Let's talk DiMarzio pups

[glassjaw7]

Busted out my LP Copy with Evolution in bridge yesterday for my latest rectifier video, and I LOVED the tone and feel of that pickup. I've been using my Duncan JB equipped guitars and was used to that sound. Not sure if it's the ceramic magnet of the Evo that I like better or the DiMarizio sound?
I was checking out some DiMarzio's on the website and the Evo2, Crunch Lab, and D-ActivatorX(played that one and loved it) seem to be perfect for my style of playing.

Anyone here recommend DiMarzio, or should I maybe try something like a ceramic Cold Sweat in my LP's?

 

[mboogman]

I like Dimarzio's. You should check out the Air Norton in the bridge position on a Floyd equipped guitar. It's got a nice fat sound that can sometimes get lost with floyds.

I also really like the Steve's special (bridge) and Air Norton (neck) combo (quasi Old School Petrucci setup). You can get some great high gain sounds, and some killer strat-like cleans with the proper coil tapping setup. FWIW, the Air Norton taps better by itself in the bridge than in the neck position IMHO.

$.02

 

[glassjaw7]

Cool thanks! I'll try to find some to test. Anyone else?

 

[Motorpud]

The X2N and Air Norton are 2 of my favorite pickups out there. I don't know if they're what you'd be looking for but the AN is an all around great neck pickup

 

[Mr. Willy]

Another vote for the Air Norton in the neck. I wasn't too sure about it when I was playing it in my practice room, but it sounded great at my last band practice.

 

[guitarslinger]

DMZ's I love:

X2N (my first pup swap that started an obsession. I still love it)
Breed (bridge and neck)
Air Classic (classic, lively, and still has that dimarzio "aww")
D-Activator (played one at sam ash in a Korean Ibanez. blown away)
Super 3 (almost too hot)

 

[JakeAC5253]

I have liked DiMarzio's neck pickups better than their bridge pickups, but it does vary from guitar to guitar. The EVO is supposed to be a pretty bright pickup, so it probably blends with the LP body nicely. Are you going for a certain sound or are you just looking for a good all round pickup? lol

BTW, all this Air Norton love has me really curious. My all time favorite neck pickup so far is the PAF PRO, but I've never used an Air Norton... anybody that has used both of them in the same guitar that can offer a comparison?

And getting back to your original question. If you haven't used many ceramic mag pickups, then that's probably the reason that you like it better. Ceramic mag pickups have lots more mids and less bass and highs (in general) and that probably plays better with your Recto.

 

[Code001]

I have liked DiMarzio's neck pickups better than their bridge pickups, but it does vary from guitar to guitar. The EVO is supposed to be a pretty bright pickup, so it probably blends with the LP body nicely. Are you going for a certain sound or are you just looking for a good all round pickup? lol

BTW, all this Air Norton love has me really curious. My all time favorite neck pickup so far is the PAF PRO, but I've never used an Air Norton... anybody that has used both of them in the same guitar that can offer a comparison?

PAF Pro is brighter and a bit more open. The Air Norton is darker and more compressed. Output wise, they're fairly close.

 

[guitarslinger]

Ceramic mag pickups have lots more mids and less bass and highs (in general) and that probably plays better with your Recto.

I've found almost the opposite to be true.

ceramic = more bass, more highs, more output.

 

[JakeAC5253]

I have liked DiMarzio's neck pickups better than their bridge pickups, but it does vary from guitar to guitar. The EVO is supposed to be a pretty bright pickup, so it probably blends with the LP body nicely. Are you going for a certain sound or are you just looking for a good all round pickup? lol

BTW, all this Air Norton love has me really curious. My all time favorite neck pickup so far is the PAF PRO, but I've never used an Air Norton... anybody that has used both of them in the same guitar that can offer a comparison?

PAF Pro is brighter and a bit more open. The Air Norton is darker and more compressed. Output wise, they're fairly close.

