Confessions:Emg vs Seymour Duncan vs Dimarzio

[ubertwerp]

Ok -I have to confess .
Duncan probably IS the best.
There I've said it.

Based on my experiments and comparisons in the last few months ,I have come to my personal favorite pickup ever the Dimarzio VPAF.
Why is this better than the other Dimarzios?
Answer: it is more "Duncan-like" with the crisp highs and clear definition -it's the most "pure" pickup in their line IMO.

I have to go back to the Yngwie/Ritchie Blackmore philosophy-The guitar should sound good both unplugged and through a clean channel-overdrive and EQ comes last.It really comes down to Duncan and the VPAF providing a pure tone that can be colored with EQ and distortion later .

A wise man once said "It is much easier to start with treble/high end and add low end ,than it is to start with low end/mud and try to clean it up"-This is why Duncan is the best -Duncans competition is not really Dimarzio or EMG IMO,but boutique pickups like Voodoo,Fralin etc. Compared with them ,
Duncans provide a lot more bang for the buck -so Seymour ,I have to tip my hat to you on providing a high quality everyone can afford.

I was originally disappointed in the Duncan Distortion because I did not get "blown away"-I didn't try it long enough to appreciate the subtle nuances not present in the Dimarzios and EMGs.
I think the most negative aspect of Duncans is their naming/marketing-ie "Full Shred' "Duncan Distortion" "Screamin Demon" -Dimarzio folks such as myself
think they are going to be blown away and they are not -thus irrationally dismissing a very fine pickup .People become conditioned by the built in wah/harmonics of the Dimarzios and other brands and do not appreciate
the finer things in life.

My only regret is that I never tried the Seymour Duncan 59 versus the Virtual PAF.I am trying not to get consumed by GAS -but I bet that pickup is awesome .

Add me as one more member of the "tone club"-ie hard rock/metalhead that loves low output vintage style pickups .No more high output for me

Scoreboard :

Dimarzio=Red White and Blue cheap beer -good for a cheap thrill ,but lacking for the connoissuer
Tone=6
Purity =6
Cost=9
Total Value=21

EMG=pharmaceutical grade pure grain alcohol-good for a clinical
effect-but no substance
Tone=7
Purity =8
Cost =6
Total Value=21

Seymour Duncan =Samuel Adams premium lager for the masses
Tone=9
Purity =9
Cost =7
Total Value =25

The winner...Seymour Duncan.
One thing I'm not sure of though,is why several "stars" such as Vai,Satriani,Malmsteen,Gilbert,Petrucci ,Vinnie Moore etc. endorse Dimarzio.
Maybe their rigs overcome the limitations?
Maybe Dimarzio gives them free pickups ?



_Ube

 

[I_M_Ken]

Re: Confessions:Emg vs Seymour Duncan vs Dimarzio

long post there. but interesting.
its really hard to compare them that way with numbers.

i believe each has their own characteristics. Dimarzio for the more modern sound while duncan for the more traditional organic sound.

basically its up to personal preferences on what each person likes. so i wouldnt come down to say that duncans are the best compared to the rest. it may be true for you but might not be for others

 

[roadstar II]

Re: Confessions:Emg vs Seymour Duncan vs Dimarzio

my favorite dimarzio is the V pafs:smokin:
i hate EMGs

 

[joeydude]

Re: Confessions:Emg vs Seymour Duncan vs Dimarzio

One thing I'm not sure of though,is why several "stars" such as Vai,Satriani,Malmsteen,Gilbert,Petrucci ,Vinnie Moore etc. endorse Dimarzio.

yeah just looking at the list of dimarzio endorsees gives you a good idea of what kind of market dimarzio is tryign to sell to aswell as what kind of sound youll get outta them.

dmarzios just sound to "outer-space" for me. althoug ive never had one im my guitar so maby i should shut the **** up.

 

[Loserchief]

Re: Confessions:Emg vs Seymour Duncan vs Dimarzio

i use all three of them. Every maker has different sounds and models. You can't generalize about what's good or bad since different pups will suit different people/styles.

 

[ubertwerp]

Re: Confessions:Emg vs Seymour Duncan vs Dimarzio

Agreed-to the comments about generalizations.
It does come down to the personal preference of each individual -
however,my "confession" is coming from a die hard Dimarzio guy-
I still and always will like some Dimarzios ,but I am leaning more and more toward the Duncan pure tone philosophy.
(I know I must be on the right path if Roadstar and I both have the same favorite pup -lol!)

I have to think though that Petrucci for example-the clean freak that the guy is,would at least try something like the 59 duncan -just for experimental purposes.
I bet he and Paul Gilbert both could do some serious shredding on
either the 59 or a Custom .I even wonder if us mere mortals could tell much difference through the studio EQ and their rigs and technique ?
Also,I'm sure if Yngwie found out that Blackmore secretly used Seymour Duncans in his strats -he would go that route too -lol..

(I know this sounds like an endorsement -but if you guys havent changed cables in a while -check the monster cables -for me coming from crappy cables to these made a very noticeable difference-your mileage may vary though..)

Finally,What we really need is somebody like Mutt Lange or another high profile producer to give his opinion on pickups-THAT would be REALLY interesting..

_Ube

 

[Farkus]

Re: Confessions:Emg vs Seymour Duncan vs Dimarzio

Interesting thread.

