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Post subject: Fender Diamondback Humbucking Pickup
Posted: Fri Mar 18, 2011 7:05 pm
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What does the Diamondback sound like? How is it compared to other humbuckers?


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Post subject: Re: Fender Diamondback Humbucking Pickup
Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2011 2:26 am
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I never heard any sound clip to compare the Diamondback with any other humbucking pickup.

The Diamondback humbucker was first used on the American Series HSS models in 2003. Fender also used this humbucker on the American Special HSS FR a couple of months before their discontinuation in early 2004.

The Diamondback is an OEM on the American Standard HSS since 2008.


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Post subject: Re: Fender Diamondback Humbucking Pickup
Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2011 5:19 am
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OEM?


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Post subject: Re: Fender Diamondback Humbucking Pickup
Posted: Sun Mar 20, 2011 6:44 am
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To my ear, they sound like a cross between two Seymour Duncans: More powerful than a 59 and less powerful than a Custom 5. In other words, quite ample bass, not a whole lot of midrange and borderline irritating highs.

As always, this is merely IMO where YMMV.

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Post subject: Re: Fender Diamondback Humbucking Pickup
Posted: Sun Mar 20, 2011 12:25 pm
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How would it sound playing 60's and 70's bluesy rock n' roll?


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Post subject: Re: Fender Diamondback Humbucking Pickup
Posted: Sun Mar 20, 2011 1:34 pm
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beowolverine93 wrote:
How would it sound playing 60's and 70's bluesy rock n' roll?


Perfect as this is what Larry built his pickup empire on.

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Post subject: Re: Fender Diamondback Humbucking Pickup
Posted: Mon Mar 21, 2011 5:36 pm
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Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, The Doors, etc. ??? I'm not going for the exact sound (they all use Gibson humbuckers anyways), but I'd like that hard driving bluesy rock n' roll sound. You think Diamondbacks will do the trick?


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Post subject: Re: Fender Diamondback Humbucking Pickup
Posted: Mon Mar 21, 2011 7:17 pm
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beowolverine93 wrote:
Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, The Doors, etc. ??? I'm not going for the exact sound (they all use Gibson humbuckers anyways), but I'd like that hard driving bluesy rock n' roll sound. You think Diamondbacks will do the trick?


Frankly, no. They are too clean and don't have that vintage or even Gibson like vibe to them. I play all the stuff in the vein you've mentioned and the Diamondbacks would not be on my list of choices at all as they sound too 'modern' if that makes any sense.

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Post subject: Re: Fender Diamondback Humbucking Pickup
Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2011 3:22 am
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That actually makes perfect sense. Haha. What humbuckers would you recommend then?


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Post subject: Re: Fender Diamondback Humbucking Pickup
Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2011 4:29 am
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beowolverine93 wrote:
That actually makes perfect sense. Haha. What humbuckers would you recommend then?


In combination:

For the aforementioned 'rip': Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates in the neck position, DiMarzio 36th Anniversary PAF in the bridge position.

For a 'smoother' variety: Seymour Duncan 59er in the neck position, Gibson 498T in the bridge position.

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Post subject: Re: Fender Diamondback Humbucking Pickup
Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2011 6:29 am
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A cheap option: a lot of people switch out the 490R/498T pickups that Gibson uses by default in a lot of their guitars. To my ears, these sound great, and really capture late 60s/early 70s sounds. You can find these pretty cheap, if you look around.

So, another vote for Martian's mention of the 498T.


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Post subject: Re: Fender Diamondback Humbucking Pickup
Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2011 6:46 am
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prolog wrote:
A cheap option: a lot of people switch out the 490R/498T pickups that Gibson uses by default in a lot of their guitars. To my ears, these sound great, and really capture late 60s/early 70s sounds. You can find these pretty cheap, if you look around.

So, another vote for Martian's mention of the 498T.


To me, the 490Rs are too muddy. They would be akin to a Duncan 59 if the 490Rs' Alnico II magnets were replaced with Alnico Vs.

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Post subject: Re: Fender Diamondback Humbucking Pickup
Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2011 8:04 am
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Martian wrote:
prolog wrote:
A cheap option: a lot of people switch out the 490R/498T pickups that Gibson uses by default in a lot of their guitars. To my ears, these sound great, and really capture late 60s/early 70s sounds. You can find these pretty cheap, if you look around.

So, another vote for Martian's mention of the 498T.


To me, the 490Rs are too muddy. They would be akin to a Duncan 59 if the 490Rs' Alnico II magnets were replaced with Alnico Vs.


I actually quite enjoy them.

But then, my favourite pickups are P90-style, and I enjoy mid-heavy amps, so it's pretty clear where my preferences lie!


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