Question for DiMarzio Strat pickup and Ibanez JEM owners/experts - now New Pickups Day

ICBM

I'm thinking of converting my SSS Aria Strat copy into a sort of 'stealth JEM' - routing it is absolutely out of the question, but DiMarzio do a range of Strat-size mini-humbuckers... does anyone with experience of them (I have none!) know which are roughly equivalent to the PAF Pro/Evo neck, and the Evo bridge?

It may be as simple as the Fast Track 1 and 2, but they do a fair range and there may be something I'm overlooking. I'm not bothered about 100% accuracy - which is impossible for small humbuckers anyway, no matter what some of the manufacturers claim - but just something that will get me into the same ballpark.

I'll have to order them as I want fancy coloured covers and chrome rails, which appear to be non-standard, so I need to get it right first go if possible. I also need a Virtual Vintage for the middle, but I think I know which one of those I want already, unless anyone has any strong opinions about any of them.

Thanks in advance!

Funkfingers

Does it absolutely have to be DiMarzio or would other brands be acceptable?

ICBM

Funkfingers said:

Does it absolutely have to be DiMarzio or would other brands be acceptable?

Depends - probably DiMarzios since the ones I'm trying to emulate are, but in any case I want proper Strat-shaped covers/casings - no tape on the sides or Duncan-style 'humbucker shaped' casings. And ideally in pink and green .

Philly_Q

I was going to say Pro Track rather than Fast Track 1 for the neck - much more humbuckerish - but I've just looked at their site and I see they've expanded the range a lot!

The Air Norton S, Satch Track and Billy Corgan models must be worth considering.

Interesting thread, I hope you get some good replies.

Funkfingers

Philly_Q said:
The Air Norton S, Satch Track and Billy Corgan models must be worth considering.

Agreed.

For the neck position, the Air Norton S can do humbucker tones in series mode and Fendery tones in parallel.

bloodandtears

Hit up Max Cottam on FB, https://www.facebook.com/CottamGuitarRepairsSales/

He's a main dealer for Dimarzio in the UK.. Headstock's go-to guy....

He's a good source of info and guidance.. supplied and wired up some of my swirl guitars.

Tell him I sent ya ;-)

ICBM

bloodandtears said:

Hit up Max Cottam on FB, https://www.facebook.com/CottamGuitarRepairsSales/

He's a main dealer for Dimarzio in the UK.. Headstock's go-to guy....

He's a good source of info and guidance.. supplied and wired up some of my swirl guitars.

Tell him I sent ya ;-)

Perfect - will do. I like the pic with all the coloured DiMarzios, that really confirms my idea of getting them!

fretmeister

I'm a big fan of the Choppers - for bridge and neck.

Nice big sound without being too compressed.

bloodandtears

ICBM said:

bloodandtears said:

Hit up Max Cottam on FB, https://www.facebook.com/CottamGuitarRepairsSales/

He's a main dealer for Dimarzio in the UK.. Headstock's go-to guy....

He's a good source of info and guidance.. supplied and wired up some of my swirl guitars.

Tell him I sent ya ;-)

Perfect - will do. I like the pic with all the coloured DiMarzios, that really confirms my idea of getting them!

He kitted me out with the pickups for all of these ..

stimpsonslostson

I had injectors in a Paul Gilbert signature model.
They sounded great to my ears, stratty under low gain & crunchy but well defined with silly gain. 

It's REALLY hard to describe pickup tones isn't it? 

Alnico

bloodandtears said:

Hit up Max Cottam on FB, https://www.facebook.com/CottamGuitarRepairsSales/

He's a main dealer for Dimarzio in the UK.. Headstock's go-to guy....

He's a good source of info and guidance.. supplied and wired up some of my swirl guitars.

Tell him I sent ya ;-)

Yep.

+1 for Max.

Great guy and the only place to buy Ibanez/Dimarzio parts.
He's supplied parts to me before.

ICBM

This is what's so great about this place - I asked a complicated question and expected complicated answers, but the best answer is something much simpler and much more useful, not just for this particular question .

Funkfingers

ICBM said:

roughly equivalent to the PAF Pro/Evo neck, and the Evo bridge?

Use the DiMarzio website to attempt to match output levels and tonal profiles.

One possibly useful point of reference for your Aria would be the DiMarzio pickups in Jason Becker’s Carvin “rainbow” guitar. Less rippy than EVOs but more versatile as a result.

guitarfishbay

I had the Billy Corgan bridge, it's been quite a few years since I took it out but IIRC it was pretty loud and didn't have a lot of high end.  Having owned PAF Pros and Evolutions I'd say it sounded like neither.

bassbora

My Jem 7dbk comes stock with Breed pickups. Just to give you another sound option. I personally really like them 

hubobulous

The Air Norton would definitely be my neck choice for what you’re trying to do

ICBM

Well look what arrived this morning .



Special thanks to @bloodandtears for recommending Max at Cottam Guitars - he was extremely helpful and patient answering some of my inane questions (believe it or not, I'm completely unfamiliar with DiMarzio pickups apart from a few of the classic models, so I really had no idea what I was after), and after a bit of a process of elimination he suggested these - Fast Track 1 neck, Chopper bridge and Area '61 middle.

I've just put my lunch hour to good use and my old Aria now looks like this!



First impressions are that they sound great, but I won't have a chance to hook up my proper rig until later when I've done some more real work... the Chopper isn't quite as bright as I expected from the specs and the Area '61 a little fuller, both of which are good things - Max really knows his stuff.

Of course I now have to learn to play like Steve Vai, which may be a little more difficult. I'll be back in about 25 years .

bloodandtears

Glad you got sorted... although even I'm surprised at the choice of colours considering a sunburst finished body; I could probably supply you with some matching knobs lol

bluechargeboy

Sweeeet, does it have 500k pots now?

ICBM

bloodandtears said:

Glad you got sorted... although even I'm surprised at the choice of colours considering a sunburst finished body

It's supposed to look deliberately jarring - I thought all white would be too boring, although I did want to keep the white middle pickup for when I want a 'traditional' Strat sound. I did wonder if I'd overdone it when they arrived, but I think they look great in the guitar .

bloodandtears said:

I could probably supply you with some matching knobs lol

I’ve got a set of pink Ibanez knobs, but unfortunately they’re a really different pink and clash horribly with the pickup. I bought a green switch tip too which hasn't arrived yet, but that may end up being the same. It won't be too bad to keep the white ones.

bluechargeboy said:

Sweeeet, does it have 500k pots now?

No, the original 250Ks. I actually prefer 250Ks with humbuckers in bright-sounding guitars - which this is. The pickups aren't that high impedance either - I was quite surprised.

bloodandtears

ICBM said:

bloodandtears said:

I could probably supply you with some matching knobs lol

I’ve got a set of pink Ibanez knobs, but unfortunately they’re a really different pink and clash horribly with the pickup. I bought a green switch tip too which hasn't arrived yet, but that may end up being the same. It won't be too bad to keep the white ones.

Tell me about it... colour matching for those guitars was very much trial and error, especially with pink