Ash at Oil City answers pickup questions:

Seziertisch

@OilCityPickups Ash, could you give us a breakdown of the G&L MFD pickups, how they differ from other stuff out there? Thanks. 

OilCityPickups

Essentially they work like my Neo-X-Breeds but use individual ceramic rather than individual  neodymium magnets to 'charge' the adjustable poles (and they don't use different tuned length length magnets for each string like my Neos :-)
It's an idea that's sort of based loosely on the Dynasonic innovation of adjustable height rod magnets - whereby you get an adjustable field for each string with better magnetic coupling than a normal humbucker.   

Jaycerose

Speaking of Dynasonics, think i saw you mention elsewhere you could be coming out with your own version of vintage spec Dynasonics soon, do you have an eta on them? 

OilCityPickups

Jaycerose said:

Speaking of Dynasonics, think i saw you mention elsewhere you could be coming out with your own version of vintage spec Dynasonics soon, do you have an eta on them? 

I'm waiting for a parts supplier to give me the go ahead to order components that are currently being developed - and if that goes ahead smoothly that will probably be March.
I can't be super specific as I'm dealing with a foreign supplier. 

Jaycerose

OilCityPickups said:

Jaycerose said:

Speaking of Dynasonics, think i saw you mention elsewhere you could be coming out with your own version of vintage spec Dynasonics soon, do you have an eta on them? 

I'm waiting for a parts supplier to give me the go ahead to order components that are currently being developed - and if that goes ahead smoothly that will probably be March.
I can't be super specific as I'm dealing with a foreign supplier. 

Cheers for the quick reply. Im looking a new bridge pickup for my Gretsch Penguin and recall the thread you posted when you hotrodded a modern set. I actually have a spare modern Dynasonic here and was thinking of getting in touch to see if you would do similar with it. Though now wondering whether better to wait for your own version. 

OilCityPickups

Well the hot-rodding option will be cheaper and quicker :-)

Jaycerose

OilCityPickups said:

Well the hot-rodding option will be cheaper and quicker :-)

Cool. Whats the best way to contact you to make arrangements to do that? 

OilCityPickups

Jaycerose said:

OilCityPickups said:

Well the hot-rodding option will be cheaper and quicker :-)

Cool. Whats the best way to contact you to make arrangements to do that? 

e mail ash@oilcitypickups.com
or our phone number is on the site :-) 

Funkfingers

Ash. What has become of your three-coil, noise-cancelling P90 replacement pickup? I cannot find it on your web site.

OilCityPickups

Funkfingers said:

Ash. What has become of your three-coil, noise-cancelling P90 replacement pickup? I cannot find it on your web site.

The Eliminator has been special order only ... I normally have a bit of a lag getting these on my site :-) 

Funkfingers

Thank you. 

I need to get my finger out and decide what investment(s) to make.

davros

I'm looking to do a 3xFirebird pickup build. @OilCityPickups would you wind something different in the middle or just use another neck pickup? Is there any benefit to the middle one being RWRP since they're hum cancelling?

Funkfingers

davros said:

would you wind something different in the middle

In the DiMarzio P-13 Paul Gilbert pickup set, the middle pickup is intentionally overwound so that Pablo can set it lower, leaving room for his pick, drill or vibrator to play the strings.

OilCityPickups

davros said:

I'm looking to do a 3xFirebird pickup build. @OilCityPickups would you wind something different in the middle or just use another neck pickup? Is there any benefit to the middle one being RWRP since they're hum cancelling?

On the original Firebird 7 the middle pickup was deliberately wired out of phase (I did work on PH Harvey's Firebird and it was like this)  this was the original point of a three pickup Firebird. Many have been changed over the years mind. 

Seziertisch

Ash, tell us about the original Dimarzio PAFs. How do they differ from actual PAFs? Thanks.

earwighoney

@OilCityPickups I saw you made a Thunderbird spec pickup in a HB case for someone here.  Sorry to ask but what is the difference between that pickup and a Firebird (in a HB case).  Does a Thunderbird pickup have longer alnico blade magnets than a FB?

OilCityPickups

Seziertisch said:

Ash, tell us about the original Dimarzio PAFs. How do they differ from actual PAFs? Thanks.

The DiMarzio PAF (originally the DP103) Not really PAF wire - wrong coil offset - originally two slug bobbins with screws flailing about in mid air on the screw bobbin. Wrong baseplates - wrong slug diameter. Slugs with slightly domed tops -  

Oh, the magnets are right and so are the wooden spacers - they are unpotted and the DC resistance is about right  

Oh and they don't sound like Gibson PAFs either :-) 

Note the odd domed slugs 

OilCityPickups

earwighoney said:

@OilCityPickups I saw you made a Thunderbird spec pickup in a HB case for someone here.  Sorry to ask but what is the difference between that pickup and a Firebird (in a HB case).  Does a Thunderbird pickup have longer alnico blade magnets than a FB?

Yep Thunderbirds use normal sized 63mm humbucker magnets but on their sides in the middle of the bobbins. My HB sized ones use shorter sixties Gibson style 58mm magnets to fit under the covers.  

Seziertisch

OilCityPickups said:

Seziertisch said:

Ash, tell us about the original Dimarzio PAFs. How do they differ from actual PAFs? Thanks.

The DiMarzio PAF (originally the DP103) Not really PAF wire - wrong coil offset - originally two slug bobbins with screws flailing about in mid air on the screw bobbin. Wrong baseplates - wrong slug diameter. Slugs with slightly domed tops -  

Oh, the magnets are right and so are the wooden spacers - they are unpotted and the DC resistance is about right  

Oh and they don't sound like Gibson PAFs either :-) 

Note the odd domed slugs 

What’s your take on the sound? I’ve read conflicting reports.

OilCityPickups

Seziertisch said:

OilCityPickups said:

Seziertisch said:

Ash, tell us about the original Dimarzio PAFs. How do they differ from actual PAFs? Thanks.

The DiMarzio PAF (originally the DP103) Not really PAF wire - wrong coil offset - originally two slug bobbins with screws flailing about in mid air on the screw bobbin. Wrong baseplates - wrong slug diameter. Slugs with slightly domed tops -  

Oh, the magnets are right and so are the wooden spacers - they are unpotted and the DC resistance is about right  

Oh and they don't sound like Gibson PAFs either :-) 

Note the odd domed slugs 

What’s your take on the sound? I’ve read conflicting reports.

The ones I've tried have been a bit bland when used clean - and really only 'taken off' under a fair bit of gain. This would equate well to a pickup originally designed to be a neck partner to a super Distortion. 
This is not the DiMarzio PAF 59 we are talking about here, a pickup it appears designed to address the shortcomings of the original PAF. I actually like the original PAF under drive - not so much for clean and bluesy tones.  

But everyone's ears are different - as are everyone's requirements. There are many who swear by old DiMarzio PAFs, and remember - they were practically the only game in town till Gibson started to 'try' and copy their original pickups again.