Members JamesPeters Posted August 29, 2007 Members Share Posted August 29, 2007 I got a Dimarzio D Activator bridge pickup recently and I'm quite impressed with it. How Dimarzio describes the pickup is quite accurate. My personal notes: take an EMG 81's attack, crunch, and smoothness (as well as its overall output level), blend in some more warmth (somewhat like an EMG 85), broaden the dynamic range (so that it just responds "more naturally"), remove the need for batteries or unusual value pot values, voila. Of course if you're already an EMG fan you may still prefer EMGs, and so far there are only two D Activator pickups Dimarzio offers (neck/bridge). I know a lot of people are going to welcome these pickups with open arms though, particularly those who have asked on the forums "what passive pickup is closest to an EMG". The answers to that question have always been a mixed bag of presumptions of what aspect of an EMG a person wants in a passive pickup, because no pickups have come this close to getting that sort of overall sound/response. And arguably the D Activator can be seen as getting that sort of sound/response in a "better" way. It's also quite a treat to put a pickup more suited to blues in the neck, alongside a D Activator in the bridge so that the middle and neck positions bring the guitar a more traditional flavor. Combining passive pickups alongside EMGs isn't impossible but it isn't simple or optimal with most guitar control sets. Combining other passive pickups with the D Activator is a no-brainer because the D Activator is a passive pickup which uses standard guitar control sets. There exists a video of the D Activator pickups on Youtube, done by a columnist for a guitar magazine; keep in mind if you see that video, that it's only what that one person did to set up his sound that time. That's not what the pickup always sounds like with every guitar and every amp. I have to say this because it seems a lot of people on the forums automatically presume the D Activator sounds exactly how it did in that video. Also, some have heard the D Activator in guitars with rather loose lows (such as some newer Ibanez set-neck guitars, which can be notorious for loose lows) and presumed the pickup were to blame. Some have also said the D Activator is "lower output" than they expected since they don't know what an EMG 81 brings to the table in the first place (it's not a super-hot output pickup either, in reality). Like any other pickup, the D Activator won't cure problems that are outside the pickup's domain whether it's what amp is used, how it's recorded, what guitar it's in, etc., and it's not meant to automatically make your guitar endlessly shoot flames. That being said, if your guitar sounds good to you already and you want more of that EMG type of flavor in the way Dimarzio promises of the D Activator, I can confidently recommend it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members noseminer Posted August 29, 2007 Members Share Posted August 29, 2007 I someone needs to do a comparison between d-activators, APC persuader leads, and blackouts, although I won't switch my pickup, I would just like to know Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JamesPeters Posted August 29, 2007 Author Members Share Posted August 29, 2007 I someone needs to do a comparison between d-activators, APC persuader leads, and blackouts, although I won't switch my pickup, I would just like to know Oh yeah right, that'll happen this decade. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members antiochband Posted August 29, 2007 Members Share Posted August 29, 2007 I've got a D-Activator set in my mahognay Ibanez V-Blade, and they kick serious ass. I've owned a guitar with an EMG 81/85 set in mahogany, and the two sets are VERY difficult to tell apart... I would say the D-Activators win because they have a more fully-formed low end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JoshuaLogan Posted August 29, 2007 Members Share Posted August 29, 2007 hrmm I wonder how nice of cleans they can get coilsplit or with the custom petrucci wiring (takes one coil from the neck and one from the bridge mixed together in parrel... sounds a lot like a strat... very bright, chimey cleans... I love that middle position for cleans and the neck pickup for leads on my petrucci, but don't like the bridge pickup quite as much... but have been avoiding taking it out because I don't want to lose the awesome cleans... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Divine Inferno Posted August 29, 2007 Members Share Posted August 29, 2007 Oh yeah right, that'll happen this decade. APC Persuader Lead is but I haven't tried the D-activators so I can compare. Can't wait to hear those clips JamesPeters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JamesPeters Posted August 29, 2007 Author Members Share Posted August 29, 2007 hrmm I wonder how nice of cleans they can get coilsplit or with the custom petrucci wiring (takes one coil from the neck and one from the bridge mixed together in parrel... sounds a lot like a strat... very bright, chimey cleans...I love that middle position for cleans and the neck pickup for leads on my petrucci, but don't like the bridge pickup quite as much... but have been avoiding taking it out because I don't want to lose the awesome cleans... I currently have it wired with a series/parallel switch and in parallel mode it's quite nice but definitely lower in output. I'll try doing a "coil tap" (single coil) instead, but I don't know what to expect... