Pick up swap - replace 1st gen Superdistortions

[vinnie1971]

Hi all

I have a 1970s El Maya EM1300 which came furnished with DiMarzio Superdistortions from the factory. It's a very high end guitar with gold plated hardware, string through body, straight through maple neck, solid mahogany body, Schaller self locking modern style tuners, brass nut, brass saddles brass inlays.

It says made in Kobe Japan and apparently some of the construction was in Sweden (probably the woodwork)

Apart from the knobs and PIO caps this guitar is totally original.

The thing is I really don't like the pickups. They sound great for saturated overdrive with great harmonics, but for cleans and low gain, not so great. Harsh sterile sounding. I have done a lot with pickup heights and pole adjustment but it doesn't make a lot of difference. These are monstrously hot 13.5k ceramics.

I was thinking would these 1st gen Superdistortions with single core hook up lead (ground is outer braided shield) be worth selling to purchase something more to my liking such as PGs or because of this guitar's rarity - it's basically irreplaceable (and nothing else I have played comes anywhere near it for build quality and sustain) leave it as it is and keep it as a one trick pony (high gain stuff)?

I have had this guitar for about 27 years and I am not likely to ever sell it, and it's impossible to place a value on it. A couple of luthiers have said I would need to spend several thousands £££s on a Gibson LP to get anything remotely close.

Any thoughts PGs or keep original ?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[DrNewcenstein]

Re: Pick up swap - replace 1st gen Superdistortions

Definitely change out the SuperDs. Not sure what you could sell them for, probably the same $50 each that a late 70s Duncan Distortion goes for on occasion, unless you started a fight between two freaks who HAD to have an original 70s SuperD "because they're not made like that today no matter what the company says".


If you've got a particular tone and output level in mind, I'd go through every model in that range - 59, Jazz, PG, the Custom line, P-Rails, Screamin Demon, AP2, etc - then look into more specialized sets like the WLH and High Voltage if you didn't find what you were looking for.

Then there's hybrids and mag swaps.

But that could take months if not years from the expense alone, not to mention the hassle.

 

[vinnie1971]

Re: Pick up swap - replace 1st gen Superdistortions

Definitely change out the SuperDs. Not sure what you could sell them for, probably the same $50 each that a late 70s Duncan Distortion goes for on occasion, unless you started a fight between two freaks who HAD to have an original 70s SuperD "because they're not made like that today no matter what the company says".


If you've got a particular tone and output level in mind, I'd go through every model in that range - 59, Jazz, PG, the Custom line, P-Rails, Screamin Demon, AP2, etc - then look into more specialized sets like the WLH and High Voltage if you didn't find what you were looking for.

Then there's hybrids and mag swaps.

But that could take months if not years from the expense alone, not to mention the hassle.

Lol, that first part made me chuckle about fighting over single core super D !

The most crappy idea for wiring pickups!

I know what tone and output, basically bright vintage tone and output - I love the sound of the vintage blues 59 set and pearly gates on all the videos plus I really like Billy Gibbon's tone, evenif he runs it all through some fancy filtering.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Rand-O-Monium]

Re: Pick up swap - replace 1st gen Superdistortions

Look like the old OEM DiMs w/o adjustable poles,ie Hondos,etc...

Dunno about resale value,but I'd think any upgrade would be just that.

Lovely axe,BTW!!!

 

[BRHGM]

Re: Pick up swap - replace 1st gen Superdistortions

Seths, 59s, PGs, Custom, Jazz would all fit the bill. Even the Screaming Demon, JB, Full Shred and WLH and SNS sets would meet those specs. It really depends on what works for you and how bright and how low output you want to go.

 

[vinnie1971]

Pick up swap - replace 1st gen Superdistortions

Look like the old OEM DiMs w/o adjustable poles,ie Hondos,etc...

Dunno about resale value,but I'd think any upgrade would be just that.

Lovely axe,BTW!!!

Thanks, I think it's early seventies, I got it new old stock - it was sat in a shop from new for over a decade nearly 30 years ago. I used to play heavy with high gain but now low gain and clean and the pickups put me off playing as I have more inferior guitars that sound better!

It has the standard DiMarzio adjustable Hex poles which are flat and flush now - gets rid if the excessive harshness but still they are harsh. Both coils are adjustable. I even tried a widerange and reverse wide range humbucker pole advisement! But flat sounds best. They make the trebles really harsh and ice pick and the bass too heavy and breaks up without any gain!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[vinnie1971]

Re: Pick up swap - replace 1st gen Superdistortions

Seths, 59s, PGs, Custom, Jazz would all fit the bill. Even the Screaming Demon, JB, Full Shred and WLH and SNS sets would meet those specs. It really depends on what works for you and how bright and how low output you want to go.

I like fat warm cleans with brightness. ALNICO 2 and 5 works for me, listening carefully to clean tones, I like PG, vintage blues 59 set and whole lotta humbucker set best.

But would I be ruining a rare vintage guitar with a pickup swap?




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Rand-O-Monium]

Re: Pick up swap - replace 1st gen Superdistortions

Don't get the Sweden thing,looks like a Matsu...

Maybe Hagstrom influenced?

Looking forward to teh progress,I'd prolly go for Zeebs(or Double Creams via Bobbin Toppers),personally...

 

[Rand-O-Monium]

Re: Pick up swap - replace 1st gen Superdistortions

But would I be ruining a rare vintage guitar with a pickup swap?

Doubtful, but keep 'em just in case I'm wrong...


