Air Zone vs Custom Custom

[Hot Octopus]

I’m looking for a bridge pickup for my Caparison Dillinger. I’ve had 3 pickups in it so far and I’m leaning towards something maybe a bit darker sounding to try and dial the harsh high end out. So far I’ve tried-

Stock Pickup- I didn’t like it for leads
Dimarzio Dominion- Too tight, too much high end (I was rolling the tone knob 3/4 of the way down, to get a useable tone)
Dimarzio Satchur8- WAAAAYY too much of everything. Maybe it’s the magnet? Too bright yet too dark, almost like my notes are choking out. I just don’t like the tone.

I had a TB-11 years ago in my Charvel San Dimas tele and have a Tone Zone in my 2 Ibanez AZ’s. I’m looking to give the guitar more low end. Its pretty bright. I was thinking maybe the Air Zone as it should be different enough from my Ibanez and I’vs been recommended the CC as well. How do they compare?

Fwiw, the Caparison has a maple center with mahogany wings, a 5 piece maple/walnut neck and a floating tremolo. Thanks for any help. Peace-

 

[Mincer]

What kind of music is this for? And what kind of amp?

 

[Hot Octopus]

What kind of music is this for? And what kind of amp?

I’m playing Hard Rock/ Classic Metal and punk. My main amps are a Mesa Mark V, Splawn competition, and Synergy rack gear.

 

[Toejam]

A DiMarzio Breed should do what you want.

 

[jeremy]

i think the cc is a great pup, but it doesnt have a ton of low end. great fat mid-range and smooth highs though

 

[Rex_Rocker]

If what you want is low end, I'd thin it's a best idea to use the non-air TZ. The Airbucker tech reduces inductance, thus making the pickup brighter and/or leaner.

 

[Mincer]

I love the CC, but and it isn't a tight sounding or feeling pickup. It is thick in the mids, though, more than any other frequencies. I think it would work well with any guitar with some maple in it, especially with a floating trem. You can also look at the Black Winter, too, which does a lot more than the name leads one to believe.

 

[Hot Octopus]

I love the CC, but and it isn't a tight sounding or feeling pickup. It is thick in the mids, though, more than any other frequencies. I think it would work well with any guitar with some maple in it, especially with a floating trem. You can also look at the Black Winter, too, which does a lot more than the name leads one to believe.

I have a Black Winter in one my guitars. I really like it in coil-tap mode.

 

[Hot Octopus]

A DiMarzio Breed should do what you want.

I’m looking into it. Is it the same wind as a Dominion? Can I just swap magnets?

 

[Rex_Rocker]

I’m looking into it. Is it the same wind as a Dominion? Can I just swap magnets?

Nope. They at least list the DCR as slightly different. And the Dominion has the Virtual Vintage thing. The Breed does not.

 

[Toejam]

I’m looking into it. Is it the same wind as a Dominion? Can I just swap magnets?

I believe it's supposed to be based on the PAF Pro, just beefed up.

 

[soulforger]

Also consider a Dimarzio Super 3

 

[Rex_Rocker]

I believe it's supposed to be based on the PAF Pro, just beefed up.

That's the Breed Neck. The Breed bridge is something else.

 

[Hot Octopus]

I ordered a Breed. If it doesn’t work for my needs, I ‘m going to do a CC.

Fwiw, I had thought about the Super 3. I’ve had 2 Jackson PC1’s and both had them in the bridge. I’m very familiar with it.

 

[AdrianSD]

Also consider a Dimarzio Super 3

What's the Super 3 like?

 

[orpheo]

If you want fatter and more low end: Tonezone. The air zone is like a more airy JB without that midrange spike.

The black winter is TIGHT and aggressive and has a LOT of low end but it has a lot of everything and is actually quite balanced (i.e.: lots of everything).

The custom custom has a lot of mids, a 'saggy' low end, but in a nice way, and has a warm top end, it's great.
I wouldn't go with the alternative8 or invader either. But the tonezone? great pickup. Honestly.

 

[Toejam]

That's the Breed Neck. The Breed bridge is something else.

Hmm. I thought both neck and bridge were based off of the PAF Pro. All I know is the Breed set in my Dean Caddy both sound beefy and awesome without being muddy.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Hmm. I thought both neck and bridge were based off of the PAF Pro. All I know is the Breed set in my Dean Caddy both sound beefy and awesome without being muddy.

The bridge is 16K. I suppose it has as much in common with the PAF Pro as a JB with the Jazz. If they indeed started with the PAF Pro as a baseline from which they designed it (which I don't think they mention they did), they ended up with something almost completly different. The PAF Pro in the bridge is certainly not beefy. My guess is they rather started off something like the EVH MM pickup or even the Tone Zone, and tweaked from there. Would make more sense to me the way the Breed is being described and what the specs are.

The neck, they do mention in the blurb it's related to the 'Pro. It's 10K, and I remember reading it's very close if not just a very overwound PAF Pro.

 

[Juanhanglo]

The bridge 16K. I suppose it has as much in common with the PAF Pro as a JB with the Jazz. If they indeed started with the PAF Pro as a baseline from which they designed it (which I don't think they mention they did), they ended up with something almost completly different. The PAF Pro in the bridge is certainly not beefy. My guess is they rather started off something like the EVH MM pickup or even the Tone Zone, and tweaked from there. Would make more sense to me the way the Breed is being described and what the specs are.

The neck, they do mention in the blurb it's related to the 'Pro. It's 10K, and I remember reading it's very close if not just a very overwound PAF Pro.

The breed neck is only 25mv stronger than the paf pro.

The bridge is an old school overwound bridge pickup to match the neck.

The neck makes a great bridge pickup too

 

[marcello252]

The air zone is like a more airy JB without that midrange spike.

please elaborate, I'm interested in (I've always found the dmz 'air' technology a bit strange under the fingers anyway)