Tested: DiMarzio SUPER PAF CERAMIC Humbucker

[Speeddemon]

Have you played them both? I've only played the Custom. It sounds good, but very "metal" under gain. Does the chugs very well. I was hoping the SD would lean more in the EVH direction than the Custom seems to.

This actually sounds like good news to me; as I have a spare Custom lying around, to be placed in a lower budget H-S guitar, that I want to make a bit of my Lynch/DeMartini/LaRocque axe. See pic. (the title is a joke on the fact that I added an ESP Custom decal to a $400 guitar, FYI.)
I'm thinking of a Custom Stack Plus in the neck position. (I have experience with the SSL-5 and 6 and like that tone, but noiseless is a nice plus).

 

[Exo-metal]

LaRocque rules. As you were....

 

[SonVolt]

This actually sounds like good news to me; as I have a spare Custom lying around, to be placed in a lower budget H-S guitar, that I want to make a bit of my Lynch/DeMartini/LaRocque axe. See pic. (the title is a joke on the fact that I added an ESP Custom decal to a $400 guitar, FYI.)
I'm thinking of a Custom Stack Plus in the neck position. (I have experience with the SSL-5 and 6 and like that tone, but noiseless is a nice plus).

You'll enjoy the Custom for that style. It's like a Duncan Distortion without the excessive compression.

 

[Speeddemon]

You'll enjoy the Custom for that style. It's like a Duncan Distortion without the excessive compression.

SCHWWWWEET!


I used DD's in the past in 2 different guitars, and liked them as pretty much one-trick ponies (=indeed quite compressed, but tight AF and the probably the best choice for thrash & speed), but switched them out of my Charvel So-Cal to make it more versatile... Went from a DD, to a Super D, then for years to a Norton, and back to the Super D again. (neck = Air Norton). I had one Super D, that sounded kinda limp for some reason, eventhough DC rating measured within spec, so I sold that one and threw in the Super D from another guitar, which I knew would scream as desired. The Norton from the Charvel went to that other guitar.

 

[SonVolt]

SCHWWWWEET!


I used DD's in the past in 2 different guitars, and liked them as pretty much one-trick ponies (=indeed quite compressed, but tight AF and the probably the best choice for thrash & speed), but switched them out of my Charvel So-Cal to make it more versatile... Went from a DD, to a Super D, then for years to a Norton, and back to the Super D again. (neck = Air Norton). I had one Super D, that sounded kinda limp for some reason, eventhough DC rating measured within spec, so I sold that one and threw in the Super D from another guitar, which I knew would scream as desired. The Norton from the Charvel went to that other guitar.

Ever played a Full Shred? It's kinda like that with more output. The only knock against it (for me) is it seems pretty scooped in the mids.

 

[Uzi Nein Millimetah]

This actually sounds like good news to me; as I have a spare Custom lying around, to be placed in a lower budget H-S guitar, that I want to make a bit of my Lynch/DeMartini/LaRocque axe. See pic. (the title is a joke on the fact that I added an ESP Custom decal to a $400 guitar, FYI.)
I'm thinking of a Custom Stack Plus in the neck position. (I have experience with the SSL-5 and 6 and like that tone, but noiseless is a nice plus).

I have an LTD Andy LaRocque and the Custom Stack Plus is great at the neck, and fortunately it has a middle toggle position for both pickups as well for great cleans. The Lynch Kami models have only neck single or bridge HB, which limits clean options.

Speaking of Lynch, I can't recommend his Ducan pickup The Hunter enough! Based on the Distortion, but a bit leaner and brighter.

 

[SonVolt]

I have an LTD Andy LaRocque and the Custom Stack Plus is great at the neck, and fortunately it has a middle toggle position for both pickups as well for great cleans. The Lynch Kami models have only neck single or bridge HB, which limits clean options.

Speaking of Lynch, I can't recommend his Ducan pickup The Hunter enough! Based on the Distortion, but a bit leaner and brighter.

Isn't the Hunter just a Duncan Distortion?

 

[Uzi Nein Millimetah]

Isn't the Hunter just a Duncan Distortion?

Nope. Tweaked from that platform for sure. The DD is brawnier and fuller on the low end, but the Hunter makes it easier to ape the classic Dokken tone. A great example would something like the Kiss of Death tone. You don't need much amp gain for it to work very well.

 

[SonVolt]

Nope. Tweaked from that platform for sure. The DD is brawnier and fuller on the low end, but the Hunter makes it easier to ape the classic Dokken tone. A great example would something like the Kiss of Death tone. You don't need much amp gain for it to work very well.

Interesting. The Darth Phineas review was saying they changed just enough to call it something different to get his name on it, but it was the same pickup.

 

[Uzi Nein Millimetah]

Interesting. The Darth Phineas review was saying they changed just enough to call it something different to get his name on it, but it was the same pickup.

