Got my SE Santana back yesterday, thinking new pups for the Tremonti Custom

[CoreyT]

I had dropped off my Santana last week for its free second setup (bought June of 2012, first setup done when I bought it) as my dealer gives you two free setups with a new guitar.
Also had the toggle replaced under warranty since it was flaking out for the neck pickup, and of course new Cobalts were put on too.

Was looking at some pickups I might have them put in it, then I got to thinking if I am going to spend the $$$ for a re-wire job with new pots and pickups, why not do the 2012 SE Tremonti Custom which I like better because of the wide/thin neck.

Thinking of going with these which they stock there.
Seymour Duncan Releases Dimebag Pickup Set

Anyone running these pickups?
I like how the bridge is a rail pickup too.

 

[CoreyT]

PS, found the set on SDs site too, and you can get the neck in either all black (which I like better) or the zebra.
http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/electric/sets/dimebag_signatu/

Have an email into my tech at my dealer for a quote on labor, pots/wiring, and the pickups.

 

[garrettb]

I very much recommend skipping the Dimebucker and going for the real thing: Bill Lawrence L-500 from www.wildepickups.com (make sure you buy from here, if you do go that route). Much respect for Seymour and company, but they reverse-engineered one of Bill's pickups and made their own. I say why bother when the original is still available for well less than the SD knock-off.

The 500's (and by extension the Dimebucker) are loud as hell, so I can see why they went with the bridge '59 in the neck. Be prepared to adjust all your controls when you switch from another guitar.

 

[CoreyT]

Thanks Garrett, my dealer is giving me a pretty good deal on the pickups they have in stock though.
Everything is ordered, it will be a week before the PRS stuff gets in to them.

Here is what is going into the Tremonti:
Dimebucker set with neck pickup all black

PRS 3-Way Push/Pull Drop-In two sets, use one toggle (I think this is the ones he ordered, not 100% sure, but it is all PRS wiring and pots/caps

Lampshade Knobs - Black with white lettering - two sets

Output Jack - 1/4"

Will keep the stock nut as I have zero issues with it running 9 - 42 Cobalts.

 

[celtic757]

My first PRS was a 96 CE24. I replaced the stock pups with a Dimebag in the bridge and a Santana III in the neck. My guitar tech thought I was crazy. when I went to pick up the guitar he said the middle position produced some sweet tones and he was right. Miss that guitar.

 

[CoreyT]

Thanks, how was the rail pickup by itself?
I figure if I do not like these, I can always have them changed out for the PRS Metal pickups or the Tremonti ones.

I am hoping there is a lot of sustain from the bridge one too when playing on the gain channel.

 

[garrettb]

I'm a big advocate of the Wilde pickups. Hand wound in CA for under $60. There's still time to change your mind!

The L500 is the bridge sound of Dimebag and also Nuno Bettencourt. Nuno uses the SD '59 in the neck, too.

Johnny Lang has been using the 500's for several years now.

 

[celtic757]

It was good. Loud and clear from what I remember.

 

[Duffy]

Corey, I dig that Seymour Duncan Dime set. I would get it with the all black neck '59 too.

I also like the Cobalt "nines" a lot too. I need to pick up a couple new sets. Have you tried the new Daddario NYXL strings (the "NY's")? They are new technology too. I seem to gravitate to the Cobalts though. I like them a lot.

I have not played the Dimebucker but I have played and own some '59s. The '59 is a great pickup. I have wanted to try a Dimebucker.

Maybe that is what I'll replace the "Triplebucker" in my Fender Marauder with.

I will be following how you like the way your Tremonti Custom turns out. I have one of them too, in black/grey with the green undercoat (seemingly). Ha ha. I think it looks beautiful and in my opinion it sounds great with the stock pickups, but my Marauder has the unremarkable, flashy looking, "Triplebucker" that falls apart when you hit it with some gain.

Good luck with it.

 

[CoreyT]

Thanks Duffy.
If the stuff comes in soon, I will be dropping the guitar off with them Saturday.

 

[CoreyT]

Just got back from my dealer after dropping off the Tremonti.
I was wrong on some of the parts above.
I guess dealers have access to some stuff we do not see.

All four pots he ordered do not have the wiring with them like the parts I posted above, I believe he will use the stock wiring in the guitar.
The two volume pots have caps on them, the two push/pull tone knobs do not, so he will wire in something called an orange cap.
I have heard of them before, but have not paid much attention to them.

Switchcraft toggle and jack will be going in as well, might as well upgrade them too since I had trouble with the SE toggle with my Santana.

Now the four lampshade knobs, what a knockout, put them on top of my Tremonti to see what they would look like, and wow, they will look hot on there.

I probably will not get it back until sometime next week, if sooner maybe Friday.

First time I have used the SKB case outside of my place too, and I am thankful for the wheels on the case and the pull handle.
I started to carry it inside to my work this morning and it was heavy, and I remembered the case has wheels on it.
Very nice to just grab the handle and pull the case behind me, so easy.

 

[sleary]

If you needed two gold lampshade knobs, I have two ....save you like $30 .

 

[CoreyT]

Thanks Sleary, I went for the black knobs with white lettering.
Cannot wait to hear what that rail pickup sounds like on my Mesa through the Extreme setting on channel two.

 

[CoreyT]

Picked up my Tremonti today, looks great with the new pickups and pots on it and Lampshades.
Will get pics over the weekend of it.
Going to play it for a bit now to see how the cleans are the then some gain.

While I there, the tech who had worked on mine was playing a '95 Custom 24 with moon inlays and winged tuners.
Not sure what kind of pickups it has in it, but it sounded great through a used Mesa combo they just took in trade that was wood grain.

The CU24 was going for $1.9K, is that a deal?
I do believe we can talk about used prices here correct?
Just not new prices...

 

[CoreyT]

Oh my, it sounds great.
I played the pickups by themselves each on the clean channel, and then also split them with the push/pull knobs, very nice.
The rail pickup is louder and more gainy, it sounds great.

This was through my Mesa Mark Five 25 turned down pretty low as that amp can sing and get me into big trouble here.
One day I smell a road trip for it and the slant cab to take to my work and let that baby run wide open in our auditorium there.

Also used the crunch mode on channel one with the mid knob turned up past noon which activates a boost and inputs mucho gain, pretty hairy as much as the extreme setting on channel two.
Running channel two in extreme mode sounds great too, but I think I actually prefer this amp on the clean channel and running the crunch as described above with the boost.
If you have seen John Petrucci's video of him playing this on the Mesa channel, you get what I mean.

I may make a video this weekend, not 100% sure yet, as I flub up a lot when the camera is on.
But so far the Tremonti is really awake now with these new pickups in it.
Also having the PRS pots and push/pulls, and the Lampshade knobs makes it really easy to adjust stuff.
Although I did yank off one of the volume knobs mistakenly thinking it was the tone to split the pickup

 

[CoreyT]

Got a few pics today.

PRS Lampshade knobs mounted to PRS pots

Seymour Duncan Dimebag pickups, the rail pickup is HOT

Full frontal shot

So far very happy with these new pickups, pots, and knobs.

 

[sleary]

How hot are those sd's?

 

[CoreyT]

The neck one seems pretty normal, but you flip the toggle down to the rail pickup and there is a def increase in volume.
And talk about sustainnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn