Recommend me a dimarzio pickup for my VH strat

[Marshall SL12301]

SL123, have you played the EVH pickup, if so how does that compare to the SH5?

it is basically the same pup only with a A2 magnet(EVH) instead of the customs ceramic

[Marshall SL12301]

Or, more interestingly, could it be that it always was the same original rewind with smaller gauge poly wire to ~13k, and Ed just swapped magnets a few times over the years (e.g. ceramic -> A5 -> A2)?

It would be fun to swap a original spec (not Chinese) PAF A5 magnet into a Duncan Custom and play some VHII riffs.

To the first, I think that is exacly what eddie did! same wind diff mags
as far as the second i already have tried that(spec'ed paf A5 mag in a custom) and it does not really do the VH tone all that great,it is very mid scooped and bassy whereas if you use a A2 in that same pup it does which is duncans custom-custom. this is essentially the EVH frankenstein pup

[hammered]

I still think the first record is a original duncan custom sh5 like this one,mine is a 1978 wound by seymour

So the Mighty Mite is out of the question now?

[Marshall SL12301]

I still think the first record is a original duncan custom sh5 like this one,mine is a 1978 wound by seymour

So the Mighty Mite is out of the question now?

Since i was not there no it is not out of the question he may have used a MM?
but of the two i think the custom sounds closer.

[dirtycooter]

I don't get it. Frank replica is a2, wolfgang evh is a5-then plays both on tour last time out and this time out as well. Not hardly any difference. There is some difference but not the glaring amazing difference i have heard in all the pickup clips posted here over the years. I always hear the same weak pick attack and lack of bite with a2. So i have to ask, the franken replica is the ONLY pickup Ed has stamped as an evh pickup that uses a2. PV, EBMM, EVH WG are all a5. I don't think anyone ever said legitamatley the replica was a2 did they??? O have yet to see anywhere this a2 is confirmed. Anybody??????

[Ted B]

So i have to ask, the franken replica is the ONLY pickup Ed has stamped as an evh pickup that uses a2. PV, EBMM, EVH WG are all a5. I don't think anyone ever said legitamatley the replica was a2 did they??? O have yet to see anywhere this a2 is confirmed. Anybody??????

It can be confusing unless one reads through the discussions with F. Falbo taking part.

Falbo stated definitively that the new EVH/Fender pickup is not A5, which presumably makes it A2. This is aimed to be representative of the pickup in Frankenstrat as it is today (comparable to Duncan Custom Custom), and has been for quite some years.

The pickups used for the EBMM and WG are something different, and not representative of anything we view as historically relevant.

[rgorke]

Since DiMarzio had an exclusive on the "Double Cream" color in the 80s ...

They may have been the only maker of a double cream hex pole pickup at that time(?), but certainly not the only maker of double cream pickups.

I have a double cream hex pole MM pickup from the '70s so I am not sure they were exclusive to Dimarzio.

[Marshall SL12301]

I don't get it. Frank replica is a2, wolfgang evh is a5-then plays both on tour last time out and this time out as well. Not hardly any difference. There is some difference but not the glaring amazing difference i have heard in all the pickup clips posted here over the years. I always hear the same weak pick attack and lack of bite with a2. So i have to ask, the franken replica is the ONLY pickup Ed has stamped as an evh pickup that uses a2. PV, EBMM, EVH WG are all a5. I don't think anyone ever said legitamatley the replica was a2 did they??? O have yet to see anywhere this a2 is confirmed. Anybody??????

the EBMM EVH set is A5
the peavey wolfgangs are A5
the newer EVH wolf set is A5
the EVH in the charvel art strat is A5
the pup in the kramer 1984 reissuse is A5
the two duncans(78 and EVH frankenstein) are the only two with A2 mags
Dont know what that is?
I own both the 78 and the EVH frank and the frank pup has a strong magnet pull more than when i tested the 78?
THe EVH frank is said to have a weakened A2 so i dont get why this is and no one over at duncan is talking!

[Marshall SL12301]

Since DiMarzio had an exclusive on the "Double Cream" color in the 80s ...

They may have been the only maker of a double cream hex pole pickup at that time(?), but certainly not the only maker of double cream pickups.

I have a double cream hex pole MM pickup from the '70s so I am not sure they were exclusive to Dimarzio.

