https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/can-pickups-be-upside-down/ Guitar Noise Discussion Board en-US Fri, 05 Jun 2026 09:41:20 +0000 wpForo 60 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/can-pickups-be-upside-down/#post-197672 Thu, 07 Sep 2006 16:57:00 +0000 rotated 180 degrees in the plane of the guitar body, as flipping it on its face and installing truly upside down makes no sense:

"Opposite facing" humbuckers only determines the side (neck or bridge) on which the adjustable pole pieces are located. There is always a second row of pole pieces (or bar) in the second humbucker coil, whether or not it is visible.

Rotating the pups 180 degrees does NOT change electrical or magnetic polarities, as neither the wire turns direction (CW or CCW) nor magnetic orientation (north up or south up) changes. Signal polarity is unaffected. The order of the coils, front-to-back does not change signal polarity either. Humbucking operation is not affected. Timbre may be affected slightly because of differences in coil balance versus positioning along the string (different pole pieces affects this), but that's it. Check out a lot of different dual humbucker guitars. You will find all combinations adjustable polepiece locations -- some are just more common. thanks gnease. we really needed you on this one.]]> Guitar Repair and Maintenance dogbite https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/can-pickups-be-upside-down/#post-197672 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/can-pickups-be-upside-down/#post-197637 Thu, 07 Sep 2006 06:42:13 +0000 Guitar Repair and Maintenance drewsdad https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/can-pickups-be-upside-down/#post-197637 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/can-pickups-be-upside-down/#post-197614 Thu, 07 Sep 2006 03:28:43 +0000 rotated 180 degrees in the plane of the guitar body, as flipping it on its face and installing truly upside down makes no sense:

"Opposite facing" humbuckers only determines the side (neck or bridge) on which the adjustable pole pieces are located. There is always a second row of pole pieces (or bar) in the second humbucker coil, whether or not it is visible.

Rotating the pups 180 degrees does NOT change electrical or magnetic polarities, as neither the wire turns direction (CW or CCW) nor magnetic orientation (north up or south up) changes. Signal polarity is unaffected. The order of the coils, front-to-back does not change signal polarity either. Humbucking operation is not affected. Timbre may be affected slightly because of differences in coil balance versus positioning along the string (different pole pieces affects this), but that's it. Check out a lot of different dual humbucker guitars. You will find all combinations adjustable polepiece locations -- some are just more common.]]> Guitar Repair and Maintenance gnease https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/can-pickups-be-upside-down/#post-197614 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/can-pickups-be-upside-down/#post-197603 Thu, 07 Sep 2006 02:35:00 +0000
I have also read that even fender has its three single coil pickups positioned so that the middle one has the reverse direction as the neck and bridge to cancel hum.]]> Guitar Repair and Maintenance Guitar4k https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/can-pickups-be-upside-down/#post-197603 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/can-pickups-be-upside-down/#post-197597 Thu, 07 Sep 2006 01:44:44 +0000 if you have two pickups like that and they are installed in exactly the same direction you might introduce hum.
from what Ive read one humbucker faces one way and the second faces the opposite.

again, Im not an expert.]]> Guitar Repair and Maintenance dogbite https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/can-pickups-be-upside-down/#post-197597 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/can-pickups-be-upside-down/#post-197586 Thu, 07 Sep 2006 00:31:39 +0000 Guitar Repair and Maintenance vers1on https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/can-pickups-be-upside-down/#post-197586 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/can-pickups-be-upside-down/#post-197583 Thu, 07 Sep 2006 00:19:16 +0000 facing north or south would be more accurate.

in humbuckers the current flows in one direction. depending on which way the pup is facing it flows south or north.
when two are put into a guitar some people play with that polarity.

the circles you see are the magnets. they always face upwards towards the strings.
however, you have the choice of how to insert that pup.
using your description the green wire side could be either pointing towards the upper bout or lower bout of the guitar.
and ,yes, it could make a difference in sound.

take what I say with a ton of salt as I am not a tech.]]> Guitar Repair and Maintenance dogbite https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/can-pickups-be-upside-down/#post-197583 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/can-pickups-be-upside-down/#post-20232 Thu, 07 Sep 2006 00:08:47 +0000

That's a picture of my old pickup on my Yamaha EG112, and I'm going to be putting it in a Squier (I finally learned how to solder from a friend's uncle :D). Anyway, if you look closely, which is hard to btw, you see two little square slots on the top of the pickup (the area where the green wire is coming out) above the circle.

Well I'm wondering if a guitar sound will differ from the way the pickup is inserted. Those square slots are my markers to whether or not it's on its right side up. Will they?]]> Guitar Repair and Maintenance vers1on https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/can-pickups-be-upside-down/#post-20232