DiMarzio 36th Anniversary PAF Initial Impressions:

[SFW]

So I got a DiMarzio 36th Anniversary PAF in an inner forum pickup trade. I am testing this pickup in my 2001 Les Paul Classic. For reference, I have had a Duncan 59b, A259b and Pearly Gates in this guitar as well. So I’m only going to review it with the PAF type pickups in mind.

The first thing that I noticed about the DiMarzio 36th Anniversary PAF is that it is more compressed than the Pearly Gates or the 59. With the two Duncan pickups, I felt I could hear more of the guitar’s wood coming through in the tone- a trait that, in my experience, Seymour Duncan seems to be able to deliver on more effectively. The DiMarzio 36th Anniversary PAF; however, is by far the best DiMarzio pickup that I have played in recent years. I used to be a die hard DiMarzio user, but as my tastes in tone have changed I’ve just haven’t been very happy with any of DiMarzio’s offerings.

So the DiMarzio 36th Anniversary PAF to me is a bit more compressed than the Duncan PAF style pickups. (It’s not a huge amount, but to me it is noticeable) This has its pros and cons. For mid gain tones, I found that you had to work it a bit harder to get the sweat spots. For higher gain applications it is a slight advantage. High gain solos felt very fluid and easy to play. (Something that most DiMarzios do very well is single note runs, IMHO.) The top end is crisp, and the bottom end is solid, without getting jumbled up or muddy. I felt that the DiMarzio 36th Anniversary PAF was a tad more scooped in the midrange that the 59, though there are mids there. Harmonics jumped off the fretboard- think Van Halen’s Panama. Zakk style pinch harmonics were there in spades as well.

Over all, I like the pickup and I think it’s going to go in my soon to be completed Floyd Strat. It should provide that guitar with a good range of tones. I have a Duncan Custom incoming that I plan to put in my Les Paul. I would have no problems leaving the DiMarzio 36th Anniversary PAF in my Les Paul if in needed to though. It is a good solid pickup, and for my playing style is the best DiMarzio that I’ve played in years.

 

[The Dali]

Re: DiMarzio 36th Anniversary PAF Initial Impressions:

This pickup is probably my favorite DiMarzio right now. Thanks for the review.

 

[crguti]

Re: DiMarzio 36th Anniversary PAF Initial Impressions:

:fing2:

 

[eggman]

Re: DiMarzio 36th Anniversary PAF Initial Impressions:

Howdy,

Thanks for the review, SFW. I've replaced the '59s in my ES-335 with an Air Classic and 36th Anni (b) and love them! Smoooth cleans and middy, gutsy raunch without the borderline shrill highs and boomy bass I had with the '59s. My ES-335 is an inherantly "bright" guitar and my Ghia prefers the middy character of the DiMarzios.
Today I tried my ES-335 in my red knob Super 112, a bassy/trebly amp. I was pleasantly surprised with the big, fat clean tones combined with improved trebles compared to my Carmen Ghia.
BTW, SD's vintage P-90s are the best P-90s I've ever played, even compared to the
P-90s in the old Casino I formerly owned.

 

[Ed Hunter]

Re: DiMarzio 36th Anniversary PAF Initial Impressions:

Wow more scooped than the 59! Does it have any mids at all? Lol
i love the seymour 59 but if the 36th is more scooped i doubt i would be nuts over it since i love mid body to the tone ala CC,JB,PG,etc. How does this dimarzio clean up when u roll back the vol on the guitar? Most dims dont clean up as good as seymours who i think is still the best pu maker.

 

[eggman]

Re: DiMarzio 36th Anniversary PAF Initial Impressions:

Howdy,

Ed Hunter: The Air Classic (neck) and 36th anni PAF are both "middier" than the '59s I'd had in my ES-335. The 36th in particular. The '59s sounded to my ears like they were nearly all treble & bass.
Check SD's and DiMarzio's websites for tonal descriptions with respect to Bass/Mid/Treble.

 

[UberMetalDood]

Re: DiMarzio 36th Anniversary PAF Initial Impressions:

Wow more scooped than the 59! Does it have any mids at all? Lol
i love the seymour 59 but if the 36th is more scooped i doubt i would be nuts over it since i love mid body to the tone ala CC,JB,PG,etc. How does this dimarzio clean up when u roll back the vol on the guitar? Most dims dont clean up as good as seymours who i think is still the best pu maker.

I have PAF 36th sets in two of my guitars and they have a lot of mids. I don't hear anything like the OP described because my experience with the 59 is it is very bassy. I've only used it in the neck so I don't know if it's shrill or not in the bridge, but neck it's not shrill. It would actually be a perfect neck pickup if it wasn't so bassy in my opinion.

The only guitar I didn't like the PAF 36th pickups in was a solid mahogany Carvin CS4. I felt like there was something missing. However, in a Jackson SL2h and Les Paul they were great.

 

[dvadneau]

Re: DiMarzio 36th Anniversary PAF Initial Impressions:

I have a DiMarzio PAF from the 80's and it's tied as the best pickup I've used in my Epi LP Ultra II (chambered Mahogany, thick maple cap). It has warm mids, which works amazingly well in that guitar. It is also very clear and reactive to my playing.

However, I always seemed to want just a little more output from the guitar.

I've since replaced it with a 1980 Gibson Dirty Fingers, which is the other best pickup I've ever used in this guitar. It's nothing like I was expecting. But I guess that's for a different thread.

I haven't tried a 36th Anniversary PAF, but I was planning on getting a set. The review from the OP is contrary to what I found from my PAF, so I'm hoping that was just in the guitar he tried. The PAF I have is definitely not compressed. I found the 59s compressed in 1 guitar I have, but not so in 2 others, so possibly the pickup height and frequencies/output from the wood of the guitar played a roll in that.

I tried the Pearly Gates Plus in my LP and found it to be a very good pickup, although definitely not warm like the PAF. Hotter, for sure, and it had a crispness and nice high-mid crunch I liked. I haven't tried a regular Pearly Gates, except in the neck, which was nice but low output neck pickups sound absent in that guitar - I think my action is too high ...

Anyhow, the PAF, to me, in this guitar, makes most other pickups sound low-fi. It's like I was watching TV in black and white and didn't notice until the PAF flicked the colour switch.

I have an even older DiMarzio PAF (square tab, 70's-80's) that I want to try in the bridge. It's 8.3K, which is almost what the 36th bridge is spec'd for. The 80's PAF I have is 7.6K.

 

[TheLivingDead]

Re: DiMarzio 36th Anniversary PAF Initial Impressions:

Interesting. I've been curious about those for a while now.