Dimarzio's :O

Let me preface my comment by saying I'm a DiMarzio guy, have been since the late 70's.
I don't like the Super Distortion pickups (Super 3 is another incarnation of the original). For my money the Tone Zone is a much more versatile pickup that can do the high gain thing as well as more traditional crunchy sounds. Works very nicely with PAF Pro in the neck.
 
My friend had a super 3 in his bridge and it was dead sexy. Never messed with a Tone Zone before, but I have heard great things.
 
What kind of sound are you after?  70's Hard Rock?  80's Metal?  I recently read somewhere that the pickups used in Eddie Van Halen's Ernie Ball signature guitar featured  DiMarzio pickups created just for that guitar. However, I also read that the pickups used were basically the Tone Zone (bridge) and a Air Norton in the neck.  Sounds like a winning combo there.

:guitarplayer2:
 
I'm actually still trying to figure out the sound I want  :icon_scratch: That's why I posted that combo, to see what you guys here thought.
 
I think it was Steve Blucher of DiMarzio who had two pickups for Eddie to try out.  Eddie couldn't decide between the two, so he asked Steve Lukather to help him decide.  He chose the pickup that became the standard for the Ernie Ball guitar.  Steve Blucher preferred the other one, which became The Tone Zone.

I like The Tone Zone.  Have it in a few of my guitars.
I have an EMG 85.  Compared to The Tone Zone, it seems to have more output and less bass.  Possibly like the Super Distortion.

The PAF Pro is okay, but my favourite neck position pickup is the Evolution neck.
The Evolution neck is how I imagine a neck pickup to be.  It's warm, but you can still hear all the notes.
The Humbucker From Hell is cool, too.  But that's a different kinda sound.

Any idea what kind of guitar you're gonna put the pickups in?
 
jule7625 said:
The PAF Pro is okay, but my favourite neck position pickup is the Evolution neck.
The Evolution neck is how I imagine a neck pickup to be.  It's warm, but you can still hear all the notes.
The Humbucker From Hell is cool, too.  But that's a different kinda sound.

Any idea what kind of guitar you're gonna put the pickups in?

+1.  The choices depend upon what kind of wood your axe is made of, as well as the sound you are going after.  From your choices, it sounds like you want something high gain.  As mentioned by Tex above, the Air Norton is also a great neck pup.  The Humbucker from Hell has kind of a single coil sound. 

Another choice for your middle single coil slot is a Seymour Lil 59.  My Jackson PS-4 (HSH config) has a Humbucker from hell in the neck, a Lil 59 in the middle, and a Evolution bridge in the .... bridge!
 
I have the Evolution Bridge and an Air Norton in the neck.

I find this to be a great combination.  The Evolution cuts through nicely, but can take the beef of the low end too.  The Air Norton is like a Paf Pro in the neck with a tad more output, and a bit more of a scoop.  When soloing on either pickup, note attack is clear and distinct, fast runs retain clarity, and when you play on a clean tone, either pickup works well.  I like to use the JPM wiring which selects the inner coil in parallel from each pickup, kinda like a telecaster in the center position.  Then, if I need to do a "clean" solo, I can select either the neck or the bridge, but the center position is my standard clean setting.


Petrucciwiring_NoTone.jpg

 
I've figured out the sound I want!

Almost.

Here are the songs: Bad Horsie, Pulse of the Maggots, or Wizards in Winter......I couldn't have picked a wider range..... :toothy11:
 
TexxasJam said:
What kind of sound are you after?  70's Hard Rock?  80's Metal?  I recently read somewhere that the pickups used in Eddie Van Halen's Ernie Ball signature guitar featured  DiMarzio pickups created just for that guitar. However, I also read that the pickups used were basically the Tone Zone (bridge) and a Air Norton in the neck.  Sounds like a winning combo there.

:guitarplayer2:
The ones used in EVH sig's were called Black backs, may have just been a code name not sure. But I have also seen on Ed Roman make refference to Black Backs......However I have never compaired specs so it's quite possible they are the Tone Zone and the Air Norton..... :dontknow:
 
hey.. u guys tried mo' joe yet??? read some gud reviews bout 'em but never a fisrt hand review..by myself..hehheheh.. so anybody in lurve with the mo' joe's juice yet?
 
i just played a solist with a d activator neck and a d activator x bride. F-ing awesome :guitarplayer2: Good for cleans too with both pups selected.
 
Back
Top