Has Anyone Half-Aired Anything Other Than A Tone Zone?

[SweetClyde99]

I just half-aired a Tone Zone a week ago, and I really like what it did for that pickup in that guitar. I was just curious if anyone has tried doing the same to any other pickups they found to be too thick and high output. The JB and Custom Custom seem like they might be good candidates from Seymour’s catalog.

 

[eclecticsynergy]

Never half-aired a Custom Custom, but the Custom wind with an A3 is very nice indeed.
Puts its output - and character - in pretty much the hot-PAF category.

FWIW, players were putting electrical tape on their mags for decades before Larry DiMarzio patented airing.

 

[Kirk Dahnke]

I just half-aired a Tone Zone a week ago, and I really like what it did for that pickup in that guitar. I was just curious if anyone has tried doing the same to any other pickups they found to be too thick and high output. The JB and Custom Custom seem like they might be good candidates from Seymour’s catalog.

I got a free P90 sized TZ. I’m thinking of trying it in the neck of a LP copy. I have 2 P90 guitars already and want to go with a heavy doom sound that uses vintage amps. What does “half aired” mean in context to the TZ? And would it even work in the P90 version? I’m clueless about this stuff and will be taking it to a tech, so not looking to experiment. Trying to get it close to a Super Distortion. The P90 version already is ceramic.

 

[jeremy]

i havent opened up a p90 version so not sure whats in there

 

[Rex_Rocker]

I got a free P90 sized TZ. I’m thinking of trying it in the neck of a LP copy. I have 2 P90 guitars already and want to go with a heavy doom sound that uses vintage amps. What does “half aired” mean in context to the TZ? And would it even work in the P90 version? I’m clueless about this stuff and will be taking it to a tech, so not looking to experiment. Trying to get it close to a Super Distortion. The P90 version already is ceramic.

It means removing the keeper bar and adding something non-magnetic as a spacer so that the magnet only touches one of the coils' polepieces.

What it does is it reduces the output of one of the coils, and it decreases the inductance because there's less metal in the pickup. So I suppose what happens is the pickup becomes slightly brighter, lower output, and has a different feel. In theory. I've never done it myself.

 

[jeremy]

dimarzio usually uses little rubber rings around the stud poles, at least on the pups ive seen. ive unaired a 36th anniversary bridge pup and swapped in an a2 magnet. and yes, an a3 in the custom is a great pup for sure

 

[Rex_Rocker]

dimarzio usually uses little rubber rings around the stud poles, at least on the pups ive seen. ive unaired a 36th anniversary bridge pup and swapped in an a2 magnet. and yes, an a3 in the custom is a great pup for sure

To unair the pickup, do you need to swap out the slugs? I think the slugs they use for the airbuckers are different than standard slugs, no?

 

[ehdwuld]

On my White MaxCheer half rails
I swapped the ceramic magnets for alnico 2 in the neck and alnico 5 in the bridge

These alnico magnets were 1/8 inch (3 mm) thinner than the ceramic magnets they replaced

I used a small section of string trimmer line to wedge in place to hold them still
Then, because the alnico were not as thick as the ceramic, I added a strip of cardboard box to fill that t in

I haven't seen where it makes any difference in volume when I switched between the rails or screw poles

 

[Sam SG]

I got a free P90 sized TZ. I’m thinking of trying it in the neck of a LP copy. I have 2 P90 guitars already and want to go with a heavy doom sound that uses vintage amps. What does “half aired” mean in context to the TZ? And would it even work in the P90 version? I’m clueless about this stuff and will be taking it to a tech, so not looking to experiment. Trying to get it close to a Super Distortion. The P90 version already is ceramic.

I dunno either.
But as a teenager in the 90s this is what Air'ed meant.

 

[jeremy]

To unair the pickup, do you need to swap out the slugs? I think the slugs they use for the airbuckers are different than standard slugs, no?

no, you remove the little rubber rings

 

[Rex_Rocker]

no, you remove the little rubber rings

And add a keeper bar, I assume, right? Isn't it hard to find keeper bars that match DiMarzio string spacing? Or did you grab it off a donor pickup?

 

[ehdwuld]

And add a keeper bar, I assume, right? Isn't it hard to find keeper bars that match DiMarzio string spacing? Or did you grab it off a donor pickup?

I would think any ferrous material between the magnet and touching the poles should work

I'm measuring coat hanger wire now

Edit:

My wire hanger is 0.075 inches (2 mm)
The space is .095 between my ceramic MaxCheer pickups with the alnico pickups

I may try it later