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Dimarzio Area P. Pickup Opinions

dregsfan

dregsfan

*Spay And Neuter*
Sep 13, 2006
901
581
68
Texas
#1
One of the pickups I'm considering for my upcoming put-together P bass is the Dimarzio Area Precision pickup with Alnico II magnets. Would like to hear some current views from you folks. I've read what's already (searched) available, but checking to see if anyone wants to add an opinion or comment.

Also, any experience with using the series/parallel option?

Thanks
 
#3
No, I've searched and read what's there.

I just want the latest, the greatest, the "new improved" opinions. :D

Anyone can read what's already there. I want specialized, catered to, customized just for me stuff to read. :roflmao:

OK, seriously................. I know, it's kinda weird they've never put that model pu on their site but it's on their price list.

BestBassGear has it on their site.

Any feedback is appreciated guys.

"That is the name of this job isn't it? , Dig Me"
- George Carlin
(from the Class Clown album)
 
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#7
I called Dimarzio, talked to a nice lady, and it's available individually. She said something like they don't have room on the site for all the pu's you can (still) get. Not sure what she really meant by that.. BestBassGear has the Area P. on their site listed separate from the PJ set. So, it's available. You can also get the pu directly from them.
 
Last edited:
#8
dregsfan said:
One of the pickups I'm considering for my upcoming put-together P bass is the Dimarzio Area Precision pickup with Alnico II magnets. Would like to hear some current views from you folks. I've read what's already (searched) available, but checking to see if anyone wants to add an opinion or comment.

Also, any experience with using the series/parallel option?

Thanks
Click to expand...

I just did a PJ with parallel / series switching on each pickup and I can tell you that there is a difference and it's a cool option. I'm only about two weeks in on the new bass and haven't had a chance to really shake out the tone options, but there is enough of a difference to make it worth doing if you don't mind the extra work associated with the wire-up.
 
#10
While my experience is with the Area J set, it turned my little MIM J into a serious thunder machine. A lot of folks say you need 500K pots to go with them or they are too dark. I tried them with both 500 and 250K pots and i get more bell bottom ruffling out of the 250's, but I've got a bridge pup to turn up if i want less boom. But where's the fun in that. Oh and now that i've wasted all this space on the model J, i'm pretty sure dimarzio was going for the same thing in the model P, a big booming fat sound that will rattle your fillings. I also like the S/P option, even if it is just a wimpy little J. In a nutshell, it was instant big hairy castanets simply by dropping in the Model J. Really great for a serious rock tone.

As for availability, last i checked the bay was eat up with all manner of dimarzio bass pups. I even found a NIB set of cream Model J's.

We now return you to you regularly scheduled programming.
 
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#11
vaesto said:
C'mon. Even google search finds this: New Dimarzio Area P?

P.S. Sorry no real-life experience here...
P.P.S. Official site has no such a model. Although, some retailers have them in the lists.
Click to expand...

:meh: OP is asking for direct experiences from members here and states he already did all the googling...

Unfortunately I never tried the Area P. I hope they've done the same great job they did about the Area J... I love those pickups. I'm looking to buy a Precision pickup soon, so I'm also interested in any comments here :thumbsup:
 
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#12
dregsfan said:
Very cool. Thanks Lonnybass.
Click to expand...

You're welcome. I have several Bart-equipped five strings with DCs and once I added a series/single/parallel switch to one of them, I couldn't believe the added versatility. Every single DC equipped bass then got set up with coil splits after that!

So, when I saw that the DiMarzios offered the switch setup as well (not common to PJs!), I thought it would definitely be worth doing. While it's not as drastic as switching a big humbuckers from series to single coil, it's still a cool way to organically modify the sound of the instrument, completely independent of the EQ section.
 
#16
Just picked up a set of cream Area P250s new in box on Fleabay for a Pbass mod. They were $70 new when Dimarz lists them for $100 i believe. Will report back when they get set up and dialed in. Like the cream for an 80s Pbass look. Went with these over EMG Geezers
 
#18
I have an Area P. On the same bass I also had a '62 reissue pickup. The Area P is a great sounding pickup, but in the end, I have come to the conclusion that the Reissue P has a more complex midrange. One that I find to be very musical. They are both in that vintage P ballpark, tone wise.
 
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#19
I've looked at the Fender P. pickups and got confused. Is the '62 reissue the same as "The Original" ?

Isotonic, any more description comparing the 2 would be appreciated. I realize words/description only go so far. I'm not wanting to stray too far from the classic p sound though. (so Delanos or Villex isn't what I'm looking for.)

Thanks.
 

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