Duncan/Dimarzio Strat Combination

[HealthyNormal]

I (currently) have a Seymour Duncan JB in the bridge position in my Strat and I was looking for two single-coil pickups to replace the middle and neck positions' pups so that I would be able to use high gain on those positions as well as the bridge. I found two replacement pickups from Dimarzio (the HS-2 and the HS-4) with the HS-2 in the middle and the HS-4 in the neck. My main intent with going with Dimarzio for the two pickups is that I couldn't find any Duncans that were single coil and could do what Dimarzio offered (high gain sweeps and such). I don't know if Dimarzio and Duncan pickups play well together though... Is there anyway I could tell if the two replacements pups will be louder than the bridge pickup and if Dimarzios can be wired with the JB?

But.. If there's any Duncans you can recommend me for my purpose then fire away

 

[Diocletian]

Re: Duncan/Dimarzio Strat Combination

DiMarzios can be wired fine with Duncans. If that's what you want, go for it.

Personally, I'd leave the middle as a normal single coil (how often will you really use that pickup for anything other than clean stuff?) and put a Hot Rails in the neck.

 

[cakire82]

Re: Duncan/Dimarzio Strat Combination

DiMarzios can be wired fine with Duncans. If that's what you want, go for it.

Personally, I'd leave the middle as a normal single coil (how often will you really use that pickup for anything other than clean stuff?) and put a Hot Rails in the neck.

+1 on the Hot Rails in the neck. You can also throw a vintage rail in the middle if you are happy with the middle pup you have.

 

[HealthyNormal]

Re: Duncan/Dimarzio Strat Combination

Now for the Hot Rails, I assume you're referring to the single-coil sized model and not the full humbucker, but isn't there a difference between the two versions? I'll look into the hot rails for the neck and a vintage rails for the middle (it was actually one of my choices for this setup a few months back ironically... So you guys are probably right lol).

 

[oilpit]

Re: Duncan/Dimarzio Strat Combination

Just get a couple YJMs instead...

 

[Diocletian]

Re: Duncan/Dimarzio Strat Combination

Now for the Hot Rails, I assume you're referring to the single-coil sized model and not the full humbucker, but isn't there a difference between the two versions? I'll look into the hot rails for the neck and a vintage rails for the middle (it was actually one of my choices for this setup a few months back ironically... So you guys are probably right lol).

Duncan don't do a Hot Rails humbucker. Unless I missed something.

 

[HealthyNormal]

Re: Duncan/Dimarzio Strat Combination

Duncan don't do a Hot Rails humbucker. Unless I missed something.

Oh, well I've been looking at so many pickups today and yesterday that I must have been mistaken

 

[ACH91332]

Re: Duncan/Dimarzio Strat Combination

Well personally I would go with a middle coil hotter or the same output as the neck as the closer you get to the bridge the less string movement. You need more output to match up.

But yea Duncans and Dimarzios work together your guitar wont explode or anything. Just know there is different color coding. Both have directions with the pickups so it shouldnt be a big deal. It just depends on what you want from each pickup. If you want Dimarzio go for it but the reason why you may think they are good for sweeping and stuff is that Dimarzio only really endorses virtuosic (if thats a word) players so all their pickups are used for that. I'm sure Duncans would be fine too but either Dimarzios are geared for that playing or the only guys who end up using them (on sound clips) play that way. I havent heard a clip that didnt have that type of playing. I think Dimarzio likes that image.

 

[ehdwuld]

Re: Duncan/Dimarzio Strat Combination

wiring isn't that much different
just swapping the red and black

 

[HealthyNormal]

Re: Duncan/Dimarzio Strat Combination

Well personally I would go with a middle coil hotter or the same output as the neck as the closer you get to the bridge the less string movement. You need more output to match up.

Alright, I decided to go with the Hot Rails in the neck over the Dimarzio pickup, but as for the middle pickup (I want to replace it too) I want something a little hotter than the Vintage Rails. I actually came back to the thread after looking at the specs for the Vintage Rails to see if anyone had any recommendations for a hotter middle pickup ('cause I freaked when I saw the 2.31K resistance for the Vintage) that could do decent cleans as well. Of course I'm not trying to stick to "Fender tone" so it doesn't bother me taking away some of the signature Strat sound.

 

[fakiekid]

Re: Duncan/Dimarzio Strat Combination

Alright, I decided to go with the Hot Rails in the neck over the Dimarzio pickup, but as for the middle pickup (I want to replace it too) I want something a little hotter than the Vintage Rails. I actually came back to the thread after looking at the specs for the Vintage Rails to see if anyone had any recommendations for a hotter middle pickup ('cause I freaked when I saw the 2.31K resistance for the Vintage) that could do decent cleans as well. Of course I'm not trying to stick to "Fender tone" so it doesn't bother me taking away some of the signature Strat sound.

try the STKS2, very nice!

 

[HealthyNormal]

Re: Duncan/Dimarzio Strat Combination

Okay, so I've reached a conclusion. I think I want this combination, but I need some extra input to finalize it:

- Hot Rails (Neck)
- Cool Rails (Middle)
- JB (Bridge)

Does the Cool Rails have *just* enough output with 9.26(?) DC resistance to blend and match up well to the high-output JB and Hot Rails in the bridge and neck, respectively? Also, if I decide to get a Cool Rails, which do I buy, a neck or bridge version since Duncan doesn't specifically make a middle position pup of it?

 

[DMyers77]

Re: Duncan/Dimarzio Strat Combination

Does the Cool Rails have *just* enough output with 9.26(?) DC resistance to blend and match up well to the high-output JB and Hot Rails in the bridge and neck, respectively? Also, if I decide to get a Cool Rails, which do I buy, a neck or bridge version since Duncan doesn't specifically make a middle position pup of it?

You should be fine. Get the neck version.

 

[UberMetalDood]

Re: Duncan/Dimarzio Strat Combination

You need to put a Dimarzio Chopper in the middle pickup. It will be perfect with the Hot Rails and JB. It's a little bit higher output than the Vintage Rails and sounds very cool. It excels at sweeping and everything else.

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Duncan/Dimarzio Strat Combination

If you're not interested in keeping the strat tone, get rid of that pickguard and use a HH 'guard, then pair the JB with a PGn.