Dimarzio SDS-1 - yea or nay?

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onlytwin

New member
So, I'm thinking of buying this Dimarzio to install in my Roadhouse Strat. I like the description, but I can't find a lot of information about it. What's the general opinion? Anyone have experience with it?

My stock pickups are Texas Specials. I like the neck and middle, but the bridge is unpleasantly bright and harsh. I'm going for something fatter with more punch that can deal with some overdrive and fuzz, but without overpowering my other pickups.

Thanks :)
 
Re: Dimarzio SDS-1 - yea or nay?

Jake E. Lee uses them in the neck and middle positions with a JB in the bridge. Just amazing!

I like DMZ's medium-high output rail designs for the flexibility (Chopper, Pro Track, Air Norton S), but you do compromise true single coil tone. However, they'll get you well in the ballpark of single-coil when wired in parallel. They also split well. To give you an idea of what the Air Norton S sounds like in the neck in parallel on the crunch channel of a Splawn Quick Rod...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kfom_f5ha2M&feature=youtu.be&t=418
For reference, it has the highest output and is the darkest and fattest of the three I mentioned.

Back on true singles, if you're concerned that the SDS-1 may overpower your Texas Specials, you might try an FS-1.

For Seymour Duncan offerings, check out the APS-2 or SSL52. The SSL-4 may be too hot, but it's worth mentioning.
 
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Re: Dimarzio SDS-1 - yea or nay?

I think Jerry Garcia used them in his guitars in the 80's onward. He loved the Super Distortion family, not where you'd expect to find it but I think his tone from that era is pretty good (when he wasn't nodding out on stage)
 
Re: Dimarzio SDS-1 - yea or nay?

gregory said:
Jake E. Lee uses them in the neck and middle positions with a JB in the bridge. Just amazing!

I like DMZ's medium-high output rail designs for the flexibility (Chopper, Pro Track, Air Norton S), but you do compromise true single coil tone. However, they'll get you well in the ballpark of single-coil when wired in parallel. They also split well. To give you an idea of what the Air Norton S sounds like in the neck in parallel on the crunch channel of a Splawn Quick Rod...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kfom_f5ha2M&feature=youtu.be&t=418
It has the highest output is the darkest and fattest of the three I mentioned.

Back on true singles, if you're concerned that the SDS-1 may overpower your Texas Specials, you might try an FS-1.

For Seymour offerings, check out that APS-2 or SSL52-1b.
Click to expand...

Thanks! I'll have a look at those as well.
 
Re: Dimarzio SDS-1 - yea or nay?

I like them with a set of fillister screws instead of the hex heads. With fillister screws they sound like a small p90.
 
Re: Dimarzio SDS-1 - yea or nay?

Did DiMarzio ever market the SDS-1 as a "Super D Single"?

The Super Distorion S was't created for another 27 years, but the tone is more different than "SDS" suggests.
 
Re: Dimarzio SDS-1 - yea or nay?

gregory said:
Did DiMarzio ever market the SDS-1 as a "Super D Single"?

The Super Distorion S was't created for another 27 years, but the tone is more different than "SDS" suggests.
Click to expand...

No, that was my guess since i'm not certain. Being released in 1978 & the hottest single they make, along with the 'SDS-1' name, i wonder if its one coil of the super D hum but wound hotter. Keeping it away from the strings should balance volume wise wih the texas specials though.
 
Re: Dimarzio SDS-1 - yea or nay?

Hank- said:
No, that was my guess since i'm not certain. Being released in 1978 & the hottest single they make, along with the 'SDS-1' name, i wonder if its one coil of the super D hum but wound hotter. Keeping it away from the strings should balance volume wise wih the texas specials though.
Click to expand...
Actually you don't need to worry as much about height with the SDS-1 because of the bottom loaded magnets. Although powerful they don't exert as strong a direct string pull as rod magnets, so you don't get strattitus on the upper frets.

Another option would be the Entwhistle XS62N series of pickups. They are built along the same lines as the SDS-1, but they have neodymium magnets.
 
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Re: Dimarzio SDS-1 - yea or nay?

I used an SDS-1 in the neck and bridge of my number one strat for many years. I loved them, back then.

As mentioned, the tone is P-90-ish. They can be noisy though, especially under high gain. I got used to using my volume control to offset the hum.

I was also going to recommend the FS-1, due to your other pups. It is a great sounding single coil, just a little rounder and louder, and works great in the bridge position.
 
Re: Dimarzio SDS-1 - yea or nay?

ant_riv said:
I used an SDS-1 in the neck and bridge of my number one strat for many years. I loved them, back then.

As mentioned, the tone is P-90-ish. They can be noisy though, especially under high gain. I got used to using my volume control to offset the hum.

I was also going to recommend the FS-1, due to your other pups. It is a great sounding single coil, just a little rounder and louder, and works great in the bridge position.
Click to expand...

Yeah I was also looking into that pickup. Sounds like it could work for my needs. I am a little worried about excess noise from the SDS1... Are there any noiseless pickups I should consider as well?
 
Re: Dimarzio SDS-1 - yea or nay?

I already mentioned three excellent rail designs.

Here are three DiMarzio stack designs:
Virtual Vintage Heavy Blues 2
Virtual Solo
Injector Bridge

From Seymour Duncan:
STK-S6
STK-S7
 
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Re: Dimarzio SDS-1 - yea or nay?

gregory said:
I already mentioned three excellent rail designs.

Here are three DiMarzio stack designs:
Virtual Vintage Heavy Blues 2
Virtual Solo
Injector Bridge

From Seymour Duncan:
STK-S6
STK-S7

@mods: I previously submitted a post with just links. Assuming that it's just hidden, feel free to remove it from the discussion.
Click to expand...

Thanks! The STK-S6, Virtual Solo and FS1 all seem like good options. Am I safe to assume those work nicely with 250k pots?
 
Re: Dimarzio SDS-1 - yea or nay?

Sorry for necroposting. I had this question for a while more than one year ago and finally I had decided to go for DiMarzio's SDS-1 in the neck of my Fender Tom Delonge Signature Stratocaster. With the latter's rather thin neck it sounds pretty good at its a bit unusual place... Not sure for the Strats with more traditional, thick necks. I think, in the end it should come to the overall pickups' tone on the guitar. I mean, the neck shouldn't be too bassy against the bridge. Anyway, after quite a while I went for this short demo showcasing how SDS-1 could sound in the neck position:

 
Re: Dimarzio SDS-1 - yea or nay?

n1kk said:
Sorry for necroposting. I had this question for a while more than one year ago and finally I had decided to go for DiMarzio's SDS-1 in the neck of my Fender Tom Delonge Signature Stratocaster. With the latter's rather thin neck it sounds pretty good at its a bit unusual place... Not sure for the Strats with more traditional, thick necks. I think, in the end it should come to the overall pickups' tone on the guitar. I mean, the neck shouldn't be too bassy against the bridge. Anyway, after quite a while I went for this short demo showcasing how SDS-1 could sound in the neck position:

Click to expand...
That sounds GREAT.
 
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