DiMarzio X2N

If the specs are to be believed, than the X2N is by far the hottest guitar pickup currently on the market. But even though it is a guitar pickup, it is finding a new identity as a bass pickup. DiMarzio used to make an actual bass version called the X2N-B, but this was only in the naming, since the X2N and the X2N-B are the exact same pickup.

This is the Model DP102 made for six-string guitar. John Gallagher of Raven uses this exact pickup in his Explorer bass for his screaming distortion tone.



This is the Model DP705 made for seven-string guitar. The extra-wide spacing makes this version a much better choice for a bass pickup.

I got a couple packages in the mail yesterday...



Time for some fun. Allparts was out of stock of the jackplates (Les Paul square style) that I want/need to cover up the giant hole left by the locking stereo jack that was in my BTB. After looking at the wiring possibilities that DiMarzio suggests in the included booklet, I think I'm going to get a couple more of those mini switches for later projects. If one can indeed use a DPDT on-on switch to do the "one switch for coil cut, another switch for series/parallel" thing. Can you do that? From what I've read, you are supposed to use a SPST switch, but can one "side" of the DPDT function as an SPST? That's what DiMarzio's diagrams seem to suggest.

Awesome pickups, you know I love 'em Eric!


Chowda' you can use half of the DPDT as you say, in fact, you can use a half for each pickup, if you have two, so that when you flick it, both pickups tap!



Also, Eric, I may be wrong, but, I do believe that the Fender, and Gibson "Mudbuckers" are actually hotter than the X2N, if not, its close.

Thats the reason the Model One was invented, to cool down those mudbuckered basses.

Darkstrike wrote:

Awesome pickups, you know I love 'em Eric! Also, Eric, I may be wrong, but, I do believe that the Fender, and Gibson "Mudbuckers" are actually hotter than the X2N, if not, its close.

Really???

I am definitely going to look into that, Bill! Hotter than an X2N? That's for me!

EricHaven wrote:

Darkstrike wrote:

Awesome pickups, you know I love 'em Eric! Also, Eric, I may be wrong, but, I do believe that the Fender, and Gibson "Mudbuckers" are actually hotter than the X2N, if not, its close.

Really???

I am definitely going to look into that, Bill! Hotter than an X2N? That's for me!

Yeah, I think so, even my Squier, with the mudbucker is way louder than my P with the X2N.

The Squier pickup registers at over 32k ohms, a high output P pickup is only 15k.......

Sadly, I have no numbers for the X2N, and no way to measure it myself.

See the X2N is at the bridge, and the mudbucker is at the neck, and any pickup gets quiter the closer to the bridge they get.

Mmh...well, that would make an AWESOME stereo configuration--hot and cutting from the X2N, hot and muddy from an EBO.

Are the pickups on newer Gibson basses (to your knowledge) up to par as far as output with the older ones?

I'll have to compile some data. I know that what makes a pickup "hot" are factors like impedance, and how much voltage they will produce from an input signal. I will be interested to compare the X2N with the Mudbucker.

Chowderboots wrote:

Mmh...well, that would make an AWESOME stereo configuration--hot and cutting from the X2N, hot and muddy from an EBO.

Oh, I'm cursing your name Martin, you KNOW what I gotta do now....................


Poor Squier don't know whats about to hit it...........

EricHaven wrote:

I'll have to compile some data. I know that what makes a pickup "hot" are factors like impedance, and how much voltage they will produce from an input signal. I will be interested to compare the X2N with the Mudbucker.

I'm only going on personal experience, but as I mentioned above, its not an equal comparision, I do believe the Squier has higher value pots too.

Hahahaha No! Don't curse it! Praise it!

So you can use two DPDT switches for this?



Can the coil cut switch be DPDT? If so, can it be on/off/on or does it have to be on/on? I assume that for the series/parallel it can be either of the two as well and not on/on/on?

