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

[Anficht]

I've half-aired an Air Norton into a Half-Air-Norton and really loved the improvement in pick attack (it got sharper) and the added output.
It's been years now (2017) so I don't remember the specifics, but I remember I first de-aired one side and it got super muddy sounding, then I aired the side back and de-aired the other side and it did exactly what I hoped it would: improve pick attack to be sharper and increased output.
Was a big improvement!
I also used the left over spacers to half-air a ToneZone and again, it improved that pickup considerably, making it less muddy and less bassy.

On a sidenote, I second the A3 magnet really going well into a SH-5 Custom. It's my favorite Custom version, the Custom3! You should try it!

 

[ehdwuld]

Isn't "air" ing a pickup , what Dimarzio does instead of changing magnet types

Weaker vs stronger magnet fields, etc?

 

[jeremy]

yes. instead of using a softer grade of alnico or lowering the charge, they use a gap to simulate a weaker magnet

 

[freefrog]

For the record, airing a pickup doesn't suffice to change a magnetic alloy in another one. An "aired" A5 reacts partly like a degaussed magnet but is still an A5 because of its lower iron content compared to lower grades AlNi(Co)... hence a lower inductance.

So, when DiMarzio designers really want to mimic an A2 with an A5, they also add their "virtual vintage" ferrous slugs between magnetic poles inside the coils...

@Kirk Dahnke : BTW, if your DP210 (P90 sized Tone Zone) is like mine, it should have some of these ferrous slugs between its screw poles. If you pull 'em off, it will contribute to lower the inductance. That and pulling off half of the screw poles should help to adapt this pickup to neck position. If it doesn't work, a simpler and more radical trick (requiring NO modification of the pickup itself) would be to wire the coils in parallel rather than in series.

 

[jeremy]

how easy is it to get the slugs out? ive thought about trying it but havent done it

 

[freefrog]

how easy is it to get the slugs out? ive thought about trying it but havent done it

I've pulled off and put back such slugs a couple of times. TBH, I don't remember if it was difficult or not but at least, far memories keep telling me it was doable... unless DiMarzio started to glue these components too. ;-)

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Wasn't there a thread recently that mentioned the Norton already comes pre-half-aired from the factory?

*EDIT*

B

Thread 'Half airbucked Norton'

Sep 18, 2024

I just found out that the dimarzio Norton is air bucked on one side with a thin plastic spacer between the magnet and the slugs. Does anybody know of any other dimarzio humbuckers that come like this? Apparently the AT-1 is also?

• Bowtomecha
• Replies: 18
• Forum: The Pickup Lounge

• 

Yes. Yes, there was.

 

[Kirk Dahnke]

Maybe you remember that I've already replied in details to these questions in order to help you... ;-)

Anyway and to recall something which is not a subjective statement but a simple electrical fact...

To do their job efficiently, hi-pass / bass-cut series caps typically need to be of a ten times lower value than standard tone caps. Rickenbacker used series caps of .0047µ (4.7nF) and not .047. The G&L PTB circuit relies on a series cap of 2.2nF (.0022µ) and not .022µ... 10nF is already high for that and a ten times higher .1µ would cut exactly... zero bass.

A .015µ / 15nF series cap should lower the output of 2.5dB approximatively around 82hz (lowest E note of a normally tuned guitar). Above 200hz, it shouldn't change no more the response of the pickup.

Sorry to bother you again, but I'm going to drop off the guitar at the tech, and want to make sure I have the parts I need and know what to tell him to do.

I have a $200 Les Paul Custom clone with crap P90s.
Four 500K pots and Two 550K pots. All full sized.
Two .047uf caps, Two .022uf caps, and a .015uf cap.
And the P90 TZ for the neck and a Tonerider Hot P90 for the bridge.

My goal is to get the TZ close to a Super Distortion. I don't care about splitting, or any other choices. Just want the real P90 in the bridge, and to flip to the neck and have a Super Distortion style over the top option.

What parts would you buy/ use to give to the tech? And what wiring would you tell the tech you want for the neck position? Just the basic, no options. I would do the wiring myself but I have a hand injury that prevents me from doing delicate work.

Thank you in advance if you have time to respond.

 

[freefrog]

Sorry to bother you again, but I'm going to drop off the guitar at the tech, and want to make sure I have the parts I need and know what to tell him to do.

I have a $200 Les Paul Custom clone with crap P90s.
Four 500K pots and Two 550K pots. All full sized.
Two .047uf caps, Two .022uf caps, and a .015uf cap.
And the P90 TZ for the neck and a Tonerider Hot P90 for the bridge.

My goal is to get the TZ close to a Super Distortion. I don't care about splitting, or any other choices. Just want the real P90 in the bridge, and to flip to the neck and have a Super Distortion style over the top option.

What parts would you buy/ use to give to the tech? And what wiring would you tell the tech you want for the neck position? Just the basic, no options. I would do the wiring myself but I have a hand injury that prevents me from doing delicate work.

Thank you in advance if you have time to respond.

Hello,

You don't bother me. Let's try to reply in the clearest and most useful way.

Pots: I'd pair those having the highest resistance with the neck pickup.

Caps: I'd put the one with the lowest capacitance (the .015) on the tone pot for the neck PU. I'd pair the bridge unit with a .022.

