Combing Duncans with DiMarzio's

[sweetsounds]

I have a question I would love to get feedback on! that is has anyone out there combined these two pickup companys SD and Dimarzio on one of their guitars? I really would like to combine and bring the two great brands together on my S series Ibanez I recently brought to do up for a guitar project.

The pickup configuration is Humbucker (bridge), Single (mid), Single (neck) I've roughly sketched possible ideas for the pickup configuration between the brands. The overall tone that I'm seeking is rock with vintage blues sounds compenent to be versatile in other styles.

The Ibanez S series guitar has a Mahogany body and rosewood fretboard overall producing sustain and warm tones using these materials.

For example I`m thinking of using Dimarzio Humbucker (evolution bridge) and Dimarzio (H2 middle) to capture the Dimarzio grunt sound and (JB Jnr neck) position for the Seymour Duncan classic vintage sound.

I'm a little unsure about the Jb Jnr being able to create the sound of the original Jb humbucker to bring the Seymour Duncan legacy sound to the guiitar I would appreciate any feedback people might have on this pickup.

Keep in mind for the posssible pickup configuration Dimarzio evolution pickup is high powered and it was logical to chose a Dimarzio humbucker because thats what there best known for and H2 pickup was selected to counter its power and provide smooth transition and ability to be flexable style wise.

I`m open to suggestions on how best I can capture the Seymour Duncan sound and thank you for your time.

Ps: Just another guitar player looking for his sound just like U - Hope you find what you hear and seek.

[TheMist]

Re: Combing Duncans with DiMarzio's

If thats what you want to do than do it. I would never do it. Its just not right. If I have a 2 Humbucker guitar I have to change both. I cant even leave one stock.

I know 2 old Washburn Sig guitars did this thow. The Washburn Dime 3 came with BL L-500/SD 59 and the Nuno N4 came with the same combo BL L-500/ SD 59.

[ranalli]

Re: Combing Duncans with DiMarzio's

If thats what you want to do than do it. I would never do it. Its just not right.

Not right?? That's odd......


Anyways I've done that a couple of times with good results. I've used both the Dimarzio Super Distortion along with the '59 as well as the Super3.

I've also had JB with Humbucker from Hell with good results.

[TheMist]

Re: Combing Duncans with DiMarzio's

Whats odd about it?

[ranalli]

Re: Combing Duncans with DiMarzio's

Whats odd about it?

It's odd that it's "not right" to do that. WHat's not right about it?? Many people do it.

Killing people is "not right"....mixing pickups is okay.

[TheMist]

Re: Combing Duncans with DiMarzio's

Why mix? Name a DiMarzio pickup and Duncan makes one thats close to the same thing.

SD 59 = DiMarzio PAF
SD Pearly gates = PAF PRO
SD Invader = DiMarzio X2N
and the list gos on and on for the most part.

[ranalli]

Re: Combing Duncans with DiMarzio's

Why mix? Name a DiMarzio pickup and Duncan makes one thats close to the same thing.

SD 59 = DiMarzio PAF
SD Pearly gates = PAF PRO
SD Invader = DiMarzio X2N
and the list gos on and on for the most part.

No they don't.

Invader sounds nothing like an X2N and a Pearly Gates doesn't sound like a PAF Pro either......

If you want those sounds you gotta go with the particular company that makes them.

[Thames]

Re: Combing Duncans with DiMarzio's

Why mix? Name a DiMarzio pickup and Duncan makes one thats close to the same thing.

SD 59 = DiMarzio PAF
SD Pearly gates = PAF PRO
SD Invader = DiMarzio X2N
and the list gos on and on for the most part.

The pickups you compared to all way different... that's pure BS

Dimarzio and Duncan are both great manufacturers. They only have different voicing. It's like Jensen and Celestion, Fender and Marshall, Fender and Gibson. You can use a Fender Strat on a Marshall, a Gibson on a Fender amp ...etc

Dimarzio uses in 80% of their HB's an un-balanced coils config, while Duncan mostly use balanced coils. Different process, different tones, different usage. I respect Dimarzio as much as Duncan. The reason why we prefer Duncan is just that Evan does a damn great marketing job... Dimarzio doesn't have such marketing strategy IMO... Marketing is all that : your product might be the worst ****, but you can make people believe its the best thing out there

[Mac-P]

Re: Combing Duncans with DiMarzio's

Why mix? Name a DiMarzio pickup and Duncan makes one thats close to the same thing.

SD 59 = DiMarzio PAF
SD Pearly gates = PAF PRO
SD Invader = DiMarzio X2N
and the list gos on and on for the most part.

