It is currently Mon Mar 16, 2020 4:57 pm

All times are UTC - 7 hours



Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 5 posts ] 
Author Message
Post subject: Dragonfire Pure Noiseless Pickups $59.95 Reveiw
Posted: Wed Jun 02, 2010 3:07 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Tue Apr 20, 2010 3:01 pm
Posts: 9
Image

I have a 2006 Squier Affinity Series Stratocaster guitar. First of all (two years ago) I changed the body of my Squier to a Sunburst Alder body I found on eBay for $40.00 bucks. The original body was 1.5 inches thick. The new body I got is 1.75 inches thick like a normal strat. I love the neck on this guitar. I bought other guitars since owning this and I always sell them because the neck on this one fits me. It also has a maple fingerboard.

I was looking for a set of noiseless pickups for my Squier Mutt as I call it now. I didn’t want to put $130.00 (Fender Vintage Noiseless pickups) worth of pickups in a $150.00 guitar. The DC Resistance of the original Squier pickups were Neck 3.97, Middle 3.81, Bridge 3.47. The pickups were very noisy. I could only play the guitar in position 2 and 4 with the pickup selector switch. Also the pickups were very weak.


Before buying these Dragonfire Pure Noiseless Pickups I was also looking at the Dragonfire Cream Rails. They are $19.95 each. But it states on there web site that you have to modify the pickup holes in your pick guard because the pickups are slightly bigger than your pick guard holes. I didn’t want to file my pick guard so I choose the Pure Noiseless Pickups. I also bought some knobs (volume & 2 tones) and a 5-way switch tip to match the "vintage color". I think the knobs were $4.95 for the set and the tip was $1.95.

The shipping was fast (3 business days) but they did charge me 13.95 to ship them. They came in a USPO Priority small box that you get free. The shipping should have been $4.95 because there was no extra packing materials in the box (peanuts, bubble wrap).

I got the matched set of pickups and they only gave me 4 pickup springs when I needed 6 (2 for each pickup). I used my old screws and springs. No big deal but if you are building a strat from scratch please be aware of this before you start your build. Count all your parts before assembling the pickups.

I did have one problem installing them. The bobbin holes on the pickup were slightly off center from the pickup cover holes. It was on the neck pickup. The middle and bridge picks were fine. I had to file the bobbin hole a little bit and finally got everything to line up. Just a tip.. Before installing the pickups, run a pickup screw the bobbins mounting holes before installing. Its easier this way because even though the bobbin holes are drilled, they need to be cleaned out. The pickup screw acts a thread tap. You will see bobbin shavings after you do this. Just blow on the holes to remove shavings.

Also if I had a chance to order them again I would just get plain white. The vintage (aged?) pickup covers have a glow in the dark shade to them. I never owned vintage pickup cover before. Is this how they look normally?

After I soldered everything together I finally got to hear them. First of all they are completely Noiseless!! In all 5 positions. They are Noiseless even with heavy distortion.

The DC Resistance on these pickups are Neck 10.68. Middle 10.53, Bridge 10.50. I don’t know if the middle is reversed wound. All the pickups are marked where they should be placed (Neck, Middle, Bridge). I used 250K pots that came with the Squier originally. I hear very little difference in the sounds between each pickup. I wish the middle and neck pickups were a little bit weaker.

All in all I like them. I might down the road try the Dragonfire rail pickups. But for now these are just fine for me. I’m just a couch type of player. I’m in my mid 40’s and I have been playing for about 30 years now. I have had a lot of good guitars in my day. American Strats to Gibsons. Now I have kids and those guitars are long gone. I love my Squier. I don’t feel bad about doing mods on it. If you are a guitar player that plays for a hobby like me. These pickups are more than fine. If you play in a band and looking to change or upgrade your sound, I would look elsewhere. Super Noiseless and a good deal.

This is what http://guitarpartsonline.com states about the pickups on there site.


Dragonfire Pure Noiseless Pickups:
3 matched Dragonfire Pure Noiseless Strat Set
Alnico Slugs over wound to 10K,
Completely NOISE FREE!

$59.95


Get the quack and sought after tone of a vintage strat without all the 60 cycle hum of standard single coil pickups.
We love the Fender Noiseless Sets, but who can afford 150 bucks for a new set. ( Don’t they remember guitarists are poor!)
Well, don’t pay it. Modeled right from the Fender set, we got here for less then half the cost.
Is the little "Noiseless"emblem on the pickup cover worth the extra dough?
Compared side by side with the big F’s pups, no one yet can tell the difference without looking at the covers.
Feel the Heat, Play with Fire!
Dragonfire Guitar Pickups


Top
Profile
Fender Play Winter Sale 2020
Post subject:
Posted: Thu Jun 03, 2010 12:36 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 9:23 pm
Posts: 1009
Location: Las Vegas, Nevada
Thanks for the review. The pickup covers do look glow in the dark. Did they describe them a mint green color?

I would say, next purchase, maybe stay away from the Dragonfire stuff. You should hear a distinct difference between the 5 positions. Noisless doen't always mean better. In fact I have some pickups that are hand wound singles, and they're pretty quiet even in my house which has bad wiring. They're waxed, and sound great.

Do yourself a favor and try these out next time:

http://bensoncustom.yolasite.com/handwound.php

At $75 a set, you will be amazed at how these sound!! I happened to take a chance on these a while back. Our band now has 3-sets in our guitars. They're fantastic!! Nice crisp highs in the bridge, great mid-tones in the middle, and sweet bass tones in the neck. Very balanced between pickups when you switch between them. It takes a month to get them (just letting you know), but it's well worth the wait. We even thanked John on our CD for the nice pickups he's been making for us.

Just to let you know, I personally have no affiliation with John. I just happened to take a chance on them for my CV 60's Squier. Best decision I ever made. I'm looking to get another set soon for my Hamer (replacing my Duncan JBs and Duckbucker). We just installed a 7k neck in our other guitar player's Tele Squier, and it's freaking phenomenal sounding. I think I'm going hotter for my Hamer.

_________________
Image
HaleAmano- House Of Sharks (Now On iTunes)
http://www.reverbnation.com/haleamano
http://www.haleamano.com


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Sun Jun 06, 2010 4:37 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Mon Apr 21, 2008 6:17 pm
Posts: 1292
Location: Halifax Canada
Thanks for the info...may have to check those out sometime.

_________________
CREDO ELVEM IPSUM ETAIM VIVERE


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Sun Jun 06, 2010 9:28 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist
User avatar

Joined: Sun Jun 06, 2010 9:23 am
Posts: 1
Nice review, think i'll have to check those out as well 8)


Top
Profile
Post subject: Squier Guitars
Posted: Tue Oct 26, 2010 12:06 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Mon Oct 25, 2010 11:58 pm
Posts: 1
Location: USA
This is mine. I will be honest about it, I didn't compare it with other Fenders, I bought it cos' I can only afford this then. It is one of those guitars when you hold it in your hands you know you gotta have it.


Top
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 5 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 7 hours

Fender Play Winter Sale 2020

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Jump to: