New Pickup Recomendation?

[Skoked]

I have a Jackson DXMG with a Dimarzio Tone Zone in the bridge. The guitar needs to open up more. It sounds slightly muffled and like its being held back. I also wouldn't mind a tad more presence in the mid/high area.

Can anyone recommend another dimarzio brand pickup as a replacement?

I was thinking a super distortion or super distortion 2 but have never owned one of these so can't really say.

Thanks,
Bob

PS- I hope I am posting this in the right place.

[Marko Ursin]

I guess not. This forum is about making pickups, not recommending them.

[big_teee]

Your pickup is way overwound, at 17.3k.
The chart shows it to have a lot of midrange, and bass, with less treble.
Pick one out with the traits you're looking for.
http://music-electronics-forum.com/a...uick_guide.pdf
T

[soundguruman]

I would avoid "super distortion" altogether.
If I want distortion, I get it from the amp, not the pickup.
The distortion from pickups, to me, is a bad approach.

Personally I avoid high output pickups. They sound really muddy to me. Yuk.

A good compromise is Angus Young Gibson pickup.
A balance of good output, clean clear highs, low microphonics.
Hats off to you and Gibson, Angus. Great pickup, the best I have tried.

I have tried many, many pickups. Gibson Humbucking has always given me a better result.

Long ago, when "super distortion" first appeared, I bought them and installed them.
Boy, what a disappointment.
The stock humbuckers sounded WAY better.

Also, the materials used for making a guitar, are just as important as the pickup.
The wood, the nut, the bridge saddles, even the tail piece, ALL influences the final sound, greatly.

If you thought the pickup was the only factor in sound quality...
you were gravely mistaken.

There are some guitars...no matter what pickup....they just sound awful.

[Skoked]

I already added a big block and don't wanna really spend the $ for a original floyd. I would try out a gibson pickup but they are not f-spaced. I do believe this guitar may never sound quite right to me, I am just trying to make the most of it.

I already tried a JB in this guitar also and didn't like it much better than the tone zone.

Thanks for the advice and attaching the Dimarzio chart.

[Fluoroscope 5000]

Rather than keep trying pickups hoping one will have the right type of midrange emphasis you want, replace the tone knob cap with this:
Q-filter

Wrap the included cap and resistor in parallel. Then wire them in series with the filter. What it does is lower the inductance while retaining the bass. It will smoothly extend the upper mids to highs from 10-5, and produce a variable upper mid peak from 5-0. There are various ways to wire it, but the standard should work well for you. Q-filter Photo by wildepickups | Photobucket

[big_teee]

Also don't forget the volume pots.
Sometimes Pots get to where they sound muffled.
Try a new 500k CTS, or Bourns pot in the volume position.
Also you may want to try a no load tone pot.
Mojo Potentiometers » Fender CTS 250K Potentiometer No Load Solid Shaft
I would try all that out before I spent money on pickups.
If you have another bridge pickup laying around stick in for a comparison.
T

[soundmasterg]

I would suggest trying a Duncan Full Shred. It sounds like it would fit the bill for the sounds you are going for. I have a pair in a guitar I made and they are hotter than vintage pickups, but not so midrangey like a JB or what you currently have. I believe they can be ordered F-spaced also.

Greg