Bright, scooped Dimarzio for a thick, dull guitar?

[JamesPaul]

Beyond my knowledge and skill set!

It is more involved than a magnet swap, but still not too difficult.

There's an entire topic devoted to making your own '59/Custom hybrid. The procedure would be the same, you would just be using 2 of the Full Shred pickups.

If you really want one, you buy the pickups and there are a few Forum Bros who would probably make them for you. You'd spend a little more with postage and labor, but if this is the Holy Grail it's worth it.

How to Make a '59-Custom Hybrid

A side note on the Evolution. My Lead II came modified with one in the bridge. It has a certain "transparency" which lets your playing style come through. Both the positives and the negatives. I probably should have kept it in there and used it to improve my technique.

 

[Mincer]

I had a guitar that sounded thick and dull. A Custom 5 and a Jazz cured it. Now it is one of my favs.

 

[Dave Locher]

I had a guitar that sounded thick and dull. A Custom 5 and a Jazz cured it. Now it is one of my favs.

I think a Custom 5 might work well here, too, but the double cream thing really is a deal breaker. I suspect the old Ibby V-2 has some of the same sonic qualities as a C5, since it is also an A5 pickup. (Not sure if it's double thick like the C8 in a Super D but all sources agree it's A5).

 

[dave74]

Super2 isn't what I would call lively when it's in the bridge., unless it's in something with some natural sponge, like basswood bodies and full mahogany neck and body guitars.
It is indeed very loud and bright when in the bridge, which is great for a dark/dull guitar, but I just found it too dry and stiff for my liking in a dark/dead guitar much as the one you're describing.
In the neck position the super2 really shines for leads, and glassy cleans too if you roll the volume back to reduce level and then also use a treble-bleed. It's never dry or stiff in the neck.

Besides the Evo I would suggest the D'activator-X bridge. On paper it shows like it's dark but it's not. It's more open in the high-highs than the X2N or the Evo.
It does not have the same cut in the upper mids and treble as those do, but the lows and lower mids are juicy and lively, and it has a great lively sizzle on top.

 

[hamerfan]

I think a Custom 5 might work well here, too, but the double cream thing really is a deal breaker. I suspect the old Ibby V-2 has some of the same sonic qualities as a C5, since it is also an A5 pickup. (Not sure if it's double thick like the C8 in a Super D but all sources agree it's A5).

The Full Shred is a Custom 5 with hex screws for a more focused magnet field.

 

[Mincer]

I think a Custom 5 might work well here, too, but the double cream thing really is a deal breaker. I suspect the old Ibby V-2 has some of the same sonic qualities as a C5, since it is also an A5 pickup. (Not sure if it's double thick like the C8 in a Super D but all sources agree it's A5).

No, not double thick, and unfortunately, not double cream either. That narrows the choices a bit, doesn't it?

 

[Dave Locher]

No, not double thick, and unfortunately, not double cream either. That narrows the choices a bit, doesn't it?

Sorry, I wasn't clear: I mean the vintage Ibanez V-2 pickups are definitely A5 magnets, but I do not know if it is a double-thick magnet (like the ceramic magnet in the Super Distortion they visually copied) or standard thickness. Everything I have found about them just says "Alnico magnets" or "alnico 5 magnets."
I tried putting a regular A5 magnet into a Super Distortion a few years ago and HATED it! I thought it would sound like the V-2 but it was much weaker and thinner.

 

[UnderTheFlame83]

Another vote for FRED.

 

[RayBarbeeMusic]

Steve's Special, or depending on the output you want, 36th bridge or PAF master bridge.

 

[oilpit]

I'm gonna throw in another vote for the FRED. Unless you want something really hot, it's definitely the ticket.

It has some of the tightest low end of any pickup I've ever heard. It has mids but they aren't honky, and it's definitely on the brighter side of things.

 

[Dave Locher]

Just for the sake of posterity:
I took everyone's suggestions to heart but as you all know, right now used pickups are harder to come by and prices are high due to demand. So after a few weeks I gave up and bought a new Super 2.
I'm not sure yet if I love it in this guitar but I definitely don't hate it. It cured the muddy thing for sure. I haven't really had a chance to A/B it with other guitars to see how wellit works overall, but is surprisingly good so far.
I would swould like to tryan Evo, etc. at a later date. Hopefully everything will return to normal soon and used pickups will once again be priced at less than new ones!

