DiMarzio Forum

DimarzioForum.Com => The Pickup Place => Topic started by: Goldorak on August 02, 2016, 07:03:19 PM

Title: Mixing Area 58, Fender Tex-Mex, and Virtual Solo
Post by: Goldorak on August 02, 2016, 07:03:19 PM

I plan on putting a 58 in the neck, a Tex-Mex in the middle, and a Virtual Solo in the bridge. Decided to try the Tex-Mex in the middle simply because I have a set lying around. I'm hoping that positions 2 and 4 on the five-way switch will give me really nice quack and hum cancelation. To do so, I plan on using the following components:

• Five-way switch with auto-splitting on Area 58 and VSolo in positions 2 and 4
• Tex-Mex will be RWRP relative to top coils of 58 and Virtual Solo, assuming top coils of each pickup are of the same polarity
• 250k master volume
• 250k no-load tone pot for neck (in case tone pot's 250k load dulls too much of the 58's highs)
• 250k tone pot for middle
• No tone pot for bridge to let Virtual Solo have (hopefully) enough highs (I typically use it with 500k volume pot with no tone pot connected)

Good plan?

Title: Re: Mixing Area 58, Fender Tex-Mex, and Virtual Solo
Post by: darkbluemurder on August 03, 2016, 03:52:58 AM

Sounds like a plan.

Separate tone controls for middle and neck would not be my preference - I am usually happy with a master tone control but it's your guitar.

The Virtual Solo should have enough highs. I have one in the bridge position of a strat which has a master tone control and - if I remember correctly - a 0.022uf tone cap. No lack of highs but I am generally not a fan of too traditional strat pickups in the bridge position.

Have you checked the polarity of the pickups? Unless the Virtual Solo and Area 58 are custom models, they should have the same polarity. BTW it is very easy to test the polarity. You can do that with a magnet (or other pickup - I use an old SDS-1 for this purpose). Check whether the test magnet is attracted or repelled by the coil you are testing. For humcancelling operation you would need one repelling and one attracting coil.

Good luck,
Stephan

Title: Re: Mixing Area 58, Fender Tex-Mex, and Virtual Solo
Post by: Goldorak on August 03, 2016, 04:19:20 AM

Thanks!

Title: Re: Mixing Area 58, Fender Tex-Mex, and Virtual Solo
Post by: Goldorak on August 25, 2016, 12:26:57 AM

Well, it worked out quite well, but the Tex-Mex is just meh in the middle. I'll eventually be replacing it with an Area 67.

Title: Re: Mixing Area 58, Fender Tex-Mex, and Virtual Solo
Post by: darkbluemurder on August 25, 2016, 05:16:28 AM

The Area 67 is a great pickup and my preferred choice for the neck position. Coincidentally the Area 58 is one of my favorites for the middle position but you may like it better the other way round.

Cheers Stephan

Title: Re: Mixing Area 58, Fender Tex-Mex, and Virtual Solo
Post by: Goldorak on September 02, 2016, 09:35:41 PM

Yeah, the Tex-Mex in the middle really sucks. Incredibly bland sounding. No cut and very weak sounding. Area 67 is now on its way and I can't wait to install it.