DiMarzio FS1

Back in the day when go fast cars had front ends made of steel instead of plastic we had a sayin':
There is no replacement for cubic displacement.
That pretty well surmises DiMarzio's FS-1.
They been makin' this thing since 1974.
Must be doin' somethin' right. It's still here.
It's like havin' posi-traction when everyone else is just spinnin' their tires.
Double smokin' burn-outs and white heat all delivered around 14K.

I popped this thing into a custom strat style copy S/S/S I wanted to mod and in the bridge position it went.
Mated it up with a pair of matched DiMarzio neck and mid pups from a Music Man, wiring harness from the good folks over at Reliable Fender, set of Schaller tuners, bone nut. Set-up, fretted, yad-a-yad-a-yad-a-yad-a.
Funny thing is, this FS-1 has come out of an MIJ knockoff 70's era lawsuit and had been mounted in the neck, and there was another one in the mid, and the bridge had one, too.
So much for the thought process that lawsuit clones must be second rate copies not worthy of serious consideration.

I must admit that I wasn't expecting the level and clarity of sound I got outta this mod.
I was blown away.
The crispness of the notes and the tonal quality of the FS-1 was beyond anything I had anticipated. Pinched, dropped, highs, lows, all good here, up and down the neck, with crystal clarity and authority.
And no, I did not experience any overload of noise or hiss, either through my GDEC, or my Carvin cab, which I was running through a Boss DR-880. I was actually surprised at how well behaved this set-up was, the anticipated hiss and/or hum just never developed.
Distorted or clean, this pup delivered and performed flawlessly.

I've heard, numerous times, that pickup making is basically a bunch of smoke and mirrors. After all, what is a pickup other than a magnetic field activated by an electrical charge and converted into amplified sound?
But all pups don't sound the same, do they?
And I readily admit it.
I'm a DiMarzio junkie.
A DiMarzio freak.
Didn't start out that way.
Didn't mean for it to happen.
Somehow, my ears just kinda led me off in that direction, and I've continued to be impressed to this very day.
Now if I could just convince my wife that a purse is a purse is a purse.........

Ibanez Jem 77FP in the middle position.
I had a Steve's Special in the bridge and an Air Norton in the neck.

I did like the sound of the pickup, but it was just too noisy. I rarely used it because of the noise factor.

I would not buy it again. I recently swapped it out with a Pro Track and am very pleased with the results. I now have a use for my 2-4 pickup positions. While it wasn't my favorite sounding pickup I did enjoy the tone of the pickup. The noise was just too much.

Over wound passive single coil. Pretty hot.

It's installed in the bridge position of an Eastwood JR-Elite, which is basically a replica of Johnny Ramone's Mosrite.
I got it replaced because the standard pickup sounded very unbalanced, was awful noisy and because Johnny Ramone had also the FS1 in all his Mosrites.

The sound is aggressive with a nice 'snarl' if played with overdrive. Sounds more like a humbucker than a single coil.
The emphasis of the tone leans towards the bass and mids. It's not so good in the clean department since it lacks that sparkling high.

I do mainly Ramones covers and this pickup is excellent for the job. I can really nail the sound. I play through a Marshall MG50DFX, dirty channel without any external FX.
I can't comment on other positions for this pickup.

I'm very happy with this pickup/guitar combo and I won't hesitate to buy another if this one would get destroyed. Besides The Ramones I think that this is a great pickup for punk rock in general.
I've been playing guitar on and off for approx 35 years.

Pickup features: Overwound Single Coil
Impedence or other specs: Resistance - 13.35, 2 conductor

Model of guitar or bass: Fender Strat (Jimmy Vaughan model TexMex)
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Stock TexMex Bridge Pickup
Other pickups on guitar: Stock TexMex
Artists using this pickup: Supposedly Mark Knopfler and the Edge, according to other reviews below.
You musical style(s): Wide variety of classic rock and funk from the 60's to 90's.
Reason for pickup change: The stock Bridge pickup, though calibrated hotter, was ear-piercingly trebly with distortion and very weak sounding when clean. I wanted something that would get me clost to Ritchie Blackmore's tone on Deep Purple's Machine Head album. Something warm but still Strat-like. I also wanted something that would mix well with the stock pickups so that I would not have to swap out all of the pickups.

Perceived output level: More than a stock single coil but not overpowering like a humbucker. Finally, all three pickups are at the same volume level and bass response.
Tone: A considerable amount of treble was taken off the top, but it's not muddy. In position #2, it still quacks, if at least with a little more authority.
Sonic evaluation: Straight into a Peavey Bandit with no effects, as stated above, this is a sound that I've been wanting for a long time. With distortion, it's got a bite to it that I've been seeking for a very long time. Clean, it's got a noticibly increase in bass response and decrease in treble. To some, it might sound a little bland by itself, but it still sounds more useful than the stock pup or a stacked humbucker would. If you have been wanting to be able to flip to your bridge pickup more often but have hesitated because it's too harsh, yet, you still want your guitar to retain the character of a Strat, this one's for you. Dimarzio recommends this pickup to warm up the bridge sound of maple neck Strats and it is a good recommendation. Why don't more people play Dimarzios? They're not just for metal heads anymore. They have some great offerings for us classic rockers.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play mostly classic rock. This pickup does classic rock well. Also good for blues, jazz fusion (nails the Jeff Beck tone of the mid-70s), cross-over country music, slide guitar etc. Not a Heavy Metal pickup unless you are Yngvie.

