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Making the Dimarzios Fit

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  • Making the Dimarzios Fit

    I mentioned in another thread that I purchased a set of Dimarzios for my Ibanez and unfortunately I didn't realize the fact that these pickups I chose are actually taller than standard pickups by quite a decent amount. Ironically I chose dimarzios after trying EMG's . The EMG wouldn't fit , and I said "well dimarzios are practically made for Ibanez so I'll try that" - and I happened to pick the 3 dimarzios that were designed to be under a pickguard , not direct wood mounted.

    The SDS-1 has a big ole ceramic magnet stuck to the bottom of it making a good clip taller than standard single coils . Even at its lowest it would be almost touching my strings, it seems.

    This was all part of my plan to reduce my hoarde of guitars to just 2, and make versatile pickup selections I can be happy with.
    I'm pretty sure I can make the humbuckers fit by removing the foam blocks they mount on and using small springs instead.

    But the SDS-1 is so tall, it seems my only option is to route underneath there slightly. I have a Dremel tool and some flap wheels and stuff so I could do it but I worry, for the trem cavity is right back behind there and if I take too much wood , couldn't I ruin the solidity of the guitar and the trem cavity ? Also worried I could mess up and hit the paint or otherwise damage my pristine 15 year old guitar.

    This wasn't a cheap purchase and I don't really have the option to return anything so my options are ;

    route the wood and use the pickups I originally wanted.

    Try to fit the 2 evolutions but swap out the middle pickup for something else. Then I could instead put the SDS-1 in the bridge of my Stratocaster for an interesting heavy -ass Strat sound - I'd have to keep 3 guitars instead of 2 but it could be really cool.

    Put the 2 evolutions instead in my Jackson Kelly, the other guitar I want to keep. And the Distortion set which was originally supposed to go in the Kelly can be used in the Ibanez instead - I know they'll fit with only slight modification to the mounting tabs. But then I'm still needing to find a use for the SDS-1

    Well this is getting awfully rambly, but what would you do?



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  • #2
    Re: Making the Dimarzios Fit

    As it stands, this is what they look like , as low as they're gonna go. Probably a no-go, huh

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    • #3
      Re: Making the Dimarzios Fit

      With the humbuckers you could buy replacement flat fiberboard baseplates which would probably give you enough clearance without having to do any routing.

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      • #4
        Re: Making the Dimarzios Fit

        The guitar will survive connecting the pickup and control routes
        You wouldn't have anything to mount to
        But the guitar would not break in half or anything
        EHD
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        • #5
          Re: Making the Dimarzios Fit

          That doesn't look like it will work, as is. Usually pickups will have detailed specs with accurate measurements. Hopefully you can either route out for more clearance, or you can find a thinner set of pickups.
          Administrator of the SDUGF

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          • #6
            Re: Making the Dimarzios Fit

            A shim in the neck pocket will help with the middle and the bridge pickup. If you dremel your neck, this could work. Look at the StewMac shims.
            I get the feeling the A8 will blow your skirt up more so - Edgecrusher

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            • #7
              Re: Making the Dimarzios Fit

              I would consider selling the pickups, you haven't tried these in the guitar & no guarantee that they would be the best match for it too so you might not like the sound of them in this one. I wouldn't route the guitar myself if it was valuable, probably get a luthier to do it to avoid any screw ups.

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              • #8
                Re: Making the Dimarzios Fit

                Originally posted by idsnowdog View Post
                With the humbuckers you could buy replacement flat fiberboard baseplates which would probably give you enough clearance without having to do any routing.
                I'd chose this solution!

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                • #9
                  Re: Making the Dimarzios Fit

                  The flat base-plate swap and some dremel work for under the magnets (not where the screws are) just might get you enough string-clearance on the evos. It's close.

                  I also went through this same thing a few years back with my 08 prestige.
                  Went to drop an X2N in the bridge and found out it hadn't even close to enough room for that tyrant. Looked through my parts drawer and right there structured just perfectly for a shallow route was my then lonely Dimebucker. The best thing ended up being how well it compliments the maple/basswood tone.

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                  • #10
                    Re: Making the Dimarzios Fit

                    Originally posted by nexion218 View Post
                    Exactly the ones I'm talking about. That way if he direct mounts them and doesn't like the pickups he's only out the price of the baseplate and can resell the pickups in good condition.

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                    • #11
                      Re: Making the Dimarzios Fit

                      Originally posted by BeKindRewind View Post
                      ... and I said "well dimarzios are practically made for Ibanez so I'll try that"
                      And the original pickups are probably made by DiMarzio for Ibanez.

                      They just have different baseplates. If it’s the two legs you could drill out the wood where they sit.

                      Those fiber baseplates work fine. I use them for pickups I make. You just need to pick the right pole spacing. Then they should be a direct swap. Just unscrew the four mounting screws on the baseplate.


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                      • #12
                        Re: Making the Dimarzios Fit

                        Originally posted by DavidRavenMoon View Post
                        And the original pickups are probably made by DiMarzio for Ibanez.

                        They just have different baseplates. If it’s the two legs you could drill out the wood where they sit.

                        Those fiber baseplates work fine. I use them for pickups I make. You just need to pick the right pole spacing. Then they should be a direct swap. Just unscrew the four mounting screws on the baseplate.


                        Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
                        I have both the 6-string and 7-string version of the Dimarzio Evolution and although I like the 6-string version it has a nasty bass warble due to the brass baseplate. The fiberboard 7-string version is much clearer and doesn't have that nasty bass warble.

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                        • #13
                          Re: Making the Dimarzios Fit

                          Originally posted by idsnowdog View Post
                          I have both the 6-string and 7-string version of the Dimarzio Evolution and although I like the 6-string version it has a nasty bass warble due to the brass baseplate. The fiberboard 7-string version is much clearer and doesn't have that nasty bass warble.
                          Metal baseplates can darken the tone. Even nickel silver.

                          I make a pickup similar to a Super Distortion but with a fiber baseplate.




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                          • #14
                            Re: Making the Dimarzios Fit

                            Originally posted by DavidRavenMoon View Post
                            And the original pickups are probably made by DiMarzio for Ibanez.

                            They just have different baseplates. If it’s the two legs you could drill out the wood where they sit.

                            Those fiber baseplates work fine. I use them for pickups I make. You just need to pick the right pole spacing. Then they should be a direct swap. Just unscrew the four mounting screws on the baseplate.


                            Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
                            It's not actually an issue with the baseplates however. The actual pickup itself is a fair amount taller than let's say a Duncan A2Pro - even with the fiber baseboards, which are a great idea to try, it's going to be a tight uncomfortable fit and I'll probably have to keep the pickups higher than I'd like.


                            I appreciate everyone's suggestions . Great ideas and I think the fiber baseboards would get me pretty close but for now I think I'm going to have to re-evaluate my plan. I'll put the Evolutions in my Kelly and I'll just go with the good ole JB/Jazz/ SSL1 combo in the Ibanez . Could've done that from the get go. Expensive mistake but I'll hope the dimarzios will make me happy in the Jackson.

                            I've put the SDS-1 in my Stratocaster for now to see what it sounds like. It's a pretty great hard rockin Strat bridge pickup, really not something I needed but I'll see if I can fit it into my tonal paradigm somehow.

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