Dimarzio Model One questions

[rojo412]

I don't see a ton on here about the DIMARZIO MODEL ONE pickups.

I've never really seen one anywhere but in the mudbucker position of anything. My christmas gift this year is going to be a router and I plan on doing some practicing on cadaver basses. One thought was doing a P bass with this as the only pickup... perhaps one for the bridge as well.

Do these do different tones or are they strictly for the dub/classic thump?

 

[hdracer]

I have used them in my Gibson's and Epi's.
It is a improvement on the stock pick up, but not much.
If you want a great pick up in that shape go with a Curtis Novak EB-AA FatBucker Invalid Link Removed or his BS-DS (Bisonic/Darkstar/Starfire) Pickup Invalid Link Removed

Be sure to check your string spacing. The Model One is made for Gibson spacing (narrow)

 

[rojo412]

Good to know! I did see that they make the DP145, which is wider spaced, but yeah... for full on spacing, I may have to look elsewhere.
How are the Novaks, tonally?

 

[ctmullins]

Be sure to check your string spacing. The Model One is made for Gibson spacing (narrow)

It's just not that big of a deal. I'm using a Gibson-spaced Novak with a Fender-spaced BadAss bridge on my RayBird. Visually, they don't line up, but it still works fine.

Wouldn't want to see you limit yourself unnecessarily.

 

[1958Bassman]

I don't see a ton on here about the DIMARZIO MODEL ONE pickups.

I've never really seen one anywhere but in the mudbucker position of anything. My christmas gift this year is going to be a router and I plan on doing some practicing on cadaver basses. One thought was doing a P bass with this as the only pickup... perhaps one for the bridge as well.

Do these do different tones or are they strictly for the dub/classic thump?

If you want to practice with a router, use scrap wood, so you don't have to damage real bodies. Also, buy good router bits- carbide, not steel. Rockler, Woodcraft and other woodworking supply stores sell them. You can buy them online, but educate yourself about why some are better than others. Cheap/dull bits and low power routers are dangerous.

Where the pickup is located makes a big difference in how it will sound. SD Curlee used this pickup on their early basses and it has a punchy sound, good bottom and made for a great Jazz/Rock fusion bass, although it works for other styles, too. It was placed about 2" from the bridge, but you would need to check the pole spacing for best fit on your bass. Mine is over 35 years old and it's not a candidate for replacement.

The ones SD Curlee used have four wires and a series/parallel switch. Big difference in low end when it's in series.

This shot is from before I refinished it and replaced the neck & bridge-

 

[rojo412]

I'm definitely going to practice on scraps, but figured that I will graduate fast enough to make a $50 craigslist P bass copy into a Frankenstein (pronounced "FRONK-en-shteen") project soon enough.

For fun, I thought that a DP120 or DP145, doubled up, could look "Wal-esque", though not sound anything like it.
A couple of those, an adjustable bridge, a ton of switches... it could be a fun time, you know?

Of course, a $245 Novak pickup isn't quite what I'd be after for such a project. The Dimarzio caught my eye for frugality.

 

[66Atlas]

Sounds a bit like my 70's Pedulla-Orsini. Lots of tonal variety and a couple switches to play with. You might look into them for some wiring/other ideas.

& FWIW the bridge pickup poles dont line up due to the narrow spacing but I cant say I ever noticed a problem from it.

 

[DrumsAndBass]

I don't see a ton on here about the DIMARZIO MODEL ONE pickups.

I've never really seen one anywhere but in the mudbucker position of anything. My christmas gift this year is going to be a router and I plan on doing some practicing on cadaver basses. One thought was doing a P bass with this as the only pickup... perhaps one for the bridge as well.

Do these do different tones or are they strictly for the dub/classic thump?

I routed for one of these myself. I put it right up against the neck in a P bass. I tried a single coil mod for it which was just okay in that position. I simply used it for super deep tones. I sent this pickup to one independent channel of a preamp then power amp then cabinet - that whole signal chain was for pure deep tones with lots or RMS amp power and speaker muscle.
This pickup might work well further towards the bridge saddles - your cadaver bass idea should help figure it out. Good luck.

 

[rogerbmiller]

Adam.

For everyone's benefit I can share my thoughts on these as I have had 2. One is currently in my Italia Mondial and in the mudbucker position. Strong to quite strong!