Not true at all.

SD '59 sounds nothing like a DM PAF
SD Pearly Gates (alnico ll) is MUCH warmer than a DM PAF pro which is very bright and uses an Alnico V mag.
SD Invader is a low midrange thick distorted pickup. X2N is MUCH brighter, and MUCH louder for that matter. Also the X2N doesn't have pole pieces which is great for bending strings, etc.

There are too many other instances to site (JB, CC, Antiquity, Jazz, Super Distortion, Air Zone, SDS-1, Virtual Vintage, Red Velvet, Fast track.... the list goes on)...

I have mixed Duncans and DiMarzios for years. If your needs favor one or the other for a particular reason, why limit yourself?

The above post is an example of how rumours get started and how younger players on here get confused.

[ranalli]

Re: Combing Duncans with DiMarzio's

The pickups you compared to all way different... that's pure BS

Dimarzio and Duncan are both great manufacturers. They only have different voicing. It's like Jensen and Celestion, Fender and Marshall, Fender and Gibson. You can use a Fender Strat on a Marshall, a Gibson on a Fender amp ...etc

Dimarzio uses in 80% of their HB's an un-balanced coils config, while Duncan mostly use balanced coils. Different process, different tones, different usage. I respect Dimarzio as much as Duncan. The reason why we prefer Duncan is just that Evan does a damn great marketing job... Dimarzio doesn't have such marketing strategy IMO... Marketing is all that : your product might be the worst ****, but you can make people believe its the best thing out there

Very well said!!! I'm not down with Dimarzio's marketing strategy but I do love their pickups. With that being said Duncan has some of the most traditional rock sounds nailed to a tee with it's pickups. Both are great companies!!

[Gamera]

Re: Combing Duncans with DiMarzio's

Go ahead and mix 'em! There's absolutely no reason you can't mix pups from different manufacturers. I actually prefer it that way. After all what are the odds that you'll be able to capture your unique sound using recommended combos from a single manufacturer?

I have a fat strat copy that I use an Invader in the bridge, a stock Fender single coil in the middle (that pup's pretty useless but I have it set so low it's almost flush with the guitar anyway,) and a DiMarzio HS-3 in the neck. This combo completely rocks for my purposes! The Invader allows me to produce some awesome, crunchy rhythms, then for leads I switch to the HS-3 and I get a great solo tone that really cuts through the mix. The pups aren't totally "balanced" but so what. I use them for completely different parts so it's never been an issue for me.

[TheMist]

Re: Combing Duncans with DiMarzio's

Boy without me what would we talk about?

Lets break this down one pair at a time.

Which one do we want to strat with?

What about the SD 59 and the DM PAF. Both companys are trying to reperduce the tone of a old 1959 Gibson PAF pickup. Both SD and DM are million doller companys so I would say that with all the years of makeing pickups and money they have they should sound close to what they are shooting for.

[ranalli]

Re: Combing Duncans with DiMarzio's

Boy without me what would we talk about?

Lets break this down one pair at a time.

Which one do we want to strat with?

What about the SD 59 and the DM PAF. Both companys are trying to reperduce the tone of a old 1959 Gibson PAF pickup. Both SD and DM are million doller companys so I would say that with all the years of makeing pickups and money they have they should sound close to what they are shooting for.

Okay maybe we'll say that those two sound the same.

But what about the JB....there is NO Dimarzio equivalent to that pickup. Same goes for the Super3...there is NO SD equivalent to that pickup.

What if I wanted a JB in the neck and a Super3 in the bridge...there's no other way to do it....

[TheMist]

Re: Combing Duncans with DiMarzio's

The Pearly Gates pickup idea came from Billy Gibbons wanting a pickup that sounded like his pickups in his 1959 LesPaul (Pearly Gates) but I heard they were wound alittle hotter than reguler old PAFs. There for the SD Pearly Gates his a little hotter than a SD 59. And thats the same thing with the DM PAF PRO its alittle hotter than the DM PAF.

There for the SD PearlyGates and DM PAF PRO are alot alike.

[TheMist]

Re: Combing Duncans with DiMarzio's

Okay maybe we'll say that those two sound the same.

But what about the JB....there is NO Dimarzio equivalent to that pickup. Same goes for the Super3...there is NO SD equivalent to that pickup.

What if I wanted a JB in the neck and a Super3 in the bridge...there's no other way to do it....

Notice in post #6 I said "the list gos on and on for the most part" I haven't heard a DiMarzio pickup that sounds like a JB. I think thats why its such a hot seller year after year. If you want that tone it might be the only pickup out there for that.

And why would you put a JB in the Neck?