Check out this video review of the Andy Timmons signature Dimarzio AT1 & Cruiser pickups by Fretpoint demonstrator Mike Baugh.
Here’s what Dimarzio have to say about each pickup.
Dimarzio AT1 Humbucker Pickup
The outstanding characteristics of the DiMarzio AT-1 are balance, warmth, and clarity. It achieves this blend with the same patented technology as the PAF 36th Anniversary, but the sound is hotter and the focus is rock.
Dimarzio Cruiser Single Coil Pickup
It’s hotter than the traditional single-coil, and the bass strings have a bit more chunk; this is an excellent pickup to combine with medium-output humbuckers, and it maintains its tonal identity with high-gain amps and multiple effects.
Visit www.dimarzio.com for more details.
Hi mate,
Gary replied to a question I sent over Youtube and encouraged me to re-post it here
Unbelievable playing in your ‘Dimarzio AT1 & Cruiser Demo/Review ‘ video. I absolutely love your tone! I’m having a custom guitar built with the following specs, and was considering pickups almost identical to yours.
*Alder body with purple burst finish (Strat shape with rear wired H-S-S pickups & clear Strat pickguard)
*One piece maple neck + fretboard with 22 frets, AANJ, jumbo stainless steel frets & bone nut
*Wilkinson VS401 bridge
*Gotoh or Sperzel locking tuners
This build started out as a customised version of the Ibanez AT100, so I had intended to go for:
Neck: Cruiser Bridge
Middle: Cruiser Bridge
Bridge: AT-1
Controls: 5 way switch, 2 vol (500k + treble bleed capacitor) & 1 tone (500k)
However, I’m now considering instead going for an Area 67 in the middle for true single coil tones. I’m worried that the 500k pots I’d planned to have initially would make the Area 67 too harsh and sharp, when I’m looking for a John Mayerish tone from the Area 67.
Specifically:
1. Any opinions on the Area 67, especially in the middle position? Do you have experience with any of the Area series pickups?
2. What controls & pots do you have in the guitar? Is it necessary to have 2 vol + 1 tone to balance the three very different pickups?
3. Opinions on my original vs proposed pickup configuration?
4. Do you have a push pull pot in addition to your 5 way switch?
Thanks very much!
Hi Anthony!
Thanks for the kind words!
This sounds like a great project, I’m not guitar tech I’m afraid, but what I can say is the Area pickups are very, very good, it would be good in the middle position, the cruiser also would be good in the middle position, you can’t really go wrong.
As regards pots, I am clueless, your best bet would be to contact Larry Dimarzio which you can do via his youtube channel, he often answers questions on there.
My set up is very simple, one volume, one tone, no coil tap/push pull pots, and original musician silhouette special pots (not sure what these are but I’m sure the musician website would have some info on these!).
What I would say is that it may be worth considering the Hipshot locking tuners rather than the gotoh’s or sperzels, they are incredibly well made, check them out!
Also, on the note of tone; my tone isn’t any more than 10% dependant on the pickups, the wood maybe affects it even less, the most important chain in the link for tone is an overdrive that sounds ‘real’ laid down on top of a solid, good blank canvas (a clean amp that has an inherently good tone) the rest is ‘in the fingers’ or ‘how you choose to play’.
As long as the guitar has fantastic playability, solid, reliable electronics that allow you to have a good amount of control of gain so that when you back the volume down the sound cleans up beautifully (the cruisers are the bees knees for this!) and good tuning stability you have hit the jackpot, the rest is down to the amp and overdrive pedal (or the over drive on your amp if you prefer).
I hope this helps!
Thanks very much for the reply Mike! Sorry it took me so long to get back to you, I’ve been swamped at work all week.
I think I will be going for the same combo you have, including an Area 67 in the middle. Your Silhouette has 250k pots according to the Musicman website and your tone in that in the demo video was neither dull nor muddy so you’ve put to bed most of my concerns surrounding the Cruiser Bridge & AT-1 with 250k pots
I also greatly appreciate your more broad feelings about tone and it has really given me something to think about and reflect on!
I’ll be sure to post back and let you know on the progress of this custom guitar and let you know when I have it in my possession, sometime later this year.
Regards,
Anthony