Probably minimal, but noticeable. Ties in to my statement about tweaking the signal chain rather than constantly buying new pickups.

In the end, it all comes down to EQ, compression, and boost at a given time.

Still, some of my favorite musical moments have been when I realized a certain pickup was perfect for a certain guitar and/or a huge leap from whatever was in before the swap.

Some moments of glory happened when I discovered these in the right guitars:

BKP C-Bomb
The Hunter
L500XL
81
60
Air Norton
Blaze Custom

 

[SonVolt]

I had the same experience with a JB in the right guitar (Charvel San-Dimas)... I was like Ohhhhh, now I get it. The 81 I'm falling out of love with.... that or the rumors new production models are different than the old are true. My old ones clip the input stage on most clean amps. The news do not.

 

[Speeddemon]

Speaking of Lynch, I can't recommend his Ducan pickup The Hunter enough! Based on the Distortion, but a bit leaner and brighter.

While I like his Kiss of Death tone, personally I wouldn't go much leaner than the Distortion for my overall taste. I find it plenty lean.
@SonVolt that's what's keeping me from the Full Shred as well; I'm afraid I'll loose too much low end beef with that one in the bridge.

Further speakin' of Lynch; I *do* have 'his' Screamin' Demon full size HB in the neck position of my ESP Horizon NTII with a Custom 5 bridge; awesome combination and I prefer it over the stock JB/'59n that were in there.

 

[SonVolt]

While I like his Kiss of Death tone, personally I wouldn't go much leaner than the Distortion for my overall taste. I find it plenty lean.
@SonVolt that's what's keeping me from the Full Shred as well; I'm afraid I'll loose too much low end beef with that one in the bridge.

Further speakin' of Lynch; I *do* have 'his' Screamin' Demon full size HB in the neck position of my ESP Horizon NTII with a Custom 5 bridge; awesome combination and I prefer it over the stock JB/'59n that were in there.

Yeah, the low end is completely neutered on the Full Shred. It can sound fantastic, but there's not a lot of thump. The Custom is way better in that regard.

 

[Uzi Nein Millimetah]

While I like his Kiss of Death tone, personally I wouldn't go much leaner than the Distortion for my overall taste. I find it plenty lean.
@SonVolt that's what's keeping me from the Full Shred as well; I'm afraid I'll loose too much low end beef with that one in the bridge.

Further speakin' of Lynch; I *do* have 'his' Screamin' Demon full size HB in the neck position of my ESP Horizon NTII with a Custom 5 bridge; awesome combination and I prefer it over the stock JB/'59n that were in there.

I've never played a Screamin Demon, but have heard lots of people say it is quite mild/too mild for the bridge, although it's great at the neck. And very poorly named, especially for the '80s when people would expect megaoutput! Would have been better name for the Hunter, as it does scream!

The Distortion is the gold standard by which I judge all toasty pickups. Some of the few I would choose over it often would be the C-Bomb, L500XL and Hunter.

 

[harddriver]

I think this PAF ceramic responded better than what I hear in the standard SD, it had less grating strident highs and was a bit more chunky.

So i assume this PAF ceramic is 13k DCR????? Calling this a PAF is a bit misleading though since it's 13-14K DCR.

Maybe Dimarzio will wind one around 9K with the SD ceramic magnet with the PAF pole pieces and that would be more of a PAF Ceramic in my mind and I'd bet it would be fairly killer as well.

 

[Fiesta Red]

I did not like this pickup. It had an odd tone/frequency to it, almost forced. I think it was their attempt to make it PAF sounding.

Prefer the Super Distortion

 

[tallcoolone]

I put one in a partscaster I just put together a month ago. Sounds exactly like a SDist to me

 

[PBGas]

Still using this pickup and still love it! Running it in a Les Paul Axcess. Sounds fantastic and splits great as well.

 

[Speeddemon]

but have heard lots of people say it is quite mild/too mild for the bridge, although it's great at the neck. And very poorly named, especially for the '80s when people would expect megaoutput!

That's what I've heard too, so I never bothered to put one in the bridge.
I'm no fan of the SH-11 CC in the bridge either; way too polite/mild/bland, spongey and middy for my taste. For folks looking for EVH tone, the Dimarzio Norton would be a better pick if you need a cheap, easily available hb, and not going down the MightyMite rabbit hole.

Indeed, the SH-12 is
-great in the neck position; does that LaRocque/John Norum neck thing with ease; almost sounds like a beefed up single coil, with plenty of clarity, but more juicy character than the sterile Jazz neck hb. And even still sounds great when split; although REALLY bright/single coil-y then.
-weirdly named for such a medium output. Kinda reminds me of bandnames like Urge Overkill or Imagine Dragons, and finding out they don't play metal.... at all.