Exteme Makeover: Guitar Edition

Agileguy_101

Master of his Domain
Well maybe not extreme, but I'll let you be the judge of that.

Before:

NGD-SMY2D001_zps691f787e.jpg


After:

20140119_173121_zpsiytaabcl.jpg


36th Anniversary neck and Transition bridge. The neck pickup is really, really good, but I'm not quite sure what to think of the Transition yet. I'll have a better idea of whether or not I'll be using Dimarzio's exchange program after I use it in a band mix. I've got band practice and a jam session this week so I will have a good idea of how it sits in the mix with the new pickups.

I really liked the stock purple color, but it wasn't available on any other pickups even as a custom order. So I had to go double cream. I didn't want to do zebra, as black just looks wrong on this guitar to me. So I got rid of the black knobs and switch tip and went all cream + chrome. I would have got a cream single coil but no regular single coil pickups will fit the pickguard or the route without shaving the covers and clipping the sides of the pickup. The stock pickup is actually wound on half of a humbucker bobbin, as Steve Morse wanted them to look exactly the same. I contacted Dimarzio and while they are willing to make me a cream pickup like this one, it can only be the same wind as the pickup I already have. I wonder if anyone will custom make me something like this. If anyone knows a custom builder that may have these capabilities, let me know. The single coil dosen't sound too bad, so I might just have Dimarzio make me a cream one anyway, as I don't think anybody has a cream that matches Dimarzio's shade exactly.

I also changed out the stock 250K's for a set of 500K YJM speed pots. I have these on both of my other guitars and they're fantastic. I feel that they are absolutely worth the extra $6 each. The taper is wonderful and I can easily adjust them with my pinky even while I'm playing fast alternate picked runs.
 
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Re: Exteme Makeover: Guitar Edition

I like it better with the cream bobbins :P Speed pots are indeed awesome, I've been using the EVH models though. Let us know how it sounds!
 
Re: Exteme Makeover: Guitar Edition

Not extreme... More like a tummy tuck and a slight boob job... It's subtle but it's still makes you do a double take and I "Daaaaaaaaaaaaamn!" :)

Looks good
 
Re: Exteme Makeover: Guitar Edition

What's wrong with the Transition ?
 
Re: Exteme Makeover: Guitar Edition

On the second photo, the top looks pretty amazing!;) I think that creme & chrome look works very well on that guitar. If you could get a creme single-coil pickup, you can make the effect more complete. It's a nice axe for sure.:)
 
Re: Exteme Makeover: Guitar Edition

Exteme IS a little less than extreme, so the thread title is perfect.


Why not contact Zhang here on the forum about getting a cream single-coil made ?
 
Re: Exteme Makeover: Guitar Edition

What's wrong with the Transition ?

Nothing, I just haven't gotten to try it out in a band setting yet. The more I play it though the more I like it.

Sharp!

I'd try a Topper on the S/C,tho,just because...

Just get a crème Bobbin Topper, cheap and effective.
http://www.universaljems.com/cart/bobbin.htm

still interested about the Transition.

I tried a bobbin topper but not only was the color not the right shade of cream but it wore out in a few days. I guess I will just have to custom order a Dimarzio.

I will be using this guitar in a jam with friend on Thursday so I'll report back later this week with my tonal observations on the Transition. I'm really liking it so far though.

I like it better with the cream bobbins :P Speed pots are indeed awesome, I've been using the EVH models though. Let us know how it sounds!

Thanks! How is the taper on those EVH pots?

Not extreme... More like a tummy tuck and a slight boob job... It's subtle but it's still makes you do a double take and I "Daaaaaaaaaaaaamn!" :)

Looks good




Thanks bro.

Nice changes.

Thanks!

On the second photo, the top looks pretty amazing!;) I think that creme & chrome look works very well on that guitar. If you could get a creme single-coil pickup, you can make the effect more complete. It's a nice axe for sure.:)

Yeah I realize now that the picture I took with my fancy shmancy DSLR doesn't really capture the magnificent depth of the top like my phone does. Go figure.

Exteme IS a little less than extreme, so the thread title is perfect.


Why not contact Zhang here on the forum about getting a cream single-coil made ?

I noticed that like an hour after I posted it. I wish we could correct that.

Good suggestion, thanks.

Nice changes! kinda ties in with the binding and ties things together..

Thanks! That was the idea. It was actually patterned after the prototype Y2D, of which Steve has the original and there may be another floating around somewhere...

DSCF3756.jpg
 
Re: Exteme Makeover: Guitar Edition

I tried a bobbin topper but not only was the color not the right shade of cream but it wore out in a few days. I guess I will just have to custom order a Dimarzio.


Seeing that pic above,I "get it" now,Wow!!!
:D

Since it's a DiM product,you may just be able to get a cover from them!!!
:headbang:
 
Re: Exteme Makeover: Guitar Edition

Since it's a DiM product,you may just be able to get a cover from them!!!
:headbang:

I wish. The middle pickup is custom wound on a half of a humbucker bobbin, so there are no covers that exist to fit it. Plus, no cover that I'm aware of will fit the rout on the pickguard. I just have to order one straight from Dimarzio. It will have to wait until after my custom guitar build is done, most of my funds over the next four to six months will be going there.
 
Re: Exteme Makeover: Guitar Edition

Clearly covers exist, there's one on that prototype.
Won't Ernie Ball supply one ?
 
Re: Exteme Makeover: Guitar Edition

Clearly covers exist, there's one on that prototype.
Won't Ernie Ball supply one ?

Look closely at the single coil and you will see that there's is no cover. It has pickup tape just the same as the humbuckers.
 
Re: Exteme Makeover: Guitar Edition

Now I remember where I seen your guitar before. I remember watching this video last year.;) I've played an Ernie Ball guitar at a gig some years back and it felt real solid. It felt just as solid as any U.S. made Fender Strat & a similar feel in playing. I'm starting to like that creme & chrome look more & more now.:) Your guitar is going to look pretty classy when you get it all done. This video is giving me G.A.S.:bowdown:

 
Re: Exteme Makeover: Guitar Edition

Sorry hadn't spotted that... my bad.
 
Re: Exteme Makeover: Guitar Edition

I still can't believe how he got that $2000.00 guitar for ~500-600 bucks. That guitar is much better than anything I own as far as modern guitars go.
 
Re: Exteme Makeover: Guitar Edition

Oh man these pickups sound killer. I was nervous about the Transition being too high output for what I wanted from this guitar but it really sounds damn fantastic. The neck+bridge combo is damn good sounding. It kinda reminds me of JP's live middle position tone from Zep's How The West Was Won. I even haz clips:



I just did this jam today with some friends of mine. It's sloppy and unrehearsed because it wasn't meant to be a demo of anything, just a jam session. But I thought it sounded good and there were a few questions on the Transition's tone, so I figured clips would be better than a wall of text.

I don't start using the Y2D until about 10:00, and though I use it for the rest of the session, I think as a demo of the pickups you can just listen from 10:00-28:00. I cycle through all of the pickups quite often so it would be crazy to make a list of which pickup is being used when.

I'm running through a 68 Fender Bassman and an 80's Mesa vertical 2x12. For dirt, I'm mostly using my Weehbo JMP drive and my Klon clone for the first jam and I kick on my big muff around 21:00 in the second jam.

If you have any other questions, feel free to ask. I guess I should post this in the pickup room too...
 
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