Questions about Dimarzio Super Distorsion

[Wenander]

I used mine for 5 years or something, when i installed it it didnt really do much difference compared to the originals in my Aria Les Paul. So i let it stay installed. Now I switched back, and Im trying to find out what year it´s from, it cant be from the early 70´s cuz it is a 4 conductor, but i can´t find out what year that was released, the original was 3 conductor and the name was "Dimarzio Super Distorsion, the Dual Sound®" I measured almost half the resistance compared to what´s in the spec´s at dimarzio.com, has it maybe changed over the years and a brand new today is hotter ??? It was a bit to hot, could do with less. ....mine is excactly 8 Ohm, and 13.68 Ohm is the Dimarzio specs

And when I snooped around some more I found out about the standard and F-spaced size. And in the PDF on that there is pictures from straight above the pickup, and next to that there are two pictures looking from the side, and one of them looks like mine, the twelve screws goes straight through and out the bottom and it has the same thickness as the picture, .573 inches .... the ones without screws straight trough are .631 .... So i have a standad spaced I know that much at least.

was there ever a super distorsion for use in the neck position or what? I could see why it´s half the output in that case, but i cant find any info. But hey it worked great in the bridge position.

those two pics with two different looking pickups from the side is on both the f-spaced and standard sheet.

Hope I dont sound to confusing....

I want to know what it is i have =)

 

[ricksdisconnected]

in

 

[Wenander]

in

What?

 

[jeffb]

I'm guessing you have a Super 2 from the mid 80s there (has the clipped "triangle" shaped screw tabs) The DiMarzio Super 2 was designed as a neck companion to the Super D- they should read in the mid to high 8K range, but that varies depending on room temp- temp of pickup, etc.

I've not used one in so long I cannot remember what it should look like on the bottom- might google around to confirm. Also, Steve Blucher at Dimarzio has been very helpful when I've sent tech questions previously, though it's been many moons- he may not be doing that stuff himself anymore. Might still want to send the pics to the Dimarzio tech email.

 

[ricksdisconnected]

in for the tread reply.

 

[jeffb]

A good nights sleep will help clear our minds.

That's right on spec and look for a PAF Pro- it's using a thinner magnet than a Super 2 would (the Supers use really thick ceramics), it also has the dark/black allen screw pole pieces (Supers D and Super 2 used shiny silver) the PAF Pro is more likely- I'd shoot Dimarzio an email to confirm.

 

[paul-e-mann]

I used mine for 5 years or something, when i installed it it didnt really do much difference compared to the originals in my Aria Les Paul. So i let it stay installed. Now I switched back, and Im trying to find out what year it´s from, it cant be from the early 70´s cuz it is a 4 conductor, but i can´t find out what year that was released, the original was 3 conductor and the name was "Dimarzio Super Distorsion, the Dual Sound®" I measured almost half the resistance compared to what´s in the spec´s at dimarzio.com, has it maybe changed over the years and a brand new today is hotter ??? It was a bit to hot, could do with less. ....mine is excactly 8 Ohm, and 13.68 Ohm is the Dimarzio specs

And when I snooped around some more I found out about the standard and F-spaced size. And in the PDF on that there is pictures from straight above the pickup, and next to that there are two pictures looking from the side, and one of them looks like mine, the twelve screws goes straight through and out the bottom and it has the same thickness as the picture, .573 inches .... the ones without screws straight trough are .631 .... So i have a standad spaced I know that much at least.

was there ever a super distorsion for use in the neck position or what? I could see why it´s half the output in that case, but i cant find any info. But hey it worked great in the bridge position.

those two pics with two different looking pickups from the side is on both the f-spaced and standard sheet.

Hope I dont sound to confusing....

I want to know what it is i have =)
View attachment 109942 View attachment 109943 View attachment 109944

Maybe somebody stuffed an A2 magnet in it?

 

[jeffb]

Maybe somebody stuffed an A2 magnet in it?

At this point in time...mid 80s, u were more than likely to destroy the pickup if you did not know what you are doing..this is when they started epoxying magnets to the baseplate (for noise purposes). That pickup looks untouched.

 

[Neptical]

The Super D is the G.O.A.T pup.

Seen in my maple neck Strats.

It will surely be in my new Epi LP, no doubt about it.

 

[Rudy v]

Here is a pickup chart

 

[Rudy v]

I used mine for 5 years or something, when i installed it it didnt really do much difference compared to the originals in my Aria Les Paul. So i let it stay installed. Now I switched back, and Im trying to find out what year it´s from, it cant be from the early 70´s cuz it is a 4 conductor, but i can´t find out what year that was released, the original was 3 conductor and the name was "Dimarzio Super Distorsion, the Dual Sound®" I measured almost half the resistance compared to what´s in the spec´s at dimarzio.com, has it maybe changed over the years and a brand new today is hotter ??? It was a bit to hot, could do with less. ....mine is excactly 8 Ohm, and 13.68 Ohm is the Dimarzio specs

And when I snooped around some more I found out about the standard and F-spaced size. And in the PDF on that there is pictures from straight above the pickup, and next to that there are two pictures looking from the side, and one of them looks like mine, the twelve screws goes straight through and out the bottom and it has the same thickness as the picture, .573 inches .... the ones without screws straight trough are .631 .... So i have a standad spaced I know that much at least.

was there ever a super distorsion for use in the neck position or what? I could see why it´s half the output in that case, but i cant find any info. But hey it worked great in the bridge position.

those two pics with two different looking pickups from the side is on both the f-spaced and standard sheet.

Hope I dont sound to confusing....

I want to know what it is i have =)
View attachment 109942 View attachment 109943 View attachment 109944

I think your pickup is, or probable made for the japanese market, it has no d p number on it here is a picture from a original pickup

 

[marco_giampa23]

I recently just had a triple set of super distortions in an Ace Frehley Epiphone les paul and they measured around that 13k range, exactly the same output as my Gibson 498t bridge out of my les paul, and they sounded pretty much the same to me. One thing I did notice was the neck pickup (marked as a neck) had almost the exact same output as the bridge pickup, whereas most sets like the 490r/498t set, the neck is a lot less hot

 

[jeffb]

I think your pickup is, or probable made for the japanese market, it has no d p number on it here is a picture from a original pickup View attachment 110423

Triangle tabs and stamped baseplate = much later pickup. Not to mention it's a Humbucker from Hell- not introduced until the early 1990s.

Early Dimarzios had square tabs and vintage braid. Both dropped for 3/4 con wire and triangle tabs in the early 1980s. Stamped baseplates came way later.

Here is a 70s/early 80s, and a late 80s (F spaced)

 

[AlvisX]

What @Rudy v said ....

The pickup in the photo looks like a Made For Japan pickup
IIRC it was called K-10
They are ceramic mags ,steel slugs ,wound around the same as a Super II

I have one in the neck of a Les Paul and the neck of an Ibanez Flying V

 

[junk notes]

Nice early DSD. The slot head screws are smaller diameter, taller - rounder in height - mid 70s. late 70s flatter wider.
OP is not a DSD, easily seen in comparison to the square leg DSD baseplate. Different tooling holes in bobbin. The M and N on the baseplate stamp are rounded and does not reflect the preciseness of an early font stamp.
I agree part of verifying the OPs pup are those dark hex slugs, four wire (black shrink), and what the Ω's would be. Triangle tabs - 80s.

I'd shoot Dimarzio an email to confirm.

 

[Rudy v]

Probable the earlier pickups have a us pat. No. 4.501.185 these pickups have a greater range of harmonic overtones than standard humbuckers, which you can best hear with an overdriven sound.

 

[Derek S]

I could probably google this but we clearly have some long time Dimazio fans here - about what year did they start offering cream Super D's? Or cream humbuckers in general for that matter?

 

[nickfox]

I could probably google this but we clearly have some long time Dimazio fans here - about what year did they start offering cream Super D's? Or cream humbuckers in general for that matter?

Dimarzio got a trademark on the double cream humbucker on June 23, 1981 and they enforce it. The super distortion began in 1972. I think they began life as cream pickups. They are my personal favorite pickup.

 

[Rudy v]

I know in the earlie 1980 i have a hondo guitar en it have yes dimarzio pickups in it.

 

[Rudy v]

Here is a ad, from november 1978 of hondo ii and its from this magazine