Tell me about Dimarzio Air Zone and Air Norton pups...

[cratz2]

I'm the one that recommended the 30th anny models. Seems like he was shopping for pickups based on youtube vids, while his actual needs didn't match the models he was looking at, IMO.

 

Well, Steve_man was asking about the 36th Anniversary pickups a week or two before he started this thread.

 

[Toshiro]

Well, Steve_man was asking about the 36th Anniversary pickups a week or two before he started this thread.

 

Oh well, I never saw that thread. I usually only post in threads about stuff I've used(like the Air Zone/Norton).

[cratz2]

Oh well, I never saw that thread. I usually only post in threads about stuff I've used(like the Air Zone/Norton).

 

'Sall good. Better than the folks that seem to know something about everything... Even if they don't have any experience with it.

 

[buddhapaugh]

The Tone Zone is the EXACT same pickup as the Air Zone with more output. So you will have the same problem. You can try them if you want, but don't say I didn't tell you when your LP sounds like a mud puddle. The real issue here is that 80% of the Dimarzio line is too bassy for a Les Paul. They are mostly designed for Ibanez guitars and stuff like that. The PAF 36th pickups will sound great. But if you need higher output, looks elsewhere. The only other set that works well in an LP is the D-activators. How much output do you want anyway?

 

This is my experience EXACTLY. Dimarzios are too dark for LP's in general... except for maybe a Super Distortion. I am not sure why... but I have had better luck with other pickup manufacturers with LP's and yet Dimarzio offers up some great choices when it comes to Strats and Superstrats.

 

I will NEVER try another Dimarzio in an LP. I have been through a Norton, Fred, Mo Joe, PAF Pro, Air Zone, Air Norton, Breed, and Virtual PAF in LP's (which was the best of the lot in an LP). None of them stuck. I have a pair of Alnico II's now!

[steve_man]

Are you cross-shopping the 36th Anniversary set with the Zone/Norton set? Wow... those are like... opposites, man. :poke: I mean, nothing wrong with checking out your options, but those are radically different sounding pickups. 36th Anniversary for nice vintage-y tones... earliest days of the PAF up through Led Zep and AC/DC. Tone Zone for modern 90s and 2000s higher gain tones. The Norton is a nice neck pickup, but certainly more modern flavored than the 36th. Anyway... not even similar. I would tend to think someone with a Vox amp and Greenback clone speakers would be much happier with the 36th Anniversary set. If you have a Charvel dealer near you, the Tone Zone is in some of their current models so might be easy to check out. The 36th Anniversary aren't identical to the 57 Classics or the Burstbucker 1 and 2 set, but they are in the same general ballpark and several Gibsons have those pups installed.

 

yes...

 

I just ran across a video with the Tonezone/air norton and liked the tones...but I have not purchased anything yet. Had no idea that Dimarzio had a pickup picker. I'll check that out. Yes, I was asking about the 36th anniv. models last week. They sound pretty good in the clips I've heard...but again, where I live I have very limited access to testing out pups. So that's why I've been starting threads like this one.

 

I like the tone of Bryan's BG pups...but 6 weeks seems kinda long to wait...however, I may end up going that route if I can't lock down something else. Kinda hesitant to buy pups off of evilbay...not sure if they would be authentic or not...

 

So, guess I'm still looking at the classic models...maybe my stint in the world of metalish pups is over...

[jbandy10]

This is my experience EXACTLY. Dimarzios are too dark for LP's in general... except for maybe a Super Distortion. I am not sure why... but I have had better luck with other pickup manufacturers with LP's and yet Dimarzio offers up some great choices when it comes to Strats and Superstrats. I will NEVER try another Dimarzio in an LP. I have been through a Norton, Fred, Mo Joe, PAF Pro, Air Zone, Air Norton, Breed, and Virtual PAF in LP's (which was the best of the lot in an LP). None of them stuck. I have a pair of Alnico II's now!

Exactly. Listen to the guys who have already been where you are going.

 

Dimarzio's are designed for Ibanez guitars, chiefly. Unless you are looking for a cheap PAF clone, look elsewhere for your Les Paul.

[steve_man]

Exactly. Listen to the guys who have already been where you are going. Dimarzio's are designed for Ibanez guitars, chiefly. Unless you are looking for a cheap PAF clone, look elsewhere for your Les Paul.

 

yup, thanks...

[EdMan57]

My friend has a Seymour Duncan Custom 5/'59 combo in his LP and they sound great for getting vintage to classic metal tones.The bridge Custom 5 sounds good even for most cleaner stuff.

 

 

 

Ed

[cratz2]

I prefer lower output pickups, but for a couple years, I had a Custom 5 that I had in probably 5 or 6 different guitars. I buy and sell guitars as a minimally money-making side venture. LOTS of decent playing guitars out there that sound kinda crappy when you're used to decent pickups so I'd throw that Custom 5 in as it did a very decent job from clean to low gain up to the highest gain I ever play.

 

Granted for actual high gain, I prefer the Tone Zone and for cleans, I prefer the 57 Classics, Seth Lovers etc... but for one pickup to cover a lot of territory, I think the Custom 5 is my favorite pickup.

 

I still have no doubt you'd LOVE those 36th Anniversary pups. Or if you want chrome, get the 57 Classics from the eBay seller that sells them for $125 per pair.

