Push-pull Pot Mods - Phase Reverse

Have you ever wanted to make a Les Paul sound like a Strat? Engage a kill switch with the flick of the wrist? Or maybe you want to capture that killer Queen sound of Brian May. If that’s you, then keep reading! In this article, we uncover the mysteries of the push-pull pot by taking a look at how it functions and also showing you some of the cool wiring options this handy gadget is capable of.

Another cool example of what you can do with a push-pull pot is the classic out-of-phase sound made famous by Brian May on “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen.

When two single-coil pickups are in phase with each other, they work together to create a nice full-bodied sound. Reversing the phase on one of the pickups creates a thin, hollowed-out sound, because they are working against each other.

Keep in mind that in order to achieve this mod, it’s necessary to have two pickups activated. In this example, pulling up on the shaft of the push-pull pot reverses the polarity of the hot and ground on one pickup. When used in conjunction with another pickup, you’ll have two pickups working out of phase with each other and an arsenal of unique tonal possibilities at your disposal.