Which Building is DiMarzio's?

[SGD Lutherie]

Originally Posted by DoctorX

Some years ago, DiMarzio's main plastic and metal parts supplier imploded without warning, forcing DiMarzio to rescue their tooling and find other molding and fabricating shops to pick up the slack.

I remember this! I seem to recall someone posting photos of some of the tooling. I forget where. Maybe the pickup makers forum. I also forget why they had such photos...

I guess people not from the tri-state area don't get the non-descript thing. When I had my shop in Hoboken, we didn't have a sign on the door at all. And later just the letters SGD. We didn't want anyone to know we were building guitars, and give them any ideas!

You guys sound like such a bunch of New Yorkers! And I say that as someone who's mom was from Queens and grew up in Harlem.

[DoctorX]

Guilty as charged....

I bought a large load of scrap and the machines from the machine shop that imploded from the guy who brokered the liquidation. I sold the machines, but never went throught the scrap I collected. Getting the metal ready for pickup I found bits and pieces of ruined or broken tooling in the pails of scrap metal . Some of it was readily identifiable, most probably belonged to jigs and fixtures. After I took pictures and posted them, all of the scrap was sold for salvage. Aside from seeing how tooling was made, the scrap metal was mostly useless. Some of the larger pieces of steel were used for other projects. The remainder of the machine shop was tossed - most of the tools were worn; the shop was not well run after the original owner died.

[SGD Lutherie]

Originally Posted by DoctorX

Guilty as charged....

I bought a large load of scrap and the machines from the machine shop that imploded from the guy who brokered the liquidation. I sold the machines, but never went throught the scrap I collected. Getting the metal ready for pickup I found bits and pieces of ruined or broken tooling in the pails of scrap metal . Some of it was readily identifiable, most probably belonged to jigs and fixtures. After I took pictures and posted them, all of the scrap was sold for salvage. Aside from seeing how tooling was made, the scrap metal was mostly useless. Some of the larger pieces of steel were used for other projects. The remainder of the machine shop was tossed - most of the tools were worn; the shop was not well run after the original owner died.

Oh yeah... it was you! I remember your handle now.

[DoctorX]

I recently found an old photo of the R&D guy's (from DiMarzio) Mom teaching her young son the finer points of pickup design and winding long before he reached DiMarzio's doorstep. Granted, the single coil in the background is somewhat larger than what you are used to seeing, but this was taken back when vacuum tubes were still the rage. It is quite evident where 'Mr. Warmth' got his world-renowned charm.

Dr. X

[Steveaux]

Originally Posted by DoctorX

I recently found an old photo of the R&D guy's (from DiMarzio) Mom teaching her young son the finer points of pickup design and winding long before he reached DiMarzio's doorstep. Granted, the single coil in the background is somewhat larger than what you are used to seeing, but this was taken back when vacuum tubes were still the rage. It is quite evident where 'Mr. Warmth' got his world-renowned charm.

Dr. X

You're a fun read, Doc.

Sadly, I think the 'Mr. Warmth' reference will be lost on most here.

[SGD Lutherie]

Originally Posted by DoctorX

I recently found an old photo of the R&D guy's (from DiMarzio) Mom teaching her young son the finer points of pickup design and winding long before he reached DiMarzio's doorstep....

Would that be SB's mom?

(no, I never met any of them....)

[joelb79]

Originally Posted by DoctorX

You'd better believe it.

Even the hurricane kept its distance....

This brings up an off topic question: There are rumors on the internets that Staten Island is a warzone, without sewage treatment, no homes since it was leveled atomic bomb style and FEMA has set up interment camps where they are to begin gassing people Nazi germany style.

Any Credibility?

[jmattis]

This is awesome. SO glad I opened up this thread.

[Bassmanbob]

Originally Posted by joelb79

This brings up an off topic question: There are rumors on the internets that Staten Island is a warzone, without sewage treatment, no homes since it was leveled atomic bomb style and FEMA has set up interment camps where they are to begin gassing people Nazi germany style.

Any Credibility?

Not really. But let's just say that Staten Island is the New Jersey of New York City.

[SGD Lutherie]

Originally Posted by Bassmanbob

Not really. But let's just say that Staten Island is the New Jersey of New York City.

It is more suburban, but I think he meant from the storm. It had a lot more damage than was shown on the news. They kind of ignored SI.

But it wasn't as bad as that...

[DoctorX]

Originally Posted by joelb79

This brings up an off topic question: There are rumors on the internets that Staten Island is a warzone, without sewage treatment, no homes since it was leveled atomic bomb style and FEMA has set up interment camps where they are to begin gassing people Nazi germany style.

Any Credibility?

Only in the areas within earshot of Mr. Warmth.....everywhere else is fine.

(I'm just kidding)

[DoctorX]

Originally Posted by SGD Lutherie

Would that be SB's mom?

(no, I never met any of them....)

Coincidentally, there is an odd family resemblance...

[nutdog]

Originally Posted by MichaelVee

Just heard back from DiMarzio via email. They said:

"That is correct, we have the same address as Solomon’s Porch. We don’t offer inside views or factory tour videos."

And that was that.

Obviously Jesus wants to keep a low profile. You remember what happened last time.

[DoctorX]

This is what happened to one poor, misguided fool who thought he could take a peek inside the sanctum sanctorum of DiMarzio - and live to tell the tale. They don't fool around. (The big guy is their receiving clerk).

And THAT was that.

[DoctorX]

One further note to add to this 'roundtable'.

