the Fly Clone Project

Hello, all. One of Dimarzio’s more prominent retailers has informed me that, unfortunately, all orders remain backlogged by at least six months, due to COVID’s impact earlier in the year (with June through November’s orders still having not been fulfilled). I had been hoping to order some Fly-mount versions of the Bluesbucker, Air Classic, 36th Ann. PAF, etc. - Yes; my preferences lean toward the lower output-side.

If anyone is willing to part with, or knows any US-based sellers of, some Fly-ready pickups other than Gen 1/2 Dimarzios, please post or PM. In the meantime, I’ll be modifying some pickups to fit Fly routs.

That’s a bummer about Dimarzio being backordered, @mmmguitar, but I suppose the good news is that Dimarzio is still going strong despite the pandemic!

I only have the usual suspects in my Flys as well as a few other Dimarzio models wound for Fly, so I’d be curious what you find. I will say that Bob Palmieri, whose company Duneland Labs designed the Bronzeville pickup for @Ken Parker’s archtops, makes incredible pickups with very cutting edge magnet implementations. Bob worked on the Fly pickups back in the ‘80s and his Blackpole pickups are outrageous; I have a set in my SG. Very responsive and just great! Bob is reportedly working on a “Flying Blackpole” variant of his pickups for the Fly, so that might be something to look out for if nothing comes across your radar sooner!

I sent an inquiry to Seymour Duncan and haven’t heard a peep back. That was 3-4 weeks ago.

lerxst6 wrote: ↑Sun Dec 06, 2020 6:23 pm I sent an inquiry to Seymour Duncan and haven’t heard a peep back. That was 3-4 weeks ago.

We’ll see if I resort to winding my own in the meantime.

mmmguitar wrote: ↑Sun Dec 06, 2020 8:38 pm We’ll see if I resort to winding my own in the meantime.

That could be a fun project!

Finding a used Seymour Duncan is also an option; I’ve only modified one Duncan for a Fly and it was pretty easy if you’re replacing Duncans in a Mojo (or one of the late Flys that has Duncans). You just have to make sure you get the F-Spaced version for bridge pickups.

I think everyone gradually came around to how much more convenient that is. Alas, my Flys are all Dimarzio-mount.

I worked with Pete Biltoft many years ago to get him a set of Fly pickups so he can measure them to make custom pickups.

He has made me p90s, Charlie Christian blade pickups, and humbuckers, all that drop right into the Dimarzio rout.

He is your best bet for something, and he is fast too. His company is Vintage Vibe Pickups.

I’ve owned dozens of his pickups for both Fly and non-Fly guitars, incredible stuff.

How did the P90s sound? That's a pretty interesting approach.

I think I remember you selling that one a few years back, @dayn; was it emerald green?

jb63 wrote: ↑Sun Jan 10, 2021 5:55 pm How did the P90s sound? That's a pretty interesting approach.

The P90s sounded incredible! I had that in the bridge with a CC in the neck.

vjmanzo wrote: ↑Sun Jan 10, 2021 8:04 pm I think I remember you selling that one a few years back, @dayn; was it emerald green?

I actually did two over the years with P90/CC pickups. A green tremolo Deluxe a couple years ago, and a green hardtail Standard (non piezo) Deluxe about 10-15 years ago.

...and I do love a good Fly Hardtail! 10 years too late, I guess

Ah. I remember those custom pickups from the old site. I’ll definitely try to keep Pete in mind, this time.

Right now, the plan is to modify different F-spaced pickups I have laying around and audition them in my Flys until I find combos I’m happy with. From there, I’ll start installing Ghost/Hexpander systems, then Sustainiacs - All just to feel better about not having a Belew model.