NO not that that time, the trademark for double cream came in the early 80's. prior to that duncans,MM's and others were available in cream

[Marshall SL12301]

The 78 is a low output 9k alnico II pickup,the EVH Franky replica is a 14k highout alnico II pickup(same specs as the Duncan custom custom same pickup).They are both in my opinion not early VH sounding very bass heavy and soft attack with no highend cut and less open sounding.I believe that they alnico II magnet thing was started by someone on the net and it grew so much that seymour picked up on it and its now a cash maker for duncan.I just dont see using a alnico II magnet pickup for early VH.Ive tried them and the sound is just not there.

you make a interesting point about the A2 but what about the EVH frankenstein pup? is that really another magnet even though they say weakened A2? It has a strong pull for A2 if you put metal to the pole pieces it is stronger than a definite A2 loaded pup like the pearly gates or seth lover. I own these and that is the case

[Ted B]

Windings won't affect the strength of the magnet.

I might offer to discount all the A2 speak from the early days, simply because it remains unsubstantiated. The Duncan mag ad from '79 substantiates the Custom as the early VH pickup. The same wind but with a different magnet substantiates what apparently came later, simply because it is still there. As for a different (e.g. 42awg) wind with A2, we don't know when that may have actually happened if it ever did, and no one else can offer anything on the record to verify. It seems to be the one data point in the curve that doesn't fit.

This is just my observation, all things considered.

[Marshall SL12301]

Ted more food for thought to this, the Frankenstein version that is offered by the duncan custom shop called the IM-1 uses a alnico 5! they claim they cant sell the frankenstein the way fender sells it because it is a fender exclusive
So is the fender one the one eddie actually used or is it really the duncan A5 version called the IM-1

[dirtycooter]

See this is where i think Duncan dicks everything all up. He has had how many models alledged to be "it"????
Hes havin alot of fun and fillin his pockets. Its a smoke show that is mutually just workin for both Ed and Duncan and anyone else with a claim to anything here.
We heard the dsd and i feel most of us agree its closer than any a2 mag pickup example-and its at the extreme opposite of ceramic. We are searchin for alot of drive and a paf voice. What could be better than to have that in the pickup? The 78 is miniscule in comparison for the drive attribute.
I have to say that what ever was available from Duncan around 79 on back is the list to pick from. That advertisement means something. Ralles club boot tone is so damn greasy its sick. Spot on chillingly convincing! Anything that came later is just reinventing the mystery and murkin the water up and it continues to work.
I am positive the dsd was the beginnings of the whole thing-we just have to sort through what duncan may have contrived for Ed. I am sure Ed wasn't about to approach a pickup maker like dimarzio and say hey-wind this up on these bobbins or do this or that. Of course another winder is gonna be like-yeah bro, i can do that but better, stick with me and i will learn ya somethin.
so the sh5 deserves some careful lookin at. All the other stuff is too late in the game in my book to be appearing if it was anything. The whole story about the can't measure it cause it gives no reading? The most sought after money makin tone in the musical merchandise world and somehow theres no spec?? SURE. And i won't come in your mouth baby
We keep finding out more and more alot of everything dingus used was fairly plentiful and regularly available. Look at the mxr phase 90 hoopla. Finally it takes 10 models and whirlwind to finally start makin them like they used to again. But dunlop sure had a marketing field day with everybody didn't they?
I smell the same crap on the pickup issue. Clips have been the best learning tool but what makes it a royal mess is everyone is tweakin and usin different gear or specs and amps.
So as the spec of the amp unfolds so does the clips of pickups and what they really can do. We weren't lookin at dsd's at all awhile ago, but there sure is a boatload of missin balls and gain we stumbled onto.

[Ted B]

Ted more food for thought to this, the Frankenstein version that is offered by the duncan custom shop called the IM-1 uses a alnico 5! they claim they cant sell the frankenstein the way fender sells it because it is a fender exclusive So is the fender one the one eddie actually used or is it really the duncan A5 version called the IM-1

Ok, I had to edit and re-clarify my post above. The A2 magnet itself fits into the picture, simply because it is in Frankenstrat's pickup right now. But, I have no idea when it appears. 1984? 5150? Or ... ? F. Falbo reports that the pickup in Frankenstrat right now, and presumably at least since the 'Van Hagar' days is a 14k poly (probably 43awg), with A2.

The pickup for the new megabuck guitar that aims to replicate the current Frankenstrat pickup uses two different gauges of wire, and a magnet that is not A5 (all Duncan is saying).

Duncan does not have the rights to sell that pickup individually. Duncan's closest sounding custom shop offering uses different wire and a different magnet. That pickup is the IM1, and use a degaussed A5.

See this is where i think Duncan dicks everything all up. He has had how many models alledged to be "it"????

I feel we all agree with that sentiment at this point.

[Marshall SL12301]

The pickup for the new megabuck guitar that aims to replicate the current Frankenstrat pickup uses two different gauges of wire, and a magnet that is not A5 (all Duncan is saying).
.

So the pup in the replica strat has a pup that use two different wire gauges like one coil AWG42 and the other AWG43?
is that what frank is saying? IF so that is the 59/custom hybrid!