Vintage 1970's Dimarzio precision pickup. £65 £70

[hamfist]

[size=5]Now on ebay as an auction, 99p no reserve, so no longer available as a "buy it now".[/size]

[size=5][url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=181131284089"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=181131284089[/url][/size]


For sale this great 1970's vintage Dimarzio P pickup. labelled "patent applied for" on the rear. This gives a great, woody, warm precision tone. Surprisingly strong output from them too.
This came in a bass I bought but I have changed it to a Dimarzio model P as I'm looking for a more cutting, punchy "ceramic pickup" type tone.
If you're wanting warm, woody vintage tone, this thing has it in spades. Comes with cream colour covers, although they are not glued on so you can easily put some black ones on if you prefer.

Really not too sure on a price, but I'll start at [s]£70[/s], now £65 posted. If no takers at that, I'll edge it down bit by bit over the weeks.

[url="http://www.ephotobay.com/share/dimarzio-front.html"][/url]

[url="http://www.ephotobay.com/share/dimarzio-rear.html"][/url]

Edited April 28, 2013 by hamfist

[Geek99]

Excuse my ignorance but what do the various wires do ?

[hamfist]

[quote name='Geek99' timestamp='1366818720' post='2057635']
Excuse my ignorance but what do the various wires do ?
[/quote]

Standard precision wiring. Each separate pickup has a "hot" and a "ground" wire. The hot wire from one pickup is connected to the ground wire from the other, thus wiring them in series. That leaves you one hot wire and one ground wire to connect to your wiring loom in your bass. Simples !

[Mr. Foxen]

What's the difference between that and a Dimarzio model P?

[Geek99]

I'm building a p replica so this may be of interest
Are the pole pieces recessed ? Might be my eyesight

[Mr. Foxen]

[quote name='Geek99' timestamp='1366830714' post='2057894']
I'm building a p replica so this may be of interest
Are the pole pieces recessed ? Might be my eyesight
[/quote]

Adjustable with an allen key.

[hamfist]

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' timestamp='1366831704' post='2057909']
Adjustable with an allen key.
[/quote]

Correct the polepieces all have an allen key end on them.

@Geek99, the polepieces are not recessed, it's just that I didn't have the covers pushed properly down on the pickups for the photos.

@Mr.Foxen, This pickup is significantly warmer than a model P. Much more going on in the lower mids, rather than the more upper mid bite of the model P. Giving what I have described as a "woody" tone. Obviously that word is utterly subjective but it seems to bring out the natural sound of the wood in the bass, rather than over-ride it with it's own tone.

Suprisingly, it also has a slightly higher output than my model P.

[Ashwood1985]

Hi Alan,

You have a PM sir,

Ash

[hamfist]

Still available. plus small price drop. Lots of interest, but no-one quite ready to lay down the cash yet !

[Guest MoJo]

Interested in a trade for another Model P?

[hamfist]

[quote name='MoJo' timestamp='1367666167' post='2068114']
Interested in a trade for another Model P?
[/quote]

Sorry MoJo, see opening post - it's now on an ebay auction with bidders, so I'm commited to letting it run it's course now.

Edited May 4, 2013 by hamfist

[Ou7shined]

As this is no longer for sale on here... it's not a Dimarzio.
None the less they sound pretty nice.

[hamfist]

[quote name='Ou7shined' timestamp='1367684895' post='2068414']
As this is no longer for sale on here... it's not a Dimarzio.
None the less they sound pretty nice.
[/quote]

Sorry, I don't understand, is this a joke, or ?

I don't want to be over-serious but just don't want anyone to be misled about the pickup if they happen to be bidding on it on ebay. Do you know anything of the history of this particular pickup ?

[Ou7shined]

No joke. They come from no name Jap imports. They litterally have no name on the headstock. They do resemble Dimarzio's though and probably are 70's or 80's vintage and may well have been produced under licence. However, the research I (and other more Japcrap savy folk) carried into them was inconclusive.
Now here's the thing... I actually like these pups. In fact I have a couple in my own private stock (one still resides in it's original bass... which I paid £80 for and was possibly over the odds considering, but I liked the bass) . The rub is that one holds more definition than the other. So my guess is that wherever they were made, they didn't have consistency in mind during the manufacturing process.
The upshot is that they have balls... but they aren't Dimarzio.