In all probability, DiMarzio reads this forum and is aware of this discussion, either alerted by one or more of the forum members here, or as a result of their own monitoring. They haven't chimed in for a plethora of reasons; let's review a few of them, shall we?

1. They don't know this thread exists, don't care, or have time to care.
2. No secrets have been revealed. Their current factory configuration and their current winding technology bears little resemblance to anything I have previously described. Hence, no need to 'cry havoc and let slip the DiMarzios of war' (apologies to Shakespeare). How do I know this? At the end of the day, Staten Island is an amazingly small "town".
3. Any tangible response is tantamount to giving away something important for nothing. That is one thing they have NEVER done. I know for a fact some of the better known boutique manufacturers will also not discuss 'proprietary' fabrication techniques or discoveries of what subtle changes will do. They fought hard for it, just like DiMarzio or Duncan.
4. The technology behind pickup making is almost common knowledge. Simply put, if you know your science, you can figure out what you need to do. There is plenty of information online and in published books (and papers) about this subject.
5. Besides, good magicians never reveal their secrets anyway.

Lastly, truth be told, there are many folks who want information about pickup theory, design and manufacture for free who don't want to "do the homework" required. While the technology is not exactly rocket science, certain aspects of pickup design were hard won. If this was your company, would you give them away? I can clearly understand DiMarzio's hard line about discussing technical information. They have suffered fools gladly for a very long time but likely hated every minute of it. Both with customers and unfortunately, some employees (myself included I have to admit; but those events will go with me to my grave). While I do not condone Mr. Warmth's attitude, I can now see where it comes from, and the lack of patience that eventually produces it (although, I must offer that this is conjecture; he could just be a card-carrying sociopath).

One thing you have to give DiMarzio credit for (and Seymour Duncan, et al) - regardless of what you think of them is their ability / talent for unwavering focus and dedication to a business plan, and a drive to succeed. If every small business was run similarly, we wouldn't "need" China. Remember what I posted earlier: they have been in business almost 40 years. The main core of individuals who began the company are still there! You don't think it was all just a fluke, do you? It's a good chance they will stop working when they are dragged out by their feet. (Mr. Warmth -- are you listening?)

But I digress.....

Dr. X

[Signs]

I have been reading this thread with more than a little amusement.
I previously worked in the stock car racing profession for 15 years full time. One time, when I was in Florida, I looked up a couple of my customers who were full time racing engine builders with shops and employees. One, was a guy in his fifties at the time, a very nice man and well respected engine builder who built engines for some of the best short track racers in the country and some engines for some of the support levels of NASCAR. So I am driving back and forth on this five lane road in a bad part of town looking for his shop. I had the address but didn't warn him I was coming. So, finally, I think this has got to be the place. I park, go up to the door, and it is locked. No sign, no nothing. I go to the door, and ask the lady if Dennis is there, and explain who I am. He comes to the door and lets me in. And then says "How did you find me?" He didn't want to be found.

Apparently they were in a really bad area of town, so they didn't advertise at the risk of break ins. Also, they kept the doors locked to keep their employees safe. Inside, was a huge well kept shop with state of the art engine machining and engine building equipment and tools. Their customers knew where to find them. Dennis was machining a block and continued working on it while I talked with him. He still needed to take care of business even though a visitor (me) was there.

These types of shops in various types of businesses are more common than people realize. Many don't give tours or tech advice because they risk putting competitors in business.

[SGD Lutherie]

Originally Posted by DoctorX

One thing you have to give DiMarzio credit for (and Seymour Duncan, et al) - regardless of what you think of them is their ability / talent for unwavering focus and dedication to a business plan, and a drive to succeed. If every small business was run similarly, we wouldn't "need" China. Remember what I posted earlier: they have been in business almost 40 years. The main core of individuals who began the company are still there!

I agree. They were probably the first aftermarket pickup maker, and I think they make a lot of good pickups. I can't even count how many of their pickups I have installed in customer's guitars. I've also personally used their bass and guitar pickups over the years.

Same can be said for Duncan, and they manage to not step on each other's toes.

[DoctorX]

One last thing to offer --

Can you imagine how big DiMarzio, Duncan, et al, would be today if music itself had stayed (basically) the same as it was in the 80's / 90's? The fact that they are still in business irrrespective of the changes in popular music (of late), the economy, and the internet -- itself is something to marvel at.

Dr. X

[DoctorX]

Take a look for yourself....

Seymour Duncan has placed 3 videos worth of a factory tour on YouTube, as well as a 4 part interview with Seymour Duncan himself. There is also a video or two of Yngwie Malmsteen winding his own strat set, giving a further look inside the SD factory. If your PC is powerful enough, view these in HD. Further, go into your temporary internet files folder, and copy the videos to another directory for offline viewing whenever you want. There are some very interesting things to watch on those videos that are not immediately obvious -- in other words, a look at fabrication techniques that can be used by the smaller manufacturer. There is your homework assignment. You wanted a look inside DiMarzio? This is just as good, if not much better. I would be very surprised if DiMarzio wasn't extremely "disappointed" at the existence of these videos.

Dr.X

[Budbear]

Originally Posted by joelb79

This brings up an off topic question: There are rumors on the internets that Staten Island is a warzone, without sewage treatment, no homes since it was leveled atomic bomb style and FEMA has set up interment camps where they are to begin gassing people Nazi germany style.

Any Credibility?

It was like that here before the hurricane. Hell, even Snake Plissken is afraid to come here.