Darkstrike wrote:

EricHaven wrote:

I'll have to compile some data. I know that what makes a pickup "hot" are factors like impedance, and how much voltage they will produce from an input signal. I will be interested to compare the X2N with the Mudbucker.

I'm only going on personal experience, but as I mentioned above, its not an equal comparision, I do believe the Squier has higher value pots too.

I'm very curious about the 1 megohm pot that DiMarzio makes. I wonder if that would make a good volume pot...

Chowderboots wrote:

Hahahaha No! Don't curse it! Praise it!

So you can use two DPDT switches for this?



Can the coil cut switch be DPDT? If so, can it be on/off/on or does it have to be on/on? I assume that for the series/parallel it can be either of the two as well and not on/on/on?

I believe that the answer to all three questions would be yes, Martin.

Bill, you've done a lot of re-wirings. Am I overlooking something?

Nice! In about an hour, I'm going to be at an American Music to see if they have some of those black LP-style jackplates. So I'll check it they have any DPDT switches to extend my wiring possibilities in the future

Chowderboots wrote:

Darkstrike wrote:

EricHaven wrote:

I'll have to compile some data. I know that what makes a pickup "hot" are factors like impedance, and how much voltage they will produce from an input signal. I will be interested to compare the X2N with the Mudbucker.

I'm only going on personal experience, but as I mentioned above, its not an equal comparision, I do believe the Squier has higher value pots too.

I'm very curious about the 1 megohm pot that DiMarzio makes. I wonder if that would make a good volume pot...

It's gonna be brighter than a 500k, each time you move up a few hundred K's like this, you're getting closer to the straight to jack sound, its also gonna be louder. And I would expect DiMarzio brand pots to be quality.

EricHaven wrote:

Chowderboots wrote:

Hahahaha No! Don't curse it! Praise it!

So you can use two DPDT switches for this?



Can the coil cut switch be DPDT? If so, can it be on/off/on or does it have to be on/on? I assume that for the series/parallel it can be either of the two as well and not on/on/on?

I believe that the answer to all three questions would be yes, Martin.

Bill, you've done a lot of re-wirings. Am I overlooking something?

No Eric, I believe you're dead right, you'll just be using half of the DPDT switch is all.

But, just to satisfy my curiosity, why not make it real easy Martin, and do it all in one switch, get a three way "DPDT ON/ON/ON", and wire it as you would for a series/parallel switch, and you get a series/single/parallel switch, takes less work, space, and works even easier than that two switch setup.

I was just about to suggest the same thing, Bill!

That's what I'm aiming for, man Have to order a couple of those.

So far, my only beef with the X2N-7 is that you can only get them in black. It wouls be unbelievably cool if they offered them in white or creme as well. If they did, one would be in my Destroyer right now. I could paint one, sure...but still.

What I've noticed about it--it's as heavy as a bass soapbar. In other words, BEEFY! I think the coils are extra deep and they had to change the mounting system. On all guitar humbuckers, they have two tangs that extend from either side and go down, to help put the pole pieces at the correct height and so that you can put springs/foam underneath. But on the X2N-7, the two ears that you put the screws through are flat to the bottom of the body and are made of the same piece of plastic that forms the base of the humbucker. Just a testament to how much power this thing might hold...

EricHaven wrote:

I was just about to suggest the same thing, Bill!

Cool! Its my fave setup for tapping, my Roscoe Beck has two, my Cort GB-74 has one(after a quicky swap of some of the wires in the stock switch), and my Squier with the mudbucker has one added.

Chowderboots wrote:

That's what I'm aiming for, man Have to order a couple of those.

So far, my only beef with the X2N-7 is that you can only get them in black. It wouls be unbelievably cool if they offered them in white or creme as well. If they did, one would be in my Destroyer right now. I could paint one, sure...but still.