Comments: Next time around, I might try a Rio Grand Dual Calibrated set so that I can replace the whole set of pickups. That, or maybe Dimarzio's hum canceling pickups. Nothing knocking the FS1. It's the other pickups on my guitar that I'd like to improve on and I'm not entirely sold on the Blue Velvets to match my FS1.

Pickup features: Single coil (passive)
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Strat re 54(Japan)
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Fender TX special
Other pickups on guitar: TX special Fender
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Funk, Classic Rock, Blues,
Reason for pickup change: Sound terrible clean and get worst with distortion.

Perceived output level: Higher than most single coil, even higher than TX special
Tone: Bassy and middy for bridge pickup, which is a good thing. But not muddy (for bridge pos)
Sonic evaluation: My setup is simple guitar-Korg AX 1000-Amps(Behringer GX 110 or what ever on the stage). For single coil bridge pups it sound bold and thick, a bit like humbucker. For clean stuff it's ok (it won't stabb your ears for sure) but I like it for dirty stuff. For light ditortion or heavy it will do the job well. If you looking for vintage sweet sound, this is a bad pups . If you want bridge pups that sound strat but won't make you deaf this is the one.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: This pups is good for most style of music I play it's very versatile indeed. For neck pos it might have SRV sound or it might get muddy, for mid pos is still ok.

Comments: If it were stolen or destroyed I will try Seymour Duncan single coil(hey Dimarzio didn't gave me for free). I been playing electric for 6 years and playing acoustic almost 12 years. I owned Gibson Lp, Sadowsky Tokyo Strat and Asturias Classical guitar. Overall I like this pups but I hate the noise (it's louder than my TX special). I choose this pups beacause it's cheaper than any Dimarzio or Seymour Duncan and it still have those strat sound .I've heard red Lace sensors but It's not a Strat sound, I also have heard Fast track 2 and I like it but I want my Strat to look like a Strat (with all pups have pole piece) . For now I satisfied with this pups and I will find a way to reduce the noise. If you buy this pups just remember to set the pups height to find the balance sound.

Pickup features: single coil passive
Impedence or other specs: dunno

Model of guitar or bass: spare parts strat
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Fender CS54 bridge
Other pickups on guitar: Fender CS 54
Artists using this pickup: dunno
You musical style(s): a bit of everything
Reason for pickup change: I didn't like the thin spiky sound of a normal strat bridge pup (even though the CS54 bridge pup was actually pretty good compared with most strat bridge units).
The usual reason....

Perceived output level: It balances well with the CS54s on the guitar and they are normal output pickups, so whatever the output of this FS1 is it still doesn't overpower them.
Tone: Not as clear and chiming as a standard strat bridge pup but I wouldn't call it muddy. A little bit like a humbucker tone-wise but still like a single coil as well. Definitely more bass and mids than a stock pup.
Sonic evaluation: I use a Fender Blues Junior onstage with a minimum of effects and I practice/record thru a Beringer V-amp at home. I usually play telecasters but many of my favorite players (Beck, Clapton, Gilmour, SRV, etc...) use strats so I got one and I'm determined to get the hang of it. But the classic problem of dealing with the thin and weedy bridge pickup was really giving me trouble, to the point where I nearly gave up and sold the thing. I tried several options. A S. Duncan Little'59 mini h/b was too muddy and bland sounding played clean. I don't think a humbucker and single coils should be on the same guitar anyway. I tried a Van Zandt Blues but it was still too shrill. The stock Fender CS54 bridge unit was actually better, I think. I had Steven Kersting make me a S-90 (strat-sized P-90) which was OK but I still found it too trebly and brash. I suppose I was using my Telecaster's Duncan Alnico2 Pro bridge pickup as a comparison. Single coil sparkle and chime but with enough richness and depth to hold its own in any situation, and an excellent full overdriven sound. That's a hard act to follow for any pickup. I'd pretty well resigned myself to just using the strat at home or as an emergency backup when I saw a DiMarzio FS1 on Ebay. I read the reviews on this page and decided to try it.
I'm glad I did. I love it. It sits well with the CS54s in the neck and middle and on its own it sounds great. It still isn't as wonderful as a good tele pickup, but it's close. Full and rich sounding with perhaps not as much sparkle and chime played clean as a regular single coil but it isn't brash and it isn't muddy. The chime is there...it just isn't as pronounced as with a regular single coil, but that's a characteristic of any overwound pickup. There is enough high end for it to work well in a band setting whenever a bridge pickup would be used, but it's never shrill. And overdriven it's a gem. That's the worst failing of a stock strat IMO. Hollow and empty when overdriven. A tele gets fatter and fuller when you turn up. A strat bridge pup just gets worse. This FS1 does it like a tele. Even my son (NOT a guitar music fan) was impressed by the sound of this pickup thru the V-amp on a Mesa Boogie setting.
Another interesting thing is the number 4 bridge/middle setting. I also wanted that Mark Knoffler sound but it never quite sounded the same using the other pickups. With this FS1 and the CS54 middle pickup together I now have it. The other reviews said that he used one of these so perhaps that's why.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play abit of everything in a wedding/function band. Blues, pop, ballads, rock, country...whatever the crowd wants. This pickup makes a strat usable for pretty well anything....not counting high-gain metal perhaps.

