Newark Street Pickup Balance

GSFV

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I know that it is well known that the Newark Street Starfires have pickups that are...lets say shrouded in controversy? They have different resistances, with the higher resistance being in the neck, instead of the bridge (like traditional set ups).If I remember correctly the difference is fairly substantial. Like...7k in the neck, and 5k in the bridge. Guild says they use different wire gauge to balance this. Blah...Blah...Blah. It's been discussed.

But here's my question/issue: Lately I have felt like my neck pickup was a little too bass heavy. It also distorts much quicker and easier than the bridge. By the time I have the bridge set up to do a lead line or solo, the neck pickup is almost unusable without some kind of adjustment to volume or tone. Which is fine...but frustrating (it's not fine :ambivalence: ). After nearly two years of being in love, the honeymoon is over. :moon: While I am still in love, I'm wanting a little more from my star fire V. Would rearranging the pickups solve this problem? I've been considering putting the neck pickup in the bridge for hotter lead lines, and the bridge pickup in the neck slot... But I'm hesitant.

I know it should be a simple soldering job, but I've never worked on a a semi hollow before, and barely put any work into solid bodies. I'm definitely new to soldering in general. So I guess I am looking for some guidance before I get my hands too dirty. Any insight would be helpful.

Thanks in advance!


P.S. If this has already been covered - I couldn't find it. I know duplicate threads become cumbersome, so please post a link for my reading pleasure.
 

GAD

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A NS Guild likely has quick release connectors on the pickups that will make this all much simpler with no sokdering involved. It’s possible that they don’t depending on when it was made, but if they’re there it will be pretty easy compared to soldering.
 
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GSFV

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That would be fantastic! I bought it jan of 2017. So hopefully the quick connector. But it sounds like I've got to get my hands dirty from here. Thanks!
 

Quantum Strummer

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If I get another NS Guild with reissue anti-hums I plan to flip-flop the pickups just to find out how well that works. But I like my T-bird as is. The bridge pickup compresses less into fuzz & other high-gain pedals than typical HBs.

(One of my '70s SGs from a couple years ago has "mismatched" Super Humbuckers, ~5K for the neck and ~7.5K for the middle & bridge (it's a Custom), but I don't think the neck p'up uses different wire than the others. Regardless the SG's config works pretty well. I didn't like the Super HBs much 'til I plugged into my Hi-Tone (Hiwatt repro)…they work great with this amp.)

-Dave-
 

parker_knoll

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Flip flopping the pickups will lead to misaligned pole pieces, although that's not the end of the world. have you tried lowering the neck pickup right down? This can significantly reduce bass response. Another tip is to put a 1MΩ pot on the neck volume. That worked great in my Ric. It does require soldering, though.
 

guitarslinger

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I lowered the neck as parker_knoll said and put a second neck pickup in the bridge position of my Starfire IV. The mis alignment of the pole pieces looks odd at first glance, but, has no noticeable ill effects on the sound. I could not be happier with the result.
 

Quantum Strummer

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The polepiece positions aren't that important so long as they're "in the vicinity." Lotsa classic pickup designs are one size fits all, with no ill effects.

-Dave-
 

swiveltung

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I'd give it a try. It does sound like the neck is too hot creating mud.
Forget the pole piece issue. It doesn't matter. I've used the "wrong" pickups on many builds. Gibson on Fender etc. It matters little if any.
If it did matter you would have problems every time you stretch a string....
 

GAD

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I asked a reputable boutique pickup builder about pole piece alignment in reference to F-spaced pickups and his response was that it was purely for esthetics and had an immeasurably small effect on tone.
 

parker_knoll

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I lowered the neck as parker_knoll said and put a second neck pickup in the bridge position of my Starfire IV. The mis alignment of the pole pieces looks odd at first glance, but, has no noticeable ill effects on the sound. I could not be happier with the result.

no soldering required and knowledge gained. Bien fait.
 

GSFV

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Thanks for the info. The weekend was crazy so I haven't gotten around to changing it out. Currently my bridge pickup is very high, and the neck is very low. The problem has persisted. I am hoping that when I open it up it has the quick connectors that GAD mentioned. That'd be a huge time saver! But we'll see.

I'm not too worried about the pole pieces misaligned. I've read some conflicting opinions on it but if changing PU location makes the neck PU work the way I am hoping, it would be a small price to pay.

I am hoping to finish up all the Christmas shopping with/for my wife this week, and then open up the SFV towards the weekend. But with the holidays approaching that may be a fantasy. Lol.

I've never worked on a semi/hollow body at all. I don't need to do anything special to take the PU out, right? Just use a screw driver and be careful not the mess-up the finish or cross thread the screw holes. All that sort...
 

Quantum Strummer

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Things will go a lot easier if the pickups use accessible quick connects. Otherwise you'll have to fish the pots out of the guitar's body so you can de-/re-solder. It's a fiddly job…I've done it, once, and would rather not have to do it again. (With all recent pickup changes I've been adding Mouser Molex quick connects to the guitar's wiring. Once installed (it's pretty easy) changing/swapping pickups is a breeze.)

-Dave-
 

parker_knoll

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Things will go a lot easier if the pickups use accessible quick connects. Otherwise you'll have to fish the pots out of the guitar's body so you can de-/re-solder. It's a fiddly job…I've done it, once, and would rather not have to do it again. (With all recent pickup changes I've been adding Mouser Molex quick connects to the guitar's wiring. Once installed (it's pretty easy) changing/swapping pickups is a breeze.)

-Dave-

why not just desolder at the back of the pickup? the old Antihums had these handy connectors soldered to the base
 

Quantum Strummer

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why not just desolder at the back of the pickup? the old Antihums had these handy connectors soldered to the base

Hadn't thought of that…assuming the reissue anti-hums also have the terminals. IMO quick connects will be better still, though.

-Dave-
 

GAD

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Yes - LB1s do have terminals:

Guild-LB1-Back-Neck.jpg
 

GSFV

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So I took the pickup out, and mine does not have a quick connect. But looking at it, I think I came to the same conclusion you guys did. Is it possible to just desolder/remove the pickup, put it in the other cavity, and reconnect? The volume and tone and master volume should all be correct still, right? I may be over simplifying.

So, in short, can I just desolder at the back of the pickup, and resolder in the new location?
 
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