1066

The Pickup Place / Re: Stacked or Rails? Big difference? Suggestions?

« on: May 08, 2015, 03:39:26 AM »

From the suggestions given AZ and two Injector necks would be a good combo, especially since you plan to use them with a 500k volume pot. Keep in mind though that the Injector neck still sounds very much strat like and provides good quack with the 500k volume pot - the Injectors are designed for that and to keep up in volume with a stronger bridge pickup and 500k volume pot(s).

Of all the other options listed I only have experience with the Chopper, and that only in the bridge. My gut feeling says it is not really suited for the middle position but then I do not play much on the middle alone and use it mostly in combination with bridge or neck. I would try something brighter there, e.g. FT-1 or Satch Track. Neck position - also FT-1 or Satch Track.

Cheers Stephan

1067

The Pickup Place / Re: Looking to try something between a 36th PAF and Tone Zone

« on: May 07, 2015, 03:22:21 AM »

It is quite hard for me to imagine how one could accidentally wire a pickup in parallel instead of series since it's a totally different wiring scheme. To me it would be more likely that the series linkage was not insulated properly or the insulation of one wire was damaged and touched a ground connection somewhere thereby making the pickup operate as single coil. Of course that would also have manifested in producing much more hum. If the hum level was the same my guess is it was defect in some unknown way.

I had only limited experience with the AT-1 (just about half an hour noodling on an Ibanez AT-100 in a store) but I did not hear anything bright and airy in it - loud, fat, rich in the mids and singing is as I would describe it.

Cheers Stephan

1068

The Pickup Place / Re: Chopper - Cruiser - Cruiser in a Strat

« on: May 04, 2015, 12:28:05 PM »

I generally don't like the Chopper with 500k, but the cruisers demand it, so if you already know you like the Chopper with 500k, go for it.  The Cruiser is an interesting pickup.  If you find the chopper too bright, you can always use a resistor to drop the load until it sounds ok.

Ray, many thanks for this. Since I use a regular 5-way (not a 24 pole) I will try the "bending the rivets trick" if I need to use a resistor on the Chopper.

Cheers Stephan

1069

The Pickup Place / Re: Chopper - Cruiser - Cruiser in a Strat

« on: May 04, 2015, 12:26:39 PM »

I use the Chopper in the bridge of my strat with a pair of Fast Track 1's.  Sounds great and covers a lot of ground.

That would also be an interesting combination but since I already have one Cruiser I will try that first.

Thanks,
Stephan

1070

The Pickup Place / Re: Chopper - Cruiser - Cruiser in a Strat

« on: May 04, 2015, 12:25:39 PM »

Make the 2 vol/1 tone mod to your strat, and use 250kohm for the chopper bridge, and 500kohm for the cruisers, best of both worlds.

Thanks. I strongly prefer one master volume to two separate volumes. Besides, the Chopper with the 250k volume is not bright enough for me so I will try the set up with the 500k pot.

Cheers Stephan

1071

The Pickup Place / Chopper - Cruiser - Cruiser in a Strat

« on: May 02, 2015, 03:21:16 PM »

Has anyone tried this combination in a strat with 500k pots? What were the results?

The reason I am asking is that I am not quite happy with the Chopper - 58 - 67 and 250k pots in that strat. The 58, 67 and the combination Sound fine but the Chopper in the bridge is too soft and the bridge + middle combo does not quack properly.

I am thinking of either replacing the Chopper with a Virtual Solo or replacing the 58 and 67 with a pair of Cruisers (I still have one left over) and change the pots to 500k. The Chopper T in my telecaster with a 500k pot sounds terrific.

Any particular preference whether to use the Cruiser bridge or neck (my model is a bridge one)? I am thinking to get a neck model to put in the neck and put the bridge model in the middle.

Thanks for your input,
Stephan

1072

Everything you wanted to know about .... / Re: Review: Injector Neck in the bridge position, Area 61 in the neck position

« on: April 30, 2015, 04:09:06 AM »

Try the 67 in the neck and the 61 in the middle.

I know I'll like the 67 in the neck but why the 61 in the middle?

Because you already have it - there is no harm in trying.
Cheers Stephan

1073

Gear Closet / Re: Mesa Boogie Flux Drive

« on: April 27, 2015, 03:40:16 AM »

I did not try it as a boost, just as overdrive before a clean amp. The midrange hump was there but a bit less compared to a Tube Screamer that was also on the board.

Cheers Stephan

1074

The Pickup Place / Re: What is "normal" turnaround time for pickup installation?

« on: April 21, 2015, 11:57:35 AM »

You can replace pickups in about half an hour. You need a 25 or 30 watt soldering iron, solder, a piece of sponge and a screwdriver or 2.

Fully agree.

What also comes in handy is a long piece of insulated stranded wire (1.5 to 2 ft). When you desolder a pickup from its connections solder the wire to one of the pickup's wires. When you remove the pickup you automatically pull the wire through the wire channel. When you solder the new pickup to the wire you just pull on the wire, and the wire of the new pickup (provided it is long enough!) comes in without a hassle.

Cheers Stephan

1075

The Pickup Place / Re: What is "normal" turnaround time for pickup installation?

« on: April 21, 2015, 11:54:19 AM »

That was why I started working on my own guitars. I hated to leave the guitar at the shop for a pickup, pot or cap change for 2 to 3 weeks and paying for the work. Same for set ups. It's basically a matter of acquiring the right tools and know-how but it's not rocket science.

For serious work, i.e. woodwork of any kind I still have to rely on shops or luthiers though.

Cheers Stephan

1076

Everything you wanted to know about .... / Re: Review: Injector Neck in the bridge position, Area 61 in the neck position

« on: April 21, 2015, 11:47:17 AM »

Try the 67 in the neck and the 61 in the middle.

Cheers Stephan

1077

Gear Closet / Mesa Boogie Flux Drive

« on: April 21, 2015, 03:54:50 AM »

Had a chance to play one in a shop for about an hour through a clean amp next to a TS-9.

My impression was that compared to the TS-9 it had "more of everything" - more drive on tap, more bass and more bite.

Not that I really "need" another OD pedal but I really liked this one.

Any other experiences with this pedal?

Thanks, Stephan

1078

Guitar Lounge / Re: Help with pickup vs wood type

« on: March 19, 2015, 04:37:01 AM »

The guitar wood does not effect the tone in any way.Just the pickups.

We had that discussion here http://www.dimarzioforum.com/forum/index.php/topic,5138.0.html, starting after reply #9.

Cheers Stephan

1079

Everything you wanted to know about .... / Re: Dimarzio Area Pickups for Telecaster

« on: March 17, 2015, 05:23:56 AM »

I have to modify my verdict on the neck pickup slightly. When I posted the above comment I used it mainly overdriven, and there it works as described. However in a clean amp setting the output is noticeably lower than the bridge pickup so if you want something to better balance with the neck, I guess the regular Area T or Area 615 would be better.

I solved the "problem" by setting the Virtual Hot T lower. This gets a reasonable balance between the two pickups, although it sacrifices some of the "Hot" in the bridge pickup.

Cheers Stephan

1080

Everything you wanted to know about .... / Re: Dimarzio Area Pickups for Telecaster

« on: March 03, 2015, 07:42:32 AM »

BTW: has anybody ever removed the cover of the Area Neck T?

Thanks,
Stephan