But to answer your question about other placement, I had a Doug Roomian fretless bas a while back and it had this pickup in the sweet spot (i.e. right about where a P pickup would be). The sound was great. Very full, yet articulate. One thing I wish I had done before passing the bass on is install a coil tap switch as I recall you can split these into parallel/series mode or some such. Never did that but it is a feature on my single pickup arias which I really enjoy.

Hope this helps.


RBM

 

[Deep Cat]

One thing I wish I had done before passing the bass on is install a coil tap switch as I recall you can split these into parallel/series mode or some such.

RBM

Respectfully, a coil tap does a whole different thing. A pickup has to be wound a specific way to be be tapped. A switch isn't going to give you a coil tap.

I've had a Model one in neck position (mudbucker?Uncomfortably and inexpertly routed with a dremel) of my P for about twenty years. It's pretty awesome, for certain applications.

What it does well is laying down some serious bass tone. Deep well articulated low end. At least part of that comes from the pickup position, however. It will lose low end the closer to the bridge you put it.

I had a mini switch on it to let me go from series to parallel and for me the series tone was underwhelming. Took the bawls right out of it.

The Model One also steals harmonics in certain frequencies, which is okay more or less. The pickup doesn't really call for Jacoing it up much anyway, but I do consider it to be a design flaw.

DiMarzio also has in it's lineup the Will Power pickups, which according to the marketing materials is essentially an upgrade on the Model One. I'd suggest that one instead.

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

 

[rojo412]

I would think series would ADD balls! But yeah, I am a switch fiend and would definitely be adding options to a pickup such as this.

 

[Deep Cat]

I would think series would ADD balls! But yeah, I am a switch fiend and would definitely be adding options to a pickup such as this.

It's entirely possible that I got my terms confused. The straight up humbucking thing is pretty dreamy. When you switch it up for the "single coil tone, but still humbucking" option, it takes away all the mojo. Or I wired it wrong, which could also be a thing.

 

[rojo412]

By that description, you meant that the PARALLEL mode neutered it. I can understand that completely. I've wired other dual coil humbuckers with series/split/parallel and series is always power, split is noisy, and parallel is noiseless and mid-cut. But hey, a mini switch is still cool to have, even if you don't use it.

Once I get things settled for tools and a frankenbass purchased, I'll probably look for the Will Power and a narrow bridge

 

[moonshinegtrs]

Frankenstein (pronounced "FRONK-en-shteen")

Sorry to derail this thread, but...Between this ^ & your avatar, You my friend, Rock!

You may now return to your regularly scheduled posts.

I've owned several Model ones over the years (have a couple on hand now); They are funky, but cool pickups.

Moonshine

 

[rojo412]

Sorry to derail this thread, but...Between this ^ & your avatar, You my friend, Rock!

No derailment! I thank you for the compliment, but more so for knowing the reference.

As for the Model One/ Will Power, if they are truly FUNKY, I'm truly interested. Seeing as it's usually a NECK pickup in the most literal of terms, I understand that it tends to be used to get a throbbing, velvet hammer classic rock or dub reggae tone when placed there. But I've long wondered if that changes when it's put into other places.
Its slight resemblance to the Darkstar (ie, a big square pickup) made me wonder how it could change the venerable P bass by putting it in the P position. And further, how it would be in the bridge position. I like that position to have more power than a typical J pickup delivers.

 

[Martin Beer]

I had one in a bass, fairly close to the bridge. It was always too dark sounding for me in series. Parallel wasn't much better, but using just one coil cleared things up a little.

 

[redzebra6]

I bought a used Model One several years ago, with the intention of sticking it in a Bronco Bass. After acquiring the Bronco, hacking a hole in the body with my Dremel, and wiring it with a 3 way switch (parallel, single, series), came to the conclusion:

1) it is a tall pup. not really much room for pole adjustment
2) not a lot of difference between single coil and parallel. There might be, but my abused ears can't really tell
3) series is b@d@$$! although parallel does have it's applications, it didn't sound anemic to me. Again though, I've abused my hearing
4) I get carried away with commas in my sentences. and capitalization
5) If anything, it improved the looks of the Bronco. No, I didn't put it by the neck

 

[rojo412]

Okay, so I wanted to find out the STRING SPACING on the WILL POWER. I'm sure it's on the narrower side, but just wondering how narrow. No specs on the website.

FWIW, I'm thinking of doing a "Pseudo Wal" project with these. Only to look like one, really, but also for fun.
An Ibanez Roadstar II, these, custom PG, ACG preamp, and a lot of creativity.