Help identifying DiMarzio circuit...

[landau roof]

Can someone please help ID this John Doe? It was connected to a push/pull volume pot in a FrankenP that I recently acquired, along with an older DiMarzio Model P.

[SGD Lutherie]

That's the old DiMarzio DP144 - Shock Wave System preamp, and they had the "DP141 - Active Model P" & "DP142 - Active Model J" pickups that went with it. Those pickups were slightly under wound (and brighter) versions of the DP122 and DP123 pickups.

The description from DiMarzio on the preamp was:

"This system provides the player with a choice between two distinct sounds. The active mode engages a low-impedance circuit. Sonically, there is a slight roll-off of the upper and lower frequencies, and a small increase in overall volume. The passive mode has a flatter frequency response with slightly less output."

Does the DiMarzio P in that bass have a model number on it? It might be a DP141.

[landau roof]

Wow, thanks. Do you know when these were produced?


There's no model no. on the pickup, but here's a pic. I don't know if there are any telltales.





DiMarzio also got back to me with a wiring diagram. I'll attach it here in case it may be of use to anyone in the future.

[SGD Lutherie]

I don't know when they made it, but the numbering is right before "DP145 - Will Power™ Neck" so my guess is in the 80s. The full system was:

DP141 - Active Model P™
DP142 - Active Model J™
DP143 - Active Model P and J™
DP144 - Shock Wave System™

That might be a DP141. The only way to tell is to take a reading with an ohm meter. It should read lower than the standard model P.

[landau roof]

I'm getting 11.11k.

[SGD Lutherie]

The Model P is supposed to be 11.54 K. That doesn't sound like a big enough difference from what you are reading, so I'm thinking that's a Model P. But I don't know what DP141 was supposed to read. maybe DiMarzio can tell you.

[landau roof]

Great. I also found this thread from about a a year ago when I searched that model no.

Help me identify this DiMarzio preamp please...

Thanks for your help!

[Alivefor5]

I had this setup in a bass in the mid 80's. It was a nice J bass that I had put the standard set of Dimarzio J pups in. I ordered the complete set and put it all in that bass.
I remember that neither sound was as good as the regular Dimarzio J pups. I didn't even use it long enough to go thru a set of the little round batteries. Out it all came and back to the regular Dimarzio Js. I still have that setup in a box somewhere. The pickups of that set might sound good with a real pre such as an Audere J plate, as I've always thought the standard Dimarzio Js dropped off enough top end to not be ideal for slap. As usual my opinion only.

[Thor]

SGD - So would I expect to find the DP 143 in my Ibanez 84 Roadster P/J passive/active? It has the cream colored P/J pups.

( I also am a bit baffled on the behavior of the controls in active mode, the black knobs doon't seem to do what I expect. Very weird. Passive it's great.) Sorry for the short hijack...