Gibson Dirty Fingers
- Thread starter robleon
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Zerberus
Baron Von Shred
Re: Gibson Dirty Fingers
THe Custom series is way too weak....
An Invader with normal poles instead of the huge allen-heads is as close as you´ll get with production PUs, SD can also wind you a Dirty Fingers in the CS...
That said, a Dirty Fingers (or any other PU) will sound totally different in a strat than it will in a Hollowbody
THe Custom series is way too weak....
An Invader with normal poles instead of the huge allen-heads is as close as you´ll get with production PUs, SD can also wind you a Dirty Fingers in the CS...
That said, a Dirty Fingers (or any other PU) will sound totally different in a strat than it will in a Hollowbody
frankfalbo
In Fluence Y'all
Re: Gibson Dirty Fingers
I was also going to say the Invader with regular poles. If there was a way to get it on a threaded baseplate (or drill and tap your own) then you'd have the air gap that the Dirty Fingers has. Otherwise the Invader with Dimarzio style fat threaded poles will come in direct contact with the magnets. Which is fine, but the DF has an air gap. But maybe the fatter Dimarzio style poles would help put some thickness back that you'll lose when you put it in the strat vs. the ES. So maybe that's the perfect differential.
With either "regular" poles (not the mushrooms) I think the Invader comes closest. It's been a long time since I've seen a Distortion, though. Doesn't the Distortion have the three ceramic magnets like the Invader? Maybe just pulling the slugs out of the Distortion and replacing them with screws would make a pseudo-DF.
I was also going to say the Invader with regular poles. If there was a way to get it on a threaded baseplate (or drill and tap your own) then you'd have the air gap that the Dirty Fingers has. Otherwise the Invader with Dimarzio style fat threaded poles will come in direct contact with the magnets. Which is fine, but the DF has an air gap. But maybe the fatter Dimarzio style poles would help put some thickness back that you'll lose when you put it in the strat vs. the ES. So maybe that's the perfect differential.
With either "regular" poles (not the mushrooms) I think the Invader comes closest. It's been a long time since I've seen a Distortion, though. Doesn't the Distortion have the three ceramic magnets like the Invader? Maybe just pulling the slugs out of the Distortion and replacing them with screws would make a pseudo-DF.
idsnowdog
Imperator of Indignation
Re: Gibson Dirty Fingers
The Dirty Fingers were odd pickups. Very powerfull, dark and fuzzy. I had one for a while and couldn't figure out what to do with it. It was odd because the pick attack was kind of weak while its response to fretting nuance was strong. The closest thing to a dirty fingers is the Kent Armstrong Mega Distortion.
Snowdog
The Dirty Fingers were odd pickups. Very powerfull, dark and fuzzy. I had one for a while and couldn't figure out what to do with it. It was odd because the pick attack was kind of weak while its response to fretting nuance was strong. The closest thing to a dirty fingers is the Kent Armstrong Mega Distortion.
Snowdog
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JeffB
Let it B
Re: Gibson Dirty Fingers
I had a pair in my Pewter ebony board Explorer and good gawd I couldn't wait to get 'em out of there :grumble: I put a set of 59s in it, then took the 59B out for a SH5.
John Sykes is the only dude I've ever heard who got absolute freaking killer tone out of the DF's :bigthumb:
I had a pair in my Pewter ebony board Explorer and good gawd I couldn't wait to get 'em out of there :grumble: I put a set of 59s in it, then took the 59B out for a SH5.
John Sykes is the only dude I've ever heard who got absolute freaking killer tone out of the DF's :bigthumb:
idsnowdog
Imperator of Indignation
Re: Gibson Dirty Fingers
Well now the name makes sense to me! That pickup was such a drastic departure from what I was used to hearing it just didn't sit right with me. Most pickups try to accentuate the pick attack.
Zerberus said:Side Trivia: This unique response is actually where the name "Dirty Fingers" came from.
BTW if anyone has any, I pay fair prices
Well now the name makes sense to me! That pickup was such a drastic departure from what I was used to hearing it just didn't sit right with me. Most pickups try to accentuate the pick attack.
frankfalbo
In Fluence Y'all
Re: Gibson Dirty Fingers
Which brings me to one of my all-time curiosities. (perhaps Evan would jump in here) The flanking magnets seem to be opposed to the center magnet. They're like "reverse polarity" to the center magnet. So what exactly is that doing? Is it narrowing the magnetic field up toward the strings? And for clarity's sake, which direction are they all supposed to go? Is it:
n-s [S-N] n-s
or are the flanking magnets flipped vertically, something like this?:
south up/north down [S-N] north up/south down
That would seem to make a "U" magnet, while the horizontal would seem to push the magnetic field inwards.
It also opens up the question, if we can have fun making hybrids, including half "Airbuckers"/half regular buckers out of Dimarzios, then is there also some benefit to making a pickup with one half flanking magnet/other half without? That would be like a Distortion/Invader hybrid, or a not-so-dirty fingers.
