Renovating an old DiMarzio Super Distortion

OilCityPickups

For some reason the forum software won't let me post pics from Photobucket so I've published this little 'How I did it' on my own blog
My usual source for wiring codes is this ...

http://www.seymourduncan.com/support/schematics/schematics.php?schematic=color_codes

TTony

Nice rescue, and a pickup worth the effort.

Don't understand the photobucket linking problem though.

ICBM

Nice job. I've always liked these pickups too. (I'm not really a fan of modern Dimarzios.)

Just out of curiosity, what is your wiring code? Presumably one of the remaining combinations not already used by Duncan, Dimarzio, Bareknuckle, Kent Armstrong, Gibson, Fender or anyone else, just to keep us all on our toes…

ThePrettyDamned

So cool.

Have you worked out the magic that makes them so great and fat sounding? The modern ones are still great pickups, though the guitar I had them in had the pickup slanted to warm the bass side...

But I've heard that they're genuinely not the same as the originals. I've never used an original myself, but I've heard them and they are a proper, hot rod type humbucker that plain sounds awesome.

OilCityPickups

Well this begger's not potted ... and doesn't squeal at all ... so that might help the mojo. The magnet is narrower than a modern one too.
ICBM : I use Gibson's wiring code ... no sense in causing more confusion :-)

Jez6345789

Thinking back all those years ago when we heard the first SDH we were all genuinely impressed that just changing pickups could make such a difference.

Nice work

Jez 

OilCityPickups

I have copied the formula ... as it is very different to the modern SDH, I have a clone in my Flying V now :-)

cosmiccarrot

Love the old SD's I've got 5 of these plus a few of the cheaper Mightymites MM1300 and 1400's copies, there just as as good imo but the plastic bobbin tops look a little cheaper.

Yours is actually an 80's one. In '79 they changed the leg feet plate from a square to a triangle.

ThePrettyDamned

Nifty...

OilCityPickups

Not actually sure the bobbins and the baseplate are originally from the same pickup. This has the old style magnet but the newer style baseplate ... so it's either a transition model or a 'bitsa' :-)
The horrible surgery to add the coil tap may be the point at which it was put together from the parts box ... the bobbins are unpotted so that suggests to me they are a little earlier.
This of course wasn't the original Kawai pickup ... that was probably (sadly) binned when the DiMarzio was installed and would have been chrome covered. The whole pickup job looks as if it was done by a tame monkey, the tailpiece earth simply having been wrapped around one of the pickup baseplate screws!

ChrisMusic

I just have to ask - how close does the "clone" sound to the original ?

Oh and while you mentioned your lovely V, what is the Stetsbar like, and how is tone and sustain ?

I am thinking of trying one for one of my projects, when I finally get going on them.

ThePrettyDamned

Very cool! Congrats on learning the magic behind what's surely one of the most important pickups to have been designed

OilCityPickups

ChrisMusic said:

I just have to ask - how close does the "clone" sound to the original ?

Oh and while you mentioned your lovely V, what is the Stetsbar like, and how is tone and sustain ?

I am thinking of trying one for one of my projects, when I finally get going on them.

I have to admit to having returned the V to being non trem ... not a comment against the Stetsbar ... more about my playing style! I was finding that I was over using the bar ... simply because it was there ... and as I use the V a lot I thought I'd better discipline myself! I don't find the Stetsbar changes the sustain or tone to any degree, but it did have a negative impact on the action height. This is simply due to the scratrchplate thickness. If I could be bothered to get another Epi scratchplate and cut it out to sit the baseplate in ... everything would be hunky-spunky. However the original plate is beautifully yellowed and aged ... Epi ones are difficult to come by and custom ones are expensive. Gibbo ones don't fit Epi without re routing the body to move a pickup so that's out.
So I have my 'Stets up on e bay at the moment ... or I might take an offer. Still easily the best trem I've tried for a Gibbo type.

My ... er ... 'clone' took some work to get in the ballpark ... I don't want to give away trade thingies, but it took creating a 'hybrid' magnet system so simulate the old ceramics ... and I think I am pretty much in the right area. If anything I think mine is a touch lower output ... but I don't think that's a bad thing with modern amps.

ChrisMusic

Maybe the right phrase is "inspired by the vintage sound of"  or something similar ? 

What a great project, thanks for sharing.

Interesting stuff about the Stetsbar, I think that Jan Akkerman has taken his off nowadays, not sure why.

I presume that he developed his style without, so maybe like you, didn't really need to use it.  It got pretty sparse use in any video where I have seen him with it on his Les Paul.

I am wondering how well it works with one of those Gibsons with a bit too much neck angle and a high bridge position?

Definitely got to give it a try though.

ThePrettyDamned

TheGuitarWeasel said:

ChrisMusic said:

I just have to ask - how close does the "clone" sound to the original ?

Oh and while you mentioned your lovely V, what is the Stetsbar like, and how is tone and sustain ?

I am thinking of trying one for one of my projects, when I finally get going on them.

My ... er ... 'clone' took some work to get in the ballpark ... I don't want to give away trade thingies, but it took creating a 'hybrid' magnet system so simulate the old ceramics ... and I think I am pretty much in the right area. If anything I think mine is a touch lower output ... but I don't think that's a bad thing with modern amps.

OilCityPickups

ChrisMusic said:

Maybe the right phrase is "inspired by the vintage sound of"  or something similar ? 

What a great project, thanks for sharing.

Interesting stuff about the Stetsbar, I think that Jan Akkerman has taken his off nowadays, not sure why.

I presume that he developed his style without, so maybe like you, didn't really need to use it.  It got pretty sparse use in any video where I have seen him with it on his Les Paul.

I am wondering how well it works with one of those Gibsons with a bit too much neck angle and a high bridge position?

Definitely got to give it a try though.

Works best with high neck angles ... more down force on the bridge plate

rpr

Still have that '78 SDS-1 kicking about if you fancy a loan..

ChrisMusic

ChrisMusic said:   I am wondering how well it works with one of those Gibsons with a bit too much neck angle and a high bridge position?

TheGuitarWeasel said:  Works best with high neck angles ... more down force on the bridge plate

Thanks Ash.

I can resist anything but temptation  

TTony

cosmiccarrot said:

Mightymites MM1300 and 1400's copies

@cosmiccarrot

You don't see (or hear) many of those around nowadays ... What guitars do you keep them in??

OilCityPickups

rpr said:

Still have that '78 SDS-1 kicking about if you fancy a loan..

Go on then I'll refund your postage!

xHymnal

I have a set of old super distortions in my SG. They are excellent. Really surprising tone in that they just sounds like lovely FAT PAF's! Great stuff. Well worth the repair.