Again,like to see where you go with it.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Pick up swap - replace 1st gen Superdistortions

Seths, 59s, PGs, Custom, Jazz would all fit the bill. Even the Screaming Demon, JB, Full Shred and WLH and SNS sets would meet those specs. It really depends on what works for you and how bright and how low output you want to go.

Yeah, Seths, 59s, even Antiquities, Alnico II Pro set, Whole Lotta Humbuckers...any vintage to medium output pickups would be bound to sound better in there. You'll find yourself playing it a lot more.

 

[vinnie1971]

Re: Pick up swap - replace 1st gen Superdistortions

Don't get the Sweden thing,looks like a Matsu...

Maybe Hagstrom influenced?

Looking forward to teh progress,I'd prolly go for Zeebs(or Double Creams via Bobbin Toppers),personally...

I have to say that caught me out about the Sweden links... but these are old school luthiers who can remember when these were new and were quite a big deal back then. Made gibson up their game.

I like the idea of cream zebras, but everything is gold plated or brass so I am inclined towards gold covers, which might make for a more mellow guitar.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[vinnie1971]

Re: Pick up swap - replace 1st gen Superdistortions

Yeah, Seths, 59s, even Antiquities, Alnico II Pro set, Whole Lotta Humbuckers...any vintage to medium output pickups would be bound to sound better in there. You'll find yourself playing it a lot more.

As it's a 1970s guitar I am slightly leaning towards the whole lotta humbucker, but I think I probably like 59 vintage blues set best- gonna have to do a whole lotta listening to samples. Might put them in my Xmas list and hold onto the super ds - not that u would ever use them again so maybe better off selling and tracking down a set of 1970s Duncan's for keeping it vintage ;-)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Jocelyn]

Re: Pick up swap - replace 1st gen Superdistortions

A SG on steroids. Nice axe. I would probably go with PGs. I would also keep the stock Dimarzios. They might come handy later for another axe if not this one.


Sent from my SM-J200G using Tapatalk

 

[vinnie1971]

Pick up swap - replace 1st gen Superdistortions

Was playing it today, gain on 4 on the Marshall and it's full rich and saturated with lots lots of harmonic depth and honk, works well with my Varitone box - good for ZZ Top to Led Zep. Then gain off, horrible.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[vinnie1971]

Re: Pick up swap - replace 1st gen Superdistortions

Well, I happen to have a couple of A2 mags and an A5 mag kicking around. I was nervous about swapping as I heard the early Super Distortions had the mags glued in.
I decided try the neck first as I only need to loosen the strings a bit and out slid the huge ceramic mag and in went the A5.
Wow! It's now a nice sounding pickup. Still bright but not shrill, lower volume, a little scooped and not the least bit harsh. Played clean it sounds very sweet.

I wonder what people's views are on combining A5 and A2, I have Gibson - Kramer in my Flying V and really like the A2 neck and A5 bridge combo, but what about the other way round? Any thoughts or experiences?
The bridge Super distortion with the ceramic is very harsh and very shrill so I wonder if A2 would soften it while giving pronounced upper mids and still give me that sweet both pickups on tone in my V.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[beaubrummels]

Re: Pick up swap - replace 1st gen Superdistortions

I had a JB A2 bridge and an A5 Jazz neck in my Les Paul for a while (the JB was from the 80s/90s and the Jazz was a 35th Anniversary, so a a kind of poor mans "Concept Set").

Note that the JB with a ceramic would be a Duncan Distortion, which is bright and on the fizzy side IME. When used as a Distortion, I tended to keep the tone rolled all the way down to 6 to tame it. With an A2, it was like the same pickup with the tone already rolled down. I don't know how that compares to a Super Distortion, however.

While the A2 JB was a bit on the dark side, the center position was sweet and still chimy when clean, I imagine mostly coming from the Jazz.

 

[vinnie1971]

Re: Pick up swap - replace 1st gen Superdistortions

I had a JB A2 bridge and an A5 Jazz neck in my Les Paul for a while (the JB was from the 80s/90s and the Jazz was a 35th Anniversary, so a a kind of poor mans "Concept Set").

Note that the JB with a ceramic would be a Duncan Distortion, which is bright and on the fizzy side IME. When used as a Distortion, I tended to keep the tone rolled all the way down to 6 to tame it. With an A2, it was like the same pickup with the tone already rolled down. I don't know how that compares to a Super Distortion, however.

While the A2 JB was a bit on the dark side, the center position was sweet and still chimy when clean, I imagine mostly coming from the Jazz.

Thanks for the insights. I may swap and change but I want to have a distinction between my guitars, what I dint have is A2 in both positions or A2 bridge, A5 neck. Have the other combinations in other guitars though. The super distortions I have are ridiculously shrill and bright and too much of everything, I have a varitone box and using the bass cut filter in combination with tone rolled back and volume rolled back its usable for clean and low gain but sounds rather sterile. I reckon this magnet swapping us going to yield good results while I save up for PGs. [emoji16].

I might need a proper spacer instead of folded card though, those ceramic monsters leave a big hole!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Mincer]

Re: Pick up swap - replace 1st gen Superdistortions

I will add that any pickup swap that gets that guitar more playing time is a good thing.

 

[vinnie1971]

Re: Pick up swap - replace 1st gen Superdistortions

I will add that any pickup swap that gets that guitar more playing time is a good thing.

I concur


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[vinnie1971]

Re: Pick up swap - replace 1st gen Superdistortions

Still experimenting, got A5 in the bridge and A2 I the neck. Sounds vintage Les Paul. Neck still bright with the A2. Might have to do some recordings to see which I prefer. But overall they sound very good, not just an improvement, they sound fantastic.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk