Steve's Special

LethalAe86TypeR · #1 11-09-2007, 01:56 AM

I'm getting one for cheap, for only $25. How is it? I'm gonna use it in a RG.

Dario · #2 11-09-2007, 05:06 AM

I had one for 3 years on an RG1570L: very good sound in distortion, nice harmonics.The most important thing it's the lack of attack in the sound. This produces a very "controlled" sound, very usefull if you have an amp with big distortions. It has some nice harmonics. I don't know how to translate this in simple words but it seems to have more "gain" than the evolution but with less "reaction" to the sound.
Due to the lack of attack, it sound like if you have to pick it hard!
The main difference I noticed is that while the EVO sounds big&brutal, makes more noise (unwanted feedback) at high gain/volume settings the SS is more polite. Clean sounds are very HI-FI. I used it with an Air Norton. They were good togheter but too "polite" for my tastes.
Petrucci uses them on most of the DT's records.
The Air norton a was very expressive, I remember I had the feeling like watching into the ocean from outside the water. Like "a lot of signal but crystal clear".
Both pickups very working good togheter but weren't good enough for my needs....

frankfalbo · #3 11-09-2007, 10:30 AM

My standard notice: Remember to try it both ways. Flip it around in the mount. One coil is very different from the other, so the pickup sounds different if you rotate it. You may install it and dislike it, but after flipping it you change your mind.

LethalAe86TypeR · #4 11-09-2007, 12:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frankfalbo

My standard notice: Remember to try it both ways. Flip it around in the mount. One coil is very different from the other, so the pickup sounds different if you rotate it. You may install it and dislike it, but after flipping it you change your mind.

That's good to know because i would have never tried that out,lol. Would my sound also get fatter?

rastachild · #5 11-09-2007, 02:02 PM

hmmm...i'm getting a rv470 (basically the radius version of the rt) that i won on e-bay sometime next week that has a steve's special in it. it'll be interesting for me because this is not a pickup i would have bought on my own based on the tone description and from user feedback. i will give it a fair shake though.

LethalAe86TypeR · #6 11-09-2007, 07:29 PM

This Pup is great, i love it, its really punchy, the only thing though, is when i go from full bridge humbucking to single and bridge, its the thinest sound i've heard ever!

**elcid** · #7 11-09-2007, 07:51 PM

Best Dimarzio pickup out there.

j.arledge · #8 11-11-2007, 01:08 AM

i owned a few before and never really liked them . I recently got one again because it was cheap and i installed it "backwards" and yes i really like it . the pickup is great . very clear smooth and everything i originaly thought it would/should be .

LethalAe86TypeR · #9 11-11-2007, 10:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by j.arledge

i owned a few before and never really liked them . I recently got one again because it was cheap and i installed it "backwards" and yes i really like it . the pickup is great . very clear smooth and everything i originaly thought it would/should be .

So much sustain!

frankfalbo · #10 11-12-2007, 02:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LethalAe86TypeR

This Pup is great, i love it, its really punchy, the only thing though, is when i go from full bridge humbucking to single and bridge, its the thinest sound i've heard ever!

That's likely because it's out of phase with the neck pickup. You need to reverse the phase of one or the other.

LethalAe86TypeR · #11 11-12-2007, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frankfalbo

That's likely because it's out of phase with the neck pickup. You need to reverse the phase of one or the other.

So i just need to reverse the pup in position? Like just turn it around?

LuredMaul · #12 11-12-2007, 03:00 PM

No, you need to swap the red wire with the green wire or vice-versa of said humbucker. It will sound the same in full humbucking mode but be less shrill and "In Phase" with the single coil.

jem3r · #13 01-17-2011, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by j.arledge

i owned a few before and never really liked them . I recently got one again because it was cheap and i installed it "backwards" and yes i really like it . the pickup is great . very clear smooth and everything i originaly thought it would/should be .

Sorry to be digging out this tread.

I've installed the Steve's special in my RG and i put a dimarzio Breed in the neck.
I dont know if i wired something wrong(i followed the Dimarzio Diagram) but the steve special sounds thin... and it seems to have less output than the breed.

By installing it "backwards" what do you mean? dimarzio claims that (quoting)"The Steve’s Special™ is brighter-sounding if the coil on the pickup’s cable exit side is toward the bridge."

So what is backwards and what is standard?

jem3r · #14 01-18-2011, 10:55 AM

anyone?

Melek Taus · #15 01-18-2011, 11:05 AM

Standard is when the cable exits towards the bridge. Rob Balducci only uses it the other way around.

Just one more thing. The Breed in the neck is a very fat sounding pickup, so if you have it too close to the strings, you'll be likely to have a fat and open-sounding tone in the neck, and a thin and compressed tone in the bridge position. The Air Norton is a much better match IMO.