Phase switch - good or evil?

onedrop

Junior Member
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118
Decided here would be better than the wiring forum.

I noticed on the "Jimmy Page" wiring, he uses a switch to put the two HBs in or out of phase with each other.

I seem to recall when I played around with it before, the tone was useless and unmusical, not exactly evil, just pointless; but that was with single coils, maybe HBs are a little different?

Does anyone know of any recordings (studio or live) where Page used the out-of-phase sound? Nothing jumps out at me from the ol' memory banks, but I was never really listening for this.
 
I can't think of an Zep recordings that use it but I think it's a usable tone - for me anyway. My guitar had two main out of phase sounds: parallel out of phase and series, out of phase. The series out of phase sounds really squawk-y, but it can be cool for doing a lead sometimes - sort of similar to a wah peddle in a mid postition, but different. This is very close the the Peter Green kind of sound. Parallel out of phase is more subtle but still has an unusual hollow tone that I also think sounds cool. But you know I'm weird and I've always liked weird sounds. :tard:
 
Yeah, I kind of know the sound, squawky weird hollow low-output wahwah kind of tone...
I played around with it on a strat once, but found it didn't suit me at the time.
I'm not sure if I'm more weird, or less weird than then. Probably just a different kind of weird.

I may skip it for now, and maybe drill in an extra mini-toggle later.
My wiring plan already has 24 pup combinations, adding a phase switch might start to get a little silly.

But I'd love to do some listening if anyone can think of any recordings that use the out-of-phase sound.

Drex, I appreciate your descriptions, that helps too!
 
I'm actually watching "The Song Remains The Same" on VH1 right now and when they went into "Black Dog" the main riff actually sounds like one of those out of phase sounds. Could be wrong though. Page is getting so many sounds that's it's hard to tell what he's doing. It could be his guitar or it could be an effect - -I can't tell. I watch more and see if I can hear anything else.
 
I heard a bit of "bohemian rhapsody" just now so I looked up Brian May

http://www.brianmaycentral.net/phasing.html
 
Got to play a guitar with two HBs in series, out of phase.

I can definitely hear Page and Brian May using this sound.

I'd describe it as a nasally or vocal quality, kind of like single coils in pos. 2 or 4 but thinner and more quirky.
Not super versatile, but not pointless either, definitely usable here and there for contrast and colour.

Ok, another mini-toggle goes into the plan.
 
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