Dimarzio Super Distortion

[Benjy_26]

Hey all.

When I bought my '81 Hamer Special, it had a pair of EMG 60's installed. In the case was the original Dimarzio Super Distortion.

After taking out the EMG's, I installed a JB/APH set in the Hamer.

I love the APHn, but I felt the JB seemed a bit one dimensional and a bit lacking in the low end. I swapped it out for a C5 and, though an improvement on the lows, it still seemed a bit flat to me.

I then used a Custom in the Hamer. It was fantastic for heavy sounds, but the cleans suffered and the low gain OD sounds were a bit too buzzy for me.

I then used a Duncan Distortion. I loved this pickup with any kind of distortion, but it had the same problems as the Custom.

Today, I got a bit bored and got to messing with my guitars. I pulled the Dimarzio Super Distortion out of the pickup drawer.

The resistance measured 13.6k on my Radioshack digital multimeter. I installed it in the bridge position of my Hamer.

I believe that it is unpotted. On its own, the cleans aren't great, but combined with the APHn, they are very, very good.

The OD sounds are very warm and full it has plenty of lows and low mids while still having great harmonics and bite. It seems a bit lower in output than the C5. The low gain OD tones aren't buzzy at all. This pickup is just big, thick, and meaty.

It's very, very nice. Plus, it gave my Hamer the old-school Zebra/Cream look.

I think it's a keeper. :burnout:

 

[JeffB]

Re: Dimarzio Super Distortion

Super Ds ROCK.

It is THE classic high ouput pup, and no offense to the duncan fans/people, but I much prefer it over the Duncan HO pups (Distortion, JB, CC, Hot Rails, etc).

Set up properly and in a good piece of wood they are thick, meaty, clear, articulate, and fairly versatile all at the same time (as you said).

It's a great sound, especially in a Gibson type instrument.

 

[hamerfan]

Re: Dimarzio Super Distortion

And if you get a zebra PAF for the neck, change out the A5 to A4 like i did. Then you have a dream combo!

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Dimarzio Super Distortion

I was thinking of getting a zebra Seth for the neck. I've come to realize that I like non potted 'buckers. The clean tones seem to breathe in a way that potted pickups don't, and overdriven sounds get a cool edginess that is impossible to get once potted.

How do you think the Seth would do with alnico IV?

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: Dimarzio Super Distortion

Heh I just took mine out, it is totally blown apart
Old POS pickup...hehe but if it works...

 

[Johtosotku]

Re: Dimarzio Super Distortion

Sounds good, great review, thanks!

One thing especially piqued my interest, you mentioned that your SD is actually of lower output than your C-5? How is that? I thought that the SD is one of DMZs highest output buckers, more than Tone Zone and Evolution etc., if their output readings are accurate on their site. But you find it lower? How old do you think that your pup is?

 

[ranalli]

Re: Dimarzio Super Distortion

Hey all.

This pickup is just big, thick, and meaty.

Oh yes it is Great pickup that's very under-rated these days since it's an "old" model.

 

[ranalli]

Re: Dimarzio Super Distortion

Super Ds ROCK.


It's a great sound, especially in a Gibson type instrument.

Yeah, for some reason, they seem to work so well in almost all Gibsons....it must be that scale length. I've tried them in a few superstrats and they were good...but never liked them as much as in the Gibsons.

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Dimarzio Super Distortion

Sounds good, great review, thanks!

One thing especially piqued my interest, you mentioned that your SD is actually of lower output than your C-5? How is that? I thought that the SD is one of DMZs highest output buckers, more than Tone Zone and Evolution etc., if their output readings are accurate on their site. But you find it lower? How old do you think that your pup is?

My guitar was made in '81, so the pickup can't be any newer than that.

As far as output, it's the way I perceive it. To my ear, the C5 was hitting the preamp just a bit harder than the SD. Maybe it has to do with the EQ curve, but the SD doesn't feel as gainy to me as the Custom or C5. It feels very similar in output to the CC.

 

[Reckless Abandon]

Re: Dimarzio Super Distortion

The output he measured is correct. The big mag also matters. DC rest. is not exactly output. There are other factors.

 

[Johtosotku]

Re: Dimarzio Super Distortion

My guitar was made in '81, so the pickup can't be any newer than that.

As far as output, it's the way I perceive it. To my ear, the C5 was hitting the preamp just a bit harder than the SD. Maybe it has to do with the EQ curve, but the SD doesn't feel as gainy to me as the Custom or C5. It feels very similar in output to the CC.

Ok, interesting. Thanks!

 

[WhoFan]

Re: Dimarzio Super Distortion

First replacement pickup i bought was a Super..... I still have it..... It is dual cream bobbins.... Mine squelled so i took it out of my old old Kramer years ago and never reinstalled it...... it's been sitting there for almost 20 years unused... I have been thinking of trying it in something and make sure that it is microphonic..... if it is i'll try and pot it oneday

Supers get a bad rap but they are not that bad... they do have slightly too much mids for my liking... but still they are better then some other pickups i've had over the years

 

[Majestic]

Re: Dimarzio Super Distortion

I believe Eddie experimented with a Super Distortion modded with a Duncan A2 magnet.

 

[hans-jürgen]

Re: Dimarzio Super Distortion

Does anyone have a picture of an old Super Distortion from the back and/or sides perhaps? I recently tried an obvious clone in my humbucker comparison, but don't know how the ceramic magnet is constructed in the original. The clone has two small additional bar magnets under the bobbins where usually the wooden or plastic spacers are. Its sound is very close to a Super Distortion, that's why I wonder...