anyone used a Dimarzio Mo Joe?

S

stangme01

New member
This pickup seems like the only dimarzio that has the EQ curve i'm looking for, as well as the resistance and output. Wondering if anyone has used one?

The only duncan in this range is the demon which looks like its really bright. I was thinking full shred but that has a ton of high end compared to mids and lows
 
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Re: anyone used a Dimarzio Mo Joe?

I have one that I tried briefly in a basswood/maple-necked Squier, and I loved it. It's awaiting reinstallation in an Ibanez.

The Dimarzio description seems to be spot-on. Not a polite pickup, and pretty modern sounding, with incredible harmonics and tight under gain. There's more top end to my ears than the chart indicates (although it was in a bright guitar to begin with) but it's not icepicky at all. A more aggressive Fred, just as advertised.
 
Re: anyone used a Dimarzio Mo Joe?

sweet! Actually some more high end wouldn't be bad. And the low end is all i'm worried about, i'm liking ceramic type low end because its so so tight. I do not want some loose duncan JB type bottom end.
 
Re: anyone used a Dimarzio Mo Joe?

I wouldn't call it loose, although I've never been completely sure what loose vs. tight means when people talk about bottom end.

What I do know is that, just like Dimarzio claims, it tightens up under gain, so that each note is clear all the way from clean to high gain. Not much "thump" or "chunk," though -- it's more of a soloists pickup to my ears, maybe not as suited to rhythm. It's also quite vowel-like, with that "awww" sound that many Dimarzio's have. Some people like that (I do), and some fols like something more neutral.

FWIW.
 
Re: anyone used a Dimarzio Mo Joe?

hmm yeah i'm a big rhythm guy as well as solo and lead playing. Usually rhythm is #1 though. I can usually coax great leads out of any pickup, rolling down the tone knob can work wonders for this.

Also want something quite a bit hotter than the duncan jazz bridge for anyone wondering the kind of output i like, i don't want much more than a duncan custom though, thats kind of my limit for output.
 
Re: anyone used a Dimarzio Mo Joe?

My search has lead me to begin considering the Mo' Joe, because when I get a pickup with a nice lead tone, the bottom end tends to be loose.

Think Fred or PAF Pro.

When I get a pickup with a tighter low end, the top end is screechy and harsh.
Think Evolution.

What is odd is that I really like the low end of the Evolution for rhythm.
The Evo 2 was very good...it improved the high end, BUT, the low end did become a bit mushy.

I have tried the Screamin' Demon (too toppy), Evolution (tight, but harsh), Evolution 2 (sweeter, but a bit loose on low end), Tone Zone (incredibly fat, but muddy and un-defined), Fred (pretty cool...but, the low end seemed a bit loose), PAF Pro (similar to Fred), Steve's Special (lack of mids is bothersome, but still a pretty cool sound), D-Sonic (thick, too thick), EMG 81 (tight, but sterile) and 85 (sterile, more loose than the 81) and Bill Lawrence L500XL (pretty darn close to what I am looking for, but maybe just a touch too hot, and still not quite as tight as I would like).

Sigh.
 
Re: anyone used a Dimarzio Mo Joe?

Wow, you have a tough set of requirements!

If you find the Mo Joe lacking the tightness, then look for a used Bill Lawrence L465 with about 4.8 h. It hasn't been made for years. That pickup is very articulate, but with still a nice paf type warmth to it. If you can't find one, then you might try the current BL L450 with more than 4.8 henries, but no more than around 6.
 
Re: anyone used a Dimarzio Mo Joe?

pedalinbob said:
My search has lead me to begin considering the Mo' Joe, because when I get a pickup with a nice lead tone, the bottom end tends to be loose.

Think Fred or PAF Pro.

When I get a pickup with a tighter low end, the top end is screechy and harsh.
Think Evolution.

What is odd is that I really like the low end of the Evolution for rhythm.
The Evo 2 was very good...it improved the high end, BUT, the low end did become a bit mushy.

I have tried the Screamin' Demon (too toppy), Evolution (tight, but harsh), Evolution 2 (sweeter, but a bit loose on low end), Tone Zone (incredibly fat, but muddy and un-defined), Fred (pretty cool...but, the low end seemed a bit loose), PAF Pro (similar to Fred), Steve's Special (lack of mids is bothersome, but still a pretty cool sound), D-Sonic (thick, too thick), EMG 81 (tight, but sterile) and 85 (sterile, more loose than the 81) and Bill Lawrence L500XL (pretty darn close to what I am looking for, but maybe just a touch too hot, and still not quite as tight as I would like).

Sigh.
Click to expand...


Have you tried the Demon with alnico 8 magnet ?
More power , low mid , sweeter to end .
And you can still change the allen screws for slotted ones , long or shortened for more definition :smokin:
 
Re: anyone used a Dimarzio Mo Joe?

pedalinbob said:
My search has lead me to begin considering the Mo' Joe, because when I get a pickup with a nice lead tone, the bottom end tends to be loose.

Think Fred or PAF Pro.

When I get a pickup with a tighter low end, the top end is screechy and harsh.
Think Evolution.

What is odd is that I really like the low end of the Evolution for rhythm.
The Evo 2 was very good...it improved the high end, BUT, the low end did become a bit mushy.

I have tried the Screamin' Demon (too toppy), Evolution (tight, but harsh), Evolution 2 (sweeter, but a bit loose on low end), Tone Zone (incredibly fat, but muddy and un-defined), Fred (pretty cool...but, the low end seemed a bit loose), PAF Pro (similar to Fred), Steve's Special (lack of mids is bothersome, but still a pretty cool sound), D-Sonic (thick, too thick), EMG 81 (tight, but sterile) and 85 (sterile, more loose than the 81) and Bill Lawrence L500XL (pretty darn close to what I am looking for, but maybe just a touch too hot, and still not quite as tight as I would like).

Sigh.
Click to expand...



Yeah the other pickup i'm actually looking at is the EVO!!! i think using the tone pot could probably tame those screechy highs no?

LIke i said i can pretty much pull leads out of any pickup, great lead pickups like you said end up with loose bottom end, and sometimes muddy sounding for rhythm. I'm starting to think i may need to stick to ceramics. I've found a way to keep them from sounding really ceramic and stale sounding for the most part. THe pros just outweigh the cons. When i move back into mostly lower gain rock i'll probably get back into alnicos but for metal its hard for me to use alot of alnicos.

Does the evo and bill lawrence get really compressed since they are so high output?
 
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