Dimarzio FRED, curious why it is called FRED?
- Thread starter Fusion1
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JB_From_Hell
Jomo's Nimions
Re: Dimarzio FRED, curious why it is called FRED?
It, and the Norton, are named after characters from The Honeymooners.
Seriously.
It, and the Norton, are named after characters from The Honeymooners.
Seriously.
73roadrunner
New member
Re: Dimarzio FRED, curious why it is called FRED?
Because Satch is a weird, weird man
Because Satch is a weird, weird man
DrNewcenstein
He Did the Monster Mash
Re: Dimarzio FRED, curious why it is called FRED?
Yup, it's a Satch thing. He named both AFAIK. It's in an old issue of Guitar School/World/etc with him and Vai. Vai found it hilarious.
Yup, it's a Satch thing. He named both AFAIK. It's in an old issue of Guitar School/World/etc with him and Vai. Vai found it hilarious.
JB_From_Hell
Jomo's Nimions
Re: Dimarzio FRED, curious why it is called FRED?
Satch didn't design either pickup. He was the first high-profile user of the Fred. I'm pretty sure Steve Blucher named them.
Satch didn't design either pickup. He was the first high-profile user of the Fred. I'm pretty sure Steve Blucher named them.
Fusion1
Active member
Re: Dimarzio FRED, curious why it is called FRED?
It does sound like a Satch thing with the story behind the name, but odd he would name a pickup he has no connection to or never even played (The Norton)
It does sound like a Satch thing with the story behind the name, but odd he would name a pickup he has no connection to or never even played (The Norton)
DrNewcenstein
He Did the Monster Mash
Re: Dimarzio FRED, curious why it is called FRED?
I'll dig out the book tomorrow or Tuesday when I'm off.
I'll dig out the book tomorrow or Tuesday when I'm off.
frankfalbo
In Fluence Y'all
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...
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...
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JB_From_Hell
Jomo's Nimions
Re: Dimarzio FRED, curious why it is called FRED?
Now that Frank said it, I think he's right about Joe wanting pickups to have people names. I'm still positive that the names are from the Honeymooners, and still fairly certain that it was Blucher than chose them.
Now that Frank said it, I think he's right about Joe wanting pickups to have people names. I'm still positive that the names are from the Honeymooners, and still fairly certain that it was Blucher than chose them.
W
WGTP
Guest
Re: Dimarzio FRED, curious why it is called FRED?
F-ull sh-RED
F-ull sh-RED
doesitmatter
New member
Re: Dimarzio FRED, curious why it is called FRED?
There's no Fred on the Honeymooners. On I Love Lucy or The Flintstones, maybe.
There's no Fred on the Honeymooners. On I Love Lucy or The Flintstones, maybe.
Re: Dimarzio FRED, curious why it is called FRED?
The Norton is supposed to be a mix of the Fred and Tone Zone. The EBMM guitars were supposed to be a Tone Zone (or Air Zone) for the bridge, and I think an Air Norton for the neck.
Re: Dimarzio FRED, curious why it is called FRED?
Maybe. I do know that the Steve's Special was named after Steve Blucher.
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.
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.
Fusion1
Active member
Re: Dimarzio FRED, curious why it is called FRED?
Norton is a Flintstone's character?
Norton is a Flintstone's character?
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...
No, i don't think the Norton name had anything to do with the Fred name...
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