Comments: I'm still a telecaster player first and foremost, but I'm glad I now have a usable strat as well. If I lost this guitar or needed another bridge pickup for any future strat I'd get another FS1 for sure.
For any strat players out there who want a more usable all-round single coil bridge pickup sound I'd recommend one of these.
The only thing better is a good telecaster IMO.

Pickup features: passive single coil
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: 2000 Mexican Strat sunburst
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: Fender stock
Other pickups on guitar: Fender Custom '54
Artists using this pickup: Mark Knopfler (on Sultans of swing, late 70's)
You musical style(s): Rock, Blues
Reason for pickup change:

Perceived output level: normal
Tone: balanced, trebly sound
Sonic evaluation: i plug it into my 1990 Fender '65 Twin Reverb Reissue. When i feel like makin some noise i put on a boss chorus CH1 and a RAT II. there's also an original analog PSK Flanger from the 60's and a boss Boss FZ3.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I only use it at the neck position but it should do a great job on the bridge position.

Comments: It's a great PU. If you want a clear tone, it's your choice. To be honest: i just bought it, because knopfler made it cry, made it sing!!!

Pickup features: passive single coil
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Yamaha PAC112
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: stock
Other pickups on guitar: seymour duncan custom in bridge and stock in middle
Artists using this pickup: ???
You musical style(s): punk, blues, rock, ska
Reason for pickup change: wanted different sound

Perceived output level: high output for a single coil
Tone: muddy, bassy
Sonic evaluation: i'm usin it straigh tinto a fender princeton chorus

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: i use it mainly for blues and ska

Comments: mo i wouldn't get it again, not for the neck position anyway
been playin for 5 years
the only thing i really like bout it is when i use it with the stock pup in the middle position it has a really trebly sound for blues
it has a nice smooth jazz sound with low tone
i wish it wasn't so loud its too loud compared to my middle pickup
i wish it had a more vintage single coil sound
no i think once i get a strat i'n gonna put it in the bridge in that and get another one to replace this

Pickup features: single coil, passive
Impedence or other specs: 18k

Model of guitar or bass: custom stratocaster
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: gifmen singlecoil
Other pickups on guitar: gifmen(mid), jackson(bridge)
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): metal
Reason for pickup change: i need a powerfull single coil pickup for solos... with low feedback

Perceived output level: great
Tone: bassy
Sonic evaluation: i use it whith a Laney gc80, and use the Shred master distortion.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: nice for metal solos

Comments: Exelent for my apications... nice sound for fastsolos... it sounds like james murphy.

Pickup features: Passive single coil
Impedence or other specs: See www.dimarzio.com

Model of guitar or bass: 1990 Fender Japan '62 Reissue Stratocaster
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Stock
Other pickups on guitar: Seymour Duncan Vintage Strat at neck, stock Fender at middle
Artists using this pickup: The Edge & Brian (ex-Lizzy) Robertson have been known to use these. Don't know who else.
You musical style(s): Classic rock, blues, pop, new wave
Reason for pickup change: To solve the weedy sounding Strat bridge pickup problem. And it works.

Perceived output level: Hotter than a stock Strat pickup, but not completely OTT. Still sounds single coil but has a fuller tone.
Tone: More midrange, less top than stock Strat pickup.
Sonic evaluation: Amp is a Marshall JTM622 valve combo.
This pickup, for me, does what the blurb says it does. That is, it adds output and midrange and cuts the top end. I am mainly a Gibson (i.e. Humbucking) player, but like to use a Strat occasionally for sounds I can't get from my Les Paul. I have always found Strat bridge pickups to sound too thin, shrill and piercing. I have modified my Strat by installing the FS1 and also by rewiring the guitar to have one master tone control - so I can cut more treble from the bridge pickup if required. This makes the Strat, for me, a much more usable proposition.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: OK for classic rock, blues, pop, new wave. Not a full-on metal pickup. And obviously loses some of the original Strat sound (hopefully the bit you don't want....).

Comments: Strat purists don't seem to like it, but if (like me) you find your Strat's bridge pickup sound sounds too thin, harsh and downright weedy, I say give the FS1 a try.
It does what Dimarzio say it does. It still sounds like a single coil, but it distorts better and sounds fuller. Nice pickup, and a good practical solution to an age-old problem.