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I don't how many of you have tried a Dimebucker by now, seeing as it's RELATIVELY new to the pickup market. But to get the Dime tone found on Cowboys, Vulgar Display, and Driven, I know Dime used the L-500XL. I want a really clear distortion sound with harmonics jumping out when I want them too, and I should be able to coax feedback when I want it. Also, I want that DIME crunch!! In the Guitar Legends that came out for Dime, he describes the L-500XL in such a way that makes it sound like it produces the clarity and amazing tone Dime is known for.

So how does the Dimebucker measure up?

Having answered this about 3 million times, this time I´m gonna be lazy and say quot;Please use the search functionquot;, and I´m a bit too drunk to write a decent comparison anyway

I saw BLS last night @ Irving Plaza, NYC, and for one song both Zakk and Mike Cantonese played Dime Signature guitars ... and they sounded terrible!!! The tone was very muddy and indistinct. The lead tone had no definition, either.
I thought it was the worst demonstration of those pups I've ever heard.

The SH-13 is a great pickup, but I don't think they really go with the quot;Zakkquot; tone--that's all EMG 81.

Ok just for future Reference...Dime used the L500L to start out with. That's the pickup you actually hear one on CFH. This comes from Bill Lawrence Himself....He didn't start using the 500XL until VDOP....that comes from Dimes Riffer Madness book...

Don't get me wrong, I love Duncans. But the Dimebucker just doesn't hold up to the 500XL IMO.

Truth be know, Dime didn't get the endorsement from until Reinventing was almost done being recorded. I think there are 2 maybe 3 songs recorded with the Dimebucker. So if you want a real testament to the Dimebucker tone from the Dimebag perspective.....Give the Damageplan disc a good listen.

oh, and I believe Zakks other guitar players name is Nick Cantanese........Sorry to be anal

So, if he used L500XL, what did he use by the neck?

he's used a ton of stuff in the neck over the years, but he stuck with the '59 for most of the time i think

So which pickup is better?

I have the L500XL and I can nail most of the artists I know using it, their tone. I've heard very little of Dimebag to tell you whether I could nail his tone with this pup, but I'm sure the tone you described is the Custom.

Slightly off topic, in a GW 04/92 interview, Dime states, in regards to a Lawrence L-500L, quot;I flip it upside down, so the hot pole, instead of being in the treble position, is in the front rather than near the bridge. It's totally thick and chunky. It sounds good the other way too, but it's a little too squirmy for me. Lately I've been using a L-500XL, which is an even hotter pickup.quot;

I've always thought the majority of Dime's tone came from the solid state amps. I can get a very similar Pantera chug tone with my EMG 85 loaded Pacifica into my friend's '94 Marshall Valvestate head and 4x12. He plays a ESP M-II with DiMarzio Paf Pros and I can get awful close playing his guitar as well.

Dime's major tone factor came from the Furman PQ-3. Period.

^^^ what he said

Does anyone have specs on how the low/mids/highs in the L-500XL sound like? I've searched both Bill Lawrence sites but they don't actually tell you the frequency output of the pickup.


Originally Posted by TwilightOdysseyI saw BLS last night @ Irving Plaza, NYC, and for one song both Zakk and Mike Cantonese played Dime Signature guitars ... and they sounded terrible!!! The tone was very muddy and indistinct. The lead tone had no definition, either.
I thought it was the worst demonstration of those pups I've ever heard.

I have a guitar setup with an EMG 81/85. I also have a guitar with a Dimebucker. I run them through the same setup, although I had to make up a different set of presets for the Dimebucker (and the rest of my passive pickups).

I bet if they sounded bad, it was because they plugged right in without altering the eq or anything, which is a must when going from EMGs to passives.


Originally Posted by JB_From_HellII bet if they sounded bad, it was because they plugged right in without altering the eq or anything, which is a must when going from EMGs to passives.

That was my guess, too ... maybe the rigs are optimized for the EMGs;except that he kicked off the 1st two songs with his polka dot Rhoads guitar, and that sounded godly!!!!!


Originally Posted by TwilightOdysseyThat was my guess, too ... maybe the rigs are optimized for the EMGs;except that he kicked off the 1st two songs with his polka dot Rhoads guitar, and that sounded godly!!!!!

Hmmm... what's in that, DiMarzio Super D amp; PAF Pro? Maybe they're more forgiving of the EMG settings than the Dimebucker.


Originally Posted by JB_From_HellHmmm... what's in that, DiMarzio Super D amp; PAF Pro? Maybe they're more forgiving of the EMG settings than the Dimebucker.

Dunno; but I think that's splitting hairs a bit much ... fact is, the Razorbacks sounded like @ss ...


Originally Posted by TwilightOdysseyDunno; but I think that's splitting hairs a bit much ... fact is, the Razorbacks sounded like @ss ...

I agree, about it being a bit of a stretch. I'm gonna chalk it up to our original answer... the EMG 81 amp; Dime don't share eq settings well, and it was a fluke that the polka-dot V sounded great.