software

I'm giving them one last chance. So far, I've tried the Evolution, Air Norton, Super Distortion, Steve's Special, and Super 2, and have never really been too blown away.

However, I realize I've totally ignored the Tone Zone, Air Zone, Breed, D Sonic, Super 3, etc... all of which are considered killer by many.

I'm looking for something for my Charvel M2. For those who don't know, it's a bolt-on, basswood or alder body, rosewood board, 1 bucker/1 volume guitar, with a non-recessed Floyd. Which DMZ would you recommend for high gain? I play through a Boss GT-6, usually on the Mesa Dual Recto Orange, Red, or Vintage settings. My desired tone is somewhere in the middle of Helmet, Carcass, Avenged Sevenfold and Metallica.

Whattya think?

I had a ToneZone in a Strat and really didn't like it that much. It's low end heavy and not too much as far as treble goes. It does have a spike in the lower mid range which probably is why it's low end heavy. Paul Gilbert used them a lot but a lot depends on the type of guitar (Ibenez guitars work very well with the TZ). With that in mind, I now have a Wolfgang special with a Air Norton/Air Zone combo that I love. The Air Zone is like the Tone Zone except it isn't as quot;hotquot; as the TZ. According to the Dimarzio website, the AZ is described as a quot;Ultra fat PAFquot;.
Of the bands you have listed, I would think a Super 3 would be a good fit for you. Dimarzio has a 30 day return policy so if it's not what you want, exchange it for something else.

The Breed is totally reccommended for your exact guitar setup on the DiMarzio site. Although I have never played one, it surely sounds great when Steve Vai plays it!

I have a Tone Zone in my basswood OLP and it's the total opposite of what Walt said, in my guitar it's not bass heavy at all. It has the Dimarzio modern sound with a very very crisp bottom end that is very nice for chug and fast rythms and a treble side that bites in a basswood guitar. Try the TZ before anything else.

Dammit... 3 suggestions for 3 different pickups

Can any of you guys compare what you suggested to a JB, Distortion or Invader?

I'd say the Breed.... the basswood would cut out some of the mids so it wouldn't be too muddy.

I've tried the ToneZone/Air Norton combo in my ESP MII Deluxe's and I switched back to the JB/Jazz combo. I wasn't able to get the solid, crunchy sound as the Duncans. They sounded more mid/low range, however they are tight. IMO, The DiMarzio's are totally different sound altogether and you either love it or hate it.

The only DiMarzio I ever used, and it was over 10 years ago, was the X2N. Super hot but quite versatile when splitting the coils. It sounded pretty good clean but it was meant to be dirty. Give it an amp with some gain and it was in hog heaven. It made a cheap Jackson copy I had sound like, well, a real Jackson. But like I said, it was over 10 years ago so what I just said may not mean squat. I've been a Duncan user ever since I sold that guitar.

if the body is basswood go tone zone!! i have one in a basswood body all maple neck strat with a floyd (maiden strat) and it just rips, nice thick and full sound but not at all muddy or overly bass heavy. if it's alder and you want thick go super 3. if you want a fairly meaty yet tight bottom end but with a more crisp and defined top end go with the breed. i have a bunch of strats with all different dimarzios and duncans in them and i've used every pickup you mentioned (that you'd like to try and more) in a strat ex for the air zone which i plan to try soon.

-Mike

Thanks Mike. On paper, the Breed apears to be a more modern-sounding Custom...

it's got a thicker bottom end than a custom and is also wound hotter. i have a custom custom in one strat and a custom 5 going in another soon. i'm not sre about the regular custom but, the custom custom and the breed are nothing alike although they both share a mid spike in the charts. the CC has a massive mid spike yet not quite enough low end or push to it like the breed does. yet the CC shines in its own way for other things. also the tamed down highs of the breed are good for a guitar that may be on the bright or thin side to help thicken it up.

-Mike

Check your e-mail. I sent clips, The MegaDrive is in a Basswood bodied RG750 and the Full Shred is in a poplar bodied Strat. The amp used is the Rectified model in my Line 6 AX2.

Keep us posted!

Trevor

I agree w/ Mike, I'd try the Tone Zone first. I used to have one in the bridge of a mahogany bodied Ibanez RG321, and it was just a *touch* too beefy for me. In basswood or alder it'll be just about right.

Get a FRED!


Originally Posted by ErikHThe only DiMarzio I ever used, and it was over 10 years ago, was the X2N. Super hot but quite versatile when splitting the coils. It sounded pretty good clean but it was meant to be dirty. Give it an amp with some gain and it was in hog heaven. It made a cheap Jackson copy I had sound like, well, a real Jackson. But like I said, it was over 10 years ago so what I just said may not mean squat. I've been a Duncan user ever since I sold that guitar.I would agree. I liked the hot quality of the X2N... The only other DiMarzios that I have used consistently have been the PAF and PAF Pro. I have an X2N and a PAF Pro in two of my Strats right now in the bridge position. A Hotrails in the other.


Originally Posted by wixomwhatGet a FRED!

I have a Fred in a basswood body guitar, and I don't think it has enough low end chunk to pull off metal and heavier rock. It can do classic rock/hair metal crunch and pretty much everything else, but it's really a fairly low output pickup (reads around 10k I believe). I think the TZ would be a better choice for heavier stuff.


Originally Posted by FretFireI have a Fred in a basswood body guitar, and I don't think it has enough low end chunk to pull off metal and heavier rock. It can do classic rock/hair metal crunch and pretty much everything else, but it's really a fairly low output pickup (reads around 10k I believe). I think the TZ would be a better choice for heavier stuff.

I kind of agree except that under distortion the FRED doesnt really sound that low of an output (10K) seems like its got a lot of power IMO.FRED is great for shred too

but yeah, it doesnt have much low end chunk.


Originally Posted by wixomwhatI kind of agree except that under distortion the FRED doesnt really sound that low of an output (10K) seems like its got a lot of power IMO.FRED is great for shred too

but yeah, it doesnt have much low end chunk.The cool thing about the Fred under gain is that instead of hunkering down and fattening up like your typical humbucker, it actually sharpens and tightens up more like a single coil. Also, it has TONS of harmonics.

I'd pass on the ToneZone if it were me. I don't really care for that pickup as it has too much bass and mids and is just mud in every guitar I've tried it in. It's just loose and undefined...

I'd go with a ceramic mag Dimarzio such as a Super3....much tighter and equally as warm.

Man, this would be so much easier if anybody agreed about anything

I forgot to mention, I did use an X2N for awhile. Not bad, but I wasn't blown away, either.