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Post subject: Calling Martian re: pickups
Posted: Fri Nov 14, 2008 9:18 pm
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Martian--You had some good takes on my first posts about stock AmStd pickups and why you like them--I see that you are a DiMarzio 67/58/61 fan, and I found your 69/Fat50/54 combo an interesting one. I'm still mulling a switch-just want a little more thump and overall tone, mostly not a fan of the neck pup. How are Duncan SSL-1 or 2's to you, or other makes, and what makes the DiMarzio set work for you? (I always associated DiMarzio with high-gain and metal, so never thought much about them, and thought their acoustic pups were awful).


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Post subject: Re: Calling Martian re: pickups
Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2008 3:40 pm
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bobbya wrote:
Martian--You had some good takes on my first posts about stock AmStd pickups and why you like them--I see that you are a DiMarzio 67/58/61 fan, and I found your 69/Fat50/54 combo an interesting one. I'm still mulling a switch-just want a little more thump and overall tone, mostly not a fan of the neck pup. How are Duncan SSL-1 or 2's to you, or other makes, and what makes the DiMarzio set work for you? (I always associated DiMarzio with high-gain and metal, so never thought much about them, and thought their acoustic pups were awful).


bobbya,

You rang?

Very important: Do you want more thump and overall tone out of the neck pickup as well? The reason I ask is because we're talking not only about getting your sound right the first time, but to make sure that the other two pickups are compatible. Also, must positions 2 and 4 of the switch be humbucking like on the Am Std?

This is a strong opinion on my part: Any given "boutique" pickup manufacturer cannot and does not make great pickups for EVERY type of guitar - I don't care who the manufacturer is.

DiMarzio does indeed have a rep for "over the top" pickups. However, they still have MANY which are in 'normal' vein, they just don't get as much notoriety as, for reasons best known to DiMarzio, DiMarzio chose to exploit the high-gain and metal market moreso than "our's".

What makes my DiMarzio combo work for me:

Note that I've been playing over 40 years and predominantly on Stratocasters. Consequently, I've had many Sratocasters over the years from many different years and I'm quite familiar with the pickups and their variations.

Having said that:

I HATE farty neck pickups with a passion! The Area 69 is modeled after a a 1969 Fender pickup. These Fender pickups were know for a real high end, no midrange and a tight, punchy bass. Unfortunately, in the bridge position, they are tinny and lifeless where the high end will pin your ears to the wall. In the middle position, they sound clanky and anemic. Obviously, I have no use for them in either position. Yet, in the neck position, predominantly because they are devoid of all midrange, they have a nice, balanced string separation, outstanding sonic balance for chording and are clean and crisp for soloing. They also blend well with the other pickups and don't over power them. I have yet to hear a Fender Stratocaster pickup for the neck as nice as these.

As stated above, I HATE farty neck pickups and separately but equally, I HATE clanky middle pickups. This clank problem is what I've found with the vast majority of Fender Stratocaster pickups except for the 1958s which have a much more pronounced midrange. So, in the middle position, the clank is gone where the highs and lows are still all their within the usual (required by me) range. It's a great choice in terms of that tiny, extra needed bit of muscle. Obviously, this midrange is what would rule them out for the neck in my book. Naturally, they would be a good choice for the bridge but I have this thing about the audible output of all my pickups being even. So, I have to go to the next step:

In my opinion, the most powerful of the stock Fender Stratocaster pickups were the 1961s. They have the usual, acceptable and required high end with more mids and they are overwound in general in comparison to the others which makes for solid bass response. Obviously too, unacceptable for me for the neck and unacceptable for the middle as they can mimic a usual neck pickup.

So, put them all together and you have balls to bells in one guitar. Why the DiMarzios? They duplicate the sounds of the original Fenders without the noise and, I don't have to sell my left lung for the price of the originals.

If you (or anyone else for that matter) have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

bobbya, like I said above, by answering my questions, I can advise you way better.