[jbandy10]

They did a good job on the PAF's. I think in that price range, you can't beat them. The only way to get a better PAF is to shell out cash for an antiquity or a boutique offering.

[steve_man]

 

I prefer lower output pickups, but for a couple years, I had a Custom 5 that I had in probably 5 or 6 different guitars. I buy and sell guitars as a minimally money-making side venture. LOTS of decent playing guitars out there that sound kinda crappy when you're used to decent pickups so I'd throw that Custom 5 in as it did a very decent job from clean to low gain up to the highest gain I ever play. Granted for actual high gain, I prefer the Tone Zone and for cleans, I prefer the 57 Classics, Seth Lovers etc... but for one pickup to cover a lot of territory, I think the Custom 5 is my favorite pickup. I still have no doubt you'd LOVE those 36th Anniversary pups. Or if you want chrome, get the 57 Classics from the eBay seller that sells them for $125 per pair.

 

 

So, if you were choosing...would you pick the Duncans over the 36th Anniv. models?

 

Also, you got a link to that ebay seller?

 

Thanks!

[jbandy10]

apples to oranges

[cratz2]

So, if you were choosing...would you pick the Duncans over the 36th Anniv. models? Also, you got a link to that ebay seller? Thanks!

 

If I were choosing, I'd go with 57 Classics. Which is what I did.

 

Between the Duncan (I'd probably go Custom 5 in the bridge and Alnico II in the neck, not the 59) and the Dimarzios, I'd go for the Dimarzios if going for a more vintage output or the Custom 5/AIIP if going for a more updated type tone.

 

The 57s do everything I want though and I'm beyond happy with them. I absolutely love them to death.

 

The seller doesn't have any currently listed, but here's a recent auction. In full disclosure mode, there is some discussion as to whether they are actually Gibson pickups. I personally have ZERO doubt that they are. Just thought I'd throw that out there.

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/Gibson-Pickups-57-Classic-2-Set_W0QQitemZ250572999601QQcmdZ

[steve_man]

If I were choosing, I'd go with 57 Classics. Which is what I did. Between the Duncan (I'd probably go Custom 5 in the bridge and Alnico II in the neck, not the 59) and the Dimarzios, I'd go for the Dimarzios if going for a more vintage output or the Custom 5/AIIP if going for a more updated type tone. The 57s do everything I want though and I'm beyond happy with them. I absolutely love them to death. The seller doesn't have any currently listed, but here's a recent auction. In full disclosure mode, there is some discussion as to whether they are actually Gibson pickups. I personally have ZERO doubt that they are. Just thought I'd throw that out there. http://cgi.ebay.com/Gibson-Pickups-57-Classic-2-Set_W0QQitemZ250572999601QQcmdZ

 

Thanks for all the advice guys. Crazy merry-go-round trying to decide...but I bought a set of humbuckers. Another forum member had a set of new Gibson '57 Classics for sale at a great price. Decided to go the more "vintage" route, and picked them up from him. Now, gotta get a new soldering iron so that I can get it done when they arrive!

[cratz2]

If you like the PAF type tone and vibe, I have ZERO doubt you'll love the 57 Classics.

[steve_man]

Glad to hear it! Looking forward to getting them!

[go cat go]

 

I have both these pickups in 2 different guitars. So maybe my opinion will actually mean something. Air Zone - Bassy, middy, PAF that has been wound fairly hot. It is a lot like the Duncan Custom Custom. It has a good deal of output. It's fairly hot rodded. Not really a pickup for "teh brootz" so don't use it for that...but it can handle a lot of stuff. Does hard rock to soft rock very well. Can handle 80's metal and older metal. DONT put it in a Les Paul unless you want crazy bass. It is REALLY bassy. I have one in my alder carvin with an all maple neck, and even in there it's super bassy. Air Norton - Considerably less output for the neck position. The character of the gain sound is very "clean" in the fact that there isn't much hair to the distortion. It's just clean gain. If you want to hear how this pickup sounds in a high gain setting, go listen to a BTBAM solo. It's that kind of gain. When played clean, it's pretty typical of a medium hot neck pickup. I personally don't like the Air Norton that much for anything other than higher gain playing. It lacks character for the low gain stuff. Although the clean split and parallel tones are teh secks. I want to repeat. Don't put either of these pickups in a Les Paul (or any warm guitar) unless you want an ungodly amount of bass. These pickups were designed to make a superstrat type guitar sound like a Les Paul. Not the other way around.

 

 

I had the same experience witht he Air Zone on the bridge of a Washburn WI-64. It was way to bassy. I replaced it with a Virtual PAF Bridge to match the Virtual PAF Neck and couldn't be happier. On a super strat I replaced the Air Zone with a PAF Pro and I'm very happy with the results as well. The Super strat has Lindy Fralin Woodstock single coils at the neck and mid and this combo rocks. Virtual PAFS - Recommended!

 

I have the Air Norton on the bridge of a Brian Moore i21. The neck is a PAF Joe. I love this combo for more modern sounds. It's not high gain at all but extremely versatile. Both pup's are extremely sensitive to height adjustments. Recommended!

 

I love Dimarzio's. I've had great luck with their pups. I find Seymour Duncan's to be very tinny sounding. I loved thier Distortion model way back when I played metal. I have an Epi LP Plus which will be recieving some 36th Anniversary's in the near future.

 

BTW - i play blues, some jazz, hard rock, as well as classic rock and metal.