Seymour Bro we need to talk ...

[VonBonfire]

If you wanna split the pickups, you gotta make sacrifices.

No shielded thick wire=like putting da blanket on your speakers. Thicc wire=more tone conveyance. I once had a guitar with coil splits and I'd go part of the whole first set trying to figure out why my tone was thin and weak and treblier than usual only to find somehow the push pull got pulled. I ain't doing that again.

 

[Speeddemon]

I like the Jazz because I like bright pickups

Well, I like 'em reasonably bright too (case in point PGn and Screaming D for neck, or a DiMarzio Evo neck), it's just that the lack of character is too much for me when it comes to the Jazz. There's no juiciness to it.
Tried it in a Les Paul and in a Cort Viva Gold II (sort of Ibanez S series wannabe, HSH with a Floyd).

Think of it this way, if the Powerball I was your only experience with Engl amps, you might think 'clinical pos' too and miss out on the Savage, SE, Invader, Artist, etc. type of stuff that just does it better.

 

[JohnnyGtar]

Well, I like 'em reasonably bright too (case in point PGn and Screaming D for neck, or a DiMarzio Evo neck), it's just that the lack of character is too much for me when it comes to the Jazz. There's no juiciness to it.
Tried it in a Les Paul and in a Cort Viva Gold II (sort of Ibanez S series wannabe, HSH with a Floyd).

Think of it this way, if the Powerball I was your only experience with Engl amps, you might think 'clinical pos' too and miss out on the Savage, SE, Invader, Artist, etc. type of stuff that just does it better.

I hear ya bro. That's a very good analogy. I like the PGn a lot. I don't hear the Jazz as having a lack of character. What some people call character, I call sonic muck. LOL I don't like the vast majority of neck humbuckers...I prefer strat type pickups in the neck. I worked in the musical instrument industry for decades and I'm a pickup nerd. I've played a zillion different pickups. I like a real prominent top end, but I don't want screech, and that's a fine line to be sure. I'll slap a DiMarzio FRED into the bridge position of a northern ash strat with a Floyd and that gets me off tonewise. Having said that, I use a Suhr Aldrich in my maple bodied 87 Kramer. Plenty of top end and a lot of clarity, and it's got big balls in the mids and lows. It all depends on the guitar and the application I'm going for. Lots of wonderful neck pickups out there and the Jazz is my desert island neck humbucker because it's bright and scooped. Kinda stratty in its own way. DiMarzio's Bluesbucker is another one I like in the neck because only one coil is picking up string vibration. Narrow magnetic window.

 

[DanTravis62]

All pickups are picky about the guitar theyre in.

I really like the custom 5, sh-6, and a handful of others, but for most applications there are pickups I vastly prefer.

In all seriousness though, any duncan is better than a dimarzio, those mids drive me insane

 

[SpiderWars]

Did you twist them and tin them first? That helps.

I also don’t really like the Jazz. The 59n I sometimes like, my first partscaster still has one but when I got one in my Chubtone I didn’t like it. I liked the Sentient in that guitar. Same neighborhood as the 59n and Jazz just a little sweeter to me.

 

[Speeddemon]

In all seriousness though, any duncan is better than a dimarzio, those mids drive me insane

Tell me you never played a Norton/AT-1/Breed Neck/36th Anniv PAF neck without telling me you never played them.

Come on, dude, I expect better from you.
You make it sound like you only played a PAF Pro and a Tone Zone and decided 'this is how ALL Dimarzios behave'.
I like a whole bunch of Duncans, but especially when it comes to neck pickups, DiMarzio has them beat on numerous occasions.

You're into recording and micing right? Think of it this way: JB vs. Norton is like an SM57 vs Beyer M201.
Sure, everyone and their granny uses the JB for 80's metal, but the Norton just does that thing....better. Better harmonics, tighter low-end, no mushy compression, no screechy top-end, just good brightness, less dark when played clean in humbucking mode, great split tone.