What I've noticed about it--it's as heavy as a bass soapbar. In other words, BEEFY! I think the coils are extra deep and they had to change the mounting system. On all guitar humbuckers, they have two tangs that extend from either side and go down, to help put the pole pieces at the correct height and so that you can put springs/foam underneath. But on the X2N-7, the two ears that you put the screws through are flat to the bottom of the body and are made of the same piece of plastic that forms the base of the humbucker. Just a testament to how much power this thing might hold...

I agree with everything in this post!

And want to add something, be cool if they came in that camoflage pickup colour they do too!

So Bill, tell me more about the Mudbucker? Is it only a stock Gibson or Fender pickup? Are they available by themselves?

Darkstrike wrote:

EricHaven wrote:

Chowderboots wrote:

Hahahaha No! Don't curse it! Praise it!

So you can use two DPDT switches for this?



Can the coil cut switch be DPDT? If so, can it be on/off/on or does it have to be on/on? I assume that for the series/parallel it can be either of the two as well and not on/on/on?

I believe that the answer to all three questions would be yes, Martin.

Bill, you've done a lot of re-wirings. Am I overlooking something?

No Eric, I believe you're dead right, you'll just be using half of the DPDT switch is all.

But, just to satisfy my curiosity, why not make it real easy Martin, and do it all in one switch, get a three way "DPDT ON/ON/ON", and wire it as you would for a series/parallel switch, and you get a series/single/parallel switch, takes less work, space, and works even easier than that two switch setup.

That's what I was originally planning and that's what I am going to do on my BTB just to see how it works/sounds....if I like it, if I am competent, if my strategy/theory is right and how the pickup works, especially through my Mesa.

I like extra switches. It might be harder to wire, but the two switch setup is more intuitive for me when I want to switch sounds and I like the look/feel of a couple extra passive controls. I prefer two-way switches when I'm changing sounds with switches on the fly. I can imagine trying to find the middle position can be a little tricky at times, you know?

EricHaven wrote:

So Bill, tell me more about the Mudbucker? Is it only a stock Gibson or Fender pickup? Are they available by themselves?

They are the neck pickup in the Gibson SG/EBO bass models. Or that type of pickup--known for being very muddy. Some companies make variations of this style of pickup (the Model One is one of these), but many people claim that the original EB/O pickups are unequaled in achieving this sound.

Barkless Dog refurbished such a bass which includes the original Mudbucker...you can find pictures of it and the project on his myspace.

EricHaven wrote:

So Bill, tell me more about the Mudbucker? Is it only a stock Gibson or Fender pickup? Are they available by themselves?

Mine's a stock Fender one.

You can get copies of the Gibson one on eBay, for like 15 bucks, I believe with slightly wider spacing, to fit on regular basses better, like the Willpower.

But honestly, they're cool, but if I wanted to add one to a bass, I'd probably go DiMarzio.

The coil tap on mine though, fantastic, remember, each coil is still about 15k ohms, so good and loud, and pretty nice tone, even in single mode.

It'd be a great bass to stereo, and add a Model P, for clean/dirt.

Chowderboots wrote:

Darkstrike wrote:

EricHaven wrote:

Chowderboots wrote:

Hahahaha No! Don't curse it! Praise it!

So you can use two DPDT switches for this?



Can the coil cut switch be DPDT? If so, can it be on/off/on or does it have to be on/on? I assume that for the series/parallel it can be either of the two as well and not on/on/on?

I believe that the answer to all three questions would be yes, Martin.

Bill, you've done a lot of re-wirings. Am I overlooking something?

No Eric, I believe you're dead right, you'll just be using half of the DPDT switch is all.

But, just to satisfy my curiosity, why not make it real easy Martin, and do it all in one switch, get a three way "DPDT ON/ON/ON", and wire it as you would for a series/parallel switch, and you get a series/single/parallel switch, takes less work, space, and works even easier than that two switch setup.

That's what I was originally planning and that's what I am going to do on my BTB just to see how it works/sounds....if I like it, if I am competent, if my strategy/theory is right and how the pickup works, especially through my Mesa.

