Hey there I just joined this forum after seeing that Niladri Kumar the zitar (electric sitar) artist is using a Seymour Duncan Dimebucker pickup for his instrument. I am looking myself to fit a pickup on mine and realised that the spacing between the two sets of strings on the instrument is pretty narrow to fit the pickup. This is gonna get tech but the 6 screws on pickups (Ive tried to fit a dimarzio humbucker) are sticking out of the underside of the pickup of almost a centimeter. I figured that if those could be cut flush to the underside of the pickup it would fit perfectly on the sitar. So first question is : can I do that without affecting the sound too much? And second question is : Are there screws sticking out of the Dimebucker as it has metal bars instead of the classic screws ( on appearances) . I might push it to a third one: why do you think this artist is using this specific Dimebucker pickup ? Thanks a lot folks
Dimebucker SH13 for electric SITAR
- Thread starter Sitarjee
- Start date
JB_From_Hell
Jomo's Nimions
Re: Dimebucker SH13 for electric SITAR
I've never cut the adjustable pole piece screws on a pickup before, but a lot of guys used to say it did affect tone. It makes sense that you're altering the magnetic field created by the pickup, so I won't argue that it could affect the sound.
That said, this is a moot point for your question. The Dimebucker has no poles, but as you noticed, utilizes rails instead. I'm not familiar with this sitar player, but I think the Dimebucker would be a fun pickup for a sitar. It is loud, but I remember it having a gritty, twangy sound to it. Almost like a Telecaster was playing a long. One of the problems with putting a magnetic pickup on an instrument is it kind of makes everything sound like an electric guitar. The Dimebucker is very much not a PAF sound, so I think it would be a great choice to keep your sitar sounding like a sitar.
You might also look at EMG pickups. Bela Fleck uses either an EMG 81 or 85 on his Deering Crossfire electric banjo. It still sounds fairly banjo-like.
Can you recommend any Niladri Kumar music to check out?
I've never cut the adjustable pole piece screws on a pickup before, but a lot of guys used to say it did affect tone. It makes sense that you're altering the magnetic field created by the pickup, so I won't argue that it could affect the sound.
That said, this is a moot point for your question. The Dimebucker has no poles, but as you noticed, utilizes rails instead. I'm not familiar with this sitar player, but I think the Dimebucker would be a fun pickup for a sitar. It is loud, but I remember it having a gritty, twangy sound to it. Almost like a Telecaster was playing a long. One of the problems with putting a magnetic pickup on an instrument is it kind of makes everything sound like an electric guitar. The Dimebucker is very much not a PAF sound, so I think it would be a great choice to keep your sitar sounding like a sitar.
You might also look at EMG pickups. Bela Fleck uses either an EMG 81 or 85 on his Deering Crossfire electric banjo. It still sounds fairly banjo-like.
Can you recommend any Niladri Kumar music to check out?
Re: Dimebucker SH13 for electric SITAR
Welcome to the forum!
Rather than thinking if a pickup will fit (I am not familiar with the instrument you have), you might start thinking about the sound you have and what you'd like to change about it. We might then be able to figure out which pickup might work for you.
Welcome to the forum!
Rather than thinking if a pickup will fit (I am not familiar with the instrument you have), you might start thinking about the sound you have and what you'd like to change about it. We might then be able to figure out which pickup might work for you.