Awesome

The PAF sounds more like what I'm going for with this guitar. I may try the Air Norton in a guitar I'm building in the future though. Sounds neat, thanks bro.

 

[Code001]

Busted out my LP Copy with Evolution in bridge yesterday for my latest rectifier video, and I LOVED the tone and feel of that pickup. I've been using my Duncan JB equipped guitars and was used to that sound. Not sure if it's the ceramic magnet of the Evo that I like better or the DiMarizio sound?
I was checking out some DiMarzio's on the website and the Evo2, Crunch Lab, and D-ActivatorX(played that one and loved it) seem to be perfect for my style of playing.

Anyone here recommend DiMarzio, or should I maybe try something like a ceramic Cold Sweat in my LP's?

The Evo and JB are fairly different sounding, so I'm not sure if just changing the magnet to ceramic would help you. That said, if you like the Evo, you could try out the Duncan Distortion.

Evo 2 - Less treble than the Evo, a little more bass, and less output. Harmonics are great, but it sounded fairly congested in my alder bodied strat.
Crunch Lab - I haven't tried this, but I tried the D-Sonic. The D-Sonic with the blade towards the neck sounded very good for tunings between E and C#. After that, it would get a bit muddy. With the blade towards the bridge, it had this odd treble/presence that was annoying. This was in my basswood RG.

I haven't tried the D-ActivatorX, but I have tried the following DiMarzio humbuckers:

Air Norton - Thick, warm PAF-esque pickup. Fairly compressed sounding which can lead to great lead work. Tried it in my basswood RG.
Breed Bridge - Hot PAF with lots of mids. Very thick and works great with basswood RGs.
Breed Neck - Similar to the Air Norton but a touch brighter and a little more open. Tried it in my basswood RG.
Evolution - Bright, tight, aggressive, but I'm sure you already know this. It can be a bit piercing in certain woods, but it depends on the tone you're going for. Tried it in an alder RG.
PAF Pro - Brighter than the Breed Neck and more open. Good as a neck pickup, but I don't like it in the bridge. Tried it in an alder strat..
Steve's Special - Good lows and highs with the mids pushed back a bit. I usually prefer pickups with more midrange, but this worked fairly well for tunings between E and D. Tried it in a basswood RG.
Super Distortion - Very hot and lots of bass. I thought it had too much bass in my basswood strat, but if I had a guitar with just a single hum configuration, I'd probably look into this.
ToneZone - Lots of bass and mids. Has a cocked wah kinda sound to it, which is very "love/hate." Tried it in my basswood RG.
X2N - High output, fairly even sounding. It was too bright in my basswood RG, however.

 

[JakeAC5253]

Ceramic mag pickups have lots more mids and less bass and highs (in general) and that probably plays better with your Recto.

I've found almost the opposite to be true.

ceramic = more bass, more highs, more output.

It could certainly be the way the different pickups were tuned, the winds I mean. If you take the same wind and swap different magnets then I think the above holds true.

 

[glassjaw7]

I have liked DiMarzio's neck pickups better than their bridge pickups, but it does vary from guitar to guitar. The EVO is supposed to be a pretty bright pickup, so it probably blends with the LP body nicely. Are you going for a certain sound or are you just looking for a good all round pickup? lol

BTW, all this Air Norton love has me really curious. My all time favorite neck pickup so far is the PAF PRO, but I've never used an Air Norton... anybody that has used both of them in the same guitar that can offer a comparison?

And getting back to your original question. If you haven't used many ceramic mag pickups, then that's probably the reason that you like it better. Ceramic mag pickups have lots more mids and less bass and highs (in general) and that probably plays better with your Recto.

I guess I'm going for a tight and responsive tone with punchy mids, but not too many mids. I want something that really "blooms" and reacts to my pick attack. Not super compressed and always stuck wide open, but a pup that can get mean and tight and smooth, yet still able to sound open and a little backed off for more classic rock/alternative sounds. I'm sick of the JB and the Jazz neck pup. They are very uninspiring to me and just don't feel right. The Evo might be a little too bright, but it's a step in the right direction.

