Somethings wrong with split Super Distortion S?

[adrian]

I have recently installed an Area 61 in the neck, an Area 58 in the mid and a splitable Super Distortion S in the bridge of my Godin Artisan ST-1.

OK; the Areas sounds great in neck and mid and also in position neck/mid. The Super Distortion S sounds great when used alone as a humbucker, but not so great when split, but still OK.

However, the problem is position mid/bridge. Using the SDs as a humbucker with the Area 58 in the mid, gives a thin sound, without quacks. Splitting the SDs in position mid/bridge gives a very thin and trebly sound, and absolute no quacks.

The Area 61 is said to have 142 in output, the Area 58 125 and the Super Distortion S 325 - twice as loud as the others. When split it ought to be some half of that output, something like 160 and therefore somewhat louder than the Areas, and a perfect match. At least that was what I was hoping for...

But what do you all say: is the Super Distortion S correct installed? It was made by my excellent guitar tech, but anyone can make a mistake...?

 

[Guston7]

Re: Somethings wrong with split Super Distortion S?

It sounds like you need to change the phase (polarity) on the SD. For Dimarzio, this would be swapping the red & green wires.

 

[Guston7]

Re: Somethings wrong with split Super Distortion S?

Ps-this will do 2 things: change the phase in humbucking mode, and give you the opposite coil when split.

 

[jeremy]

Re: Somethings wrong with split Super Distortion S?

thats exactly what you need to do.

 

[adrian]

Re: Somethings wrong with split Super Distortion S?

Thanks guys. I will check this up.

 

[adrian]

Re: Somethings wrong with split Super Distortion S?

And so I did. And, yes, my tech swapped the red and green wires. Problem solved; the bridge pickup sounded louder and is definitely louder than before when split. The mid-bridge position sounds good both split and un-split, but there are no well-defined quacks.

However, when I click on the rails to check which coil is active, it seems that both rails are on. OK, it´s not a full-size humbucker so perhaps it´s difficult to do that simple test for a rail single coil humbucker. But what do you all think; is this pickup correct installed?

 

[orpheo]

Re: Somethings wrong with split Super Distortion S?

yes, it's most likely correctly installed. its by default a hard job to find out which coil is active. if it sounds good, just let it be.

 

[adrian]

Re: Somethings wrong with split Super Distortion S?

Thanks.
Well, it becomes much brighter and slighty less loud when split, and there is a hearable 50 cycles hum.

But no clear quacks.... Perhaps too much to ask for with a rail single coil sized humbucker.

< Edit: New pic of said guitar in avatar.

 

[orpheo]

Re: Somethings wrong with split Super Distortion S?

you won't get quack on it's own. if you have quacky tones in the 2nd and 4th position, what else could you wish for?

 

[adrian]

Re: Somethings wrong with split Super Distortion S?

Of course not: I mean there´s no clear quacks when split and in mid-bridge position.