# Thoughts on Dirty Fingers pickups?



## LPMarshall hack

The reissues....for a LP Custom.


----------



## Purgasound

Well this is a question which could be better answered if we knew thetype of music you play.

ie: Is the death metal pedal a good stomp box?
or: Is the death metal pedal a good stomp box for playing Black Crowes?

I honestly hated the Dirty Fingers pickup and I think the name is very deceiving. It's a super loud pickup that retains the cleanest tone possible. So you plug it up to a JCM800 and you can hardly get the amp to distort. If you wanted a Les Paul to do nothing but clean sounds for country music or something it would be ok. These are downright terrible for rock and roll.

What pickups are in the guitar now?


----------



## LPMarshall hack

American Viking said:


> Well this is a question which could be better answered if we knew thetype of music you play.
> 
> ie: Is the death metal pedal a good stomp box?
> or: Is the death metal pedal a good stomp box for playing Black Crowes?
> 
> I honestly hated the Dirty Fingers pickup and I think the name is very deceiving. It's a super loud pickup that retains the cleanest tone possible. So you plug it up to a JCM800 and you can hardly get the amp to distort. If you wanted a Les Paul to do nothing but clean sounds for country music or something it would be ok. These are downright terrible for rock and roll.
> 
> What pickups are in the guitar now?



I play regular ol' rock n roll and punk, no metal. So no good for that type of music in your opinion? Right now I have Angus sigs in my LP. I like them, just tossing around ideas for a change.


----------



## Purgasound

Yeah if you're jamming rock and punk I'd steer clear of these pups. I tried them in a few guitars and I could never get a good rock tone out of them. Just real loud cleans.


----------



## LPMarshall hack

American Viking said:


> Yeah if you're jamming rock and punk I'd steer clear of these pups. I tried them in a few guitars and I could never get a good rock tone out of them. Just real loud cleans.



Interesting name for a clean sounding pickup. I thought they'd be a raw, rude, agressive pickup.


----------



## redscott131

I'd stay away from those Dirty Fingers pickups. If you are looking at only gibson pickups, for rock n roll, these are the ones to really look at.....

Gibson 57 Classic and 57 Classic Plus (smooth paf sound),

Burstbucker Pros (more rough/raw paf sound), or

490R & 498T (more modern paf sound)


----------



## Adrian R

I install that pickup for a short spell in one of my Gibby Vs..IT SUCKED! It was loud as hell..but cold and very scratchy..

Installed a 498t and never looked back. 498t is my all time favorite Gibby pickup..high output..but warmth..and thick...Cleans up good to just by cutting the throttle a bit..


----------



## Purgasound

LPMarshall hack said:


> Interesting name for a clean sounding pickup. I thought they'd be a raw, rude, agressive pickup.



Kind of like another pickup, the DiMarzio _Humbucker from Hell_. Many many moons ago I ordered it sight unseen from a catalog simply based on the name. Little did I know it's a humbucker that is supposed to recreate a single coil tone without the hum. I had this thing in a BC Rich Ironbird! yuck! Another very deceiving name.


----------



## thrawn86

Maybe 'Dirty Fingers' was chosen intentionally, meaning you could literally _hear_ the dirt scrape the strings as you play, since they are so clean.


----------



## LPMarshall hack

American Viking said:


> Kind of like another pickup, the DiMarzio _Humbucker from Hell_. Many many moons ago I ordered it sight unseen from a catalog simply based on the name. Little did I know it's a humbucker that is supposed to recreate a single coil tone without the hum. I had this thing in a BC Rich Ironbird! yuck! Another very deceiving name.



Ha! An Ironbird with a single coil tone!


----------



## LPMarshall hack

Adrian R said:


> I install that pickup for a short spell in one of my Gibby Vs..IT SUCKED! It was loud as hell..but cold and very scratchy..
> 
> Installed a 498t and never looked back. 498t is my all time favorite Gibby pickup..high output..but warmth..and thick...Cleans up good to just by cutting the throttle a bit..



I like the 498's. Is that your boy Adrian?


