Is it ok to use a bridge pickup as a neck pickup?

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Jazzyboi
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Is it ok to use a bridge pickup as a neck pickup?

Post by Jazzyboi » Mon May 27, 2019 9:50 am

Are there any differences between the bridge and neck pickups in 59-64 jazzmaster pickups? I have a vintage bridge but need a neck pickup, and can only find a bridge one. Thanks!

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Embenny
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Re: Is it ok to use a bridge pickup as a neck pickup?

Post by Embenny » Mon May 27, 2019 11:53 am

You can do that, but won't get hum cancelation in the middle position.
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Re: Is it ok to use a bridge pickup as a neck pickup?

Post by Jazzyboi » Mon May 27, 2019 3:31 pm

Ah ok, why is that?

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Re: Is it ok to use a bridge pickup as a neck pickup?

Post by Embenny » Mon May 27, 2019 3:53 pm

Jazzyboi wrote:
Mon May 27, 2019 3:31 pm
Ah ok, why is that?
The neck pickup is wound in the reverse direction and has the magnets oriented the opposite way. When you flip both, you get a signal that is in phase but hum that is out of phase and cancels out, i.e. a humbucker. There is no way to nondestructively flip the magnets on a JM and repolarizing them in the opposite orientation takes extremely specific expertise and equipment.

So, if you just wire two identical pickups together, it'll sound just fine, but not cancel hum in the middle position.
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Re: Is it ok to use a bridge pickup as a neck pickup?

Post by jimboyogi » Mon May 27, 2019 4:19 pm

mbene085 wrote:
Mon May 27, 2019 3:53 pm
Jazzyboi wrote:
Mon May 27, 2019 3:31 pm
Ah ok, why is that?
The neck pickup is wound in the reverse direction and has the magnets oriented the opposite way. When you flip both, you get a signal that is in phase but hum that is out of phase and cancels out, i.e. a humbucker. There is no way to nondestructively flip the magnets on a JM and repolarizing them in the opposite orientation takes extremely specific expertise and equipment.

So, if you just wire two identical pickups together, it'll sound just fine, but not cancel hum in the middle position.
If you just install the pickup upside down (eyelets facing towards strings) inside the cover, then the pickup is reversed both wind direction and magnetically. Only problems are whether the wires fit into the cover, and whether the eyelets/wires cause the pickup to not sit properly within the cover.

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Re: Is it ok to use a bridge pickup as a neck pickup?

Post by Embenny » Mon May 27, 2019 6:26 pm

Yeah, and the amount that polepieces protrude isn't symmetrical on JM pickups. It's possible to do but not ideal.
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Re: Is it ok to use a bridge pickup as a neck pickup?

Post by Jazzyboi » Mon May 27, 2019 8:13 pm

Very interesting, thank you

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