Dimarzio DP250 Area P - why the mystery?

[Axstar]

Dimarzio are happy to admit to making three flavours of P pickup: The Model P, The Split P and the Will Power 'middle' pickup. These are all fairly unconventional P pickups.

There is one further pickup, lurking in the shadows. I first saw it as part of an 'Area PJ' pickup set, but recently I spotted a lone Area P pickup for sale on Ebay. Dimarzio sell these pickups as individual items, complete with their own packaging, unique to the type. However it appears that this pickup, the 'Area P' doesn't have a page on the Dimarzio website; you would think they only offered Area J pickups. Why the secrecy?

The Area P appears to be a very conventional, orthodox P bass pickup. It is the answer to the question 'why don't Dimarzio make a normal P bass pickup?'. Yet they barely acknowledge that they make it!

My second question would be, what do these pickups sound like? Seymour Duncan must sell a lot of SPB-1 pickups to people chasing '60s tones, so is the Area P much the same?

 

[JGR]

Great question. The Area P and Area PJ set are some of the best pickups I've tried.

 

[walterw]

i think the area P is alnico II, making it a little unusual, but yeah, why the heck are they hiding it from us like this?

 

[Laurent]

SD SPB-1 is SD take on a late 50's pickup not a sixties pickup by the way.

The Area P are a hidden gem in DiMarzio's book, they are beautiful sounding if you're looking for a relaxed, relatively low output, very musical sixties sounding pickup.
It's a very detailed very "airy" pickup. Highly recommended. Look at what Alnico II does for a pickup, it's key to understanding and appreciating what this pup can do for you.

 

[Slater]

I just think Dimarzio isn't that great at maintaining their website. They recently made some changes, and now the links to their wiring diagrams are broken.

 

[eastcoasteddie]

Same question can go for "Why doesn't Dimarzio make Fender-Sized Jazz V pickups?". 4.10" Bridge and 3.95" neck...they're missing out on a significant market.
But that's Dimarzio...I guess...

 

[BeyondFiredUp]

Hey TB Gang,
I just finished the install and wiring of a Dimarzio Area P that I purchased from a fellow TBer tonight and I am totally LOVING this P pickup. It was for a mod I'm pretty much done with turning my Squire VM Jazz into a PJ, or JP depending on how you think of it. Very killer deep and full even tone. Not scooped at all and very full, and I mean vintage full. I highly recommend this P pickup to anyone. Cheers!!

 

[davesultra]

What value pots did you use?

 

[Killed_by_Death]

done with turning my Squire VM Jazz

You might want to update the head-stock:

 

[BeyondFiredUp]

You might want to update the head-stock:

Yep KbD, that is one of the final things on my plate. I will probably do the custom tag thing. Remove the current Squier tag completely and install a personalized mark. I'm seriously considering having one made of my first name (which is two syllables and somewhat similar to Fender in appearance) which will incorporate the Fender style cursive font. That's the plan for now anyway.

 

[BeyondFiredUp]

What value pots did you use?

Left the 250's in there. Sounding fine...

 

[Backdrop]

Everyone still happy with their Area P?

I'm getting that pickup switch itch.

 

[BeyondFiredUp]

You might want to update the head-stock:

Yep KbD, that is one of the final things on my plate. I will probably do the custom tag thing. Remove the current Squier tag completely and install a personalized mark. I'm seriously considering having one made of my first name (which is two syllables and somewhat similar to Fender in appearance) which will incorporate the Fender style cursive font. That's the plan for now anyway.

As promised...a fellow TBer designed this for me using a style patterned after the Fender style font! I couldn't be happier!

 

[Axstar]

I now have an Area P in my PJ Mustang.

It is a great pickup! It has a low output and mellow tone, and it mixes nicely with the Area J in the bridge position. After the Model P and J pickups it is a bit of a revelation!

 

[ezra1]

I bought one from a fellow forum member and I like it.
I had to email DiMarzio tech support for the specs on it .
They were prompt getting back to me with the specs and did tell me that it is their take on a vintage Precision pick up but with more clarity and definition.

 

[PawleeP]

As promised...a fellow TBer designed this for me using a style patterned after the Fender style font! I couldn't be happier!

View attachment 3403763

What Font is that? I want to do one with PawleeP...Custom Bass on headstock.

 

[Axstar]

Bumping my old thread, but I've moved my Area P into my P Bass and I love it! A rich, evenly voiced pickup with heaps of P Bass character. Big thumbs up!

 

[PawleeP]

View attachment 3585167
What Font is that? I want to do one with PawleeP...Custom Bass on headstock.

thanx tedford.. you can delete the picture of this double j bass since it is kinda off topic

 

[Smooth_bass88]

I wonder if the Area P is anything like Sadowsky P pickups since DiMarzio makes pickups for Sadowsky.