[hamfist]

[quote name='Ou7shined' timestamp='1367724822' post='2068756']
No joke. They come from no name Jap imports. They litterally have no name on the headstock. They do resemble Dimarzio's though and probably are 70's or 80's vintage and may well have been produced under licence. However, the research I (and other more Japcrap savy folk) carried into them was inconclusive.
Now here's the thing... I actually like these pups. In fact I have a couple in my own private stock (one still resides in it's original bass... which I paid £80 for and was possibly over the odds considering, but I liked the bass) . The rub is that one holds more definition than the other. So my guess is that wherever they were made, they didn't have consistency in mind during the manufacturing process.
The upshot is that they have balls... but they aren't Dimarzio.
[/quote]

OK, fair enough. I'm no expert on these things. But how absolutely certain are you that these are the pickups you are describing, as you have not actually seen, held or played them ? There seem to be a lot of "ifs" and "buts" and "inconclusives" in your post. A PM might also have been a more tactful way to potentially sabotage my sale, which it might well do, as most bass-savvy buyers in the UK read here as well as ebay.
At the moment, unless I have more compelling evidence, I will stick to my Dimarzio description as that is what they were sold to me as. If you can guide me to any discussion, pics etc online about the pickups you are describing I would be most interested to read it. cheers.

[The Bass Doc]

FWIW I've only ever seen 'Patent applied For' stickers on genuine 70s DiMarzios - never seen oriental copies carrying such a statement - it's a USA thing.

If it's possible to remove one of the cream covers they would have 'DiMarzio' stamped on the inside as extra proof.

[hamfist]

[quote name='The Bass Doc' timestamp='1367748643' post='2068930']
FWIW I've only ever seen 'Patent applied For' stickers on genuine 70s DiMarzios - never seen oriental copies carrying such a statement - it's a USA thing.

If it's possible to remove one of the cream covers they would have 'DiMarzio' stamped on the inside as extra proof.
[/quote]

OK, well I've just had a look under the covers and moulded into the cream covers is "Dimarzio USA", so I'm still pretty confident that these are the real deal.

[Ou7shined]

[quote name='hamfist' timestamp='1367737218' post='2068778']
OK, fair enough. I'm no expert on these things. But how absolutely certain are you that these are the pickups you are describing, as you have not actually seen, held or played them ? There seem to be a lot of "ifs" and "buts" and "inconclusives" in your post. A PM might also have been a more tactful way to potentially sabotage my sale, which it might well do, as most bass-savvy buyers in the UK read here as well as ebay.
At the moment, unless I have more compelling evidence, I will stick to my Dimarzio description as that is what they were sold to me as. If you can guide me to any discussion, pics etc online about the pickups you are describing I would be most interested to read it. cheers.
[/quote]

With the utmost respect and without wishing to get drawn too deeply into this... as we all know how these things end (or at least how they were heading when I used to be on here all the time)

The reason I'm 99.999999% certain that these are the same pups is because you were kind enough to post a pic of them, and as I'm sure you will agree they are quite distinct in appearance. You are quite right that there are if and buts in my post but this is because I prefer to deal with known facts - I will always offer the benefit of doubt to the opposing party no matter how certain I am in my own mind or how wrong I know they are (now ask me what I think about monotheism. lol). As you pointed out I have not actually seen, held or played those actual pups you have in your possession, these are compelling points to your side of the discussiont and I bow to your personal experience regarding them however will you concede that given your picture and description I may draw comparisons to others which appear identical in every respect?

I genuinely have no interest in sabotaging your thread bud. If that was my inexplicably random intention I would have said something on day one. The reason I posted was because you had stated that the pups were now withdrawn from sale on here. For my point of view looking at the big picture, if future Basschaters were to research these pups (as I did a few years ago) then they could easily stumble across this thread and soon we have a domino effect of misinformation. I have seen these pups go on ebay described as Dimarzios before and there's nothing you, I or anyone can do about that but at least on here we can keep it real for our own bass community.

