Dimario Virtual PAF - thumbs up

Re: Dimario Virtual PAF - thumbs up

air zone sounds like crap to my ears.to much low end and no definition for chords.
same for air norton being too mid oriented for the neck.i can understand now why lots a folks prefer the 59 mid-scooped for the neck.
loved the virtual and hot paf.
still adore my jb in a strat.
 
Re: Dimario Virtual PAF - thumbs up

madguitar26 said:
air zone sounds like crap to my ears.to much low end and no definition for chords.
same for air norton being too mid oriented for the neck.i can understand now why lots a folks prefer the 59 mid-scooped for the neck.
loved the virtual and hot paf.


After listening to them all again, I have to say I agree with MD26. The AZ and AN just don't have much clarity. I think the AZ would be great in a "thin" sounding guitar or something thats very bright like Ash or Basswood. Air Norton is very middy...too much for me personally. I originally bought mine for Jackson that is for sale...in that guitar I think they'd be a good match, but otherwise...not my cup of tea.

The VHPAF's are much more my style..even for the heavy rock I play. If they didn't have that fizziness on top, I'd grab a set in a heartbeat for my Paula. Chords are well defined and the bass sounds pretty tight. As they are I think they'd sound best in a "darker" american flavor amp...MESA...or maybe even something like a Bassman.

Nice playing BTW. Thanks for putting these clips up as well :)
 
Re: Dimario Virtual PAF - thumbs up

that "fizziness on top" just might be his podxt.
or the natural 3d high end tone ive read on HC.
anyways they are no where to be found in my country,or city for that matter.
just have to stick to seths,demons,jb´s and jazz.not that its a bad thing,but id realy like to get my hands on one of these virtual pafs
 
Re: Dimario Virtual PAF - thumbs up

madguitar26 said:
that "fizziness on top" just might be his podxt.

True dat. I've heard this through various amps using DiMarzio's though..could be enhanced by the combo of the pod and pups.
 
Re: Dimario Virtual PAF - thumbs up

wildstar said:
More clips up! I put in the Air Zone (bridge) and Air Norton (neck) combo last night, and boy am I happy! As soon as I plugged in and strummed a chord I thought: "THAT'S what I'm talking about!" Definitely my favorite of the combos I've tried so far (Duncan Designed Jazz/JB, American-made Jazz/JB, Eric Johnson Custom neck & bridge, VPAF Neck & V Hot PAF bridge.)

Here's the same riff as the other clips with the AZ pup:

http://www.justinsamaha.com/AirZoneRiff.mp3

And the previous clips, for reference:

http://www.justinsamaha.com/JB.mp3
http://www.justinsamaha.com/VHotPAF.mp3

My server has seen a lot of hits, so I guess folks are curious. Here are the clips I've been using to make my own comparisons. Same amp model and settings, intentionally fairly low-gain. Please excuse my pedestrian gutiar playing - I'm just improvising, and most people around here can play circles around me! But for the curious (and forgiving):

http://www.justinsamaha.com/AirZone2.mp3
http://www.justinsamaha.com/AirZone3.mp3
http://www.justinsamaha.com/AirNortonNeck1.mp3
http://www.justinsamaha.com/AirNortonNeck2.mp3
http://www.justinsamaha.com/VHPAFBridge1.mp3
http://www.justinsamaha.com/VHPAFBridge2.mp3
http://www.justinsamaha.com/VPAFNeck1.mp3
http://www.justinsamaha.com/VPAFNeck2.mp3
http://www.justinsamaha.com/VPAFNeck3.mp3

I am still hearing a bit of that odd "fizziness" in the high end with the AZ/AN combo, and people have mentioned that they always hear this with DiMarzio. If I don't totally fall in love with these pups (I've only had about 30 minutes to play around with them), then it will be time to go back to Seymour Duncan! If anyone has any SD recommendations for me based on what you've learned about my tastes, feel free to chime in. I'm thinking 59 or Jazz neck, and Custom or Custom Custom bridge.

Cheers

Sounds great! If you want to take it to the next level...try a Rio Grande BBQ\Texas or a WCR Fillmore/Crossroads.....then you'll say......"NOW, that is what's I am talking about!" :dance:
I don't hear alrge difference with the AZ and HPAF clips although I do somewhat prefer the Hot PAF clips. I always heard bad things about Dimarzio but my opinion is changing fast.
 
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Re: Dimario Virtual PAF - thumbs up

hans-jürgen said:
If anyone is still looking for a sample with a VPAF besides the one that's probably available on the DiMarzio site, he could download it from a "G&B" humbucker comparison that this german magazine published a few months ago. There are samples with Seymour Duncans, too, all done with the same setup:

http://www1.gitarrebass.de/magazine/0502/paf.htm

Are these BAD clips? I hear almost no difference.
 
Re: Dimario Virtual PAF - thumbs up

i wonder if i would like these virtual paf's
i need a paf with more heat but not over the top like the duncan customs
they are all too high a resistance to sound really classic
i dont wont to go over 10K in the bridge pup
i hear the rio is all about upper mids and bass? i dont think i would like that at all :rolleyes:
 
Re: Dimario Virtual PAF - thumbs up

papersoul said:
Are these BAD clips? I hear almost no difference.

