Question having to do with 4-way switch

[blowtorch]

OK so awhile back I had a Twang King bridge and a GFS Fatbody neck installed in an SX tele, along with a 4-way and an electrosocket jack.
I got the guitar back and the Fatbody sounded AMAZING, deep, clear, rich. But the added position with the 4 way sounded weird, thin and nasal. So I figured it was out of phase, and asked the tech to correct it.

(sidenote, yeah , i know, i can do this stuff myself, and i used to, but with the job and kids and all, i just don't end up getting the things done I'd like to so I take it to a very capable and reasonable tech)

Anyway, I got the guit back, he told me he reversed the wires from the neck pickup and it corrected the problem. Listeneing, I have to agree, the added position sounds nice and warm, full, and thick, the way it should. BUT, the neck pickup alone now sounds far less rich and deep and harmonically complex. It doesn't sound bad, but sounds, well, pretty ordinary.

Thoughts? Thanks much.

[Teleterr]

Start and finish sound different as the hot and ground, so reversing the wires changes the sound.Usually its subtle w the finish the norm and if switched to the start, its a tiny bit thicker/darker. W GFS, who knows how they wire it. You could always get a Super Switch type switch so the hot and ground are different for the Neck position and the combos positions. Or do a seperate ground for the bridge plate and reverse its wires and return the Neck to normal. I suggest using a 5 Super Switch if it will fit, because N+B always sounds noticable different than B+N and sometimes radically different.

[blowtorch]

Teleterr, by "N+B" and "B+N" do you mean, series and parellell? Thanks.

[sjtalon]

Originally Posted by blowtorch

I got the guitar back.................... But the added position with the 4 way sounded weird, thin and nasal. So I figured it was out of phase, and asked the tech to correct it.

(sidenote,................. so I take it to a very capable and reasonable tech)

Anyway, I got the guit back, he told me he reversed the wires from the neck pickup and it corrected the problem.

Interesting chain of events, capable ?? He should have known it was out of phase in the first place, if that's the way things went down.





and I'm not believing switching the leads of a pickup is going to make a difference on it's tone, per se.

[sjtalon]

Originally Posted by Teleterr

because N+B always sounds noticable different than B+N and sometimes radically different.

I'm not getting that deal either??

[blowtorch]

sjtalon, yeah he's very capable. he's done tons of work for me over the last few years. it's my understanding though that these GFS pickup leads can be kinda confusing.

[sjtalon]

Not trying to beat the guy up but regardless of what pickups (brands, whatever) are used, AFTER the installation ( of which one pup shouldn't be soldered up untill you try it if a phase issue is possable.........which is normally the case when pup brands are mixed and matched) a TECH should know from the sound something isn't right and fix it, right then.

Just saying.

[Teleterr]

No.Series order. G-B-N-Hot, G-N-B-Hot. Lower Z into higher Z sounds fine. Higher Z into Lower filters which is hit or miss tone wise. A guy changed his neck HB tele to N+B from B+N and it sounded much,much better. I just happened to have both p/ups he was using and a open tele clone, so I heard it first hand as well.

[blowtorch]

yeah I know you're right, he's often very busy and I feel frankly privileged to have access to his working on my gear. plus his deal always is that if I'm not happy with something he does he will correct the problem, no charge. i am fortunate to have him nearby. this deal just p[uzzles me,

[Teleterr]

[QUOTE=
and I'm not believing switching the leads of a pickup is going to make a difference on it's tone, per se.[/QUOTE]................ Its subtle but enough to make a difference w Strats and Teles depending. (I don't care about pole stagger much, but do about this, others might be the opposte).W HBs big difference . After the "how many p/ups does your guitar have ?" thread I set up a guitar w just a SH-14 w a toggle to switch which coil was G or H. Almost as different as N and B p/ups in sound. The grounded coil flavors the sound more.