• From: North Carolina
  • Registered: 2008-10-26
  • Posts: 2,926

Topic: Reverse Polarity Peter Green Mod

Has anybody every tried the Peter Green Mod on their Les Pauls or humbucker equipped Guitars?  All it is that you do is take the magnet out of the pickup and turn it around Long ways so North and South are in a different direction then the other Pickup.  Peters was in the neck pickup.  I tried it last night and was very suprised with the results.  I'm not sure it will stay that way but I was wondering what you guys or even Joe thought about this mod.

I'm also running Gibson 57' Classics in the guitar right now and was thinking about swapping out the magnet for something stronger.  I flipped the Bridge pickup as they said that it wouldn't make a difference in sound unless you where between 2 pickups.

AD3THREE's Website

2 Reply by JohnTB (edited by JohnTB 2009-01-09 04:58:19)

  • From: Lancashire
  • Registered: 2008-02-26
  • Posts: 700

Re: Reverse Polarity Peter Green Mod

Not sure but when Joe played in Manc his neck pickup cover was reversed (usually indicating a PG mod) I did it on mine but instead of the magnet I rewired it, its a nice mod gives you a very straty sound and if you keep playing with volume and tone controls u can get some very haunting sounds.. I found it sounds pretty cool with delay and reverb I think its all matter of opinion though..

I kinda like the 57 Classics dunno if id mess around with the magnets :s

3 Reply by Beerdog80 (edited by Beerdog80 2009-01-09 05:08:21)

  • From: Oklahoma
  • Registered: 2008-03-28
  • Posts: 263

Re: Reverse Polarity Peter Green Mod

I did this out of phase mod to my stock SG neck pickup and it sounded great.  I got some Burstbuckers on the way so I might have to try the mod with those as well.

Don't play leapfrog with a unicorn
  • From: North Carolina
  • Registered: 2008-10-26
  • Posts: 2,926

Re: Reverse Polarity Peter Green Mod

I really like the Classic 57's too.  I didn't do the neck though I thought that I'd do the bridge because it didn't have a cover on it at the time.  I'm wanting to up the magnet to a Alnico 5 to give it a little more hair but not mess with the output of the pickup.  I'm not fond of the ceramic magnets because they are too tight.  I've grown to like the PG mod more since I did it though.  But is it normal to have a huge volume drop when your in between pickups?

AD3THREE's Website

  • Registered: 2007-09-30
  • Posts: 556

Re: Reverse Polarity Peter Green Mod

AD3THREE wrote:

I really like the Classic 57's too.  I didn't do the neck though I thought that I'd do the bridge because it didn't have a cover on it at the time.  I'm wanting to up the magnet to a Alnico 5 to give it a little more hair but not mess with the output of the pickup.  I'm not fond of the ceramic magnets because they are too tight.  I've grown to like the PG mod more since I did it though.  But is it normal to have a huge volume drop when your in between pickups?

Yes... also for optimal sound in the middle raise/lower the pickups so they are the same volume, then switch it the the middle and it will sound killer.

  • From: Lancashire
  • Registered: 2008-02-26
  • Posts: 700

Re: Reverse Polarity Peter Green Mod

AD3THREE wrote:

I really like the Classic 57's too.  I didn't do the neck though I thought that I'd do the bridge because it didn't have a cover on it at the time.  I'm wanting to up the magnet to a Alnico 5 to give it a little more hair but not mess with the output of the pickup.  I'm not fond of the ceramic magnets because they are too tight.  I've grown to like the PG mod more since I did it though.  But is it normal to have a huge volume drop when your in between pickups?

aye I tend to set the bridge volume and because i mainly use the neck pup and tend to play with its volume alot it tends to be a tiny roll back when in the middle to go out of phase, the volume drops but u can put the volume up slightly on either pick up to get a few dif sounds

  • From: Manchester, UK
  • Registered: 2008-04-07
  • Posts: 136

Re: Reverse Polarity Peter Green Mod

JohnTB wrote:

Not sure but when Joe played in Manc his neck pickup cover was reversed (usually indicating a PG mod) ..

I kinda like the 57 Classics dunno if id mess around with the magnets :s

Somebody asked about this after seeing Joe in the UK back in Feb 08 edited response from Joe...

Joe Bonamassa wrote:

Ok... The reverse Humbucker in the 59 Les Paul was done with the intention of creating that "Out of Phase" sound.  But I didnt know that to achieve this you have to go into the coil and mess with that.. Frankley I like the look of it like that and have been too sick/lazy to put it back.  Plus my guitar tech Dave says its easy to spot in a low light situation.. on the set list guitar sheet its listed as GM for Gary Moore. 
Joe Bonamassa

I've been thinking about a set of Bare Knuckles PG pickups ... big fan of BK


Pete

  • From: Oklahoma
  • Registered: 2008-03-28
  • Posts: 263

Re: Reverse Polarity Peter Green Mod

Pete59 wrote:

I've been thinking about a set of Bare Knuckles PG pickups ... big fan of BK


Pete

You won't be disappointed with BK's.  They are very good sounding pups.  My favorites are the Mules and Miracle Man's.

Don't play leapfrog with a unicorn
  • From: Lancashire
  • Registered: 2008-02-26
  • Posts: 700

Re: Reverse Polarity Peter Green Mod

Beerdog80 wrote:
Pete59 wrote:

I've been thinking about a set of Bare Knuckles PG pickups ... big fan of BK


Pete

You won't be disappointed with BK's.  They are very good sounding pups.  My favorites are the Mules and Miracle Man's.

£200 a set tho, Ive heard they are superb tho, try this guy too http://www.rockmonkeyguitars.com/ he will practically do it how you want both are UK pickup winders tho

  • From: Oklahoma
  • Registered: 2008-03-28
  • Posts: 263

Re: Reverse Polarity Peter Green Mod

JohnTB wrote:
Beerdog80 wrote:
Pete59 wrote:

I've been thinking about a set of Bare Knuckles PG pickups ... big fan of BK


Pete

You won't be disappointed with BK's.  They are very good sounding pups.  My favorites are the Mules and Miracle Man's.

£200 a set tho, Ive heard they are superb tho, try this guy too http://www.rockmonkeyguitars.com/ he will practically do it how you want both are UK pickup winders tho

Yeah, they are a bit costly but you get what you pay for!

Never heard of rock monkey before.  For 'boutique' winders, I like Lollar (personal favorite), WCR, Fralin's and the BK's the most.

Don't play leapfrog with a unicorn
  • From: Lancashire
  • Registered: 2008-02-26
  • Posts: 700

Re: Reverse Polarity Peter Green Mod

He hangs around ultimate-guitar.com on the forums, he has alot of happy customers there :x very knowledgable and helpful guy too specially when it comes to electronics etc