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JamesPeters Posted August 29, 2007 Author Members Share Posted August 29, 2007 APC Persuader Lead is but I haven't tried the D-activators so I can compare. Can't wait to hear those clips JamesPeters. I figure it'll take quite a while before people compare all three of these pickups and report back to the forums, especially with comparisons that make sense (same guitars, same amps, etc.) since they're all so new. I wouldn't doubt the other pickups sound as good, but I'm happy with the D Activator. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JoshuaLogan Posted August 29, 2007 Members Share Posted August 29, 2007 I currently have it wired with a series/parallel switch and in parallel mode it's quite nice but definitely lower in output. I'll try doing a "coil tap" (single coil) instead, but I don't know what to expect... You mean so both humbuckers are together at the same time? Why would that be lower output? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Divine Inferno Posted August 29, 2007 Members Share Posted August 29, 2007 I figure it'll take quite a while before people compare all three of these pickups and report back to the forums, especially with comparisons that make sense (same guitars, same amps, etc.) since they're all so new. I wouldn't doubt the other pickups sound as good, but I'm happy with the D Activator. Yeah you nailed it, especially given that for a lot of people, a lot of this stuff isn't exactly that easy to get hold of. Like me sadly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members antiochband Posted August 29, 2007 Members Share Posted August 29, 2007 Anyone try the D Activator 7 string version? Are they better than EMG 707s? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JoshuaLogan Posted August 29, 2007 Members Share Posted August 29, 2007 P.S. I just checked, and they do seem to be pretty damn low output.... 11.4K resistance... aren't duncan JB's like 13k or 14k? I know that's not the only thing that affects output, but it's usually a good indicator, and that is pretty low for what is supposed to be a "high output" pickup... I bet the duncan custom (which is also ceramic) probably has more output... EDIT: and the neck is only 7.2K... very low... that's on par with strats and teles... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members antiochband Posted August 29, 2007 Members Share Posted August 29, 2007 P.S. I just checked, and they do seem to be pretty damn low output.... 11.4K resistance... aren't duncan JB's like 13k or 14k? I know that's not the only thing that affects output, but it's usually a good indicator, and that is pretty low for what is supposed to be a "high output" pickup... I bet the duncan custom (which is also ceramic) probably has more output...EDIT: and the neck is only 7.2K... very low... that's on par with strats and teles... I don't think they are advertised as "high-ouput", are they? They really do seem like medium-output, just like EMGs. ' "High output" is something like a Seymour duncan dimebucker or invader. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JamesPeters Posted August 29, 2007 Author Members Share Posted August 29, 2007 P.S. I just checked, and they do seem to be pretty damn low output.... 11.4K resistance... aren't duncan JB's like 13k or 14k? I know that's not the only thing that affects output, but it's usually a good indicator, and that is pretty low for what is supposed to be a "high output" pickup... I bet the duncan custom (which is also ceramic) probably has more output... EDIT: and the neck is only 7.2K... very low... that's on par with strats and teles... DC resistance isn't an absolute indicator of a pickup's output level. The Gibson 500T measures around 10K ohms and it's in the "super hot" league, hotter than most pickups made. If they use thicker wire and/or stronger magnets, a pickup can have low resistance and very high output. Thinner/more traditional wire, with more traditional strength pickups...well then you can start "comparing apples to apples" in terms of DC resistance. That's probably why Gibson doesn't even put DC resistance specs on their site. As for how "high output" they are, you can refer to my original post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JoshuaLogan Posted August 29, 2007 Members Share Posted August 29, 2007 I don't think they are advertised as "high-ouput", are they? They really do seem like medium-output, just like EMGs. '"High output" is something like a Seymour duncan dimebucker or invader. What's the resistance on the EMG 81? I'm pretty sure it's higher.. probably atleast 15k or 16k Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JamesPeters Posted August 29, 2007 Author Members Share Posted August 29, 2007 Yeah you nailed it, especially given that for a lot of people, a lot of this stuff isn't exactly that easy to get hold of. Like me sadly. Even here in Winnipeg, with a Dimarzio dealer, I had problems. I'd ordered one and the distributor dropped the ball after a month of it being "on order". That's when I just poked around the forums to find a used one in the USA and bought it instead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JamesPeters Posted August 29, 2007 Author Members Share Posted August 29, 2007 What's the resistance on the EMG 81? I'm pretty sure it's higher.. probably atleast 15k or 16k Stop thinking of DC resistance. It'll just lead you down the wrong road when it comes to thinking about pickups. