Dimarzio D Activators - Don't sound right...

[Garf]

Hi all... I got a set of Dimarzio D Activators in my Ibanez SZ. They don't perform at all how I expected...

Specifically the bridge one (and I've measured the DC Resistance, which matches Dimarzio specs).

Anyway.... When I AB it with my tele or strat (fitted with Tone Zone The and JB Jr respectively) the power seems way down. For example... If I am playing a palm mute chug type thing on the open A string, I really have to dig in to get anything. Both other guitars seem to have so much more power when doing the same thing.

Pickup height is certainly not too far away. If anything, on the close side.

I've set it up so it's just pickup, into volume, into output Jack to eliminate any other factors.

Is this just how these pickups are? Reading the blurb on the Dimarzio website it certainly says they respond to pick attack, but they seem off. Certainly for a pickup that is supposed to be an active replacement. And I've also AB'd them with a Les Paul fitted with slash pickups. Again, the Slash pickups seemed louder (and they are a mid output pickup)

Any thoughts? I've just purchased a new 500k pot just to rule a faulty pot out.

I have also wired it straight to the output jack, but there is soooo much treble it is hard to hear is like it should be.

 

[Demanic]

Re: Dimarzio D Activators - Don't sound right...

I have a set of D-Activators in my Ibby V Blade. They came stock. While they do have a LOT of top, they also have plenty of lows. If you installed them, I would check for cold solder joints.

Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using Tapatalk

 

[Garf]

Re: Dimarzio D Activators - Don't sound right...

I did install them... And I am a novice... But someone who isn't did resolder them. Still a possibility I suppose... cheers.

 

[Demanic]

Re: Dimarzio D Activators - Don't sound right...

Only saying because my stock set are some of the loudest pickups I own. That's from someone who runs JB's and an Alternative 8. Oh and a ceramic modded Duncan Designed HB-7 bridge.

Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using Tapatalk

 

[Jack_TriPpEr]

Re: Dimarzio D Activators - Don't sound right...

It might be worth checking the seymour duncan wiring color code diagram and make sure you have the Deactivator's wires hooked up correctly to the volume pot. Your description of what it sounds like now, almost sounds like you have the pickup wired in parallel with itself.

cdo.seymourduncan.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/color_codes-809x1024.jpg

 

[gregory]

Re: Dimarzio D Activators - Don't sound right...

If you wire up a D Activator for series wiring using the Seymour Duncan color scheme (green-ground, red-white, black-hot) the coils of the pickup will be out of phase with each other.

 

[Masta' C]

Re: Dimarzio D Activators - Don't sound right...

Yeah, definitely don't use the SD color coding to wire up a DiMarzio!

That said, the D-Activators are punchy and powerful. Also, plenty bright, but not as extreme as what you're suggesting.

Assuming that 1) the magnet didn't get degaussed (highly unlikely that it did), 2) the magnet was properly charged at the factory and 3) these aren't some weird counterfit DiMarzios, it sounds like you either have wires mixed up or something else is wrong in the signal chain (bad pot, cold solder, etc).

 

[Garf]

Re: Dimarzio D Activators - Don't sound right...

Hi guys... That colour chart was what I did use... And originally I had it wired up to an on/on/on switch for series, split, parallel. I removed that to eliminate it as a porblem.

I also tried wiring it as if the wires were installed wrong at the factory... And in doing that, I definitely got an out of phase tone...

I thought about counterfit, as I did get it second hand, but kind of dismissed it when the DC resistance matches perfectly to the specs..

Maybe it's worth trying another just to rule that out.

Cause I'd hate to sell these on to someone or swap if they were....

I also got the bridge and neck seperatly... The neck seems fine, but I have not focused on it much, other than for cleans..

Cheers

 

[gregory]

Re: Dimarzio D Activators - Don't sound right...

Can you post any pictures?

 

[Garf]

Re: Dimarzio D Activators - Don't sound right...

Yeah. Will later...

One thing I remember, but dismissed after I measured, was the product part number DP102 (Or something) was stuck on there by a sticker.. which is normal, except it was hand written...

That doesn't mean it's counterfeit, could mean the original sticker just came off and someone replaced it for identifying

 

[Garf]

Re: Dimarzio D Activators - Don't sound right...

Sorry. Double post.

 

[Garf]

Re: Dimarzio D Activators - Don't sound right...

Are there any other ways to check if a pickup is not what you think it is? As in either a fake, or different model...

As I said the DC resistance seemed to match the Dimarzio specs.

 

[Obsessive Compulsive]

Re: Dimarzio D Activators - Don't sound right...

One of the coils must be broken.

 

[Garf]

Re: Dimarzio D Activators - Don't sound right...

Funny you should say that. When it was first wired up, I could tap on the pole pieces with a small screw driver... And one of the coils didn't make a sound... We cut some wire and re did it, and certainly now, they both make a sound when tapped with the screw driver.

 

[Garf]

Re: Dimarzio D Activators - Don't sound right...

Images attached.

I tried the new volume pot... I must be terrible at wiring because it's about 100 times worse than before. Sounds like volume is on 1. So might have a leak to ground or something...

I'll have another go tomorrow when I'm not pissed off at it

Anyway, see pics.