Larry DiMarzio

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BluesJam

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Larry DiMarzio
« on: June 12, 2019, 06:52:11 PM »
I was wondering if Larry DiMarzio still the “pickup creative guru” or has his role diminished to other staff /designers.  I know he does many of the photographs on the site, but he does not offer any behind the scenes of actually making and designing pickups, like Duncan.

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marcwormjim

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Re: Larry DiMarzio
« Reply #1 on: June 13, 2019, 02:08:40 AM »
FWIW, I’ve only ever heard/read Dimarzio players credit Steve Blucher in interviews.

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Offline DavidSchwab

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Re: Larry DiMarzio
« Reply #2 on: June 13, 2019, 10:50:09 AM »
Yeah Steve is the main guy. They have an actual lab there.

And at Duncan the main guy is Keven Beller. You see his name on most of the parents.


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BluesJam

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Re: Larry DiMarzio
« Reply #3 on: June 13, 2019, 03:33:23 PM »
I read that Bill Lawrence taught Larry DiMarzio and Kent Armstrong how to make pickups under his tutelage.  It seems that the Super Distortion, Dual Sound, PAF, FS1 were created by Larry. 

There is no Larry on the winding machines or a “MJ” magic winder.   Fender and Duncan put a face to a custom winder, which probably adds value.  DiMarzio is faceless and you dont see any factory videos.  Maybe PG should do a factory tour video.

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Offline DarthPhineas

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Re: Larry DiMarzio
« Reply #4 on: June 14, 2019, 04:38:26 PM »
I know he does many of the photographs on the site, but he does not offer any behind the scenes of actually making and designing pickups, like Duncan.


The last pickup Seymour actually designed was the Alternative 8. Even so, there are a few engineers including Beller that have been handling the production models for quite a while (decades). Seymour was behind the “core” models that put them on the map and have been the basis for what’s come since.

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BluesJam

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Re: Larry DiMarzio
« Reply #5 on: June 15, 2019, 04:36:13 PM »
Wow, so Seymour Duncan who takes credit for his pickups is not the designer?  He mentions his blueprints for various pickups in his collection that he has wound for others.  Very interesting 🤔

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Offline DarthPhineas

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Re: Larry DiMarzio
« Reply #6 on: June 16, 2019, 12:39:31 AM »
Wow, so Seymour Duncan who takes credit for his pickups is not the designer?

Do you mean, in the same way the DiMarzio name is on a pickup but Steve Blucher has been designing them for so long?  It’s not the first time a small company has gotten big enough that the person that started it has other people handling certain things.

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marcwormjim

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Re: Larry DiMarzio
« Reply #7 on: June 16, 2019, 03:23:12 AM »
Wow, so Seymour Duncan who takes credit for his pickups is not the designer?  He mentions his blueprints for various pickups in his collection that he has wound for others.  Very interesting 🤔

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BluesJam

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Re: Larry DiMarzio
« Reply #8 on: June 16, 2019, 11:16:10 AM »
Steve Blucher has been publicized by DiMarzio.  Larry does not make himself to be a pickup guru of his company.  Seymour states that he has a much more prominent role in pickup designs.  Obviously, Larry’s first pickup designs are still relevant today.  The Super Distortion and FS1 are great pickups.  I thought he would have more of a creative role in the company.  At this point, I’m not sure how much more can a company do to improve a passive pickup.  Obviously, there have been tens of thousands iterations of humbuckers and single coils.  I think Larry’s daughter is the president of the company, now.

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Offline DarthPhineas

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Re: Larry DiMarzio
« Reply #9 on: June 17, 2019, 05:21:14 PM »
Beller has been an engineer with Duncan since the 80s at least. There are articles about him on the Duncan site and he’s been included in the promotional material. Of the things they want to keep secret, this isn’t one of them.
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BluesJam

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Re: Larry DiMarzio
« Reply #10 on: June 18, 2019, 09:42:58 AM »
Although, I’m not doubting your post.  Beller maybe focused on the regular product line, but not the custom shop.

The Duncan web site states

“Design your own pickup and let us know in the comments exactly how you want it to sound. MJ, Derek and Seymour will use your notes to help pick the right materials and wind for your pickup. Since your pickup is made specifically for you, please allow 4-6 weeks for it to be completed.

