Dimarzio FRED, curious why it is called FRED?

[Fusion1]

Re: Dimarzio FRED, curious why it is called FRED?

No, i don't think the Norton name had anything to do with the Fred name...

I'll go with Satch named them both. Sounds more right than they named the Norton the Norton for no particular reason.

 

[Brian Hunsaker]

Re: Dimarzio FRED, curious why it is called FRED?

A guy I know in a Music Shop in Seattle, who says he came up with the idea that the FRED pickup was based on, says F.R.E.D. stands for Floyd Rose Extended Definition. It was supposed to be a humbucker that sounded like a single coil in certain ways. And I believe it might have been the first F-Spaced pickup. Hence Floyd Rose in the title.

 

[Fusion1]

Re: Dimarzio FRED, curious why it is called FRED?

A guy I know in a Music Shop in Seattle, who says he came up with the idea that the FRED pickup was based on, says F.R.E.D. stands for Floyd Rose Extended Definition. It was supposed to be a humbucker that sounded like a single coil in certain ways. And I believe it might have been the first F-Spaced pickup. Hence Floyd Rose in the title.

Interesting, and I could see this as it was sort of what I was asking in my first post. Also wasn't the FRED released around the time Seymour Duncan started the trembuckers? I think you might be right as far as the FRED being the first F-spaced Dimarzio model. Great thread so far.

 

[erikm5150]

Re: Dimarzio FRED, curious why it is called FRED?

I'll go with Satch named them both. Sounds more right than they named the Norton the Norton for no particular reason.

I'm sure the Norton has a reason for its name, I just don't know the story behind it... and I'm pretty sure it has nothing to do with the Fred name.

i'm just going by what i remember reading many years ago...

but
check out his link:
http://www.guitarraonline.com.ar/set surfing.htm

the translation can be found here...
http://www.jemsite.com/forums/f18/guitar-painted-by-rubina-satriani-55438.html

 

[DrNewcenstein]

Re: Dimarzio FRED, curious why it is called FRED?

Still haven't found the book, but as I recall, Joe named it Fred, and was working on another to be named Norton, I think because naming it Barney would have caused confusion with the purple dinosaur.

Vai did mention something in the article about "lemme know when you get to Betty and Wilma".

 

[Fusion1]

Re: Dimarzio FRED, curious why it is called FRED?

Cool find there. I have that issue of Guitar World in my closet somewhere. I remember reading that article several times back then. Interesting he used a Dimeola neck at one point, I never remember reading that before.

 

[DrNewcenstein]

Re: Dimarzio FRED, curious why it is called FRED?

What year was the Fred introduced? Might help me narrow down the search.

 

[Fusion1]

Re: Dimarzio FRED, curious why it is called FRED?

What year was the Fred introduced? Might help me narrow down the search.

1989 according to Dimarzio.com

 

[B2D]

Re: Dimarzio FRED, curious why it is called FRED?

One thing I heard (but it doesn't sound like it's true) is that the Norton is the closest pickup to what went in the EB/MM Van Halen guitars.

I've always wondered what those pickups were the closest to in terms of a DiMarzio stock offering. Those guitars sound great.

 

[Mononoaware]

Re: Dimarzio FRED, curious why it is called FRED?

I remember reading an interview where Satch says that when they were designing his custom Dimarzio pickups, there were quite a few prototypes and he decided to name them all after Flintstones characters.

The one he chose happened to be named Fred.
And that's how the story goes...

Imagine, if he picked Wilma ...
or maybe Bambam would have been a catchier name for a pickup.

This. I read the same interview, circa 1990-92 or so. Although I don't recall if it was Joe or (more likely) Steve B. that came up with the naming scheme.

 

[SINGTONE]

Re: Dimarzio FRED, curious why it is called FRED?

Ah here it is............GUITAR WORLD April 1990 Vai: "A Fred pickup?" Satriani 'Yeah. You know about those? I had Steve Blucher devise this pickup for me. We just picked Flintstones characters and named these pickups after them. The Fred pickup is pretty interesting. I wanted something that was a humbucker but still had some of those weird single-coil qualities. It's a little thing and it does behave more like a single coil than a humbucker." Vai: "Great let me know when you get to Bam Bam."

 

[Fusion1]

Re: Dimarzio FRED, curious why it is called FRED?

Ok well I guess this thread has answered why the FRED is named what it is. Still a little unsure about the NORTON.

 

[arellanon]

Re: Dimarzio FRED, curious why it is called FRED?

Is there a meaning behind the name? Is it Larry Dimarzio's dog or accountant's son? Just curious if FRED is an acronym like Fiercely Reactive Electromagnetic Device.

You know, I have been feeling the same way about the S-Deco; what's up with such unique name?

 

[WGTP]

Re: Dimarzio FRED, curious why it is called FRED?

What about the Mo'Joe?

 

[B2D]

Re: Dimarzio FRED, curious why it is called FRED?

What about the Mo'Joe?

Based on the specs, I think the Mo'Joe is a slightly overwound FRED. Since the FRED is closely associated with Joe's sound, this way with an overwound pickup you just get "Mo'" of it. LAWL!

 

[Mononoaware]

Re: Dimarzio FRED, curious why it is called FRED?

Based on the specs, I think the Mo'Joe is a slightly overwound FRED. Since the FRED is closely associated with Joe's sound, this way with an overwound pickup you just get "Mo'" of it. LAWL!

A lot of the DiMarzio names make me just scratch my head, but as far as a pun-inspired product name goes, Mo Joe is pretty darn good.

To my ears, the Mo Joe keeps the clarity and harmonics of the Fred while being a little less single-coily. So the "Mo" means Mo Rock, but less chime.

 

[DavidRavenMoon]

Re: Dimarzio FRED, curious why it is called FRED?

The Flintstones is based on the Honeymooners. Fred is Ralph. Barney is Norton. They didn't want to use Barney as a name because of the dinosaur.

 

[RolanTHUNDER]

Re: Dimarzio FRED, curious why it is called FRED?

What I remember is that Satriani was asked what he wanted to name the pickup, and it was Joe who came up with the notion "why can't pickups have names like people?" and then the name was Fred. I don't know if he came up with Fred, or Steve Blucher, or whoever, but I'm pretty sure Joe is credited for having the idea to use people names. That extended out to the Norton, but again I don't know if there was any correlation there. One thing I heard (but it doesn't sound like it's true) is that the Norton is the closest pickup to what went in the EB/MM Van Halen guitars. General consensus is that it's more like a mix of the Tone Zone and Air Zone, but the reason the rumor got started was the Honeymooners' Ed Norton. (Ed Norton, Ed Van Halen)

Hopefully the trend will not work the other way around. I don't want to hear of anyone naming their child "X2N, D-Sonic, or Megadrive" Although "Megadrive Johnson" would look pretty cool on a driver's license...

Haha yeah sure it would!

 

[Ben1962]

Re: Dimarzio FRED, curious why it is called FRED?

Joe seems like a good guy. Maybe too good sometimes? I doubt it tho. Modest, friendly and seems very cosmic, without drugs. Killer chops although EJ smoked him and Vai on G3. Man, thats no knock on them either. Its kudos to Eric Johnson. Sometimes I wish he would rip er up more, especially since he has an SG now