Dimarzio Question

[TheElectricMoron]

So I was sorta digging around in the work room a couple days ago and came across these Dimarzio stacked HB's that I pulled out of a 90 Malmsteen Strat. As I recall they were pretty blah sounding and the alnico things I replaced them with were a substancial improvement. Is that a faulty memory? I'm kinda working up to putting a bunch of Strat pieces together and the body has the swimming pool route so I had a s/s/hb guard made for it. Do I want to put this thing together with the Dimarzios in there? I have a JB bridge for the hb hole. Is there some secret to making the Dimarzios wonderful if they aren't already.

Just wondering. Your thots would be appreciated.

thanks
Charlie

[Sweetfinger]

Stacked pickup technology has progressed a little since those came out. It isn't your imagination. they're kinda unexciting, but hey, no noise, right?!

[David Schwab]

The new DiMarzio stacked pickups sound very good.... like the Virtual Vintage model.

Another person that used the same old HS-2 DiMarzio stacks was Eric Johnson. I think both him and Malmsteen got a pretty good tone.

[jrfrond]

Originally Posted by David Schwab

The new DiMarzio stacked pickups sound very good.... like the Virtual Vintage model.

I agree. I recently rebuilt an H/S/S Strat for a customer and used the Virtual Vintage pickups in conjunction with a TV Jones TV'Tron bridge pickup, and the DiMarzio's held up their part of the bargain with ease. Excellent snap, quack and depth.

Many people seem to forget that DiMarzio, the originators of replacement pickups, still makes a damn good pickup. I am in LOVE with their bass pickups in particular, but their guitar pickups also do exactly what they are supposed to.

[Sweetfinger]

Originally Posted by jrfrond

Many people seem to forget that DiMarzio, the originators of replacement pickups, still makes a damn good pickup. I am in LOVE with their bass pickups in particular, but their guitar pickups also do exactly what they are supposed to.

I've never forgotten. What I DON'T like about DiMarzio is the company itself. They put the "cuss" into "customer service". I never recommend DiMarzios to my customers unless there are no other options.

[David Schwab]

I don't care for some of their pickups, like the Tone Zone, but then I don't use that type of tone. But the Air Norton neck pickup is great. I also have an Al DiMeola bridge pickup that very good. Their new PAF pickups are good as well. I have a few SDHBs kicking around here as well.

I used to use the Model P and J bass pickups years ago.

[VintageBurst]

I picked up a set of their 36th Anniversary PAF's a few months back. Sounded great compared to the stock Burstbuckers. But after a few months they've 'bedded in' and sound pretty sterile. My first and last experience with Dimarzio Pickups. Airbucker technology, what a load.

[David Schwab]

Originally Posted by VintageBurst

I picked up a set of their 36th Anniversary PAF's a few months back. Sounded great compared to the stock Burstbuckers. But after a few months they've 'bedded in' and sound pretty sterile. My first and last experience with Dimarzio Pickups. Airbucker technology, what a load.

They sound the same as the day you installed them.. so how are they sterile sounding now? Maybe it's time to change your strings?

All the air gap does is make the alnico 5 magnet sound like an alnico 2, or like a weaker A5.

A friend of mine has a few in some guitars he built and in some Les Pauls, and they sound pretty good. He prefers the Duncan antiquities though.