What is the magnet polarity of old vs. new Fender pickups?
Many of the early Fender pickups used both North and South magnetic polarity. Older Broadcasters, No Casters, Telecasters and Esquires are found with both North and South bridge pickups. I have seen rhythm pickups on early models to have both North and South polarities. Both lead and rhythm pickups on these models were wound Top Left-Top Coming or the magnet wire was wound counter-clockwise from start to finish. Early Stratocaster pickups have North polarity till around 1957 then they became South polarity. The Stratocaster pickups are wound Top Left-Top Going or the magnet wire is wound clockwise from start to finish.