You can choose to believe the guy who sold them to you or me it's no skin off my nose. It was my sole intention to state for the record and to aid future BCers that the providence of these pups is (at the very least) questionable - this is not to take anything away from the fact that they can be very tasty pups if you get a good one.
If they said Dimarzio on them then it's an open and shut case and everyone's happy - none more so than myself. Unfortunately they don't and as yet have we no proof that they are. What they are is what they are. It would be a shame for someone to buy them for what they aren't, as I'm sure you'll agree.

I'm not sure you will accept this as any form of proof or evidence pointing you in the right direction but for your interest and maybe others, this fine hungover morning I have for your delight and delectation opened up the 2 basses that I have which I believe to have the same pups in.



Am I still talking out of my butt?

Although it's not too easy to see, the fretless' pup has the same red, green, black, white wiring configuration.
The blonde is the original bass for these pups (the maple thumbrest is my own addition) and since buying it I have seen 4 or 5 identical ones on the bay... all with no name on the headstock.

If you are still 100% sure these are Dimarzios then fine. We'll agree to dissagree for now.

Howard may well be correct with his assumption of the US connection. At the time I was looking into the pups we concluded the same possibility but agreed it more likely that with so many of these mystery "no name" basses in UK circulation that the basses themselves probably originated east of here... even mainland Europe... again speculation.
I have not been able to see under the covers are they are all very securely potted and hacking into them could damage the windings. The "Patent applied For" sticker may well indicate a Stateside origin but again afaic it's not 100% conclusive to saying they are genuine Dimarzios.

Oy vey

[Ou7shined]

[quote name='hamfist' timestamp='1367755958' post='2069062']
OK, well I've just had a look under the covers and moulded into the cream covers is "Dimarzio USA", so I'm still pretty confident that these are the real deal.
[/quote]

Haha that's pretty compelling evidence. My bad.
Took me frickin ages to write that ^ too in the state my head is in.

"[i]Ah! Well, prepare to put mustard on those words, for you will soon be consuming them along with this slice of humble pie that comes direct from the oven of shame, set at gas mark "egg on your face"![/i]"

I wish Bassassin was still about as it was him that put me in my place about them before. If only we'd had the guts to pry open the covers ourselves, we could have saved a lot of server space. Ah well mystery solved. Got me some Dimarzios. Nice one.

Edited May 5, 2013 by Ou7shined

[The Bass Doc]

Don't beat yourself up over the mistaken DM identification - nobody but [i]nobody [/i]knows everything.

Just so happens I know more than most

The Bass Doc.

(*removing covers from pickups since 1964*)

Edited May 5, 2013 by The Bass Doc

[Ou7shined]

[quote name='The Bass Doc' timestamp='1367761828' post='2069146']
Don't beat yourself up over the mistaken DM identification - nobody but [i]nobody [/i]knows everything.

Just so happens I know more than most

The Bass Doc.

(*removing covers from pickups since 1964*)
[/quote]

Haha ta.

Just begs the question now, who was putting Dimarzios in these unbranded basses?

[The Bass Doc]

Hmmm....... got me there Holmes.

Are we sure they were factory fitted as opposed to modified by the first owner?

If you are the original owner of one of them, may we perhaps assume the maker out East did a deal with DiMarzio when they were first being established?

We may never know............

[Ou7shined]

Every one of these basses that I've seen has had a cream Dimarzio fitted so I'm going to have to go with the latter.

[hamfist]

My pickup may, of course, not be the same as yours, Ou7shined. The pickup covers on mine are not firmly attached to the guts in any way, which may indicate that they are from a different source to yours ...... or may not, of course.
The pickups you are referring to may be aftermarket copies of the Dimarzio orignal. I suspect we'll never know. These particular pickups I got from FunkShui, who got the bass from Rasta, who actually assembled the bass. You might get more info from him.

I do feel for you writing that massive response and finding out it was almost all for nowt. I suspect that we've all done similar in the past. The usual scenario for me is to spend half and hour writing a post, press "post" and then the software crashes ... all lost.

[SimonH]

Glad we're all friends. Can someone please buy these now?