I myself have used all 3 (and more) brands of pickup, and I admit I finally came to a very similar decision overall, but am still open to new things.

When I get in a 'DiMarzio' mood, I use my Full Shred equipped axe...it's kinna DiMarzio-esque but is much more balanced overall. I use my JB axe when I want a thick lead tone on a distorted track, etc.

Simply put, I use what sounds good with the music I'm playing...sometimes the 'organic' tone of my JB axes is too thick and then I use the other options available to me, like my EMG equipped Tele, and so on.

There is a place for all the pups, so when describing the "best", I try to mention the context in which I'm referring. For example...in some cases nuance isn't as important as all out high gain, in your face tone...then my idea of "best" may change.

Just my $0.02, YMMV.

 

[stevie_bees]

Re: Confessions:Emg vs Seymour Duncan vs Dimarzio

It's going to be the same for guitars and amps as it is for pickups. Sometimes you need Tele twang, sometimes Strat quack, and sometimes Les Paul grunt. Sometimes only a plexi will do and other times you need a Triple Rec or a Fender Champ. I happen to like the sound of the Duncans I've used, and I also like the tone-park noise of a plexi, but it doesn't mean that I'm not open to a Dimarzio or a Krank.

 

[Metalblaze]

Re: Confessions:Emg vs Seymour Duncan vs Dimarzio

I agree with that kind of thinking (freedom in choosing everything according to your ears at a specific given time).
I used all 3 of these and I knocked the door of Bill Lawrence these days as well.

 

[grendeltone]

Re: Confessions:Emg vs Seymour Duncan vs Dimarzio

I have had all three brands, EMG - Duncan - & DiMarzio.. they are all good pickups.. depending on the model and the guitar... some Pups work well in some guitars and others don't.

I have had the high output pickups and the low output pickups... but there are just somethings that just work.

I wasn't a fan of the Duncan Distortion.. but I put it in a couple different guitars.. .switched it out till I got a good sound.. Go figure.. my cheapie Charvel Model 1 sounded good with it..

Had the Full Shred in my Kramer Nightswan.. hated the pickup in that guitar.. got a Pearly Gates Trembucker.. that guitar went to Les Paul sounding status w/ mahogany body and ebony fretboard neck.. 24 3/4 scale neck..

Put that pickup in another guitar.. and it just worked...

EMG's.. my Les Paul Custom has had EMG's forever.. before Zakk became popular.. and my setup is really warm.. that this whole "active is sterile" business never comes up whenever my band plays..

I have put EMG's where they didn't sound right in some guitars (and to be honest... those guitars were pieces that didn't sound good unplugged & the really naked nature of the inherent tone from the wood became apparent.

I generally do not like DiMarzios.. for my sound.. but when I hear someone else use them.. I do hear some tones that work.. but I have had one DiMarzio that I really loved.. which was a Tone Zone in the bridge of my old Kramer Baretta (a 1982 American model)... I switched that out to a Screaming Demon bridge pickup and also had a push/pull coil tap from the volume and that guitar was great...

Certain things work... but.. I would have to admit that it isn't the end all.. be all law... that "fill in the blank" always sucks or "fill in the blank" is the best ever.

Someone may like having a Gibson Byrdland with an Invader Pickup...and there is probably a guy who uses a B.C. Rich Bich with Seth Lover's... or Air Nortons...

 

[some_dude]

Re: Confessions:Emg vs Seymour Duncan vs Dimarzio

I use all three.

All three sound good or I wouldn't still be using them.

End of story.

 

[Binnerscot]

Re: Confessions:Emg vs Seymour Duncan vs Dimarzio

I have all three also. I'll have to post another thread to all the gurus out for a similar issue. I am not a fan of EMGs, but once in a while it is fun to plug into the Mark IV with EMGs and play stuff from ...and Justice for All, it just makes me grin! Otherwise, its usually Duncans. DiMarzio has a few models that I like a lot also. If only Duncan has a few models with more modern EQ curves yet retain that Duncan solidity of tone.

 

[ubertwerp]

Re: Confessions:Emg vs Seymour Duncan vs Dimarzio

Nice replies dudes.

Very good point about matching the pickup to the rest of the rig (boosted solid state vs all tube etc.) AND the application (ie country vs metal).

I would think this concept applies to pretty much everything from amp selection
even eq selection.

A pickup that a pro player might need for maximum live performance(ie Dimebag)
may or may not be what another player needs to sound good in a practice mode
(ie bedroom geniuses)

_Ube

 

[Stratfan]

Re: Confessions:Emg vs Seymour Duncan vs Dimarzio

ubertwerp, what guitar are you using with your Virtual PAF? I've heard good things about that pup, and I'd love to hear some sound clips of it... especially clean, since most humbuckers sound decent distorted.

I really like the clips I've heard of the Area '58 and Area '60 pups, and a VPAF with those might make a nice noiseless H/S/S combo in a Strat.

 

[walt]

Re: Confessions:Emg vs Seymour Duncan vs Dimarzio

I have used all 3 also and while there are some EMG tones that I like (all of them from David Gilmour), I can't make them work with my gear and style. I have used a ton of Duncans and Dimarzios over the years and what I have learned more recently that if you educate yourself to the magnet swap theory, you can customize your own pickup and create your own special sound. Next I'll learn how to wind and I won't be buying anymore pickups, just parts to make my own.