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Duncan vs. DiMarzio


heem6

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Okay, the other day someone was telling me that he's tested the Duncan Distortion and the DiMarzio Super Distortion side by side, and the DiMarzio blows the Duncan away. Also that the new Seymours are not nearly as well produced as the ones from years ago.

 

I've never owned a DiMarzio, but I'm thinking about giving it a shot. What does everyone here think of the two pickups? I'm putting it in a custom-built George Lynch Bengal Tiger, so the Seymour would be more authentic, but if the DiMarzio sounds better....

 

Discuss amongst yourselfs....

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I'm no pro, so quit putting all this pressure on me. :freak::cry:

 

But I'm going to say IMHO, I've had better luck with DiMarzios than Duncans.

 

I find DiMarzios to be more lively.

 

I've tried Ducan

 

59

PG II

PG V

Classic Stack

Custom Custom

 

 

DiMarzio

 

PAF Pro

Fred

Air Norton

Tone Zone

Virual PAF

VirtuAL 2 neck

 

I do have a set of Duncan Seth Lovers that I will be installing in my LP. I expect to be pleased with those.

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. . . wow, flame-free so far, way to go guys, lests keep it that way !

 

 

So, my 2 cents !

 

* Only Duncan's get imported to South Africa.

NO ONE bring in DiMarzio'z (at all) - does that sat anything about the popularity of DiMarzio's ?

 

* I always thought (i might be off target) that more of the big names in popular music (regardless of the genre) use Duncans. (?)

Yes, DiMarzio has Vai & Satriani on their side, but any other multi-million album *sellers ?

 

( *not talking about 'new metal' bands that only today's teenagers can appreciate . . . but groups/artists that have gained RESPECT from all age groups, 15 to 99)

 

 

 

;)

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I have both Duncans and Dimarzios (along with Bill Lawrence, EMG, Fender, and Epi Elitist) in my guitars and like them both.

A lot of the pickups sound depends on the guitar. I've had Dimarzios that sound great in one guitar and bad in another and the same with Duncans.

For me it's always been a lot of trial and error until I hit the right combination.

Sorry, I know that wasn't much help.

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Pete N. - I agree completely. It's always a process for me to find the right pickups for the particular guitar. This is going in an Alder bodied custom Charvel San Dimas replica body.

 

I will add that I'm ridiculously pleased with the Duncan Vintage Staggered, still sort of undecided on the Screamin' Demon, love the Custom Custom.

 

So far, I think group opinion is decidedly in favor of the DiMarzio Super D.

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Originally posted by GAS Man


I find DiMarzios to be more lively.

 

 

If you are going to compare the two product lines as a whole overall I'd say the same thing.

 

I love the APH II and Seth Lover pickups. Duckbuckers are also great pickups with a really unfortunate name.

 

But overall Duncan's seem to be missing a little more off the top with a tendency to be undefined in the midrange.

 

Caveat: even I would admit that is a way broad generalization, and I've never tried true single coils from either manufacturer - so taken individually YMMV.

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Originally posted by SirJackdeFuzz

Yes, DiMarzio has Vai & Satriani on their side, but any other multi-million album *sellers ?

Petrucci of Dream Theater, Paul Gilbert of Racer X, bassist Billy Sheehan, Yngwie Malmsteen, Ace Frehley of Kiss, Adrian Smith of Iron Maiden, Al Di Meola, Amir Derakh of Orgy, Angus Clark of Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Bob Mann (James Taylor), Chris Hayens of Heuy Lewis and the News, Chris Poland (formerly of Mega Death), Dave Murray of Iron Maiden, David Grissom of the Dixie Chix, Dr. Know of Bad Brains, Dweezil Zappa, Earl Slick (David Bowie), Eddie Martinez (Robert Palmer), Eddie Ojeda of Twisted Sister, Eric Johnson, Herman Li of Dragon Force, J Bentley of Bad Religion, JJ French of Twisted Sister, John Norum of Dokken and Europe, Lou Reed, Page Hamilton of Helmet, Pat Bergeson (Lyle Lovett), Paul Nelson (Johnny Winter), Phil Collen of Def Leppard, Reb Beach of White Snake and Winger, Reeves Gabrels (David Bowie), Rob Caggiano of Anthrax, Ryan Shuck of Orgy, Sam Totman of Dragon Force, Steve Morse of Deep Purple and the Dixie Dregs, Tom Scholz of Boston, Vivian Campbell of Def Leppard... and so on... It seems that especially shred guys like them.

 

I have had good luck with Dimarzio's as well. From what little I have used them, Duncans seem a little more raw, and DiMarzios seem a little more refined. A matter of taste, I guess. I'm sure they both make excellent pickups.

 

edit: By the way, the artists marked in bold are just ones that jumped out at me. Doesn't really mean anything special.

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I own some of dimarzio and duncan

agree the particular guitar need the particular pickup.

 

so with duncan [tone chart],lets say you chose one pickup not that right for that guitar,you can choose the right one follow the

[tone chart]--------that is important,you have the first pickup as reference.

 

dimarzio site have info like [tone chart] too,but hide real deep.

and not easy to compare to others.

now they use flash site-----completely not work for me.

and their catalog is not read and print friendly.

 

compare to duncan,I thought dimarzio hope you buy the pickup because some big name use it, not because the pickup suit your guitar. Duncan did that too(use big name),but not as much as dimarzio. and I can get info what I want,and have a forum to talk to other people.

 

so, improved your site, dimarzio .

 

I agree both make good pickups.

 

on the other hand ,I hope other brand can give a [tone chart],

EMG/LAZE/BILL L/GFS.....or I will think you afraid to compare to other brand and cant give stable products.

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I was a Duncan man for years... until recently. Now I'm starting to lean into the DiMarzio camp. For humbuckers my current favorite combo is to put a DiMarzio Air Norton in the bridge, and a Duncan Alnico Pro II in the neck.

 

Sincle coils are a diffrent story, though. I've recently popped a set of Fender SCN's in my Strat, and now there's no going back :cool:

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