Dimarzio Tone Zone too thick sounding. Replace with Suhr Aldrich?

[NoelH]

Hey All,
A few months ago I acquired a '70's Aria Les Paul Custom knock-off. Great guitar, but it has a Tone Zone in the Bridge. Too thick for this ride. I bought a Suhr Aldrich after hearing several YouTube recordings. But on several forums, the Aldrich is described as 'thick', which is what I'm trying to avoid. What I heard is a high-mid/low treble spike on those YouTubes. I should also say I love Doug Aldrich's playing. So, when people say the Aldrich is 'thick', is it primarily the low-mids, or something else?
Thanks for any input!

[Aceman]

70's Aria with a Tone Zone and you don't like? Sorry - can't help.

[devastone]

Norton is similar to the TZ with less/tighter lows, not sure what you are looking for. If you already bought the Aldrich might as well give it a shot, I think it would be more mids than the big low end of the TZ but I don't have personal experience with it.

[JB_From_Hell]

I’ll second the Norton. Had an Air Zone in my PRS, swapped it for a Norton and it’s great.

[GuitarStv]

I like running the Tone Zone with a treble bleed. If you dial the treble bleed right, you can have it set so that rolling back the volume will increase brightness while reducing volume - effectively transforming the pickup into a vintage sounding pickup. Then rolling the volume up up and you get huge/thick/modern tone. Couple that with a no-load tone pot, and you should find it a very usable pickup for a ton of music.

[alex1fly]

Is it still thick when you turn the guitar volume down from 10 to 8, 7, 6? This can thin things up on a lot of pickups.

When I think thick, I think low mid boost.

[SweetClyde99]

If it being too thick is your only complaint about the Tone Zone, a common mod is to wire a capacitor in series on the hot wire coming from the pickup. This filters out some of the lows, and you can try different values to cut varying amounts of low end. It helped me dial in the Tone Zone for my Strat.

[Masta' C]

In some guitars, the Tone Zone's low end can become a bit overbearing and the top end can come across as too soft, lacking cut. The Aldrich is definitely an improvement in terms of tightness and cut. That said, I prefer the SSH+ over the Aldrich when it comes to high output with clarity (the Aldrich is an overwound SSH+).

The Aldrich maintains a decent upper-mids emphasis, whereas the Tone Zone focuses a bit more of its grunt toward the lower-mids. The result is that the Aldrich stays fairly full sounding on the thinner strings, but doesn't feel as congested as the Tone Zone. They have similar output. However, the Tone Zone is smoother sounding overall, whereas the Aldrich is a bit more "rude" if that makes sense.

If you already have the Aldrich on hand, I would definitely give it a try.

[NoelH]

In some guitars, the Tone Zone's low end can become a bit overbearing and the top end can come across as too soft, lacking cut. The Aldrich is definitely an improvement in terms of tightness and cut. That said, I prefer the SSH+ over the Aldrich when it comes to high output with clarity (the Aldrich is an overwound SSH+).

The Aldrich maintains a decent upper-mids emphasis, whereas the Tone Zone focuses a bit more of its grunt toward the lower-mids. The result is that the Aldrich stays fairly full sounding on the thinner strings, but doesn't feel as congested as the Tone Zone. They have similar output. However, the Tone Zone is smoother sounding overall, whereas the Aldrich is a bit more "rude" if that makes sense.

If you already have the Aldrich on hand, I would definitely give it a try.

This was my thinking as well. If the Aldrich is somewhat similar output, but moves the "Q" of the mids higher, and has less bottom end, that'll likely work. Tighter bass will be good. The Aria is mahogany with a maple top (one piece of maple oddly), but the top is thinner than Gibson tops. Not a veneer or 'photo flame', but not a lot of maple used. So I think this guitar behaves tonally more like a LP Special. I'll report back how the Aldrich works.
I did have a Norton a long time ago in a Rocket Roll Jr (V), and I remember not liking it. Guess I generally like more open-sounding pickups, and Dimarzios seem to be fairly compressed to my ears. If the Aldrich doesn't work, I'm thinking about going with a 59/Custom or an SH-5 Custom.

[DavidRavenMoon]

The Aldrich is a very hot pickup. Similar to a JB. Very thick sounding.

You want something not that hot.


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[NoelH]

[QUOTEThe Aldrich is a very hot pickup. Similar to a JB. Very thick sounding.

You want something not that hot.][/QUOTE]

You may be right. I'll try it. Worst case, I'll have a TZ and an Aldrich to sell. A third option I've been considering is the BK Rebel Yell. So if the Aldrich doesn't work, there are a few options.

[Dave Locher]

[QUOTEThe Aldrich is a very hot pickup. Similar to a JB. Very thick sounding.

You want something not that hot.]

You may be right. I'll try it. Worst case, I'll have a TZ and an Aldrich to sell. A third option I've been considering is the BK Rebel Yell. So if the Aldrich doesn't work, there are a few options. [/QUOTE]

Let us know how it works out! I'm Aldrich-curious.

[Frogman]

My TZ is extremely responsive to adjustments.
Combination of lowering and raising pole pieces will certainly yield a noticeably different tone.
Now if you, as most are, are just set on buying a new pickup, then you’re just set in buying a new pickup.
However, if you genuinely like the TZ, but simply wish it was a little leaner, well that’s easy as pie…

[skelt101]

NoelH
You could try the “half air mod” on your Tone Zone. There’s plenty of info on it if you do a search. Proponents say the mod pretty much turns it into a really close approximation of the EVH bridge pickup in the Music Man guitars.