Zerberus said:...just one oversize ceramic and not the flanking mags
Which brings me to one of my all-time curiosities. (perhaps Evan would jump in here) The flanking magnets seem to be opposed to the center magnet. They're like "reverse polarity" to the center magnet. So what exactly is that doing? Is it narrowing the magnetic field up toward the strings? And for clarity's sake, which direction are they all supposed to go? Is it:
n-s [S-N] n-s
or are the flanking magnets flipped vertically, something like this?:
south up/north down [S-N] north up/south down
That would seem to make a "U" magnet, while the horizontal would seem to push the magnetic field inwards.
It also opens up the question, if we can have fun making hybrids, including half "Airbuckers"/half regular buckers out of Dimarzios, then is there also some benefit to making a pickup with one half flanking magnet/other half without? That would be like a Distortion/Invader hybrid, or a not-so-dirty fingers.
Re: Gibson Dirty Fingers
thanks for the input. So is the Invader SH-8 pictured on the web site the one without the mushrooms? Are the screws just smaller now?
Sounds like the neck pickup is the one I'm looking for. I like the neck pickup on my gibson. I just roll back the volume and it sings.
Thanks,
Rob
thanks for the input. So is the Invader SH-8 pictured on the web site the one without the mushrooms? Are the screws just smaller now?
Sounds like the neck pickup is the one I'm looking for. I like the neck pickup on my gibson. I just roll back the volume and it sings.
Thanks,
Rob
TwilightOdyssey
Darkness on the edge of Tone
Re: Gibson Dirty Fingers
The closest pickup to the Dirty Fingers made today is a Bare Knuckle Cold Sweat, shown below with a burnt chrome cover.
The closest pickup to the Dirty Fingers made today is a Bare Knuckle Cold Sweat, shown below with a burnt chrome cover.
Zerberus
Baron Von Shred
Re: Gibson Dirty Fingers
Actually, the closest thing to a Dirty Fingers made today is a Dirty Fingers http://www.gibson.com/Products/Accessories/Gear/Pickups/Dirty Fingers (1)/
In all honesty, this is probably the first time (and possibly last, LOL) Gibson has reissued something where it actually sounds exactly like the original :laugh2:
TwilightOdyssey said:The closest pickup to the Dirty Fingers made today is a Bare Knuckle Cold Sweat, shown below with a burnt chrome cover.
Actually, the closest thing to a Dirty Fingers made today is a Dirty Fingers http://www.gibson.com/Products/Accessories/Gear/Pickups/Dirty Fingers (1)/
In all honesty, this is probably the first time (and possibly last, LOL) Gibson has reissued something where it actually sounds exactly like the original :laugh2:
TwilightOdyssey
Darkness on the edge of Tone
Re: Gibson Dirty Fingers
I would have to hear the new pup to compare. I won't get into a who's-pups-are truer-debate, as you've not installed BKs into any guitars yet. However, Tim's pups blow away any production model Gibson pups.
I would have to hear the new pup to compare. I won't get into a who's-pups-are truer-debate, as you've not installed BKs into any guitars yet. However, Tim's pups blow away any production model Gibson pups.
Zerberus
Baron Von Shred
Re: Gibson Dirty Fingers
I´m not saying BKs are bad in any way, as I haven´t tried them. Though believe it or not, I did have a Miracle Man here a few weeks ago that i wanted to try but flipped. I´d maybe be a bit more careful with the assumptions :beerchug:
But I can say from my own ears that the new DFs are tonally a very faithful recreation of my 2 originals, just w/ 4 conductor wire. And as far as I´m concerned, with pickups tone is the only thing that really matters, because properly cared for even the cheapest MIC single coil will last longer than your playing life.
So for me, if I want a Dirty Fingers, I buy a Dirty Fingers either from Gibson, or a vintage one off eBay
TwilightOdyssey said:
I´m not saying BKs are bad in any way, as I haven´t tried them. Though believe it or not, I did have a Miracle Man here a few weeks ago that i wanted to try but flipped. I´d maybe be a bit more careful with the assumptions
:beerchug:But I can say from my own ears that the new DFs are tonally a very faithful recreation of my 2 originals, just w/ 4 conductor wire. And as far as I´m concerned, with pickups tone is the only thing that really matters, because properly cared for even the cheapest MIC single coil will last longer than your playing life.
So for me, if I want a Dirty Fingers, I buy a Dirty Fingers either from Gibson, or a vintage one off eBay
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TwilightOdyssey
Darkness on the edge of Tone
Re: Gibson Dirty Fingers
I meant in one of your personal guitars. My bad, shoulda been more descriptive. (Still workin on 1st cup o joe here)Zerberus said:believe it or not, I did have a Miracle Man here a few weeks ago that i wanted to try but flipped. I´d maybe be a bit more careful with the assumptions
idsnowdog
Imperator of Indignation
Re: Gibson Dirty Fingers
If you want a dirty fingers buy a dirty fingers. I imagine they are easier to find now they have been reissued. Also there's no reason to worry about trem spacing because the magentic field is so strong it doesn't matter. I had problems with finding the right height because the magnetic field had a tendency to dampen string vibration.
What is the "Velvet Brick" from gibson then?
Snowdog
If you want a dirty fingers buy a dirty fingers. I imagine they are easier to find now they have been reissued. Also there's no reason to worry about trem spacing because the magentic field is so strong it doesn't matter. I had problems with finding the right height because the magnetic field had a tendency to dampen string vibration.
What is the "Velvet Brick" from gibson then?
Snowdog
