Tell me about the DiMarzio Air Norton, please.

Rex Rocker

Rex Rocker

Well-known member
I've wanted to pull the trigger on this pickup for so long. I think I just might.

I overall like the DiMarzio Evolution in my Les Paul. I like that it's not chirpy, scooped, and low output like a Duncan Jazz, for example. However, sometimes I wished it wasn't as fat in the lows.

I've wanted to try the Air Norton for a while. What I was hoping it would do is not be brighter than the Evolution, but for it to be leaner on the low-end. I like the DiMarzio 36th Anniversary, for example, way better than the Duncan '59N because it's smoother, but at the same time, it's not boomier. It's fat, but it seems like the fatness is coming from above the very low-end, which translates into a throaty warm neck pickup tone that I like. I was hoping the Air Norton to be a hotter and more mid-focused version of that. Something that plays nicer with super high output, mid-forward bridge pickups.

I am worried, however, that the Air Norton may not be hot enough. The Evolution's output is perfect. I wouldn't want less. However, it seems like the Air Norton isn't even on the same tier of pickups on the DiMarzio site as the Evolution.

Last, I'd like to discuss orientation. Which of the two coils is hotter on the Norton? I think the coil offset is greater on the AN than on the Evolution, correct? So it would make more of a difference depending on which side the hotter coil faces?

So... I'm not sure. I mean, I really want to try it. But at the same time, I'm worried I might end up with yet another neck pickup that I'm not happy with.
 
I can't speak to the Air Norton full sized humbucker, but the Air Norton S in single coil sized humbucker is AMAZING in the neck position. I searched for a long time and tried at least 10 single coils for my HS guitars before trying it and fell in love with it.
So can't speak to the power a full-sized humbucker bridge position would have, but I think would be a great bridge pickup. Can probably find a used one pretty cheap on Reverb, they go up pretty often for ~$60.
 
Purpleibby said:
Not enough cut in the neck position for my taste....too dark.
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I actually like neck pickups smooth, slightly dark, but not tubby in the lows. I kinda like neck pickups to be neck-y and bridge positions bridge-y, while still working together in the context of each other.
 
Rex Rocker said:
I kinda like neck pickups to be neck-y and bridge positions bridge-y
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That happens by default really, the only difference is if the neck pickup will be mud......I've found through the years a bright neck pickup in combination with a fat bridge pickup can work great....this allows you to have respectable treble on the amp to get the bridge just right(but not ice pick) which always makes the neck more cutting, and if you have that in combination with a bright spec'd neck pup you can get some real Yng level articulation from a neck bucker.....either way the neck is always going to be warmer, only the neck pickup just wont be muddy/woofy on the low strings this way.

I tried a crazy amount of combinations through the years to find what works....went through so many combinations. Everybody has their recipe....hope it works out for you! I didn't care for the Air Norton for reasons said above, but one thing I will say positive about it is it splits very well!

Also, the matching evolution neck was a REALLY good neck bucker(I hastily gave it away, but it went to a good friend)....might be one to consider as well. I fought neck pickups for a long time and went through tons to find the right one., it IS hard to get right
 
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I have no idea how it would sound in a Les Paul or against a 500T because all my experiences with the Air Norton have been in alder strat kinda guitars, but it is a smooth but clear, mid-centric pickup in the neck. You will get a lot of harmonic content out of it compared to lot of other neck pickups and to me that makes it seem stronger in output than it actually is at least in terms of feel. Against the Evo neck it will have more low mids and less treble but I don’t think you’ll find it boomy in the bass and it is definitely not going to be scooped.
 
I have an Air Norton in the neck of a Les Paul; pole pieces towards the bridge to add a pinch of clarity. Otherwise it might be too dark.
Medium/high output, but with a crazy good coil split tone, so be sure to make one of your pots a push/pull one for added versatility.
Compared to the 36th PAF neck (which I have in a different Les Paul Custom), the Air Norton is a tad thicker, but also a little less open sounding. More congested and pushy, which sometimes helps with liquidy fast leads. But the AN wins by a nautical mile when it comes to split tones.
I believe the DiMarzio Liquifire is a slightly altered Air Norton with less high end, but also leaner lows.
 