Are you using headphones? You can hear the differences with phones...

None of them are "bad" per-se..but some are better than others. I think adding a backing track was silly though (especially that...that...thing :D). IMO, the best clips for comparison purposes are just an easily repeatable lead line, riff, and some chords...dry....But I think ya need all three...

as an example...you could put the pups that were in my McCarty up there on that site, and for leads you'd be floored....but when you started playing some lower register riffs or open chords they thinned out tremendously.....leads would just blossom into great controlled feedback right away...judged solely on that the guitar just 'sang"...but it had no punch/balls...you'd never know that though if you just heard the leads.
 
Re: Dimario Virtual PAF - thumbs up

Jeff, I didn't know you had a McCarty. What pickups are in it???

I had the Mccarty pickups, then started using the Dragon IIs, then the WCR Fillmores (talk about punch) and now the PRS #10s.
 
Re: Dimario Virtual PAF - thumbs up

papersoul said:
Jeff, I didn't know you had a McCarty. What pickups are in it???

I *DID* have one :D Took it back and got a Paula (my Black Standard). It had the stock McCarty's.
 
Re: Dimario Virtual PAF - thumbs up

i too dont hear any diferences in the paf samples and im using a senheiser hd 565 phone for reference.
maybe i got bad ears!! who knows...dimarzio sounds a little over the edge,seths have just a tiny bit more midrange than antiquity.
diferences are very subtle,again to my ears.
would be a happy man with anyone of those
 
Re: Dimario Virtual PAF - thumbs up

can i use a virtual paf bridge for the neck of my les paul? will be any diferent than getting a neck one?
my local dealer only has the bridge model
 
Re: Dimario Virtual PAF - thumbs up

Maybe sound samples are a terrible way to listen to pickups because I notice a difference myself playing the guitar with different pickups but very little through headphones or speakers.
 
Re: Dimario Virtual PAF - thumbs up

they seemed to have learned from duncan.LOL

customer support is top notch,they answered me in an hour via email .
regarding using a virtual paf bridge for the neck of my les paul.they replied:

"The bridge model had more bass than the neck model. I do not know if
this is a good choice for you, since you say the guitar is bass heavy.
If it is important to have a clear sound in the neck position, it would
be better to try an Air Classic neck model (DP190)." :beerchug:
 
Re: Dimario Virtual PAF - thumbs up

hans-jürgen said:
If anyone is still looking for a sample with a VPAF besides the one that's probably available on the DiMarzio site, he could download it from a "G&B" humbucker comparison that this german magazine published a few months ago. There are samples with Seymour Duncans, too, all done with the same setup:

http://www1.gitarrebass.de/magazine/0502/paf.htm

sorry for the idiot question but are these samples of the bridge or neck position?im not that used to playing semi-distorted and confused by the some have more mids and highs than others.
neck or brigde?
 
Re: Dimario Virtual PAF - thumbs up

madguitar26 said:
they seemed to have learned from duncan.LOL

customer support is top notch,they answered me in an hour via email .
regarding using a virtual paf bridge for the neck of my les paul.they replied:

"The bridge model had more bass than the neck model. I do not know if
this is a good choice for you, since you say the guitar is bass heavy.
If it is important to have a clear sound in the neck position, it would
be better to try an Air Classic neck model (DP190)." :beerchug:

Funny, that's exactly what I'm thinking of trying - VPAF Hot or Bridge in the neck... or maybe the Air Classic neck or bridge in the neck... Loved the vibe of the VPAF neck, but I wanted a fatter sound. AN is too fat and/or middy. Breed neck might work well for me in the bridge also. I'll also try moving the AN to the bridge and see what happens. But the AZ has got to go. Great pup, wrong guitar. :gurmpy: I'm also gathering some Duncans for further experimentation.

I've loved reading the responses to these clips. Very educational and fun. Now that I've spent more time with the pups, and have recorded lots more stuff, I agree with some folks that the AN/AZ combo is too bassy. There's a lot I dig about them, but with a mahogany set-neck, it really is too bassy.

Now I have a lot more firsthand pup experience on which to base my next choices. I spent about 10 years playing a "practical" all-around guitar that I never loved. It was what I needed for my work, but I finally sold it. I am on a quest for a guitar that I absolutely love - kind of like my first electric, which I should have never sold! :smack: I've found the guitar - now I just gotta get the pups right. :laugh2:
 
Re: Dimario Virtual PAF - thumbs up

madguitar26 said:
sorry for the idiot question but are these samples of the bridge or neck position?im not that used to playing semi-distorted and confused by the some have more mids and highs than others.
neck or brigde?
Only the bridge pickup, the nasal honk tone is caused by the guitar and amp setting as well as by the way the author is playing, i.e. only soft solo lines in the Allman Brothers style. That is of course an important fact which should be counted in when listening to the samples. A pickup which might not be too overwhelming with that style could rule when hitting chords or vice versa etc.
 
Re: Dimario Virtual PAF - thumbs up

hey wildstar why didnit you put a clip of the jazz humbucker?
do you think its as fat and good like the Vpaf for the neck?
its a tough call for me as ive always bin a duncan(and anderson) guy.
 
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