----------



## Australian

The Dimarzio Super Distortion has more to offer than the dirty Fingers. We did a recording comparison yesterday, "Over the Mountain" by Ozzy, and while the Dirty Fingers sounded good on lead, the Dimarzio SD has more bite and clarity for that particular song.


----------



## Adrian R

LPMarshall hack said:


> I like the 498's. Is that your boy Adrian?




Yupp..thats my 10 year old...


----------



## LPMarshall hack

Adrian R said:


> Yupp..thats my 10 year old...



A chip off the ol block. Guitar player?


----------



## customwhite

Don't know but this sounds kinda rock to me.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6jckhOfHig]YouTube - Marshall JVM / Les Paul Custom / Gibson Dirty Fingers Pickup[/ame]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObnaiGpwKBU&feature=related]YouTube - Black Label Society - Beginning at Last / BLS[/ame]


----------



## LPMarshall hack

customwhite said:


> Don't know but this sounds kinda rock to me.
> 
> YouTube - Marshall JVM / Les Paul Custom / Gibson Dirty Fingers Pickup
> 
> YouTube - Black Label Society - Beginning at Last / BLS



I've seen this and a few other videos, but you never really can tell from a Youtube vid. Sounded decent though!


----------



## customwhite

LPMarshall hack said:


> I've seen this and a few other videos, but you never really can tell from a Youtube vid. Sounded decent though!



Yeah I know it's hard to tell from youtube vid.
I'd like to try out one myself.
I own two LP custom with the original 498T:s in the bridge
and I think they're suitable for rock, punk, metal.


----------



## Jakeboy

I bought a '76 Explorer back in '78 that came with original Dirty Fingers and they sounded wonderful and crunchy! Songbooks squat about the RIs...


----------



## TheLoudness!!

I don't know about the RI DF's to much but...

In the early 2000's I owned a 1985 Gibson Custom Shop Mathias Jabs Explorer with the original DF pickups. It screamed. If you broke a string, the pickup would pull the strings into it!! very high output indeed. 

I found that guitar in a pawn shop for $495. I kick my ass everyday for letting that one get away


----------



## trobdcso

I like the dirty fingers, but for rock, I am currently using 57 classic plus, and 498t. I like both very much.


----------



## ReiGnMaN

Australian said:


> The Dimarzio Super Distortion has more to offer than the dirty Fingers. We did a recording comparison yesterday, "Over the Mountain" by Ozzy, and while the Dirty Fingers sounded good on lead, the Dimarzio SD has more bite and clarity for that particular song.



Any clips? Would LOVE to hear it.....


As for the dirty fingers being clean and bright I think that may be just what I'm looking for..... I have all hot rodded amps and a 2205 so the "pushing the amp"... yea, not needed here


----------



## Australian

We didnt get to do the final takes of it last week because someone couldnt make it. But tmmorrow i'll upload a snippet of what we did as a test recording so that you can hear the D Fingers pickup.


----------



## Australian

ReiGnMan Here are some rough takes that my nephew did. Notice the Dirty Fngers was squealing, it needs to be waxed if we are going to have the amps loud. Both recordings done with the same amp and same volumes.

This is the Dirty Fingers PU:
SoundClick artist: LAAMusic - page with MP3 music downloads

This is the Super Distortion:
SoundClick artist: LAAMusic - page with MP3 music downloads


----------



## diesect20022000

yeah they aren't for muddy gain. they're clean and tight high output to coincide with hi gain amps. basicaly if you're looking for a tight pickups with rediculous clarity under hi gain these are good (so for me you'd think they'd be AWESOME but, i don't care for them either so far) i DO love the 57 classic and the + though. and i use those (not currently but, did) in my last band playing funk,blues,rock,metal and shred. balanced warm and smooth with a HINT of edge in the plus. super cool pups there. the 489t would be perfect to me but, it has mud butt for what i do which BLOWS cuz they sound soooo good otherwise to my ears. if it's gibby's i agree with redscott on this. those three would be great. warning though BB pros are SUPER bright and egdy so they really do best imo with dark amps and/or guitars. mahogany is their friend.

if you want to try Duncans they have the pearly gates which is modeled after Billy Gibons baby's pups. they have a plus too. those are AWESOME for ceramic magnet pups. for what you want in general though i'd stick PRIMARILY with alnicos and ones with medium coil apearture. close+bright and wide equals harmonic content but, mush. i usualy go medium neck and close alnico bridge. this way you get some of it all tonaly but, i'm a modern player mostly with a taste for richer vintage tones.modern feel and vintage richness=happy fat guy.