 

[eclecticsynergy]

Always thought of the Super 2 as an underwound Super Distortion. Had one in a Kramer back in the 80s.
One of the brightest hot humbuckers I've ever owned, but I don't know if the ceramic is thin or thick.
If it's thin, swapping in a thick one - like the Super D has - might make the tone fuller and a little richer.

 

[Juanhanglo]

Look into the dimarzio megadrive. Its a "discontinued", but still available pickup.

It looks like a d sonic, but is more like a less scooped Steve's special. Its about 350mv too.

 

[Dave Locher]

Always thought of the Super 2 as an underwound Super Distortion. Had one in a Kramer back in the 80s.
One of the brightest hot humbuckers I've ever owned, but I don't know if the ceramic is thin or thick.
If it's thin, swapping in a thick one - like the Super D has - might make the tone fuller and a little richer.

I'm pretty sure it is an underworld Super D, just as the Super 3 is an overwound Super D. AFAIK it has the same magnet. This guitar has a ton of lows & low mids and not much highs, so it just sounded bloated and dull with the Super D. The Super 2 has solved that problem, but I haven't had a chance to do A/B comparisons at stage volume with my other guitars to decide if I really love it or just like it. Either way, it was a move in the right direction for this guitar.

 

[idsnowdog]

Dimarzio's aren't known for being mid scooped. If you are looking to sharpen a super distortion put a nickle silver baseplate on it.

 

[eclecticsynergy]

I'm pretty sure it is an underworld Super D, just as the Super 3 is an overwound Super D. AFAIK it has the same magnet. This guitar has a ton of lows & low mids and not much highs, so it just sounded bloated and dull with the Super D. The Super 2 has solved that problem, but I haven't had a chance to do A/B comparisons at stage volume with my other guitars to decide if I really love it or just like it. Either way, it was a move in the right direction for this guitar.

Wow, I had no idea the Super 3 was wound to 25K! Overwound is right... must be mighty thin wire.

 

[Benjy_26]

Wow, I had no idea the Super 3 was wound to 25K! Overwound is right... must be mighty thin wire.

I had one in the bridge of a HM strat. It was big, compressed, and dark. As far as the wire...mine visibly bulged out at the middle. Lol

 

[jeremy]

i assume the sd is #43 wire, i assume the s2 is #42, and the s3 might be #45? different pups but i do think they use the same magnet. love the sd in lots of things and the other two have their place for sure

 

[eclecticsynergy]

I had one in the bridge of a HM strat. It was big, compressed, and dark. As far as the wire...mine visibly bulged out at the middle. Lol

i assume the sd is #43 wire, i assume the s2 is #42, and the s3 might be #45? different pups but i do think they use the same magnet. love the sd in lots of things and the other two have their place for sure

Heaviest wind in my armory is the original PRS Dragon bridge, wound with 44 ga to 19K (now called the Dragon One to differentiate it from the later Dragon Two). It too is big, compressed & a bit dark. And like the Super 3 it's quite rich in the mids. I have two of these, from 90s PRSs. Not using them right now. Their cleanup isn't chimey and I prefer more open sounding bridge tones in general.

Still, with the drive cranked this is an incredible lead pickup. Very good match for a scooped amp tone.
I totally understand why pickups like these have loyal devotees among high gain players.

Given that the Dragon bobbins seem fairly full at 19K with #44, it's reasonable to think the Super 3 probably uses #45 coil wire.
Makes me wonder what kind of wire might be in the 48K Duncan Slug!

 

[Crazy_Guitar]

Gotta be double cream!
I had a Super Distortion in this guitar and it was seriously bloated and dull. (I like the Super D in other guitars, but not this one!) So I swapped it out for a 9k handwound paf-style with a roughcast A8 magnet. That pickup was a bit bright in the guitar I pulled it from. NOT IN THIS GUITAR!
So now I realize I have a dull, fat sounding guitar that needs a bright, scooped pickup. What Dimarzio should I be hunting for?
Guitar is a heavily modified Norlin era Gibson Marauder: slab mahogany body, bolt-on maple neck with maple fingerboard, harmonica bridge. I always thought it was a great sounding guitar but I now realize the pickup I threw in there 30 years ago was just really suited to the guitar. It was a 1978 Ibanez V-2, the one that looks a lot like a Super Distortion but has an A5 magnet and is 16k. Like an idiot I sold that pickup and they are pretty hard to find but having played all 3 pickups in this guitar I know I want about the same level of output as the Super Distortion but with more highs and WAY less mids.
Suggestions?

You might be looking for a Steve's Special.