Having both TZ and Super Distortion and having a precise idea of how they're made / what they do, I don't think it's really possible to mimic a SD with the TZ.
To adapt the TZ to neck position, I'd start by wiring it normally (in series) and pulling off three screw poles in each coil...
I'd then experiment with variations on this idea. I'd keep the pickup rather far from the strings anyway.

Finally, I'd try to wire the pickup in parallel or in series with a capacitor if ever the missing screw poles don't suffice to adapt the PU to the neck slot...

Sorry to be so vague in my advices: what I can't predict is how your guitar, rig and ears will react. When I tinker on an instrument for someone else, we discuss and I adapt my tinkering "in real time", according to the needs of the other person. In this case, all I can do is wishing you good luck, hoping that my attempts to help will effectively be helpful.

Lemme know how it turns. And feel free to PM me is there's a need to precise some details. ;-)

 

[Kirk Dahnke]

Hello,

You don't bother me. Let's try to reply in the clearest and most useful way.

Pots: I'd pair those having the highest resistance with the neck pickup.

Caps: I'd put the one with the lowest capacitance (the .015) on the tone pot for the neck PU. I'd pair the bridge unit with a .022.

Having both TZ and Super Distortion and having a precise idea of how they're made / what they do, I don't think it's really possible to mimic a SD with the TZ.
To adapt the TZ to neck position, I'd start by wiring it normally (in series) and pulling off three screw poles in each coil...
I'd then experiment with variations on this idea. I'd keep the pickup rather far from the strings anyway.

Finally, I'd try to wire the pickup in parallel or in series with a capacitor if ever the missing screw poles don't suffice to adapt the PU to the neck slot...

Sorry to be so vague in my advices: what I can't predict is how your guitar, rig and ears will react. When I tinker on an instrument for someone else, we discuss and I adapt my tinkering "in real time", according to the needs of the other person. In this case, all I can do is wishing you good luck, hoping that my attempts to help will effectively be helpful.

Lemme know how it turns. And feel free to PM me is there's a need to precise some details. ;-)

Awesome! I'd like to get all the soldering done at the same time since that is the only thing I can't do. I was hoping to try using a cap in series on the neck pickup and then messing with the poles on my on time.Duncan's mud mod recommended a .047 cap in series . You recommended a different value. Would you still recommend that value knowing I'm going to use 550k pots, use a .015 cap on the neck? I would still like to go ahead and wire a cap in series to the neck, just get it all done at once. I plan on lowering the TZ as low as it will go, and messing with the screw poles..curious what value cap you would use in the series mod?

 

[freefrog]

Awesome! I'd like to get all the soldering done at the same time since that is the only thing I can't do. I was hoping to try using a cap in series on the neck pickup and then messing with the poles on my on time.Duncan's mud mod recommended a .047 cap in series . You recommended a different value. Would you still recommend that value knowing I'm going to use 550k pots, use a .015 cap on the neck? I would still like to go ahead and wire a cap in series to the neck, just get it all done at once. I plan on lowering the TZ as low as it will go, and messing with the screw poles..curious what value cap you would use in the series mod?

Ah yes, I had forgotten the series cap idea.

Put the .015 cap in series with the neck PU, then. And use a .022 for the tone pot (reason: .047 in series would do virtually nothing unless it's paired with a 100k resistor from hot to ground. It's simpler and sonically more effective to use directly a lower value series cap).

Tell your tech to wire the series cap AFTER the regular tone control: pickup then tone control, then series cap then volume pot (like in the G&L PTB circuit: they got in right when it comes to the order of components). Wiring the series cap after the volume control is possible but would / will make the bass-cut / hi-pass filter less efficient.

Keep in mind that a series cap will change the sound when both pickups will be in parallel (center position of the selector), by acting like a notched filter. Also, series caps don't work well with old school fuzz or treble booster pedals, for the record.

FWIW. HTH. Good luck in your mods.

 

[Kirk Dahnke]

Ah yes, I had forgotten the series cap idea.

Put the .015 cap in series with the neck PU, then. And use a .022 for the tone pot (reason: .047 in series would do virtually nothing unless it's paired with a 100k resistor from hot to ground. It's simpler and sonically more effective to use directly a lower value series cap).

Tell your tech to wire the series cap AFTER the regular tone control: pickup then tone control, then series cap then volume pot (like in the G&L PTB circuit: they got in right when it comes to the order of components). Wiring the series cap after the volume control is possible but would / will make the bass-cut / hi-pass filter less efficient.

Keep in mind that a series cap will change the sound when both pickups will be in parallel (center position of the selector), by acting like a notched filter. Also, series caps don't work well with old school fuzz or treble booster pedals, for the record.

FWIW. HTH. Good luck in your mods.

Thank you so much brother! Copy and pasted and sent to my tech friend! I'm sure it will be great!

Damn, one more question, should I use 550K pots for the neck? Or is that too much?

 

[freefrog]

Thank you so much brother! Copy and pasted and sent to my tech friend! I'm sure it will be great!

Damn, one more question, should I use 550K pots for the neck? Or is that too much?

You're welcome.

Hi resistance pots tend to slightly increase the perceived volume but their way to promote brightness should be an advantage here, as long as the TZ is far enough from the strings... and if ever 550k for both pots is too much, it's still possible to lower a bit the tone control. ;-)

Hope this situation will give you satisfaction. Let us know...