Regards,
Martian

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Posted: Mon Nov 17, 2008 6:17 am
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Martian--Thanks for the reply--I am specifically looking for thump out of the neck pickup, and I do use the middle position a lot, but I want the guitar to sound stratty NMW. I have Lace Golds in my other strat and like 'em OK, but want something else in this one. I think the stock pups do well with distortion and in the bridge position, but could have more overall tone across the board (though their somewhat acousticky sound is not the worst tradeoff for my style)-I like to play in the neck most of the time and like a little fatness, which seems a bit lacking, though it could be my very mid-rangey Mesa/Boogie amp, as it sounds great through Fender amps. I'm warming to the mix-and-match approach you suggest on either Fender or DiMarzio, as I like to cover a lot of sonic ground, and since I am a lead-rhythm combo type player who fingerpicks, need clarity.


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Posted: Mon Nov 17, 2008 9:58 am
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bobbya wrote:
Martian--Thanks for the reply--I am specifically looking for thump out of the neck pickup, and I do use the middle position a lot, but I want the guitar to sound stratty NMW. I have Lace Golds in my other strat and like 'em OK, but want something else in this one. I think the stock pups do well with distortion and in the bridge position, but could have more overall tone across the board (though their somewhat acousticky sound is not the worst tradeoff for my style)-I like to play in the neck most of the time and like a little fatness, which seems a bit lacking, though it could be my very mid-rangey Mesa/Boogie amp, as it sounds great through Fender amps. I'm warming to the mix-and-match approach you suggest on either Fender or DiMarzio, as I like to cover a lot of sonic ground, and since I am a lead-rhythm combo type player who fingerpicks, need clarity.


You're quite welcome!

If my interpretation of your requirements for a neck pickup are correct, you are demanding beef, clarity and more power. On this, the DiMarzio Air Norton S keeps circling in my head. It has muscle but it isn't "over the top" in terms of balls or distortion, it cleans up nicely and it still lets a Stratocaster's 'personality' remain.

In the middle position, I'd go with the DiMarzo DiMarzio Chopper. It has a bit more grit than the Air Norton S but it is of lower output which, for it's position would be a better blending pickup in toggle positions two and four and, it resists any 'clankiness' which is naturally inherent to middle position Stratocaster pickups.

As to the bridge, I'd go with the DiMarzio Tone Zone S. It gives you the valuable attributes of both the Air Norton S and the Chopper in a pickup specifically designed for the bridge position.

As you've seen, I've selected one brand as across the board, their tonality will work well amongst each other. I've rule out any Fenders or Duncans because they simply don't have any pickups (IMO) which pinpointedly meet your expectations.

It should also be noted that these three choices are in the realm of twice the output of a typical single coil so, with them being single coil sized humbuckers, this also fits nicely and quietly into your scheme of things. Due to all being a rails type pickup, they also sustain quite nicely. An added plus is the fact that they all are 4 conductor so you can wire them with additional options if you so choose.

And no, I don't work for DiMarzio nor have I ever. I simply call them the way I see them, based on my experience.

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Posted: Mon Nov 17, 2008 10:57 am
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Thanks for the insights, Martian--I thin the Area setup would be more what I want, actually, but nice to learn about this stuff...


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Posted: Mon Nov 17, 2008 11:39 am
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bobbya wrote:
Thanks for the insights, Martian--I thin the Area setup would be more what I want, actually, but nice to learn about this stuff...


I've been keeping up with Martian's posts on pups and he seems to be a real source of knowledge in the subject!! :wink:


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Posted: Mon Nov 17, 2008 5:01 pm
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bobbya wrote:
Thanks for the insights, Martian--I thin the Area setup would be more what I want, actually, but nice to learn about this stuff...


As always, you're quite welcome.

I'm glad you went with the Area combo. I've never been as satisfied with a set of pickups in my life like them. And yes, I've also used Kinman sets.

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Posted: Mon Nov 17, 2008 5:08 pm
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fhopkins wrote:
bobbya wrote:
Thanks for the insights, Martian--I thin the Area setup would be more what I want, actually, but nice to learn about this stuff...


I've been keeping up with Martian's posts on pups and he seems to be a real source of knowledge in the subject!! :wink:


Thanks, fhopkins!

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