Stock Gibson SG vs. Dimarzio Model One Mudbuckers SOUNDCLIPS

[Mark Olson]

So I switched the pickups on my SG Bass and I've recorded both the stock and replacement pickup (a Dimarzio Model One) with the same settings on everything. Take a listen and let me know which one you prefer!

Here is the stock Gibson pickup:

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page...songID=9786453

and here is the Model One:

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page...songID=9874777

Personally I wanted more beef and less top end than the stock pickup, and I think the Model One does deliver more beef. You can also hear it overdriving things quicker which is cool (I normally play with a distorted tone). And remember I use this pickup with the bridge pickup on my SG so I have enough mids and highs with that pickup added to fill things out nicely. So let me know which you prefer!

[Fly Guitars]

Get some flatwounds on that bass my man!

Can you extend the experiment to include an original Gibson mudbucker too?

[depalm]

Model one is deeper and hotter while the stock sounds more Mids and "in your face".

Can't really choose just one, like both sounds and would use each one according to the situation.
Stock with flats should be a nice combo. Model one with rounds and a bit of dive…

Congrats!

[Duckwater]

I think the Dimarzio sounds much better; less clank, more pleasing mids, beefy low end. AWESOME TONE!!

[coffin blurt]

Stock, tho it's a pretty close call (this is coming from a dimarzio fanatic), I like how the stock pickup is a little bit cleaner.
Maybe with diff strings would make the model one sound better, who knows

[Mark Olson]

Thanks for the input guys! If I happen to put some flats back on my bass maybe I'll do clips with those as well. I'd at least really like to do some clips with the amp good and distorted (I play a Marshall, all tube, that's where the distortion is coming from) and do some Cream and Mountain riffs.

[Mark Olson]

Here's how the Dimarzio sounds with the bridge pickup going as well, and I've turned up my amp for some more overdrive.

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page...songID=9881393

Old Mountain riff (Never In My Life, Climbing!, 1970).

I am really curious as to how this would sound with flats so I think I may put some on sometime soon and give that a whirl too.

[RCCollins]

Originally Posted by Fly Guitars

Get some flatwounds on that bass my man!

Can you extend the experiment to include an original Gibson mudbucker too?

i second both of these (but won't hold my breath for the latter)

[Mark Olson]

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page...songID=9702636

Here's a different riff with the strings a tad more fresh and with the STOCK PICKUP. Otherwise all of the equipment is the same (though my tone is a tad lower on the Dimarzio clip now that I think about it).

[Mark Olson]

Originally Posted by RCCollins

i second both of these (but won't hold my breath for the latter)

Well I conceivably may go out and buy the Curtis Novak handwound remake of the EB-0 mudbucker, and if I do I'll do clips of that as well, but if I do that I won't be doing that until after I get new speakers in my cabinet (my rig is constantly evolving, you understand).

[Mark Olson]

Put some Rotosound RS77M flats on my bass. Soundclips should happen today.

[Fly Guitars]

Originally Posted by RCCollins

i second both of these (but won't hold my breath for the latter)

yeah, I felt a bit cheeky asking - but its an experiment i've been planning, but never got to. Thanks Mark, for sharing your results!

[RCCollins]

Originally Posted by Mark Olson

Well I conceivably may go out and buy the Curtis Novak handwound remake of the EB-0 mudbucker, and if I do I'll do clips of that as well, but if I do that I won't be doing that until after I get new speakers in my cabinet (my rig is constantly evolving, you understand).

Has anyone noticed that the vintage EB-O basses don't even go for that high a price? Seems to me they're available for less than a latter-day gibson reissue plus boutique humbucker, making such projects more about the "fun" - am I wrong here?

Originally Posted by Mark Olson

Put some Rotosound RS77M flats on my bass. Soundclips should happen today.

NOW we're talkin

[Mark Olson]

Here's the same settings as the last clip, but with the Rotosounds:

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page...songID=9884713

Also Mountain (Climbing!, Mississippi Queen, 1970).

I've had my SG modified quite a bit, it has just a pickup selector, master volume and tone (the tone knob has been improved to be more dramatic) and I've also got a Kahler 7410 vibrato bridge on it which is a lot of fun. Vintage EB-0 or EB-3 would be nice though.

[RCCollins]

is it just me, or do the rotos add to that "gibsony-ness"?

I mean, the same strings give my univox hi-flyer an almost-convincing EB tone. I sure dig those strings!

[Mark Olson]

Yeah the Rotosounds are cool. Here's kind of a palm muted British Invasion sound using just the Model One, but playing Stir It Up. I play this one a little different because live we do this as a three piece so I have a lot of space to fill. My guitarist gets confused if I don't play the V chord on the verse (which the bassist doesn't on the original recording).

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page...songID=9884920

[Mark Olson]

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page...songID=9888458

Testing out my rig with the new pickup. I've put a new set of D'addario EXL220's on my bass.

[Metal Mitch]

The stock Gibson pup sounded good. I listened to that first.

Then the Model One comes along and says "OK now I'm serious".

The flats were a bad idea. Stick with crunchy rounds for that pickup.

[rumblethump]

In my humble opinion the stock SG pickup is no mudbucker. The mudbucker in my 67 could only be reproduced with an Acoustic 360 back in the day. It had tons more bottom and measured about 28k ohms. The Model one measures around 11.5 and I'll bet the stock SG pickup measures even less. It sounded wimpy. I voted model one. In the early 70's I installed a model one to tame the thunder.

[Mark Olson]

Thanks for the input! Yeah I'm definitely sticking with the rounds.

And +1 about the stock pickup sounding wimpy.