Guitar Pickup Question-

Hey Everybody-

I have an old Steinberger bass that has an EMG pickup that is making noise. I really don't want to replace both pickups. Here's the catch. The old pickups were both wired out of phase and the new replacements are wired in phase.

Can I mount the new pickup upside down to invert the polarity?

It sounds like you have a few issues going on. Let me get this straight, you installed a new EMG, right. Is the connector on the bottom plugged in the right way? I assume the other pup is also an EMG (or you'd have yet another issue). Is the connector on that one oriented the same as the first pup?
As for the noise issue, could be a bad solder joint, dirty switch/pot/jack, or static from the pickguard. EMG's should be quiet and it's possible (even recommended) to remove the bridge ground. Did the guitar always have EMG pups?
As for mounting the pup upside down, it won't flip the phase. Traditionally, You flip it mechanically flipping the magnet or electrically by flipping the wires.

Nonono.

The old neck pickup is making an intermittent full range static sound and I have isolated it. The bass is from 1981 and I can imagine that the epoxy potting for the pickups might cause mechanical stress. Regardless, the pickup is trash.

The problem is that the new replacement pickups from EMG are wired in phase and the stock vintage pickup is out of phase and I don't want to have to buy both.

How can I flip the polarity passively with an active one conductor pickup?

Thanks

You need to put the p/u upside-down and cross the wires.

How can I flip the polarity passively with an active one conductor pickup?

Click to expand...

I tried last night just to confirm and flipping the wires on a EMG stops it from working. Have you asked EMG to reverse wind one for you?
FWIW, you want the coils opposite and the magnets north and south respectively so that both pickups hum-cancel. I'm not sure if EMG follows this practice but if so, you might be able to swap a "neck" designated pickup for a "bridge" to get what you need.

My comment was meant for passive p/u's.

I think I'll end up replacing both pickups...

Thanks.