Do you use your phase switch?

[Bruxist]

Do you use out-of-phase sounds if you have them installed in your tele?

Am thinking of putting a phase switch in a HS tele build but trying to decide if it is worth it.

Thanks for your input!

 

[chris m.]

I had a G&L with a phase switch that made it sound thinner/more nasal. I think if you want that sound then you should at least give it a try.

 

[drmordo]

They cut the volume quite a bit so are not terribly useful unless you play pretty distorted or with a compressor.

That said, I voted yes because I do use the switches on my Burns Red Special quite a bit. I wouldn't use it on a Tele.

 

[JL_LI]

I have an S1 switch that lets me put my pickups in series. That’s where my best jazz tone lies. I once wired pickups out of phase by accident and didn’t like the sound at all.

 

[SixStringSlinger]

I have an S1 switch that lets me put my pickups in series. That’s where my best jazz tone lies. I once wired pickups out of phase by accident and didn’t like the sound at all.

Same here. I accidentally wired my Jazzmaster OOP (pickups from 2 different manufacturers) and I hated it. On a Tele I'd go for a series mod if anything.

That said, some people like it. It's easy enough to try out, just flip the leads on one of your pickups.

EDIT: Just noticed yours is an HS Tele. In that case I'd look into series/parallel switching for the humbucker. Decreases the "oomph" like coil-splitting, but a better sound IMO and without as much output loss.

 

[Bruxist]

EDIT: Just noticed yours is an HS Tele. In that case I'd look into series/parallel switching for the humbucker. Decreases the "oomph" like coil-splitting, but a better sound IMO and without as much output loss.

That was what I was thinking of doing instead.

 

[SixStringSlinger]

That was what I was thinking of doing instead.

I did it on my Ibanez Jet King (separate switches for each pickup). I'm not about to fool anyone into thinking I'm playing a Tele or Strat, but it is a nice and useful tonal variation.

 

[chris m.]

I agree that wiring for parallel/series makes more sense in an HS configuration.

The out of phase, thin, nasal tone can sometimes work well as the input signal to help focus a heavy fuzz. So if you're a big time fuzz dude then it might be worth checking out.

 

[Lawdawg]

I've got the S1 phase switch on my Baja Tele and definitely use it, primarily in conjunction with the bridge+neck in series setting. It's not an everyday tone, but is certainly useful especially for funk and rhythm playing.

 

[JRapp]

Maybe on an archtop, but never on a Tele.

 

[LOSTVENTURE]

I've got the S1 phase switch on my Baja Tele and definitely use it, primarily in conjunction with the bridge+neck in series setting. It's not an everyday tone, but is certainly useful especially for funk and rhythm playing.

I use the S1 on my Baja rather frequently. In fact, it's the first of my Teles that I didn't have to add the phase switch to.

 

[Rustbucket]

My ‘74 Guild has one, as most of the mid-70’s Guild solidbodies did. It does make the HB-1 pickups sound more nasally and quieter as mentioned above.

What’s interesting is the volume does get louder if you roll back the neck pickup a bit when out of phase. It’s probably something to do with the combination of the two signal wavelengths.

 

[Rich_S]

I have one on my HH "PT" Tele (push/pull on the upper pot) and use it occasionally. It's good for some snarky Page tones. I can control the snark to some degree because it has two volume controls.

I suspect on a "real" Tele, parallel out-of-phase would be too shrill. Series out-of-phase might do the Brian May thing, sort of.

 

[Billy3]

I love half oop in parallel on my SS Tele. Not so much in series. Regular oop on my HH is pretty cool. I also have a mini toggle for each pup. Parallel, split, Series. Lots of goods.

 

[Lawdawg]

I use the S1 on my Baja rather frequently. In fact, it's the first of my Teles that I didn't have to add the phase switch to.

I love the Baja wiring scheme (4 way switch + phase switch) and think it's perfect for a Tele. With 6 useful and very different tones it's about as close to a 'do it all' guitar as you can get. If I ever get another Tele, I'm definitely going to wire it the same way.

 

[DavidP]

I much prefer half-out-of-phase over regular out-of-phase. I have that in my thinline with a 5-way/4 pole switch so have the other four settings as well.

 

[mr natural]

Got a phase switch installed when I got my Tele modded because why not? It was cheap. The way I use it is when playing with others. I use OOP as my base rhythm tone. Sounds thin on its own but sits really well in a busy mix especially if you have a keyboardist. Great for funk and reggae and the dreaded dance music. Turn up the amp to compensate for the volume drop. Then you can use the pickup switch as 2 different flavors of “boost” for leads depending on which individual pickup you switch to.

 

[Chiogtr4x]

I don't have one in my Epi SG...

( a 2018 with PAF style/spec humbuckers and coil taps on each Volume knob)

... but would LOVE an out-of-phase option wired to one of the Tone knobs.
Perfect addition for someone like me that plays ( relatively) clean blues, funk, and old Country stuff.

Someday!

 

[urbandefault]

I've tried several times on several different guitars and I just don't like the nasal sound. And I really don't get why other people like it.

But hey, LLAP.

 

[brookdalebill]

Yup!
I have phase switches on four guitars.
Three of those four guitars are my workhorses.
I use the phase switch on Third Rate Romance, My Girl, Her Name Is, and Christmas in Dixie.
It’s a goofy tone, but I enjoy using it on the aforementioned tunes.
My new-to-me Hohner L59 is getting a phase switch, and pickup swap soon.