----------



## LPMarshall hack

Australian said:


> ReiGnMan Here are some rough takes that my nephew did. Notice the Dirty Fngers was squealing, it needs to be waxed if we are going to have the amps loud. Both recordings done with the same amp and same volumes.
> 
> This is the Dirty Fingers PU:
> SoundClick artist: LAAMusic - page with MP3 music downloads
> 
> This is the Super Distortion:
> SoundClick artist: LAAMusic - page with MP3 music downloads



I preferred the SD in this one....


----------



## captcoolaid

Dirty fingers are not for everyone. I personally do not care for them. To brittle for my tastes. Now I do love some of the super 70's the early ones.


----------



## TNTROY

Me myself i like the Dirty fingers. I can go from Super clean to Thrash metal and everything in between. My rig consist of a 06 Gibson SG Standard loaded with DF's in neck and bridge position running thru a Marshall JCM 2000 DSL50 into a 1960AV cab. I Love It very much.... altho i did change out the V2 pre amp tube in the head to a Grove tube 12ay7 and it is a lot better now... thinking about changing out the V1 position to one too.


----------



## plexi-paul

I have one in the bridge of my 88 LP custom. I read the earlier posts and disagree with a few things. Without offending anyone because we all have our own opinions, here is my take.

1. Extremely high output. Not sure what people mean by "clean" pickups? I run these into a plexi and they push that amp into some nice distortion. Infact, I can't roll off my volume to clean it up as well as my other LP's with 57 classic plus PUPS.

2. These were made for rock. They came out in the seventies. For tone, think Rick Derringer, Molly Hatchet. Not sure why people are not recommending them for rock?

3. Here's the catch. They are on the bright side. If your guitar is a bright guitar, I would stay away. If your guitar is darker, these fit well. My 88 LP custom is very dark. The DF was a great fit for it. However, my 05 LP standard is a lot brighter. No way I would put one of these in there.

For what it's worth, I like mine. But only in certain situations. 

Hope that helps.


----------



## dreyn77

In just a few short years the MF has changed alot. 

Dirty fingers made for amps with high inputs. and shouldn't be compared to trick pickups like 'superdistortion'. 
plug in the SD and turn the guitars vol down to 1,2 and have a listen to the tone shift of the sound. thats the sound of miss match components. it's suppose to be plugged into the low input. 

the dirty fingers is not a miss match component. it really is made for the high input. this is the true 'over wound' pickup. 

GE book 1983 - the P.A.F. pickups have a good deal of power WITH clarity. the sound is capable of sustain without breaking up and the sound quality is unique in that other pickups do not posess it. - end quote.

DF is made with this thinking in mind, so it's MORE of ^that. 

Where in ^that quote does it say the sound quality is 'distorting', 'breaking up', 'scorching', etc... 

NO! it doesn't exist. your 2011/14 perspective is TOTALLY WRONG! 

So basicly if you're playing howlin wolf, chuck berry, bo diddly, then the dirty fingers pickup might make sense to you.  
70's jazz songs etc... 

The marketing guys are just going to slam these pickups into any old piece of crap so they get the quick money income from the usual guys who have NO idea and never bother to research anything older than last week. 

I imagine these pickups give you a slight edge with old amps. 
With all amps the basic core tone is clean, clear, treble. so it's no wonder the dirty fingers is slightly more of this basic sound. 

the modern marshall has 10 times the tone shaping effect than anything these pickups can possibly do to the sound. 

