Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum

At The Back => The Dressing Room => Topic started by: FernandoDuarte on September 04, 2008, 04:02:25 PM

Title: StewMac Trade Secrets
Post by: FernandoDuarte on September 04, 2008, 04:02:25 PM
Anybody here joined this?
Those who yes, did you see today's email?
Title: Re: StewMac Trade Secrets
Post by: Philly Q on September 04, 2008, 04:12:01 PM
Anybody here joined this?

Yep.  :)

Quote
Those who yes, did you see today's email?

Not yet.  What's it about?
Title: Re: StewMac Trade Secrets
Post by: FernandoDuarte on September 04, 2008, 04:15:35 PM
"How to open a humbucker and reverse the polarity"

Hype? :?
Title: Re: StewMac Trade Secrets
Post by: Philly Q on September 04, 2008, 04:56:14 PM
You just slide the magnet out and turn it around, don't you?  I read that in Seymour Duncan's catalogue many years ago.

Or is that what you do when pickups are out of phase?  Or does it change both the polarity and the phase? :?
Title: Re: StewMac Trade Secrets
Post by: Will on September 04, 2008, 05:08:18 PM
Its the same thing, you can either do it magnetically out of phase, or electrically (swap the wires around)

I think anyway
Title: Re: StewMac Trade Secrets
Post by: FernandoDuarte on September 04, 2008, 05:32:24 PM
I'm a pork in electric stuff :lol: don't really know...

But, thought interestanting and am thinking if it's the real stuff this... You know, all pickup makers make upcharges to do it, why would they show it to everybody THAT easy :?
Title: Re: StewMac Trade Secrets
Post by: Will on September 04, 2008, 05:34:39 PM
because if the pickup maker were to tell you how to, it would then have to be covered by warranty when you screw it up :P
Title: Re: StewMac Trade Secrets
Post by: Philly Q on September 04, 2008, 05:58:36 PM
And it's not easy to do if you're dealing with a covered, potted pickup. 

Taking the cover off involves melting (or cutting) some solder, which can damage the pickup and void the warranty.  Then you have to get through a load of potting wax to get at the magnet and the whole thing then needs re-potting.

I have flipped the magnet on an old uncovered, unpotted DiMarzio though, and it was indeed easy.  :)
Title: Re: StewMac Trade Secrets
Post by: FELINEGUITARS on September 04, 2008, 09:54:02 PM
You do sometimes have to do this operation - like if you need a pair of pickups for a PRS and you forget to tell Tim that you need the neck one reverse polarity.
this way you can have inner coils (or outer) in parallel and have it still be proper humcancelling and have the signal be in phase

I have had to do it a few times but I have the benefit of a wax bath to melt the existing wax and to repot the pickup

Stewmac trade secrets is an invaluable read - it used to be in the quarterly paper catalog - i was featured a couple of times in there - been reprinted in a book which is fun
Title: Re: StewMac Trade Secrets
Post by: WezV on September 04, 2008, 11:02:39 PM
Stewmac trade secrets is an invaluable read - it used to be in the quarterly paper catalog - i was featured a couple of times in there - been reprinted in a book which is fun

will have to dig out the books to look for you!!

it seems its become more about advertising now- always links to products they sell
Title: Re: StewMac Trade Secrets
Post by: FernandoDuarte on September 04, 2008, 11:08:24 PM
Have to say that I misunderstood as doing the PG magic :lol:

idiot (http://216.211.140.132/Smileys/Lots_O_Smileys/doh3.gif)
Title: Re: StewMac Trade Secrets
Post by: MrBump on September 05, 2008, 12:50:40 PM
I'm a pork in electric stuff :lol:

What the hell's "a pork"???
Title: Re: StewMac Trade Secrets
Post by: FELINEGUITARS on September 05, 2008, 02:03:00 PM
Stewmac trade secrets is an invaluable read - it used to be in the quarterly paper catalog - i was featured a couple of times in there - been reprinted in a book which is fun

will have to dig out the books to look for you!!

it seems its become more about advertising now- always links to products they sell

yes - it has changed its direction
It is a sales tool but sharing some good info as well

I loved the old style sharing ideas and info, but it is a commercial company and selling their stuff is the bottom line

I suppose I am spoilt because I have pretty much everything they make but it may get people using stuff they wouldnt have considered.
But they are receptive to ideas - I have had them change and adapt tools in their catalogue to make them better so I applaud them for their open mindedness
They are also the best comapny ever for customer service, and I mean the BEST!
Orders are so quick and efficient - its almost untrue
And with DHL being quick I get the stuff quicker than I can get Uk supplied stuff
Title: Re: StewMac Trade Secrets
Post by: Philly Q on September 05, 2008, 02:32:36 PM
I don't mind the marketing aspect of Trade Secrets - in most cases the basic tips are still very useful and you can usually adapt the method to non-specialised tools.

And in some cases it highlights a really useful tool which I'd never have gone looking for because I wouldn't have realised anyone made it!  :)
Title: Re: StewMac Trade Secrets
Post by: FernandoDuarte on September 05, 2008, 03:29:38 PM
I'm a pork in electric stuff :lol:

What the hell's "a pork"???

 :o
I learned that the english (meaned from england) word for pig is pork...
Title: Re: StewMac Trade Secrets
Post by: WezV on September 05, 2008, 03:47:45 PM
oh yeah, i love stew-mac loads.  Its nice to know i can email them straight away with any problems and receive a replacement 2 days later along with the 'keep the faulty item for spares' policy they have on most items.  I do like the new trade secrets as it is but sometimes miss the older format

Fernando.  If its a live animal its still a pig, if its cooked it can be many other words ... but never pig
Title: Re: StewMac Trade Secrets
Post by: FernandoDuarte on September 05, 2008, 04:22:06 PM
I usually like the tips, but they don't give much information, to example: changing nut, they only showed on a Gibby nut, that I think should be way easier than a Fender nut to remove...

Thanks Wez :D
Title: Re: StewMac Trade Secrets
Post by: Matt77 on September 05, 2008, 07:31:31 PM
Fernando.  If its a live animal its still a pig, if its cooked it can be many other words ... but never pig
I was very bored the other day and read up on the differences.
I'm very bored now so I can tell you of my informative reading.
Pig, cow, deer........ all Saxon words
Gamon, beef, venison......... all Norman words used to disassociate from the peasant (saxons) that provided the beasts for their masters (Normans) table

I'm going back to work now.
Lets pretend I'm not a nerd
Title: Re: StewMac Trade Secrets
Post by: FernandoDuarte on September 05, 2008, 09:17:20 PM
:lol:
Title: Re: StewMac Trade Secrets
Post by: MrBump on September 05, 2008, 09:59:55 PM
I'm a pork in electric stuff :lol:

What the hell's "a pork"???

 :o
I learned that the english (meaned from england) word for pig is pork...

Ahhh...  Right!
Title: Re: StewMac Trade Secrets
Post by: MrBump on September 05, 2008, 10:01:13 PM
Fernando.  If its a live animal its still a pig, if its cooked it can be many other words ... but never pig
I was very bored the other day and read up on the differences.
I'm very bored now so I can tell you of my informative reading.
Pig, cow, deer........ all Saxon words
Gamon, beef, venison......... all Norman words used to disassociate from the peasant (saxons) that provided the beasts for their masters (Normans) table

I'm going back to work now.
Lets pretend I'm not a nerd

That's what I love about this forum; edifying to the nth degree.