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members damnuandurdog Posted August 29, 2007 Members Share Posted August 29, 2007 Link to the youtube demo? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members noseminer Posted August 29, 2007 Members Share Posted August 29, 2007 Link to the youtube demo? You don't want to see it, for real. I never understood why anyone made clips to demonstrate pickups, the wood of the guitar and the amp's sound can vary so much that pickups are really a very small contributor to the overall tone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members antiochband Posted August 29, 2007 Members Share Posted August 29, 2007 You don't want to see it, for real. I never understood why anyone made clips to demonstrate pickups, the wood of the guitar and the amp's sound can vary so much that pickups are really a very small contributor to the overall tone. True.... before I even bought I my first guitar, I researched body woods and pickup spec's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Herald of Light Posted August 29, 2007 Members Share Posted August 29, 2007 What's the resistance on the EMG 81? I'm pretty sure it's higher.. probably atleast 15k or 16k I don't see why you are putting any importance in that, but it's 13.65k, far as I can tell. Why do you even care? Don't you use super high gain amps? It's not like you require a huge amount of output just to get distortion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members antiochband Posted August 29, 2007 Members Share Posted August 29, 2007 It's 13.65k, far as I can tell.Why do you even care? Don't you use super high gain amps? It's not like you require a huge amount of output just to get distortion. Also true. low to medium-output are all I care to use, otherwise under high gain the tone is WAY too trebly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JamesPeters Posted August 29, 2007 Author Members Share Posted August 29, 2007 Don't get me wrong--I still prefer to have strong output from the pickup when it comes to making "metal" sounds, and that's part of why I like the D Activator (it still has strong output). It's just not an all-out, 100%-in-your-face sort of "high output"; there's a fair degree of balance and smoothness to it which I really like, moreso than the EMG 81. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JoshuaLogan Posted August 29, 2007 Members Share Posted August 29, 2007 I don't see why you are putting any importance in that, but it's 13.65k, far as I can tell.Why do you even care? Don't you use super high gain amps? It's not like you require a huge amount of output just to get distortion. Because the response is much faster/tighter. For quick palm muted rhythm bits, triplets, etc.... it helps a lot. But it may not matter when I switch to a different amp... the uberschall is really loose, so it's kinda bothering me right now... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JamesPeters Posted August 29, 2007 Author Members Share Posted August 29, 2007 Because the response is much faster/tighter. For quick palm muted rhythm bits, triplets, etc.... it helps a lot. But it may not matter when I switch to a different amp... the uberschall is really loose, so it's kinda bothering me right now... A Duncan JB has around 16K resistance, but its low end is one of the most loose of the higher output pickups around. A Dimarzio Super Distortion has about the same resistance, uses ceramic magnets instead, and manages to have about the same output with more focus on the lows while still sounding more "classic" (despite using ceramic magnets). The Dimarzio Bluesbucker uses ceramic magnets yet sounds like a P90. A Dimarzio Cruiser sounds like a good single coil with an alnico magnet but it has ceramic magnets. And on it goes. It's not about whether it uses certain magnets or whether it has a higher resistance specifically, but about the overall design of the pickup. So let's get to what's really troubling you and solve that: the looseness you're experiencing in your sound. Have you tried other guitars through the amp to see if that helps, or other cabs for that matter? If your guitar has a loose low end character, or if the cab is to blame, you don't want to be endlessly swapping pickups because you'd have a very low likelihood of solving your problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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