Grounding problem - Please help!

So I bought a new bridge pickup for my blacktop tele (GFS' Dream 180). Like it very much btw. Now, the problem is that this pickup and my stock humbucker (only 2 wires) are out of phase in the middle position. I tried to reverse the leads on the bridge pickup but than I get no output from the pickup (tried everything to make it work - probably some problem with the PU). What DID WORK is reversing the ground and hot wires of my neck pickup - it did get it out of phase but now I get a very loud hum from the neck pickup (not your regular hum when not touching strings), and even louder when I touch the neck pickup itself. Is there any way I can reverse the neck humbucker leads to get rid of the out of phase issue and somehow fix the ground issues (loud hum) that reversing hot with ground will bring about? Maybe adding another wire or something.. Thanks.

Take a peek at this and see if this helps you. DON'T FORGET TO ADD THE BRIDGE GROUND WIRE. Sorry, didn't mean to yell.

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

I don't have that small jumper on my humbucker

I don't have that small jumper on my humbucker

My mistake ... I didn't make the connection on it being a double HB. My apologies ... I told you I was a moron. :lol:

Unless you can de-couple the negative lead of one pickup coil from the pickup shield, you are screwed. I imagine that you have no more than two conductors coming from each pickup. One is the coil hot, the other is the coil negative that is internally connected to the pickup cover. You successfully reverse the polarity of a pickup and avoid the noise issue you have from your humbucker, you need to have the coil leads separate from the shield lead, because that should ALWAYS go to ground.

This is one very good reason to avoid mixing and matching pickups from different manufacturers. Many older pickups (and cheaper current models) don't bother giving you a separate wire for the pickup shield, and so you run into this.

To successfully reverse the polarity of a pickup and avoid the noise issue you have from your humbucker, you need to have the coil leads separate from the shield lead, because that should ALWAYS go to ground.

Thanks. how do I get the coil leads separate from the shield lead?

To successfully reverse the polarity of a pickup and avoid the noise issue you have from your humbucker, you need to have the coil leads separate from the shield lead, because that should ALWAYS go to ground.

Thanks. how do I get the coil leads separate from the shield lead?

I'm not sure you can. It would require removing the cover, separating the coil negative wire from the shield, and attaching an additional lead to the coil negative. This is a VERY delicate procedure, and I just don't recommend it. The most likely outcome is a dead pickup.

Maybe there's something I can do to decrease the hum.. Aluminium foil under the pickup (in the pickup cavity)?

By reversing the leads, you are shorting the coils to ground so shielding isn't going to help.

I have used a few GFS PUs, like them very much, and ALL had 4-conductor wiring.

If your Dream 180 lead PU has 4-conductor wiring, then you have no problem other than incompetence, as far as wiring it in in-phase to the other PU, with no additional hum added.

Reversing the leads on a "vintage" humbucking PU, where one lead (the ground) is connected to the chrome cover, is incompetence. Incompetence is normal; easily defeated by learning. Or, by taking the axe to a shop where pros can wire it up for you.

His first post says pups are 2 wire, that's the rub!

Some HB's can be made a 3 wire if you know what you're doing, otherwise you can chance making a paper weight out of it.:shock:

Well, I take this,

"Now, the problem is that this pickup and my stock humbucker (only 2 wires) are out of phase in the middle position. "

, to mean, that the stock PU is "only 2 wires", and the new PU has an unidentified number of wires. I'm no shill for GFS; but all the hum-canceling PUs I've bought from them have had 4-conductor wiring. Maybe this Dream 180 is somehow different; I doubt it.

Well the GFS green and black reversal should do it then it they are ALL 4 wire.


Hopefully he is leaving the braided wire on the back of the pot ??

My Dream 180 is a 4 wire conductor. I tried to reverse the leads, but no cigar. Already contacted GFS and until now they haven't come up with a solution. I started similar thread here: http://www.tdpri.com/forum/telecaster-discussion-forum/323512-out-phase%5Cground-problem.html
But no one could find what's wrong with it. thought maybe here in the pickup forum someone would.

And yes, of course the braided wire is at the back of the pot. Thanks for trying to help.

Huh, may be something bad with the pup then?? Should be an easy lead swap being its a 4 wire to get it in phase with the neck.

That's a slam dunk deal there.

Huh, may be something bad with the pup then?? Should be an easy lead swap being its a 4 wire to get it in phase with the neck.

That's a slam dunk deal there.

Exactly. I can imagine no possible condition of the pickup that can explain what you are experiencing, UNLESS one of the coil wires (black and green, someone said?) is internally shorted to the braided wire. In that case, the pickup is defective and you should be able to get an exchange from GFS.

Disconnect all the leads of the Dream 180 from the rest of the guitar wiring. Measure ohms from the black wire and/or the green wire to the braided wire. You should have NO conductivity. Only from black to green (which is through the coil). If you have a path from either coil lead to the shield wire, that is a short internal to the pickup, and GFS owes you a new one.

If you have a path from either coil lead to the shield wire, that is a short internal to the pickup, and GFS owes you a new one.


right on


Or from any coil lead to the cover. The only continuity with the braid should be the cover.

I've contacted GFS. I'll report back when I'll have some answers. Thanks for trying to help.

Ubetcha. It should all work out in the end. Too bad you have all the hassles.

Makes a good story though, and you learn a lot about things when you have troubles :razz:

That's right. Thanks for your time.

Well, I promised I'll update so... Took the pickup to a guitar tech and as you said, It's damaged - that's the reason I couldn't flip the leads. (the black wire was wired mistakenly to the cover by GFS).
It's the first time (and last) that I've ordered from guitar fetish, so I can't say it Overwhelmingly, but in my case GFS' CUSTOMER SERVICE SUCK BIG TIME!
More than a dozen correspondences and they always seemed to ignore my main problem and opt out of responsibility, and it seemed they couldn't care less about my problem. They refused to refund me, told me that to get a refund I should have contacted them earlier (which I did) but got stuck at a wall of incompetence and of lacking Costumer Service orientation. I'll live without my refund but, sadly, Such bad consumer service is shattering the foundations of trust on which online marketing is all about.. Thank you guys for all the help and support!

That's crap that they stuck it to you, over a 30 some dollar pup. AFAIK folks are pretty happy doing buisiness with them.

I feel like dropping them a line myself !

Yeah, I cant understand the logic behind that. Thanks for the solidarity and support! much appreciated.

I have 3 of their instruments and have ordered a number of parts and pickups from them. Ive always had pretty good luck with my orders, but their customer service isn't the greatest. They have no phone number,and I've never ever recieved a response from a single question I've posed. While I have been happy with the products, their customer service just isn't very good IMO. At least thats been my experience. If my first order had been like yours, it would have been my last.