Purpleibby said:
That happens by default really, the only difference is if the neck pickup will be mud......I've found through the years a bright neck pickup in combination with a fat bridge pickup can work great....this allows you to have respectable treble on the amp to get the bridge just right(but not ice pick) which always makes the neck more cutting, and if you have that in combination with a bright spec'd neck pup you can get some real Yng level articulation from a neck bucker.....either way the neck is always going to be warmer, only the neck pickup just wont be muddy/woofy on the low strings this way.

I tried a crazy amount of combinations through the years to find what works....went through so many combinations. Everybody has their recipe....hope it works out for you! I didn't care for the Air Norton for reasons said above, but one thing I will say positive about it is it splits very well!

Also, the matching evolution neck was a REALLY good neck bucker(I hastily gave it away, but it went to a good friend)....might be one to consider as well. I fought neck pickups for a long time and went through tons to find the right one., it IS hard to get right
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I'm actually replacing an Evolution Neck. The bridge pickup is a 500T. I find the Evo Neck a bit bassy, even with the hotter coil facing the bridge. Not dark, mind you, just kinda bassy.
 
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Purpleibby said:
I can see that in a Les Paul, but in a floyded guitar it would be just right (y)Results will vary between guitars of course.....For me the Paf Joe is "the one"

https://www.dimarzio.com/pickups/vintage-paf-output/paf-joe?v=24289
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I've been interested in the PAF Joe for a while.

I don't like the PAF Pro, mind you. I think it's overly attacky. I remember at one time, I had one matched with a Dominion in the bridge and I hated how my neck position was brighter than my bridge position.

But I read the PAF Joe is less attacky while having a more open vibe, while still sounding PAF Pro-y.
 
Rex Rocker said:
I've been interested in the PAF Joe for a while.

I don't like the PAF Pro, mind you. I think it's overly attacky. I remember at one time, I had one matched with a Dominion in the bridge and I hated how my neck position was brighter than my bridge position.

But I read the PAF Joe is less attacky while having a more open vibe, while still sounding PAF Pro-y.
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It's my fav. neck bucker, I traded out a lot of them back when I was searching, neck pickups are hard to get right...it's not lacking attack by any means(otherwise I wouldn't dig it as I tend to favor a shreddy neck pickup) but I know what you're saying(I used to frequent the dimarzio forums too lol) It's articulate, but I would say it's description on the dimarzio site and on it's tech talk section/tab/tone curve on it are spot on. I LOVE the Paf Joe, killer pickup. Same output as the Air Norton if you're worried about output.
 
Purpleibby said:
It's my fav. neck bucker, I traded out a lot of them back when I was searching, neck pickups are hard to get right...it's not lacking attack by any means(otherwise I wouldn't dig it as I tend to favor a shreddy neck pickup) but I know what you're saying(I used to frequent the dimarzio forums too lol) It's articulate, but I would say it's description on the dimarzio site and on it's tech talk section/tab/tone curve on it are spot on. I LOVE the Paf Joe, killer pickup. Same output as the Air Norton if you're worried about output.
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Thanks! I'll do more research on the PAF Joe, but it does seem like a viable option.
 
Rex Rocker said:
No, for the neck position.
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Oh, it's great there for lead playing. Very balanced for high gain. Not too bright or too dark. I had one in my PRS for awhile, eventually went for a 36th because I wanted something more vintage. It was great for modern leads though, wouldn't hesitate to use it again.
 
Another option I'm considering is maybe the PAF 36th Anni BRIDGE or the Fortitude in the neck position. I do, after all, like the regular PAF 36th Anni, except it's too low output to balance with meaner bridge pickups.
 
Illuminator neck perhaps?
Based on your comments: more output than 36th Anniv neck and a tad less bassy than the Evo neck, I'd focus on the ones on the DiMarzio site that have an output in the 270-300 range and a bass value of less than 6.5.

The Air Norton does fit this description of course as does the Illuminator neck.
 
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