Sure, in the right guitar the JB shines, but when it doesn't, it REALLY doesn't. The Norton behaves better in more situations.
In fact, when people discuss the whole slew of the usual suspects for EVH sounding pickups (Mighty Mite 1300, 1400, Super Distortion, Custom...Custom Custom) the Norton should most definitely be included!

Give it a try man.

 

[DanTravis62]

Tell me you never played a Norton/AT-1/Breed Neck/36th Anniv PAF neck without telling me you never played them.

Come on, dude, I expect better from you.
You make it sound like you only played a PAF Pro and a Tone Zone and decided 'this is how ALL Dimarzios behave'.
I like a whole bunch of Duncans, but especially when it comes to neck pickups, DiMarzio has them beat on numerous occasions.

You're into recording and micing right? Think of it this way: JB vs. Norton is like an SM57 vs Beyer M201.
Sure, everyone and their granny uses the JB for 80's metal, but the Norton just does that thing....better. Better harmonics, tighter low-end, no mushy compression, no screechy top-end, just good brightness, less dark when played clean in humbucking mode, great split tone.

Sure, in the right guitar the JB shines, but when it doesn't, it REALLY doesn't. The Norton behaves better in more situations.
In fact, when people discuss the whole slew of the usual suspects for EVH sounding pickups (Mighty Mite 1300, 1400, Super Distortion, Custom...Custom Custom) the Norton should most definitely be included!

Give it a try man.

I have tried a dozen different dimarzios, including vintage ones. I simply don't like them.

I generally don't like JBs either, for that matter.

Dimarzios (in general) have a signature high mid peak that reminds me of the frequencies emphasized on cheap solid state practice amp distortion - I just well and truly hate them, and no manner of "come on guy, give it a try" is ever going to change my mind. If they work great for you, more power to you man, but I fucking HATE dimarzio pickups.

The only ones I've ever tried that didn't make me want to kill myself were the 36th anniversary or whatever they were called, and even those are like a crappier version of other pickups to me.

 

[JohnnyGtar]

Tell me you never played a Norton/AT-1/Breed Neck/36th Anniv PAF neck without telling me you never played them.

Come on, dude, I expect better from you.
You make it sound like you only played a PAF Pro and a Tone Zone and decided 'this is how ALL Dimarzios behave'.
I like a whole bunch of Duncans, but especially when it comes to neck pickups, DiMarzio has them beat on numerous occasions.

You're into recording and micing right? Think of it this way: JB vs. Norton is like an SM57 vs Beyer M201.
Sure, everyone and their granny uses the JB for 80's metal, but the Norton just does that thing....better. Better harmonics, tighter low-end, no mushy compression, no screechy top-end, just good brightness, less dark when played clean in humbucking mode, great split tone.

Sure, in the right guitar the JB shines, but when it doesn't, it REALLY doesn't. The Norton behaves better in more situations.
In fact, when people discuss the whole slew of the usual suspects for EVH sounding pickups (Mighty Mite 1300, 1400, Super Distortion, Custom...Custom Custom) the Norton should most definitely be included!

Give it a try man.

The Norton should be a lot more popular. It's in between a FRED and a Tone Zone.

 

[napalmdeath]

Custom is where it's at, for me when it comes to a SD pickup.

My favorite as well.

 

[Rex Rocker]

I like the Custom too, but I'm really enjoying the CS JB that I recently got.

I like Duncans overall, personally. But I like mixing Duncans with DiMarzios. I'm really enjoying the JB/Air Norton combo that I currently have.

Both Duncan and DiMarzio have pickups that I like and that I don't. Really varied, so it's kinda hard to pinpoint one single element that defines both. I was gonna type that DiMarzios tend to be smooth in the neck position, but then, for example, the PAF Pro is kinda the opposite of smooth.

But apparently, Duncans ain't got the mojo, so I dunno.

