Dimarzio pickups for heavy rhythm

I really want to try out the new passive pickup version of the Ibanez RG2228. It comes with the new 8 string version of the D-Activators. They are supposed to be voiced specifically for 8 strings and the neck pickup is different (not as hot) from the bridge (not sure if the 6 and 7 string d-activators are also this way)...
 
I recorded An Ibanez custom which had a super distortion in it...
It was both the only Ibanez, and only Dimudzio I didn't hate
 
I've tried the Super Distortion, PAF PRO, D-Activator Bridge and Neck, in and out of three guitars over the period of a year and a half. I spent a while auditioning pickups that I had laying around, Duncan and DiMarzio alike. They are a very strange thing, DiMarzio pickups, after all my trying to make them work, I am just a Duncan guy I guess. I am open to trying pickups like the Crunch Lab, Super 3, and X2N, but after trying these other pickups and finding that they all sound very similar the four of them, and to my ear, all missing tone, I am hesitant to even waste my own time knowing that I probably won't like them either.

To sum up my experience quickly, Duncans have cut but are smooth sounding, DiMarzios do not have cut and are not smooth sounding.
 
Definitely liked the D-Activator 7 that was in my seven stringer. Idk if it sounds different because it's more geared toward lower tunings but it kicked fucking ass.
 
Dimarzio Tone Zone: I got it in a baswood Ibanez RG and I am pretty happy with it. In E standard it's really nice and controllable for rhythm, it's not the mud monster I thought it would be. It's chock full of mids which might make it sound congested and weird with the wrong settings, but it's actually pretty tight in the bass department. You can safely scoop out some mids and it will not sound bad, because the mids are there in spades. It has a bit of an AWWW sound to it too. Single notes stand out with great articulation and are really smooth and cutting at the same time. I really like it.

Dimarzio D-Sonic 7: Again it's in a baswood Ibanez (RG7621) paired with a Liquifire 7. I take alternating turns in liking and hating these pickups. In the Ibanez the D-Sonic sounds a bit like a JB with some more "normal mids" (presuming the JB has scooped mids and boosted high-mids). I have set it with the bar towards the bridge. It's not really tight, it's not really high output, it's not really compressed. It's a bit of a "middle of the road" pickup. It's got good clarity and good mids, but it's not outstanding in any way. Same about the Liquifire - not bad, but a little conservative, a little too round and muddy. EMG 85 in the neck (of an alder guitar) beats it in any department including tonal balance, picking sensitivity and dynamics (IMHO!).

I have a Blaze Bridge laying around, which I plan on testing instead of the D-Sonic. Ola has made some great sounds with it in an Ibanez RG1527, so I have some hopes that I will like it.

My new project:

A few days ago I got a Yamaha baritone guitar (RGX420S D6). Alder body with maple/rosewood neck and 26 1/4 scale length (1667mm ).

Got it without pickups, only the pots are left in, so I would rather just install some passives to save me the hassle. Unplugged it resonates beautifully, moreso than some of my other twice more expensive guitars. Will be tuning it to B standard with some thicker strings; I got it tuned to E with some 8-38 size strings and man it plays effortlessly.

Following a very lengthy research, I think I will put a Dimarzio Super3 in the bridge and an Evolution Neck.



Crunch Lab vs EMG: Check here, RENEISGOD made some comparison
http://www.ultimatemetal.com/forum/equipment/766569-crunch-lab-vs-emg.html
 
I just bought a new 7 string and put DActivators in it. The bridge pickup is probably the best Dimarzio choice for metal. But I can not suggest the neck pickup to anyone. It's lack of mids/overly scooped sound is just not to my liking. I really am more of a fan of a pickup like the Air Norton in the neck position. I have a universe with Evolutions and I really love the sound of that guitar, but for more modern metal tones, the DActivator bridge especially for 7 strings guitars is a no brainer.
 
I know this thread's kinda dead, but in case it helps anyone:

I had the DiMarzio Super Distortion in the bridge position of my Ibanez SZ320 for a while before switching to EMG's.

It was alright. It was a FAT-sounding pickup. I used to tune to Drop D back then, so it was no biggie, but I'm sure the low-end would be waaaay too much for down tuning. It's got more low-end than even the EMG 85. Actually, to compare it to the 85 which is something that more people in this forum have experience with, it's got more lows, more low mids, a tad less core mids and high mids, and a tad more going on in the high-end... not completely in a different league, IMO, in the sense that it's a fat, high-output, kinda compressed-sounding pickup.

Not as much experience with the Tone Zone myself, but I have used it for a while in the past. I would not use one for Sneap-ish kinda tone a all. Matter of fact, I used to really like that one before, but nowadays, I don't think it would be very useable in anything but fairly bright-sounding that's not tuned low and that's used mostly for leads... JMO.
 
I've got a Super Distortion, a PAF Pro, A Steve's Special (whatever the fuck that is, never used it, came with my latest guitar), and an Air Norton...all of which are sitting in a box in the closet. The SD is not horrible, used it from 1999-2009 but ever since I switched to actives in 2 of my 3 guitars it's collecting dust. I'd actually love to trade these fuckers for a maxon OD pedal or something at some point.
 
I bought an Ibanez Xiphos which comes standard with the Dimarzio D-Activators.

Played it for 2 years, then switched to EMG active 81 and 85.
I was very dissapointed because the dimarzios sounded waaaay better.

So yeah the I miss the dimarzio's. :erk:
 
What I've tried so far:

Breed Bridge: Bassy and flabby, not articulate, maybe good for 'brown' overdrive blues stuff but NOT for tight heavy rhythms. Looks cool, but if I wanted that much bass I'd get a bass.

Evo 2 Bridge: Tight, aggressive, biting upper mids, well-balanced, articulate. Ceramic sound. I like it. Have it in a deep sounding basswood Schecter (B standard) and it's right at home there. Reminds me of a Duncan Custom.

Crunch Lab: Tight, warm, punchy, open, articulate, organic, has hi-fi treble but no biting upper mids. Lack of upper mids = more room for the vocals, but won't cut through a mix. Better suited for brighter guitars; I like it in my maple neck-thru. People who say it sounds thin/tinny probably have the blade facing the bridge; should be toward the neck.
 
Ive tried so many pickups in my years of playing, from EMGs to passive Duncans, but my dream pickup ended up being the Dimarzio Super Distortion. i guess pickup choice is extremely variable to the styles being played, but my great all rounder, and it does everything well, is that pickup.

the only good Duncans ive played are the stock ones that came with my Schecter Lady Luck. its a "Duncan Alnico Plus", with distressed chrome case. its smooooth as fuck but cuts no matter what. i am still undecided whether i really love that or dont...

the other Dimarzio recommended is the PAF Pro, BUT, the one in my Les Paul is about 20+ years old and was whacked in by the luthier that built it. so different coil/specs, i dunno, but basically a Super Distortion with a tubescreamer patched. on a clean setting, itll be fine playing single notes but as soon as chords are getting struck, it overdrives itself. i use this guitar for leads
 
Ermz said:
Tone Zone is horrible. Needed to have a serious war with that pickup in order to make it work on a record I mixed late last year.

I'm not big on the Dimarzio range, but just tonight I heard an A/B comparison where a Crunch Lab totally ate a BKP Aftermath alive.
Click to expand...

would be better if you put on this thread. Because on keith merrow BKP vs SD 7 strings, i really like the tightness of aftermath :OMG:
 
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