Dimarzio DC resistance specs: accurate?

[plugger]

I just received a used Dimarzio DP165 Breed neck pickup in the mail. First thing I did was measure the DC resistance across each coil separately to test for continuity (as you do).

I measured just under 5K ohm for each coil separately, for a total series measurement of 9.78K ohms. The Dimarzio published spec is 10.14K ohms for the DP165. Within 4%, but more of a difference than I would have expected. These aren't hand wound 1950s pickups...

The back plate is stamped Dimarzio DP165, and there aren't any obvious signs of a rewind or anything like that.

Anyone actually bother to measure the DC resistance on their Dimarzio pickups and compare to the published number? How close did you get?

FWIW, I've installed the pickup and it sounds fine and as expected. So not a major issue obviously, but a minor mystery – it’s got me curious. Are differences in actual readings versus spec often of this magnitude for this manufacturer?

I’ve got a new DP166 and ISCV2 coming in the mail soon, hopefully, so it will be interesting to measure those and compare to the published specs.

BTW, you easily measure the DC resistance of an installed pickup without taking the guitar apart – just switch the pickup selection to that pickup, plug in a guitar lead, and measure the resistance across the plug tip and shield of the lead. Handy trick – even if obvious in hindsight.

[littlephil]

That may be a way to measure the resistance without removing it, but it wont be that accurate because you are measuring the whole circuit with pots, switch and all. That could be where the loss has come from.

[skins345669]

But measuring the resistance across all those components would give you a higher value.

[plugger]

You are right, measuring pickup DC resistance with the pots in the circuit will vary the value slightly. The pots should all be set to 10 when measuring to minimise the effect.

However, the measurements I made in this case were with the pickup still uninstalled. I only mentioned the trick in case anyone wanted to measure their pickups this way.

[_FR0D0]

Measurements in pickups are very inexact , and DiMarzio wounds their pickups to an exact number of turns and not to an exact DC resistance.

If you take a measurement in a cold day you will get a different value than if you take the same measurement but in a warm day. So don't be too worried about the value you get been 5% off

[toneboy]

If the pickup sounds good, its DC resistance is irrelevant. The only time it's worth measure DC resistance is if the pickup doesn't seem to work, to check for a short or break in the windings.

Sometimes one is best off not trying to dissect gossamer.