While the audible distinctions are subtle and depend a lot on your rig, it's one of the ways you can differentiate between your options.
Another simple, yet important, distinction you can make when buying humbuckers is the type of magnet. Typically, DiMarzio uses either alnico 5 or ceramic magnets in their pickups. While this might not mean much to you, we've found ceramic magnets to be a lot smoother and warmer in pickups, especially when compared to alnico 5, which tend to be brighter and more "chime-like.
Again, this is going to be a subtle difference, but one that should inform your purchase, especially if you're shopping within a single brand. Most companies - including Sweetwater which we regularly link to - let you refine searches by price, providing another easy way to narrow your choices. For those curious, I'll cover some of the policies and processes we have in place for making recommendations about guitar gear, namely the DiMarzio pickups in this list.
First, it should be clear that we've given priority to humbuckers that we've either used and tested ourselves or that we've been able to get a secondhand opinion on someone we know has used or owns a particular DiMarzio humbucker. This does not mean that we don't also rely on research or that we only recommend pickups we've held in our hand. For example, we might know that a particular pickup is well-liked and high quality, but don't necessarily have the opportunity to test it.
When possible we buy them or test them at local music shops, but if that isn't possible we do our best to research as much as possible and give you a thoroughly educated recommendation. Though I Bobby write most of these pieces, there are several consultants and musicians I work with that give me feedback on what to include in each roundup.
With DiMarzio pickups, the pool to pick from was a bit smaller since we simply have more experience with Seymour Duncan and Lindy Fralin pickups Lindy Fralin's base of operation is in Richmond Virginia, just a few hours from where I live. However, to test the pickups in this list we simply borrow a guitar or use a guitar that we own with the humbucker in question installed. Likewise, the following effects - primarily distortion pedals - were used to test the DiMarzio pickups listed:.
While testing these humbuckers - or any guitar pickups - we're typically looking for prominent characteristics that can help you determine which set would be most ideal for your situation and the type of music you prefer to play.
Does the pickup seem voiced for a modern playing style, with lots of ambient effects and heavy distortion? Or is it better suited for blues and overdrive, like you hear in classic rock?
While this distinction can be subtle, depending heavily on the gear around a given humbucker, you can usually hear a lean in either a modern or classic style. Cheaper pickups are notorious for doing a poor job of handling heavy distortion.
You end up losing the pitch and tune of the note - or notes - you're playing, which makes your playing sound less defined and muddy. Good pickups, DiMarzio or otherwise, should be able to handle fairly high amounts of gain without losing the definition of each note or chord.
DiMarzio pickups, in particular, tend to do a really good job when played through heavy distortion, which is why they're appealing to a lot of technical players in the heavy rock space. Being one of the top pickup brands in the world, it's not a matter of recommending what's good over the "bad" options. But these are just some of the DiMarzio humbuckers we've used, heard, and have a lot of reliable information on. We'd recommend them for most electric guitar mods, especially if you're looking to get into a more modern, perhaps technical playing style with some heavy distortion.
If you have questions about these pickups or about the modification process, feel free to leave a note in the comments section below. You can shoot him an email to get in touch. Its too middy. Excellent information, mate! As a builder of left handed only electric guitars I have always liked Dimarzios personally and have built many a guitar with them for others. I agree with your top choices although I would have added D Activator X which you missed out on testing.
Great pickup for the HM boys and girls! Thanks for this review. DiMarzios are one of my recommendations for left handed Gaskell guitar builds.
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These are just our favorites. DiMarzio Tone Zone Humbucker bridge pickup. How to Choose your DiMarzio Humbuckers. On their instructions, while they don't specifically state anything, it has an illustration of the pickup with a 'north' and 'south' coil description. So thats got me second guessing. Assuming I follow the instructions to wire the 4 leads in a standard series configuration, does it matter which way the pickup is placed in the cavity.. Brazen Member. Messages 2, I think it matters.
I've read somewhere that the screws should be farthest apart IE neck screws closest to the neck and bridge screws closest to the bridge. Having them close to each other will have some kind of interference. Then again I've read on some pup sites that flipping the certain models around will give you different flavor of tones. Dana Olsen Platinum Supporting Member.
Messages 7, Hey Sneed - There's two subjects going on here: 1 the magnetic orientation of the magnets in the pickups, and 2 The physical orientation of the active side of the pickup when it's installed in the guitar. In almost all cases the exception being the Peter Green mod , you want the screws the "hot side" of the pickups closest to the bridge on the bridge pickup, and closest to the neck on the neck pickup. Like here I know you don't have covers on yours :.
Does it matter which direction I install my pickup? Most humbuckers are symmetrical and their sound does not change at all when installed backwards, but some have a slightly different sound if you install them in the opposite direction from normal.
Well, the Breed's not mentioned. I have a tendency to install however the wire coming out of the pup allows for easiest 'compliance'. Sometimes the wire just won't bend the right way going thru routing channels or interfere with how a pickup sits in its cavity.
This opens up a can of worms in terms of Dana, you said 'active' side of a humbucker. I can see how that applies to pups with single set of adjustment screws, but how about ones with a set on each bobbin? Hey Sneed - You've gotta determine which side is the 'principal' side, the side that's active in "normal' mode. If you twist the pairs together that you're going to solder together, you can plug a cord into an amp, hold the twisted pairs onto the other end of the jack and GENTLY using a screwdriver, tap on both sides.
The loud side is the hot side. He also might have some clever way of labelling them so it's easier to tell. Try emailing him and just ask him if he can tell you on the phone which side is hot? Dana O. Hi Dana I'll try that screwdriver trick and see if I notice a difference in output between both coils, thanks.
This is a DiMarzio production pickup, so I'm just going to solder the two leads they say to put the pickup in series. I'm also wondering if this same orientation thing would apply to a humbucking twin bladed single coil such as the Bardens I also have in this guitar Right now theres no bridge hooked up this is the one I'm installing but its in the cavity I checked the twin blades of each Barden out of curiosity.
I can hear a very mild difference in volume tapping with srewdriver. Plus I can feel a mild difference in magnetic pull between each blade. I can also feel a slight difference in magnetic pull between coils on the humbuckers as well. Wouldn't it be funny if the reason I'm changing pups could've been fixed by simply flipping the one I'm replacing over the other way!
Last edited: Jan 23, I just put one of those in my HSS. I installed it with the wires coming out on the bottom closest to the pots. I figured having the wording on the back of the pup upright was the right way at first but I found a post somewhere that showed it being installed so the wording is upside down and the wires coming out on the bottom close to the pots. I don't know what other pups you are going to use but I also installed an Area 58 in the neck and Area 67 in the middle.
To keep the Super Distortion from being out of phase I had to ground the red wire instead of the green. Loving the DP in my guitar!! Coolblue9 , Nov 11, If you don't have a coil split switch, then it really doesn't matter how you fit the humbucker, the difference is negligible. On the other hand, if you do have a coil split you should try both positions to see which one sounds the best. Most of the time, I personally position the pickup so that the active coil is the one closer to the neck when using a coil split.
I have the same humbucker in my fatty. It was the way you have it when I got it. I bought a Fender black pickguard and had to drill a hole in the middle of the top 2 holes, designed for an original Fender HB. Messages: 5, Thanks for the help. I appreciate all your imput.
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