Crazy sustainer idea.......?!?!

[dark_void86]

I have a crazy idea, i have been listening to guitarists such as Ron Thal (aka bumblefoot) and kiko loueiro for a bit and i quite like their neck sounds which happen to be a dimarzio chopper. Now i was thinking that a guitar that isn't HS and is HH might look odd if not crap just putting this pup in with a big hole underneath it............ so i was wondering about putting something else in there with it??? I found out the other day that Fernandes include in their sustainer kit a single coil sized sustainer pickup. I don't know if this has EVER happened before, people say nothing is original and been done before. However you've probably guessed by now that i am thinking of the logistics of getting a chopper and this smaller sustainer into the same cavity.

1. Would all the wiring take away tone?
2. Could it work?
3. Has it been done before?
4. Because its a single coil sized sustainer does that mean its prone to feedback like a normal single coil sized pickup on distortion?

Anyways i would love to hear from anyone with an interesting opinion on this whacky idea

Ian.

[Lefty Robb]

The sustainer creates a constant EM field when on, I don't think putting a pickup right next to it is a good idea.

[CityofBlindingLights]

I've heard about this being done and have seen pictures, but never actually heard it. I'd assume that it can be done. Although I can foresee plenty of problems, including some minor rout size issues, feedback (see post above), and just a whole lot of messy business. It's an interesting concept that's probably worked for others, but I'd advise against it; it's probably more trouble than it's worth.

[clubshred]

Originally Posted by dark_void86

I have a crazy idea, i have been listening to guitarists such as Ron Thal (aka bumblefoot) and kiko loueiro for a bit and i quite like their neck sounds which happen to be a dimarzio chopper. Now i was thinking that a guitar that isn't HS and is HH might look odd if not crap just putting this pup in with a big hole underneath it............ so i was wondering about putting something else in there with it??? I found out the other day that Fernandes include in their sustainer kit a single coil sized sustainer pickup. I don't know if this has EVER happened before, people say nothing is original and been done before. However you've probably guessed by now that i am thinking of the logistics of getting a chopper and this smaller sustainer into the same cavity.

1. Would all the wiring take away tone?
2. Could it work?
3. Has it been done before?
4. Because its a single coil sized sustainer does that mean its prone to feedback like a normal single coil sized pickup on distortion?

Anyways i would love to hear from anyone with an interesting opinion on this whacky idea

Ian.

I used to have a Sustainiac in a guitar that had two humbuckers. I had the single-coil sized Stealth Plus along with a Duncan lil' 59 in the neck humbucker opening. It didn't have to be altered - although, my switching was custom. I had the regular Sustainiac controls plus an on/off switch that allowed the pickup part of the Stealth Plus to play along with the Duncan in the neck. It was like having a "quad humbucker" in the neck! The wiring was that hard but it still posed a bit of a challenge.

Keep in mind that the Duncan and a pickup like an EMG SA has a base that you can slip in there pretty easily. BUT - a chopper and a Hot Rails or some of those pickups have a triangular base and you will have to modify it to fit. If you are using a guitar with a pickguard you can get away with not modifying the base because you can obviously hide a big route cavity under the pickguard.

I am not sure about the sound of the Fernandes version of it but the Sustainiac Stealth Plus version is a little like a Hot Rails - it sounds thick enough in the neck. I have a Steinberger that I am doing a similar set up to. I'll post some pics of it because it's going to feature GuitarGuru's artwork on it.

ALSO - Sustainiac has a "humbucker" sized Stealth Plus that will fit nicely in a neck humbucker cavity. I am not sure about Fernandes - I just don't know a lot about their products.

Xander

[CityofBlindingLights]

Actually, a little known fact- you can order DiMarzios without the triangular baseplate, a la EMGs, for a minor upcharge of what I believe is $10 if memory serves me right.