DiMarzio True Velvet PUP's

themanthatwalks

Hay guys. I am getting new pickups, thinking about these. DiMarzio True Velvet. Might get something else in the bridge. I am not specifically looking for noiseless pups. And they should be more vintage and not that hot.. What do you think and do you have any suggestion?
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AlanRatcliffe

Sounds like a nice set, although I haven't tried them myself. While YouTube video does lose you some of the finer detail and nuance of the sound, the review is nice in that it uses the same Vox amp I have, so I can judge fairly accurately. Would have been nice if the reviewer had also played some rhythm - some things on a Strat you just don't hear with single note stuff.

Overall pretty nice though. Be aware that if you want to go much higher gain than the reviewer does, the A2 magnets will likely make the low strings a little mushy, so you might want to go for a set with A5 magnets instead. If you want to go a bit hotter, the Red Velvet would likely be a good match in the bridge position to take it up a notch without losing too much quack in switch position 2.

themanthatwalks

I had a look at the red velvet as well.. Its more of A tele for strat pup aswell? I would not be having alot more gain.. Well a saw steve via yesterday so I might push it a little ?. I really like the differences in each position. and The bridge is my fav. Anyway. If I want to go more gain but keep that typical strat sound, would it be fine if I just get something else in the bridge? I was also thinking about making the bridge more tele sounding. Alan where did you buy you Dimarzio's for that review you wanted to do recently?

AlanRatcliffe

Yes, the Red Velvet is more of a Tele pickup in a Strat size package.

You can go a notch or two up in volume without hurting position two sounds too badly (but any change will affect them). The True Velvet middle is rated at 130 millivolts and the bridge version is already a little higher at 142mv. To take it up just one more notch, an SDS-1 (160mv) might do the trick, but they're obviously using 43AWG wire to get it hotter (DC resistance is very high), which will affect the position 2 sound. The Red Velvet is another notch up at 180mv, but a big part of that is the baseplate making it a more efficient pickup magnetically, rather than the coil being wound hotter.

I like the Tele bridge pickup idea, but it does give you a very specific bridge pickup tone - it's snappier, while having more of a midrange push. Somehow position two still works, slightly different, but still very Stratlike (more so than simply going with a really hot bridge pickup). I've got two Area '58s and an Area T in my Stratele and they work a charm - an added bonus is that neck and bridge together give me something close to the Tele middle setting "gonk", but the neck alone and neck/middle combo are pure Strat.

Another option for an even more Stratlike tone in the bridge position, but hotter is to simply get the whole set of True Velvet pickups and get a steel baseplate for the bridge pickup to up the bridge output and mids, while making sure the position 2 sound stays intact and keeping more of a Strat character on the bridge only sound than with a Tele-style pickup. I did this with a set of Fralin Blues Specials once and it worked very nicely.

I got my pickups directly from DiMarzio, which you won't be able to do. However, I set up a meet between Marshall Music and DiMarzio at NAMM and as a result Marshall will be distributing them locally.

themanthatwalks

cool thanx. Have to do more home work ? I like the tele in the bridge Idea.. Thanx again

AlanRatcliffe

I just spoke to Gareth at Marshall Cape and he says three or four weeks. The initial order doesn't have everything in every colour though (impossible - there are so many models and with the different spacings and colours), so you might want to speak to him to make sure that they get exactly the models and colours you want.

themanthatwalks

Might it be easier to chat to the guy at Marshall woodmead? thanx again

AlanRatcliffe

themanthatwalks wrote: Might it be easier to chat to the guy at Marshall woodmead? thanx again

Gareth was the one who put together the order. Apparently the JHB branches wanted pickup models ordered that I find very dated (or simply crap - like the HS-series).

The nice thing about DiMarzio is they haven't rested on their laurels, while they are best known for their older pickups (like the Super Distortion/Dual Sound and the horrendous X2N), it's their newer pickups that get me excited - the Airbuckers, the Areas, etc..

themanthatwalks

Yea through all my home work I have come to find that generally you would not go wrong with a Dimarzio. Cool I'll contact him when I get the chance. Thanx

themanthatwalks

So I need to find out what defines a hot pickup and what defines a weak pickup. I understand the output in millivolts, but what does the DC resistance mean if its low or high (geezz and I am an electronic engineer???)

Gearhead

The DC resistance is not something for engineers. It's a simple measurement anyone can do that only indicates the AC output at a constant circuit impedance (volume pot+amp input impedance). Below 5K is considered low, 5-7 is medium and everything above is considered hot. The millivolts you read about is also a bit deceptive since it is given at open circuit. If they give both and you assume 500K load, maybe a good electronics engineer can work out what the output impedance of the pickup would be? See also www.gitarrenelektronik.de (has English pages as well).

themanthatwalks

thanx. If I install these pickups do I have to use the impedance as guidance for something specific except rating the pup?

What are the diffs between weak and hot pickups except output volume?

AlanRatcliffe

Unfortunately D.C. resistance is one of those specs that is pretty much meaningless as it only lets you compare apples to apples. It gives you a very general idea of the output of a pickup, but only when compared to a pickup of the same design, with the same magnetic structure and flux density. Manufacturers only include the DC resistance because many of the public expect it, thinking it tells them something about the output level.

themanthatwalks

ok so how do i judge a hot pickup from a weak on without hearing it?

AlanRatcliffe

Sadly you have to go by the manufacturer's descriptions. You'll see that DiMarzio class their pickups as vintage, medium or high powered and also give you the millivolt output (which they test by setting them to the same height and pluck the G string with a medium pick - inaccurate, but gives you a good general idea). Seymour class them as either hot or moderate, but further than that you have to try them ☹

Quite honestly, choosing pickups is a minefield as there are no standards between brands - I still make "mistakes". Opinions from users are one thing, but most of us tend to lean to one brand or another and have a very subjective opinion of what constitutes good tone.

themanthatwalks wrote: What are the diffs between weak and hot pickups except output volume?

Sorry missed this before somehow. Generally what happens is that the hotter you wind a pickup the more midrange it gets and the less high frequencies. It also starts compressing the dynamics the hotter it is. Neither is bad. The extra mids of a hot pickup give you more of the frequencies you need for a "lead" or "solo" guitar and the extra compression helps a little to cut through too. Often ceramic magnets will be used, which not only are more powerful, but add some top end back - but it tends to be a bit harsh and brittle, which affects clean sounds adversely.

Lower output will be more dynamic with more of a midrange scoop ideal for a rhythm that sits behind a lead voice or instrument. The extra sparkle on the top end helps it cut through without being harsh and it will have the most nuance and detail. Usually in this setup you will use an overdrive (or sometimes an amp) that has more of a midrange push to get more of a lead voice (best of both worlds, IMO).

themanthatwalks

thanx Alan. If found the true velvets and red velvet for R750 a pup. I think I am going to try these first(no real frame of reference besides bad pickups ?). looking for more vintage tone.. And then I will play around with pick wiring to see what i get.. Anyway. now to sell stuff I dont need ?

themanthatwalks

will that area T neck fit in a strat? its sounds nice ?

AlanRatcliffe

You'd need a different pickguard - the Tele neck pickup is smaller that a Strat neck pickup. Also a slightly different position.

themanthatwalks

thanki

Malkav

Where did you find the pickup for that good a price?