Recent Posts

Pages: [1] 2 3 ... 10
1
The Pickup Place / Dimarzio/IBZ Bridge Review
« Last post by nienturi on February 14, 2025, 08:27:40 AM »
Hi. This is my review on Dimarzio/IBZ bridge that covers tonal specs, comparisons with Super Distortion & Evolution, and why they deserve more credit. Hope you like it;

https://www.tonejourney.com/post/dimarzio-ibz-bridge-review
2
The Pickup Place / Re: SSS Strat Pickup Combinations
« Last post by gregr on February 11, 2025, 07:56:21 PM »
I ended up using a 500k/250k dual-gang, single-shaft pot for the master tone control. It was the only way I could do everything I needed to do after exhausting all four poles for positions 2 & 4 on the 5-way super switch.

The final tally for the loading:
bridge (Fast Track 1): 125k
bridge & middle: 250k
middle (Area 61): 125k
middle & neck: 100k
neck (Injector Neck): 125k

Position 2 could possibly benefit from a lighter load. A 1 Meg pot for the volume control might make a slight improvement, though I don’t think it’s worth the effort since the Fast Track 1 simply won’t achieve the same result as a single coil. As it is, position 2 sounds good and is definitely useable.

I’m satisfied with the amount of chime for all of the other positions. The Area 61 in noise cancelling mode loaded with the standard 125k was my baseline for matching positions 4 and 5. With the exception of position 2, there was still room to go brighter, so the values chosen were free from the limitation of too little pot resistance; keep in mind that the noise cancelling coils aren’t being used in positions 2 & 4, and the noise cancelling coil on the neck pickup is dependent on the outer tone control that’s only active in position 5.
3
The Pickup Place / Re: SSS Strat Pickup Combinations
« Last post by gregr on January 28, 2025, 12:28:41 PM »
I don’t like having the tone up high when playing single coils with much gain, so hum from running the Injector with a compromised dummy coil will never be an issue for me.

I’ve used this pickup in all three positions in various guitars. While it is warmer than a traditional vintage single coil, I have never found it to be lifeless. Of course there are many factors involved that will influence how a pickup sounds, not the least of which being the materials used for the bridge.
4
The Pickup Place / Re: SSS Strat Pickup Combinations
« Last post by darkbluemurder on January 28, 2025, 03:56:13 AM »
The Injector definitely benefits from a lighter load, though the 250k total load from a pair of 500k pots is not enough. If I were only using two controls one would be a 500k and the other would be 250k, which is essentially what I am getting with three 500k controls (167k). The problem with reducing the load too much is that a spike begins to develop in the top end. The real key to getting an extension in frequency response with the Injector Neck lies in shunting the dummy coil. Configuring the second tone control the way I did I am able to do both. Again, the linear taper allows for more precision at the upper end of the control. I also use a series resistor with tone controls in order to prevent the tone from folding over, allowing me to quickly get the exact sound I want without undershooting.

My observations were quite similar. In two different guitars where I had Injector necks with 500k volume and tone they were a bit stiff sounding. Using a no-load tone pot solved that. In another guitar however removing the tone control load made the guitar too sizzly in the top end whereas with the 500k tone control the top end was nasal. A 1 meg tone control was the happy medium where I landed.

I did not want to shunt the shunt coil as I wanted to preserve the hum-cancelling ability.

Cheers Stephan
5
The Pickup Place / Re: SSS Strat Pickup Combinations
« Last post by gregr on January 27, 2025, 12:36:53 PM »
You’re absolutely right about using a linear taper for the volume control. I don’t like the large initial drop in volume you get with an audio taper, especially on a Strat pickguard where it sits so close to where my hand is. Because of the treble bleed, I treat the volume control as another tone control and the linear taper gives me a more precision. My rhythm tone is medium gain and I’m still able to clean up by rolling the volume back and by lightening up my touch.

