Hey Tom, word on the EBMM board for a long time was that the EVH pickup was between a Tone Zone and Air Zone; I heard it described as a non-Air'ed Air Zone. I think the Air portion of the pickup is putting what amounts to a plastic spacer between the humbucker's baseplate and the poles, reducing the output a bit and making it more "vintagey". Whatever! I have heard great things about the Norton, for what it's worth.
Oh, and things are freaking great here, had a heck of a good year...and you?