I like extra switches. It might be harder to wire, but the two switch setup is more intuitive for me when I want to switch sounds and I like the look/feel of a couple extra passive controls. I prefer two-way switches when I'm changing sounds with switches on the fly. I can imagine trying to find the middle position can be a little tricky at times, you know?

Thats cool man, I'm a swap between songs guy, so there's no tick to finding the middle, but, of course, whatever works best for your needs, the two switch will be fine.

So I got it all to work. My on-the-fly ground job seems to have worked





I tried it through my Mesa...woah...talk about fuzz in your face, man. Wasn't expecting it to be that extreme. However, that isn't a bad thing, you know? I'll bet one of these would sound fantastic running alongside a P pickup and would sound better closer to the bridge to clear up some of the muddiness.

I wired it according to DiMarzio's wiring diagrams. Works fantastically. I think that when I wire up the X2N-7 on whatever I use it on, I'm going to use a DiMarzio 1 Megohm pot for volume and see how DiMarzio's DPDT switches compare to what I got from Allparts.

It's almost totally noiseless in series and parallel. When the switch is all the way towards the strings, it's full gain--fuzzy and thick (my guess is that this is series). When it's all the way away from the strings, it's the same sound, but slightly quieter and with more high end response (I'm guessing parallel). However, my favorite sound is the coil tap that you get from the switch being in center. Maybe that's just what I'm used to...but it's killer. Still pretty fuzzy from how hard it drives the amp, but pretty kickass. I'd like to find a pedal to help refine (or add to) the dirt that happens with this pickup. Maybe a DigiTech grunge, like what Eric raves about?

Looks great, Martin!

My only complaint about the Grunge pedal is that it doesn't have a midrange control like my old G7 did, and I found it easier to dial in my tone being able to tweak the mids. One of these days I'm going to find me another G7, but the pedal is pretty close otherwise, so it will work for now.

Chowderboots wrote:

I tried it through my Mesa...woah...talk about fuzz in your face, man. Wasn't expecting it to be that extreme. However, that isn't a bad thing, you know? I'll bet one of these would sound fantastic running alongside a P pickup and would sound better closer to the bridge to clear up some of the muddiness.

Chowderboots wrote:

It's almost totally noiseless in series and parallel. When the switch is all the way towards the strings, it's full gain--fuzzy and thick (my guess is that this is series). When it's all the way away from the strings, it's the same sound, but slightly quieter and with more high end response (I'm guessing parallel). However, my favorite sound is the coil tap that you get from the switch being in center. Maybe that's just what I'm used to...but it's killer. Still pretty fuzzy from how hard it drives the amp, but pretty kickass. I'd like to find a pedal to help refine (or add to) the dirt that happens with this pickup. Maybe a DigiTech grunge, like what Eric raves about?

You got it right,

Seires = Loudest, with more mids/growl,
Parallel = Quiteter with more highs and lows, zero hum.
Single = Quiet as the parallel almost, with some hum, but that single tone, switch in middle.

I mentioned on another thread, that the single mode suited that pickup better than parallel, if you have only a two way switch!

Darkstrike wrote:

You got it right,

Seires = Loudest, with more mids/growl,
Parallel = Quiteter with more highs and lows, zero hum.
Single = Quiet as the parallel almost, with some hum, but that single tone, switch in middle.

I mentioned on another thread, that the single mode suited that pickup better than parallel, if you have only a two way switch!

The coil tap has more balls and mids than the parallel--it's that awesome DiMarzio single coil sound I love, except it's HOT! I love it! I like it because it's more focused than the sound you get from the same amount of volume in series. I love how much gain you can get, but there's something I'm trying to work out whether or not it works for me. When you have the volume cranked, all the output isn't slashing and sharp like when you have one of these in a guitar, it's all fuzz. I think it's because I've never used a pickup on a bass that's this hot before!