Air Zone = Awesome!

[Ed Hunter]

Re: Air Zone = Awesome!

Is Air Zone good for heavy and thrash metal? Will the Tone Zone be better?

Well the TZ is more of a aggressive sound so yes it would be better for the heavier stuff

 

[jmcorey]

Re: Air Zone = Awesome!

Is Air Zone good for heavy and thrash metal? Will the Tone Zone be better?

Yes. TZ better. More modern. AZ is more vintage.

 

[Soulcrusher_X]

Re: Air Zone = Awesome!

Is Air Zone good for heavy and thrash metal? Will the Tone Zone be better?

Listen to the last few Anthrax albums. Rob uses the TZ in his Horizons. I think he's having a signature set based off of the TZ and I *think* the liquifire.

 

[Soulcrusher_X]

Re: Air Zone = Awesome!

of those duncan custom hands down! :cool2:

Yeah? Why do you say that? Ive used the Custom a long time ago. My first Duncan, actually. The top end was too piercing in this guitar. I never tried it with different pots/caps/etc. but I was thinking about a revisit.

The Norton on the other hand, I have heard once or twice that is almost like a JB meets a Custom with tastier harmonics. Sooo.....that sounds pretty sweet to me.

 

[IanBallard]

Re: Air Zone = Awesome!

How would that sound in mahogany? Would it be as balanced as in the alder?

I'd love to try an AZ in a Les Paul type guitar. I'd say a Jimmy Page kind of thing but meaner.

 

[IanBallard]

Re: Air Zone = Awesome!

I have no idea what difference installing an Air Zone slanted does, but I do know the Air Zone is an awesome pickup. It makes wonder what an Air Breed would sound like.

I mounted the ring with duct tape to test out different things. The hole in my pickguard was enlarged for all my crazy experimenting so I had a little room to move it around. I found the angle I settled with, gave it a certain bite and character I liked. It was subtle, I will admit.

 

[Ed Hunter]

Re: Air Zone = Awesome!

Yeah? Why do you say that? Ive used the Custom a long time ago. My first Duncan, actually. The top end was too piercing in this guitar. I never tried it with different pots/caps/etc. but I was thinking about a revisit.

The Norton on the other hand, I have heard once or twice that is almost like a JB meets a Custom with tastier harmonics. Sooo.....that sounds pretty sweet to me.

Once again like i said on the dominion thread the duncan retains a truer PAF likeness in its tone. the dimarzio Norton while a great pup it sounds more modern than the custom. Keep in mind i love PAF's so i am very biased

 

[papersoul]

Re: Air Zone = Awesome!

I'd love to try an AZ in a Les Paul type guitar. I'd say a Jimmy Page kind of thing but meaner.

Friend of mine had it in his LP Studio and played in a modern hard rock/metal band.

 

[notesfield]

Re: Air Zone = Awesome!

My bud here "notesfield" uses one is his LP and loves it from what he said

Yep, in the right LP the AT-1 delivers. The Air Zone is great but can be overkill in a LP scale slab of wood. The AT-1 lacks the mismatched coils of the Air Zone but makes up for it with better highs, clarity in every note under high gain without being brittle or harsh. To my ears the AT-1 is a better balanced JB. No mid spike, better lows.

 

[papersoul]

Re: Air Zone = Awesome!

Great pickup

 

[UberMetalDood]

Re: Air Zone = Awesome!

if you guys love the AZ you have to try a AT-1! it is a more refined version of the AZ IMHO:cool2:

I don't know if I'd characterize it quite that way. It's more like a cross between a Mo Joe and Tone Zone to me. It's not as smooth and PAF'y as the Air Zone.

A air breed is even smoother than the stock breed due to the reduced mag pull. bass is lowered a touch and it is toghter.
it is a lot like the paf pro but has more mids and bass, has about the same exact output of a paf pro.
I look at it as the couch potato paf pro, fat and lazy! LOL!

Wait, are you talking about a modded Breed because they don't make an air Breed? Did you try an air mod of some kind?

Great pickup, a friend had one in his Les Paul and loved it but ended up replacing it with a Duncan Custom. I think the AirZone is up with the best of them. My order of best bridge pickups are Rio Grande BBQ, Dimarzio Air Zone and then the JB and Custom Custom.
I might bump the CC up higher though.

The Air Zone is awesome too but the AT-1 is a real gem for Les Pauls. It's associated with Andy Timmons who plays an Ibanez strat, but it's really an amazing Les Paul pickup. I might try to record something with my AT-1 Les Paul.

 

[Ed Hunter]

Re: Air Zone = Awesome!

i have aired many dimarzio's, paf pro,fred,breeds,and a few others.
The breed is very easy to air. Just take out the two metal hex pole retainer bars,

 

[UberMetalDood]

Re: Air Zone = Awesome!

i have aired many dimarzio's, paf pro,fred,breeds,and a few others.
The breed is very easy to air. Just take out the two metal hex pole retainer bars,

I thought Dimarzio uses some kind of graphite spacers or something. Actually, I never opened a Dimarzio Air pickup before so I don't know what all is in them. Have any pictures of Dimarzio air guts?

 

[Ed Hunter]

Re: Air Zone = Awesome!

I thought Dimarzio uses some kind of graphite spacers or something. Actually, I never opened a Dimarzio Air pickup before so I don't know what all is in them. Have any pictures of Dimarzio air guts?

you can use any non magnetic material to gap the magnet and poles
here is the inside of a stock air designed pup

 

[UberMetalDood]

Re: Air Zone = Awesome!

you can use any non magnetic material to gap the magnet and poles
here is the inside of a stock air designed pup

Thanks, but it's hard to see clearly. Where are the spacers or what is different about it?

 

[Ashurbanipal]

Re: Air Zone = Awesome!

you mean half-air tone zone...

D'oh, yes! My bad.

i have aired many dimarzio's, paf pro,fred,breeds,and a few others.
The breed is very easy to air. Just take out the two metal hex pole retainer bars,

Bit off topic, but what's an aired PAF Pro like? I'm contemplating this as I have one in the neck position of my Ibz and it's still not quite right.

 

[Ed Hunter]

Re: Air Zone = Awesome!

D'oh, yes! My bad.



Bit off topic, but what's an aired PAF Pro like? I'm contemplating this as I have one in the neck position of my Ibz and it's still not quite right.

more like a paf not as modern,i also think it is tighter with a smoother treble

 

[Soulcrusher_X]

Re: Air Zone = Awesome!

I don't know if I'd characterize it quite that way. It's more like a cross between a Mo Joe and Tone Zone to me. It's not as smooth and PAF'y as the Air Zone.

The Air Zone is awesome too but the AT-1 is a real gem for Les Pauls. It's associated with Andy Timmons who plays an Ibanez strat, but it's really an amazing Les Paul pickup. I might try to record something with my AT-1 Les Paul.

Please do. I would like to hear an AT1 Lester doing something bluesy and something heavy. Ive trimmed out my herd of pickups, so it's time to try a new one.

 

[UberMetalDood]

Re: Air Zone = Awesome!

Please do. I would like to hear an AT1 Lester doing something bluesy and something heavy. Ive trimmed out my herd of pickups, so it's time to try a new one.

Man all you really need to know is that you can't go wrong with it. I'd be inclined to buy the AT-1 from you if you didn't like it in your Les Paul. That's how much I like the AT-1. Just get one, put it in your Les Paul for a couple of weeks and let us know.

 

[Ashurbanipal]

Re: Air Zone = Awesome!

more like a paf not as modern,i also think it is tighter with a smoother treble

Cool, might have to try that then. Need tightness - right now it's not too well defined in the low strings especially.