Question 2004 JP7: What are these pickups?

[Zathu]

I recently acquired this JP7, which EBMM tells me was born in December 2004. They also say that guitars around that time were built with a Custom Dimarzio in the neck and a D-Sonic in the bridge. But I've only ever seen D-Sonics with the metal "bar" on them.

Could it be that 7-string D-Sonics once came without the "bar", or could this have be an aftermarket pickup?

 

[Benji Peterson]

I don't think D-Sonics have the bar. Those look to be the stock pickups to me.

 

[Zathu]

Well my 2008 JP6 came with a D-Sonic and it had a bar, and when I do a Google image search for D-Sonic 7 I see nothing but bars.

 

[Benji Peterson]

Right you are. Hmmm. I thought the D Sonic was what was in the original JPs with the Air Norton in the neck position?

 

[Jvision]

More than likely they are the custom dimarzios made specifically for Petrucci that came on the original incarnation of the JP models. The D-sonic does have a bar on it just like the crunch lab.

 

[Zathu]

I was wondering if they were custom as well. When did EBMM start making the JP7? I wonder if Dec 2004 was pretty early on.

These are noticeably quieter than the Crunch Lab/Liquifier in my JP6, so I'm leaning towards upgrading them.

 

[PeteDuBaldo]

The JP6 and JP7 first began production in 2001 and were equipped with custom-wound DiMarzio pickups similar to the Steve's Special (bridge) and the Air Norton (neck)

In mid/late 2006 JP kept the custom-wound neck pickup but switched to the D-Sonic pickup in the bridge (bar towards neck on 6 string, bar towards bridge on 7 string). EB followed with a matching change in production.

In 2009 JP switched to his new DiMarzio CrunchLab bridge / LiquiFire neck pickups and EB followed with a matching change in production.

 

[Zathu]

The JP6 and JP7 first began production in 2001 and were equipped with custom-wound DiMarzio pickups similar to the Steve's Special (bridge) and the Air Norton (neck)

Thanks. So the custom-wound pickup similar to Steve's Special did not have a bar?

 

[PeteDuBaldo]

Correct, your guitar has the original custom-wound DiMarzio pickups. Some people prefer the sound of those to the current pickups while others like the new pickups.

If you do swap them out my advice is to hold on to them in case you ever want to go back to "stock" - those pickups are not readily available on the aftermarket, only when someone yanks them out of an old JP and sell them.

 

[Zathu]

Correct, your guitar has the original custom-wound DiMarzio pickups. Some people prefer the sound of those to the current pickups while others like the new pickups.

Thanks for clearing that up! Now I'm curious about the pros about the original custom-wound pickups. My motivation to wanting the new ones is because they sound so much beefier on my JP6.