I always thought of alnico pups sounding warmer in the mids, but from what you're telling me the ceramics may give the sound I'm after. I'm also looking into alnico and/or ceramic Bare Knuckles; seems a lot of people love em, or the Motor City's. Thing is, I don't know if it's the brand of pickup or the magnet causing the sounds/feel that I do or don't jive with. There are sooo many choices when it comes to pups, how do you ever know what really works for you??? I can't try them all.

 

[Code001]

Try the Evo 2.

 

[Motorpud]

Thing is, I don't know if it's the brand of pickup or the magnet causing the sounds/feel that I do or don't jive with. There are sooo many choices when it comes to pups, how do you ever know what really works for you??? I can't try them all.

Find somebody with one that's not using it and borrow it

 

[Mustaine-who?]

I have liked DiMarzio's neck pickups better than their bridge pickups, but it does vary from guitar to guitar. The EVO is supposed to be a pretty bright pickup, so it probably blends with the LP body nicely. Are you going for a certain sound or are you just looking for a good all round pickup? lol

BTW, all this Air Norton love has me really curious. My all time favorite neck pickup so far is the PAF PRO, but I've never used an Air Norton... anybody that has used both of them in the same guitar that can offer a comparison?

And getting back to your original question. If you haven't used many ceramic mag pickups, then that's probably the reason that you like it better. Ceramic mag pickups have lots more mids and less bass and highs (in general) and that probably plays better with your Recto.

I guess I'm going for a tight and responsive tone with punchy mids, but not too many mids. I want something that really "blooms" and reacts to my pick attack. Not super compressed and always stuck wide open, but a pup that can get mean and tight and smooth, yet still able to sound open and a little backed off for more classic rock/alternative sounds. I'm sick of the JB and the Jazz neck pup. They are very uninspiring to me and just don't feel right. The Evo might be a little too bright, but it's a step in the right direction.

I always thought of alnico pups sounding warmer in the mids, but from what you're telling me the ceramics may give the sound I'm after. I'm also looking into alnico and/or ceramic Bare Knuckles; seems a lot of people love em, or the Motor City's. Thing is, I don't know if it's the brand of pickup or the magnet causing the sounds/feel that I do or don't jive with. There are sooo many choices when it comes to pups, how do you ever know what really works for you??? I can't try them all.

Then you have got to try the Crunch Lab.

Tight...aggressive...not compressed...even mids...

I was die-hard SD Full Shred user...but the CL blew me away. Its a keeper!

 

[threadkiller]

I have the FRED in my 89 Ibanez RG560. It's essentially a PAF pro. Nice pickup in my opinion. If anyone has used one of the strat humbuckers made to fit a single coil slot I'd like to hear your opinion. I was thinking about changing mine out for SD hot rails but wanted to get some opinions on the super distortion for strat or Tone Zone S.

 

[symbolic253]

x2n ftw

 

[Tone Zone]

I guess I'm going for a tight and responsive tone with punchy mids, but not too many mids. I want something that really "blooms" and reacts to my pick attack. Not super compressed and always stuck wide open, but a pup that can get mean and tight and smooth, yet still able to sound open and a little backed off for more classic rock/alternative sounds.

WOW! I just recently threw the Crunch Lab/Liquifire combo in my Carvin C66 (alder body/maple top and neck)....and that description sums them up to a "T"! No joke, they fit that description very well.

 

[chumbucket]

ToneZone - Lots of bass and mids. Has a cocked wah kinda sound to it, which is very "love/hate." Tried it in my basswood RG.

I put a Tone Zone in a mahogany super strat tuned down a whole step and I don't get the cocked wah effect. It's thick and has has high output. I dig it. It also has an Air Norton in the neck which I'm pretty happy with.
I've also loved nearly every DiMarzio PAF variation that I've ever tried.