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Diablo questions: pickups, foam, etc.


tbonesullivan

Question

Posted

So, I have two Diablos, one Cherry, and one is probably Aztec Gold. Neither are in primo condition, but neither is beat to hell either. both need a fret dress, and one might need either helicoils or a new floyd base plate.

But, they are great sounding, great playing, etc etc etc. well, one WAS great sounding but it lost a coil.

The Aztec gold diablo I have had something spilled on it by a previous owner, who knows how long ago. It got onto the neck joint, into the pickup cavities, on and around the floyd, a bit into the tremolo spring cavity, and even some into the control cavity, apparently by way of either the 5 way switch or the pickup routing. This wouldn't be a big issue, except that whatever it was is apparently acidic enough to slow corrode pickup pole pieces. This liquid also got all inside the pickups, and the bridge pickup is now kaput. I checked the wiring, and it's good outside, so the whatever it is has eaten into the coils or something, and it's also rusted it etc.

This dried gunk is also all over the foam that supports the pickups and keeps them nice and stable.

So basically, I need new pickups, and I need new foam underneath said pickups. Does anyone know of a good replacement for the foam under the pickups? Weather stripping doesn't seem to bounce back enough to keep the pickups level (i've tried it before).

Also, what pickups would be recommended? What dimarzio pickups were in the diablo guitars before the switch to SD? I've heard it was a Tone zone and something else. Air Norton maybe? Also, for the bridge pickup I need the F-spaced, but what about the slanted neck humbucker?

you can kinda see the rusted pole piece in this picture. the gunk is also all inside the pickups. I'm going to completely disassembled the floyd and soak it in water to get all the gunk off, then gonna wd 40 it, dry it, and lube it up again.

diablo3.jpg

21 answers to this question

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Posted

Thanks! of course, I could always just put some other humbuckers in there. I just don't happen to have any lying around unfortunately. I rarely swap pickups, unless I really hate the sound, or they go south. Well, one has gone south, and the other has goo all over it. better to just replace them with something not covered in acidic goo.

I actually managed to salvage most of the foam by rinsing it out with water. still no idea what the stuff was. probably soda.

Posted

I didnt care for the JB's in my '94 Diablo. I put a Tone Zone/Liquifier combo in it and I love it!!! I only use the neck pickup for a few solos, thats why I have the liquifier. For funky rhythm stuff I wouldn't recommend it. For that go with the Bridge version of the 36th ann PAF.

The bridge pickup is F-Spaced and the neck pickup is regular.

Posted

I'm definitely thinking tone zone and air norton. that was a favorite combo for many back at a now defunct guitar forum i used to frequent. it is also the current combo used on a lot of the prestige level ibanez guitars.

now the question is, what color? Should I go zebra and black because it's a hamer?

First things first though, gotta take apart the floyd and clean out all the gunk. Gonna probably throw it in the utlrasonic cleaner, then dry it off, then wd40, and then gonna use synthetic bearing/linkage oil with anti-corrosive properties.

Posted

Ugh... cleaned out the floyd today. It was full of gunk. Gonna soak it in some water, then dry it, and then put it all back together. Other than the gunk, the thing is in incredible shape. Almost no wear to it at all. all saddles move freely.

Posted

Ok, slight addendum. My cherry diablo, well, it's definitely gonna need a new base plate, or a helicoil setup. Which would be the most cost effective? I believe the part number for the black schaller base plate is 373013, and now they have hardend steel inserts to prevent the stripping out problem. I don't really care if my base plate says HAMER or not.

Though, honestly, the Cherry diablo floyd is kinda hurtin in terms of condition in general. lotta rust damage I had to deal with. But, new base plat is definitely cheaper than a whole new floyd. question is whether I can get the tremolo anchor out of the old base plate.

Posted

Looks like I'll be going with a Tone Zone bridge and 36th anniversary neck pickup. guitar plays really nice now, except for the fact that the bridge pickup is pretty much dead. Whatever spilled on top got in the holes on the top of the bobbin and into the winding, and have started to work on the coils.

Posted

Good choice!!! You'll love the Tone Zone. Make sure you get the Bridge version of the 36th. It will match better with the Tone Zone output wise.

Posted

I decided to go for the standard version. the bridge has a bunch more lows and mids, and I'm looking for more highs on the neck position. I like a cleaner neck pickup. we'll see. I can always change it out later. I've been looking at the 36th anniversary PAFs as replacement pickups for a heritage 535 I have.

Posted

New Base plate installed on Cherry Diablo. Gold diablo pickups have arrived. Gonna see if I can solder to save my life thursday or friday night. Then i'll post some pictures.

After that, fret dressing for both.

Posted

Finally got around to pulling the pickups out of the Gold Diablo. Neck read 7.41 k Ohms. Bridge .561 m Ohms. So bridge pickup is definitely shorted out. Both are being replaced.

Of course, it was at this time that I discovered that the pickup screw holes on both pickups have been reamed out so that the screw can fit, so it looks like i won't be putting them in the guitar tonight. Going to see if I can find the right size drill bit at work and take care of the base plate holes for installation tomorrow.

Posted

You should not have to drill out base plate on new pickups.

The diablo has the pickups mounted directly, through screws that go into brass bushings sunk into the body. These screws are too wide to fit through the threaded mounting holes. The mounting holes on both original pickups are reamed out, and are reamed out on the other diablo. This of course means they can't be used on anything but a diablo or similar style guitar. The other option would be to put pickup rings on the guitar.

They even discuss this issue at the SD forum:

http://www.seymourduncan.com/forum/showthread.php?246834-direct-mounting-pickups-why-don-t-people-use-smaller-screws

One thing I am confused about though is the wiring on the JB that was installed. It had the green and black wires soldered together, with the red used as "hot" and the white as "ground. I thought it was supposed to be the opposite with Seymour Duncan pickups. Or did they change things over the years? The '59 is just shield and conductor so it was easy to figure out.

Posted

In case anyone else needs to ream/drill out pickups for a diablo, it looks like 7/64 drill bit is the correct size to use. It just barely fits through the hole in the original pickups. Gonna buy one and drill them out today, and should have them in the guitar tonite. Then I get to slowly remember how to freakin solder.

Posted

and after two trips to radio shack , one for soldering supplies, one for wire strippers when I realized that the dimarzio lead wires are UNDER 22 gauge, probably 26 gauge, I have installed the pickups. My diablo makes noise again, and the combo of the 36th anniversary PAF and the tone zone balances fairly nicely.

The 36 anniversary PAF is also just a great pickup. I'm thinking about possibly throwing a pair in a Heritage 535 that I have. hmmmm.

Posted

I put 36th Anniversaries at the bridge & neck of my Diablo.

The "Pull" tone knob splits them.

Sounds amazing thru my Budda amps.

The neck PU split is total Strat heaven.

DiabloSS1.jpg

Posted

Does anyone know how a SD '59 sounds like Split? Any straty goodness there?

Posted

Does anyone know how a SD '59 sounds like Split? Any straty goodness there?

I had a set of 59s in my old Hamer Artist.

The 59s are scooped in the mids so when you split them the tend to sound really thin.

Good for funk but lacking in bluesy strat tones IMO.

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