THe old method was, you turned dials down to get tone and fuzz, now you boost everything to get tone and fuzz. 

cassette tapes need to have a cassette tape amp.
blue ray DVDs need to have a blue ray amp player. 

dirty fingers doesn't go into the AFD100. etc...


----------



## Cold Warrior

I'd definitely go for the 500T/496R combo, which was designed to replace the DFs. They are warmer and fuller sounding without being over the top.


----------



## dreyn77

If they are warmer and fuller they are another product and that means 'New'. 
Not '2'. as in superman '2'.


----------



## spanishfly

I have never heard or used the reissue dirty fingers. But the originals used in various Gibson guitars like my 1982 Explorer are Rock & Roll all day long. I even bought a used pair and installed them in my 1996 Les Paul. I use heavy strings .013-.054 and love the snarl my two Gibson's put out. Dirty Fingers pickups can produce early Def Leppard, AC/DC, 38 Special, Scorpions, MSG tone all day long. I'm even considering installing one in a Stratocaster I own.These pickups have been surpassed by other newer pickups for speed metal/death metal tone. But if your tone search is to emulate 70's/80's rock then go find an ORIGINAL set from the late seventies/early eighties. Many sets available on ebay but they are not cheap.


----------



## spanishfly

Side by side comparison of a 1976, 1978, 1981, 1985 Gibson Explorer guitar with various pickups including 1981 Dirty Fingers. Unfortunately no Marshall amplifier.

Gibson Explorer 1976, 1978, 1981 & 1985 With Scott Grove - YouTube


----------



## LPMarshall hack

Nice to see the thread rise again! Still haven't got any DF's, but it's always in the back of my mind. Love the YouTube vid Spanishfly...


----------



## Wiseblood

I just scored an '83 Explorer that has original Dirty Fingers in it. I'm a metal guy, so I'll give my perspective once it arrives.

I was going to put EMGs in (because I just always end up with EMGs) but thought I'd check the DFs out first, I've only heard good things about them.


----------



## Jaymz E

I had a Gibson U-2 from the 80s that had a Dirty fingers in the bridge and 2 unknown single coils. The DF got messed up when I spilled some Kroger Big K soda on it and then I changed the cola killed DF out for a Dimarzio Super Distortion and the SD worked better in that guitar. The SD had a smoother sound.


----------



## jack daniels

My friend has one in the bridge of his Gibson Howard Roberts fusion guitar. What in THE HELL was Gibson thinking? A hot pup in the bridge of a hollowbody guitar, will wonders never cease?


----------



## HOT TUBES 70

Seymour Duncan Custom Custom = all your troubles are over , and get back to playing !


----------



## johnfv

http://www.marshallforum.com/tone-zone/53423-gibson-dirty-fingers-anyone.html#post814875


----------



## jack daniels

LPMarshall hack said:


> The reissues....for a LP Custom.



Les Paul Customs to my ears sound heavy, hard/edgy sounding, and unforgiving tonally like the guitar is almost made of rock maple. They really need a pickup with a softer magnetic field like A2 or unoriented A5 to bring out their best tonal qualities. Dirty Fingers HB's will only exacerbate (make worse) that hard sound. If you are set on installing Gibson Pickups then I'd say Burstbucker 1 (neck) & 2 (bridge) w/A2 magnets would work well OR even the rarer Gibson Custom Humbucker set that only came with Gibson Heritage R8, R9, and R0 guitars in 2013/2014. Occasionally storefronts like Reverb.com have some Gibson Custom Humbucker sets for sale.


----------



## axe4me

I hated them when they first came out.
PT Barnum, uh, Henry J., brought them back for the new generation of buyers.
Regurgitation is part of Henry's game.


----------



## Stringjunkie

I didnt like them when I first got them in my V. I love em now.


----------



## zakkfan82

i bought a Gibson Tom Delonge signature 12 years or so ago before they were even realy sold, i was young n seen Delonge playing that guitar and thought it looked awesome so i called Gibson n they couldnt tell me much, so i called Guitar Center and the talked to Gibson n said they had a few left over from the batch they made for Tom Delonge n i was the first to get it, awesome guitar by the way,but anyway everyones got there opinion and thats cool. I hate almost all stock pickups, they just dont give me what im looking for, but one i recieved the Gibson Delonge 333 with the Dirty Fingers it was the best sound i ever got from a guitar, the feedback was insane at first but ya just learn how to control n play the guitar and its simple, but i just got this guitar back from Ed Roman custom shop n got all new parts and new Dirty Fingers so its basicaly a brand new guitar and no feedback problems anymore but same amazing sound, and i play all styles of music, ive put this pickup in my SG n les paul and couldnt be happier, and all the guitarists i know that have played my guitars over the years end up running to guitar center and installing it in there guitar, and i started playing a Marshall MF350, and now play a mini Mesa Rectifier and its sounded incredible in all amps ive had, i love the dirty fingers and recommend them to anyone, but it may not be ur style but it is a good pickup.


----------



## jack daniels

My buddy's Gibson Howard Roberts Fusion guitar has them in the bridge. One of the many questionable Gibson decisions ever, placing a high output pup in the bridge of a hollow body guitar what utter dolts.


----------



## zakkfan82

i bought a Gibson Tom Delonge 333 about twelve years ago before they were even up for sale, i was young n got a left over from the first batch they made for Delonge to choose from. long story short its the best sound that ive got out of a guitar for me, and im not a punk kid trying to be Blink 182, i just thought it was a cool guitar, and everyone thats played it has ended up putting the dirty fingers in there guitar, it did give me bad feedback problems at first, but ya just have to learn how to play the guitar and its simple, but i just got it back from Ed Romans Custom Shop and got all new parts including a new dirty fingers so my axe is like new and no more feedback problems but the same amazing sound, im quessing the wax pot fixed that, and i started back then with the Marshall MF350 and now use a Mini Mesa Rectifier and play all styles of music and get any killer sound i desire, i love them, but its not for everyone.


----------



## JayDW

Legendary metalhead Erik Rutan of Hate Eternal, Cannibal Corpses and Morbid Angel is using Dirty Fingers in his Ironbird. 
Scooter at Granville Guitars talks about it: 
Apparently the Dirty Fingers can do brutal metal.


----------



## axe4me

I didn't like them in the 70's.

Don't like them today.

They're loud but lack tone.


----------



## Mitchell Pearrow

I have them in my 2018 V and I think they rock ..
Cheers


----------



## anitoli

Those were THE BEST replacement pup made by Gibson, hands down. The only Gibson pup i ever liked.


----------



## matttornado

I can't speak for the re-issues but I have the original ones from the 80s in a Gibson Explorer and they sound great for rock / blues going into my Marshall 1959 and DSL.


----------



## Ufoscorpion

Mitchell Pearrow said:


> I have them in my 2018 V and I think they rock ..
> Cheers


I agree, got them in my 2017 V and they sound great .


----------



## AlvisX

I think I woulda loved em at age 16 , now not so much


----------



## DreamerDeceiver

Dirty fingers paired with the V30 sound good on my buddys lp
really good actually.


----------



## Mitchell Pearrow

AlvisX said:


> I think I woulda loved em at age 16 , now not so much


Why not Alvin ??


----------



## AlvisX

Mitchell Pearrow said:


> Why not Alvin ??



The high output ceramic mag pickups just aren't my thing . DF's are a little spikey for my tastes
I got a couple old Super D's from high school , but thats about it .


----------



## Biff Maloy

My 82 Explorer had DFs. Long time ago but I swapped for Dimarzio PAF types.


----------



## mrjones2004x

Had the epiphone Tom Delonge es333 when they first came out ten plus years ago. Absolutely loved the tone. So thick and ballsy and aggressive. Very very punk I found. 

At the time I was playing a JMP1 head into a 2x12 cab gain maxed.


----------



## scottosan

axe4me said:


> I didn't like them in the 70's.
> 
> Don't like them today.
> 
> They're loud but lack tone.



You picked the absolute worst demo on YouTube of those pickups.


----------