 

[Wizard of Ozz]

 

[braintheory]

I also don’t care for Dimarzio or Duncan’s having been through so many and still have some vintage ones (I should sell them). The JB and a few other models have a voicing that works well in most stuff, but never really is anything amazing or wowza

It’s not so much that I dislike them, but just so many better pickups out there. I think guys are missing out by only staying in the Duncan/Dimarzio/BKP box in much the same way most stay in the only Celestion box rather that experience other great colors

Between the old Schaller’s, Dirty Finger’s, Bill Lawrence’s, Mighty Mite’s, Jackson J90 and my choices for lower output pickups the Dimarzio’s and Duncan’s (vintages ones too) imo don’t hold up well in comparison. They kind of imo get the job done but nothing special to really make the ear go wow what is that

 

[anomaly]

I've averse to SD since having such bad luck. You are bagging on the Jazz but my friend @JohnnyGtar says it's one of his faves so I'm not sure how to square this. The 59 was one of the dullest buckers I've ever tried. The JB sounded like I was plugged into a compressor pedal all the time which surprisingly I was somewhat more ok with than the 59, and the Seths are kinda harsh and overly bright in the high end, even in a dark LP neck with the tone rolled down some. I'm guessing they might work good in a big archtop. You guys have all tried so much gear, I haven't really so maybe take my posts with a grain of salt.

That's weird cause the JB is probably one of the most dynamic high output pickups they make. Try a Duncan Distortion just for shits and giggles, or a Duncan Custom SH-5.

 

[WizardAmpIphoneClip]

Passive pickups lol

 

[Speeddemon]

Lots of wonderful neck pickups out there and the Jazz is my desert island neck humbucker because it's bright and scooped. Kinda stratty in its own way.

In that case, you should definitely try the Screamin' Demon in the neck position! IMO, does a better 'stratty' tone than the Jazz. That certain 'tubey/bell-like' chime that a Strat usually has, is more apparent in the SD. I found the Jazz too clean and polite. Just like the Dimarzio Breed Bridge IIRC; too polite.

 

[SteveGlitch]

Passive sets generally have better tone than active sets in my opinion. I'm not one for pickups with electronic circuitry. However, my wife recently got me the Ibanez Tree Of Death 10'er which has active super clean pickups and I'm happy with them. I'd just stay away from things like EMG's and what not.

 

[anomaly]

Passive sets generally have better tone than active sets in my opinion. I'm not one for pickups with electronic circuitry. However, my wife recently got me the Ibanez Tree Of Death 10'er which has active super clean pickups and I'm happy with them. I'd just stay away from things like EMG's and what not.

EMG's kick ass for metal, well at least the 81 does, so does the 57. I prefer them with the 18 volt mod though.

 

[JackBootedThug]

I have always been a diehard Seymour Duncan fan but I have to be honest with you guys….. the dimarzio pups that I have in my explorer are the cats ass. Granted they are handmade by the man himself but they do everything well. Schb’s…you’re gonna pay for them if you find any but they are sweet.

 

[SteveGlitch]

I have always been a diehard Seymour Duncan fan but I have to be honest with you guys….. the dimarzio pups that I have in my explorer are the cats ass. Granted they are handmade by the man himself but they do everything well. Schb’s…you’re gonna pay for them if you find any but they are sweet.

I think it depends on the guitar and the wiring in conjunction with the pickups. Coupled with the feel and sound you're going for. It's great when you find that perfect pairing!

First thing I do when getting a new guitar is play it across 5 tube amps, 2 solid state amps and an FR, clean and dirt channels and if I don't care for the sound. I'll replace the pickups and bridge. Never had a regret lol

That said I now have various pickups I don't use, passive and active. Seymour is top of the list but that's just for me. Like pedals, there are plenty out there by great makers

 

[Smash]

I have tried a dozen different dimarzios, including vintage ones. I simply don't like them.

I generally don't like JBs either, for that matter.

Dimarzios (in general) have a signature high mid peak that reminds me of the frequencies emphasized on cheap solid state practice amp distortion - I just well and truly hate them, and no manner of "come on guy, give it a try" is ever going to change my mind. If they work great for you, more power to you man, but I fucking HATE dimarzio pickups.

The only ones I've ever tried that didn't make me want to kill myself were the 36th anniversary or whatever they were called, and even those are like a crappier version of other pickups to me.

I also was not impressed with the JB. It is ok.

I have never played a dimarzio, but have some weird prejudice against them somehow. I should try one