuts most of your mids and gives you a very honky, nasal sound.

Series out of phase is pretty usable ?

AlanRatcliffe

^^^ What he said. ^^^ ?

Practically, the two wires from one pickup are reversed, so when the sound coming from it is added to the sound from another pickup, all the common frequencies cancel each other out and you are left with just the difference in sound between the two pickups. "Honky" and "nasal" describe the sound perfectly. Think of some of Brian May's tones.

[Pedantic tech rant - please ignore if you are not so inclined]
Strictly speaking, a pickup cannot be "out of phase". Phase refers to the relationship between two signals. It is more accurate to call a pickup "reverse polarity". The signals coming from two pickups can be out of phase with each other, but a single signal from one pickup can also not be out of phase unless it has another signal to be out of phase with. [Ahhh... I feel much better now.]

?

Squonk

@ Alan

That sound a bit like the switch I have on my Peavey T60. Never really understood it much.

AlanRatcliffe

Squonk wrote: That sound a bit like the switch I have on my Peavey T60. Never really understood it much.

It's exactly that, but a more advanced iteration that uses a cap to keep the low frequencies intact so the volume doesn't drop too much. Very innovative for the time and très cool. Those funky out-of-phase tones are what makes the T-60 so popular in some of the local pop music styles.

FenderBender

Alan Ratcliffe wrote: a single signal from one pickup can also not be out of phase unless it has another signal to be out of phase with.

So it's all relative then ?

TomCat

Also depends on which relative is involved......if it's your mother-in-law....!!!!!...... ??? ??? ? ?

Vick

Oky,thanx,i think i get it...

Like,i have a jag thats wired for coil tap...can i have it wired so that insted of 'disabeling' one of the coils of the humbucker,it can just split the HB into 2 singelcoils that are bouth inabeld,and then have one of the coils wired for out of phase...?

Just for itrest's sake :d

MikeM

Yes but each coil sounds so similar you'll have little to no output ?

AlanRatcliffe

MikeM wrote: Yes but each coil sounds so similar you'll have little to no output ?

Yup.

What you can do however is use a mini three way switch and have it either give you Series/single-coil/Parallel or inner coil/humbucking/outer coil. I find the second to be very useful in expanding the flexibility of a two-humbucker guitar.

MikeM

Alan, why would you say the top/both/bottom is more useful than series/parrallel/cut? I'd think that the parrallel is useful for no hum, and if one could hit the top coil of the neck and bottom of the bridge, you'd get humbucking and get a decent sound.

This is speculation though as I have not tested any of this, hence me asking ?

AlanRatcliffe

Alan, why would you say the top/both/bottom is more useful than series/parrallel/cut?

Excellent question! Top/both/bottom gives you more tonal variety (some tones only subtly different, but allows you to fine tune the tone), while the parallel/series/cut has the parallel setting, which is similar to the single-coil sound but still noise cancelling, which comes in handy live. So it's horses for courses.

I had my Sanox wired with the parallel setting when I was playing out more, but changed it to the either coil setting when I started doing far more in the home studio than live.

MikeM

Man I feel like I am in school again "Excellent question!" ? hahah

Ah so different strokes for different folks ? Gas is kicking in.. Gotta think of something else :/

AlanRatcliffe

:-[ Sorry - I always associate "excellent question" with The Time Bandits (the Devil says it after blowing up a minion who asks a "difficult" question). ?

It was a good question because I wanted to mention it earlier, but didn't want to complicate the point at the time. Then you gave me an out to talk about it anyway... Which was wonderful as I got to show off some more. :dance:

MikeM

Wow in one post you have managed to show that you are in fact a spammer and a glory hog ? Nehehehe kidding man - or am I ?

Never watched that movie ??? sounds interesting though.

FenderBender

Return the map! Time Bandits is an excellent movie. I bought a Criterion Collection DVD at Global Disks in Rosenpark for R120. Cleese as Hood always cracks me up ?

AlanRatcliffe

Yeah, a very silly movie (in a good way). Same bunch of reprobates who did Yellowbeard (Michael Palin & Terry Gilliam: ex Monty Python).