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?? Pickup conductor wiring and Tone ??


Figstrum

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Lets say I have two Gibson 490R pick ups. One comes with a single conductor wire, and the other has a four conductor wire. Both the are the same pick up, but w/different conductor wirings. (one you can split, and not the other)

 

Will the fact that each have different conductor wirings affect the tone when installed?

 

Does the difference in conductor wiring cause them to sound different, even when they are the same kind of pick up?

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the only way you could get a difference is if the wiring was purposely done differently.

 

IOW if you broke the connection between the two and changed it.

 

from the factory each pickup would be wired as a humbucker.

one has the option of breaking two wires apart and getting a single coil tone, or for series/parallel switching.

 

But stock. same sound.

 

all it is is this.. coils around each pup.. one end of one coil soldered to the end of the other coil.

then the ends not used run to your pup as hot and ground.

 

on the four way.. you have the two ends that are soldered together lengthened and exposed.. so you can change the wiring.

otherwise they are the same.

so you should see two wires with bare ends from each pup..

and on one pup, two wires usually taped together and/or soldered together.

 

The inch or two of extra wire will have no affect on tone.

You have to overwind or reduce winding length quite a few turns to get a tonal change.

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the only way you could get a difference is if the wiring was purposely done differently.

 

IOW if you broke the connection between the two and changed it.

 

from the factory each pickup would be wired as a humbucker.

one has the option of breaking two wires apart and getting a single coil tone' date=' or for series/parallel switching.

 

But stock. same sound.

 

all it is is this.. coils around each pup.. one end of one coil soldered to the end of the other coil.

then the ends not used run to your pup as hot and ground.

 

on the four way.. you have the two ends that are soldered together lengthened and exposed.. so you can change the wiring.

otherwise they are the same.

so you should see two wires with bare ends from each pup..

and on one pup, two wires usually taped together and/or soldered together.

 

The inch or two of extra wire will have no affect on tone.

You have to overwind or reduce winding length quite a few turns to get a tonal change.

 

[/quote']

 

Thanks Twang. I bought some Gibson factory installed pickups from an independent that removed them from his new guitar. The pups that I bought come in four conductor if purchased separate, but when installed in the factory, they come in two conductor. I was just wondering if they would have a different sound. Thanks again.

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Agree with Twang - no difference if wired as "standard Humbuckers".

The Gibby pups I installed in my 2 Epis were 2 wire, but but 4 wire

makes no difference if installed correctly.

When installed, you'll notice an immediate difference in sustain and

sensitivity to "Pinch Harmonics". Wail Away!!!!

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