We are passionate about quality so we ask for your patience while we craft your pickup. Depending on the nature of your order, it may take up to six weeks for delivery.

BUILD YOUR OWN HUMBUCKER
$160.00”

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BluesJam

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Re: Larry DiMarzio
« Reply #11 on: June 18, 2019, 09:52:49 AM »
I wish Larry would wind some pickups as limited edition runs.

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Offline DarthPhineas

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Re: Larry DiMarzio
« Reply #12 on: June 18, 2019, 01:06:25 PM »
Yes. Beller is more along the production line stuff. Pickups. Pedals. So on. I apologize if I missed the part where this was about production vs custom.   There are many layers of the onion as to what the marketing approach is to that company vs any other company. And we could lay out a novella on it and it still wouldn’t matter in the scheme of things.

And yes, DiMarzio might could benefit from special, or limited, runs of things straight from Larry. Honestly, I think it would mean he/they would have to better connect with end users to get a feel for what people want vs what they want to make. The VPAF and VHPAF are excellent examples of what people want that they refuse to make, for example. The big companies are being eaten alive by the boutique builders and this years big marketing campaign revolving around some Nuevo Art Deco hipsters that are more interested in wine and being too self aware isn’t going to draw Joe Guitar Guy to open his wallet. That’s just my opinion, I may be strong with The Force.
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Offline Guitar74

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Re: Larry DiMarzio
« Reply #13 on: June 18, 2019, 02:53:48 PM »
I agree with you on the whole marketing approach they are taking. Especially w/ the aforementioned hipsters. Nothing about those two is prompting me to spend a dime. I think with the boutique builders coming up, and the kind of “cork sniffing” consensus of some sites that suggest that Larry and Seymour are kind of low brow (not my opinion at all), and that a pickup costing less than their $200 early P.A.F. replica is junk isn’t helping get people to Larry even though Dimarzio has some TERRIFIC stuff. I may be misremembering the 80s and I don’t have an old brochure in front of me, but it seems the catalog of readily available pickups has shrunk. I could be VERY wrong about that so nobody hold my feet to the flame on that last statement.

I am constantly reminding people in other sites about my era when you went into a brick and mortar store and had a choice of Dimarzio, Duncan, or maybe Bill Lawrence. Then EMG became the trend, but still mainly Larry or Seymour.  Like I said, I could be very wrong, but it seems as though the Dimarzio pickup catalog has shrunk. Did they get rid of some slow or non sellers? I would be willing to bet yes. BUT....When you have a large number of people telling you with their ears that you left a gap by getting rid of something, it might be worth a looksie. I am considering buying four or five double whammys before they decide to stop doing them through the custom shop. To my ears, even though they say the TZ covers that ground, it just doesn’t seem to do it as smoothly.
« Last Edit: June 19, 2019, 03:51:09 PM by Guitar74 »
If you're having one of those days where everyone is on your case and is just getting on your nerves, it's probably not everyone else

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Offline DavidSchwab

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Larry DiMarzio
« Reply #14 on: June 18, 2019, 03:07:31 PM »
I read that Bill Lawrence taught Larry DiMarzio and Kent Armstrong how to make pickups under his tutelage.  It seems that the Super Distortion, Dual Sound, PAF, FS1 were created by Larry. 

That’s correct. But Steve was in the picture when him and Larry started the company in their basement.  Larry’s dad was the one that actually started the company, and used to be at the shop a lot until he passed away. Larry’s daughter is the current CEO.

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There is no Larry on the winding machines or a “MJ” magic winder.   Fender and Duncan put a face to a custom winder, which probably adds value.  DiMarzio is faceless and you dont see any factory videos.  Maybe PG should do a factory tour video.

Of course all the pickup designs are by them, so the winding department winds to their specs. Duncan does hand wind some pickups. DiMarzio doesn’t hand wind at all. They have about a dozen or so people running the coil winders.

You will probably never see a video or photos from inside DiMarzio. Cameras and cell phones are forbidden in the winding area. They are very secretive. I had to sign a NDA.

The place is smaller than you’d expect, but runs very efficiently. I personally would work on a couple of hundred pickups a day.

The thing that impressed me was how many different custom parts they use. Lots of different pole screws, magnets, and things you don’t see.  They also make all the straps and cables in house. Had little old ladies sewing straps. lol.



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