The Injector definitely benefits from a lighter load, though the 250k total load from a pair of 500k pots is not enough. If I were only using two controls one would be a 500k and the other would be 250k, which is essentially what I am getting with three 500k controls (167k). The problem with reducing the load too much is that a spike begins to develop in the top end. The real key to getting an extension in frequency response with the Injector Neck lies in shunting the dummy coil. Configuring the second tone control the way I did I am able to do both. Again, the linear taper allows for more precision at the upper end of the control. I also use a series resistor with tone controls in order to prevent the cocked-wah sound.

The Fast Track 1 excels in all three positions. It’s a very versatile pickup. I first tried it in the bridge many years ago and liked the tone but it wasn’t what I wanted at the time. It’s reminiscent of the FS1, perhaps more-so than the Injector Neck which is closer to the FS1 in terms of specifications. The Injector Neck also makes an excellent bridge pickup, though I prefer the Virtual Vintage Blues for the extra sparkle.
6
The Pickup Place / Re: SSS Strat Pickup Combinations
« Last post by darkbluemurder on January 27, 2025, 03:26:58 AM »
I found that linear pots (BXXX) work best for clean and semi-clean tones, especially with a treble bleed. For higher gain tones I cannot hear much happening until I turn it down almost completely.

Injector neck is a great choice for the neck position, in particular with 500k pots.

I am still to try a Fast Track 1 in either neck or bridge position.

Cheers Stephan
7
The Pickup Place / Re: SSS Strat Pickup Combinations
« Last post by gregr on January 26, 2025, 05:04:43 PM »
I’m finishing up another pickguard which I think is noteworthy. This time it was built around the Fast Track 1 in the bridge.

As you may already know the  Fast Track 1 sounds like a single coil with humbucker tendencies. It is dynamic with a lot of output. It’s lean with a healthy amount of treble, though it lacks the pure bell sound and top end chime of a single coil, though additional presence can be had with larger value pots without sounding brittle. It can get strident with 500k controls, however.

An Injector Neck was fitted in the neck position which I believe is an excellent match, both in terms of output as well as frequency response. Like with the Fast Track 1 it can benefit from larger pots and can produce some really nice chime in split mode.

The middle position was fitted with an Area 61 which compliments the other two pickups nicely, both in terms of frequency response as well as dynamics. It’s a tad lean but well worth it since it’s able to deliver nice quack with the Injector when both are split. I reversed the polarity of the Area 61 with neodymium rod magnets so that hum is cancelled in positions 2 & 4.

The volume control is a B500k with a treble bleed that is 220pF in series with 20k. The middle control is currently an A500k with a 22nF cap acting as a master tone control. The outer control is a B500k with an 820pF cap acting as a presence control. It is only active in position 5 (neck only), where it is combined with the master tone control. I’ve configured the other end of the control so that it begins shunting the noise cancelling coil of the Injector around 8, fully shorting it when on 10. The active coil of the Area 61 is currently hard-wired with a 240k shunt resistor and the Fast Track 1 is currently shunted with a 510k resistor in position 1 (bridge only).

EDIT: The master tone control will later change as will the loading.
8
The Pickup Place / Re: Air Norton Bridge Position
« Last post by HeyNorton! on January 26, 2025, 08:38:38 AM »
The output is on par with that of a PAF. I tried one with an HFH in the neck but couldn’t gel with it. It was really lean and devoid of growl when compared to other pickups with similar output. I found it to be bright, but I think unbalanced is a more apt description. I only tried it in one guitar so take it with a grain of salt. If I were to give it another go it would be in an HSS configuration.

I’m looking forward to your review.

You know, I found the norton the same way. 
I radically lowered the treble side to balance it, and was much happier with it.
It stayed as a bridge pickup for close to 15 years.

When I tried it in another guitar, it was the same unbalanced bright.  Once again radical lowering helped a bunch.
9
The Pickup Place / My NORTON Review
« Last post by nienturi on January 24, 2025, 05:13:52 AM »
Hello,

I have new review on Tone Jpurney. This time it is for Norton;

https://www.tonejourney.com/post/dimarzio-norton-review-dp160

Hop you enjoy!
10
News & New Guys / Re: Happy New Year 2025
« Last post by nienturi on January 08, 2025, 01:17:34 AM »
Thanks Stephan :) I wish everything great to us all :)
Pages: [1] 2 3 ... 10