[Axemanv90]

I bought a NOS FRED pickup awhile back.  This is the DC resistance that I measured:

wht/grn  5.39K
red/blk   4.11K
overall   9.5K

This is quite a bit less than the 10.38K spec on the site.  It works fine and has the tone characteristics that it should have.  Is there an explanation for this?  Was there a design change for Fred at some point?  If so, was the output spec the same?

[darkbluemurder]

Keep in mind that these meters are not dead accurate to begin with and that DC resistance readings vary with temperature (colder = lower reading).

I believe when I had mine it measured closer to your value than to what is now listed as spec. But that pickup (along with the guitar it was in) is long gone now.

Cheers Stephan

[Axemanv90]

I have several other models of pickups that measure exactly to spec.

It just seems odd that other Dimarzio models that I have measure to their specs and this one does not.  They are pretty accurate with their manufacturing.

I always measure electronics on my electronic bench/lab.  It is consistently 70 degrees F.

I also have ASEET and BSEMET degrees and 40 years of experience with electronic measuring devices--including their calibration. This multimeter is definitely functioning within spec.

[RayBarbeeMusic]

Things do vary with temperature although that variance is off by quite a bit more than I would expect from room temp variations.  I do seem to remember specs on a Fred being more in the 9.5k range in years past, which is rather what you'd expect from a beefed up PAF pro, although my memory might be wrong. 

Possible they source a different manufacturer for wire now and the DCR is different.

[darkbluemurder]

I have several other models of pickups that measure exactly to spec.

It just seems odd that other Dimarzio models that I have measure to their specs and this one does not.  They are pretty accurate with their manufacturing.

I always measure electronics on my electronic bench/lab.  It is consistently 70 degrees F.

I also have ASEET and BSEMET degrees and 40 years of experience with electronic measuring devices--including their calibration. This multimeter is definitely functioning within spec.

OK, so then we can rule out measurement variations. The reason is then most likely what Ray said.

Cheers Stephan

[Axemanv90]

Agreed.  I was just hoping that somebody from Dimarzio could verify or clarifiy this.

The Fred had a little too much treble for my taste, so I replaced it with a Mo' Joe.

That tamed the treble a little, but the Mo' Joe seems "sterile" compared to the Fred.

[RayBarbeeMusic]

RE The Fred:

You can try different values of volume pot to tame the highs.  Start with a pot that measures at least 500k, then you can solder or clip in various resistors across that pot, or from the hot tab on the switch for that pickup to ground if you only want that pickup affected, to get the value that makes it sound best.  I almost always tune pickups using that method.  I keep resistors in stock in 10M, 8.2M, 6.8M, 5M, 4M, 3.3M, 2M, 1.5M, 1M, 820k, 680k, 500k, 470k in 1/8w values for just that reason.

Also, the Fred strikes me as a good candidate for a magnet swap; A2 or A4 would even out the high end.

[Axemanv90]

RE The Fred:

You can try different values of volume pot to tame the highs.  Start with a pot that measures at least 500k, then you can solder or clip in various resistors across that pot, or from the hot tab on the switch for that pickup to ground if you only want that pickup affected, to get the value that makes it sound best.  I almost always tune pickups using that method.  I keep resistors in stock in 10M, 8.2M, 6.8M, 5M, 4M, 3.3M, 2M, 1.5M, 1M, 820k, 680k, 500k, 470k in 1/8w values for just that reason.

Also, the Fred strikes me as a good candidate for a magnet swap; A2 or A4 would even out the high end.

I made a 7-position rotary tone switch for the Fred where position 2 was to take the edge off the treble-I think it was a 322K with a .01uF but don't remember.  I normally use Position 1 which is no tone circuit at all and the natural sound and output of the pickup.  I wanted a pickup that would sound good all by itself and then work down from there.  Mo' Joe cut the treble a little, but I'm thinking of going to Norton now....just for a little harder rock sound without going over the top.

Cool to keep that kind of stuff in stock.  I am an electronics engineer and have a lab.  I keep just about every basic value of resistor and capacitor in stock from 50 ohms to 2M and 100pF to 22uF...along with an assortment of coils, etc.  I even have a breadboard with an X80 microprocessor programmer....somewhere, lol.

[RayBarbeeMusic]

I'm a guitar and amp repair guy I keep an obscene amount of parts around. 

I'd warn you on the Norton, it is ripping bright as well.  I typically use it with a resistor to get a 330-375k load.  With full on 500k, I find it ear shattering, but the lower pot value warms it up nicely. 

That would be a good candidate for an A2 swap as well maybe.