Dimarzio 36th Anniversary PAF set, whats its Duncan equal ?
- Thread starter JMP/HBE
- Start date
Discharged
New member
Re: Dimarzio 36th Anniversary PAF set, whats its Duncan equal ?
There are actually no Duncan p'ups with could resemble the 36th Anns tone-footprint, but an A4-modded '59 set will have a much "better" tone-footprint than'em in LPs but specially so in semihollows.
/Peter
There are actually no Duncan p'ups with could resemble the 36th Anns tone-footprint, but an A4-modded '59 set will have a much "better" tone-footprint than'em in LPs but specially so in semihollows.
/Peter
Rex_Rocker
Well-known member
Re: Dimarzio 36th Anniversary PAF set, whats its Duncan equal ?
There's no Duncan quite like them, really. They use the Virtual Vintage and Airbucker technologies, so they don't quite sound like a standard Alnico 5 PAF, but they don't sound like Alnico 2 either.
I have not tried the bridge version, but I have the neck version in an Ibanez. It doesn't sound like a '59. It's smoother and less boomy. It doesn't sound like a Pearly Gates either. It's less spongy. I have not tried the A2 Pro, though.
FWIW, I don't think any of the Duncans are "better". I guess the Duncans sound more like a "real" (meaning traditional) PAF, but I much prefer the way my 36th sounds in the neck compared to all the Duncan neck PAF's I've tried.
There's no Duncan quite like them, really. They use the Virtual Vintage and Airbucker technologies, so they don't quite sound like a standard Alnico 5 PAF, but they don't sound like Alnico 2 either.
I have not tried the bridge version, but I have the neck version in an Ibanez. It doesn't sound like a '59. It's smoother and less boomy. It doesn't sound like a Pearly Gates either. It's less spongy. I have not tried the A2 Pro, though.
FWIW, I don't think any of the Duncans are "better". I guess the Duncans sound more like a "real" (meaning traditional) PAF, but I much prefer the way my 36th sounds in the neck compared to all the Duncan neck PAF's I've tried.
Last edited:
dystrust
Well-known member
Re: Dimarzio 36th Anniversary PAF set, whats its Duncan equal ?
+1
I was going to say a '59 is probably closest (and A4 modded is closer still), but DiMarzio PAFs have their own sound that nothing in the SD line really duplicates.
+1
I was going to say a '59 is probably closest (and A4 modded is closer still), but DiMarzio PAFs have their own sound that nothing in the SD line really duplicates.
dystrust
Well-known member
Re: Dimarzio 36th Anniversary PAF set, whats its Duncan equal ?
I was thinking that too, but the WLH set seems significantly hotter than 36th Anniversary PAFs.
I was thinking that too, but the WLH set seems significantly hotter than 36th Anniversary PAFs.
JMP/HBE
Well-known member
Re: Dimarzio 36th Anniversary PAF set, whats its Duncan equal ?
Wow im surprised to hear that being ive used Duncans forever. I just bought a nice LP that has 36th bridge & neck in it and dont know what to expect.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/123357177272
But ive heard many good things about them.
I haven't had Dimarzios since the 90's.
Wow im surprised to hear that being ive used Duncans forever. I just bought a nice LP that has 36th bridge & neck in it and dont know what to expect.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/123357177272
But ive heard many good things about them.
I haven't had Dimarzios since the 90's.
JMP/HBE
Well-known member
Re: Dimarzio 36th Anniversary PAF set, whats its Duncan equal ?
Thats what ive heard too.
Have to wait til next week to find out.
Thats what ive heard too.
Have to wait til next week to find out.
Re: Dimarzio 36th Anniversary PAF set, whats its Duncan equal ?
Expect good things
If you can't wait, see if your local guitar store has one of those mid-tier LTD EC's with em
Expect good things
If you can't wait, see if your local guitar store has one of those mid-tier LTD EC's with em
Juanhanglo
Active member
Re: Dimarzio 36th Anniversary PAF set, whats its Duncan equal ?
that is exactly what I have, an ec401v. it's the one that has the thicker, traditional body.
I love the pickups. by far my favorite humbuckers.
that is exactly what I have, an ec401v. it's the one that has the thicker, traditional body.
I love the pickups. by far my favorite humbuckers.
B
Ben1962
Guest
Re: Dimarzio 36th Anniversary PAF set, whats its Duncan equal ?
I respectfully disagree. The Sentient is IMHO a much better pickup. I have both, and I like the different sounds, but that DiMarzio can turn to mud pretty quickly
I respectfully disagree. The Sentient is IMHO a much better pickup. I have both, and I like the different sounds, but that DiMarzio can turn to mud pretty quickly
freefrog
Well-known member
Re: Dimarzio 36th Anniversary PAF set, whats its Duncan equal ?
There's no Duncan equivalent to the DiMarzio 36th PAF set, because…
1-"PAF" is a DiMarzio trademark, not to be confused with P.A.F. (Patent Applied For).
2- I don't remember any Duncan set exhibiting the DCR & Inductance of the 36th's… On those that I've tested, I've measured 9.36k for 5.47H (bridge: it would be considered as "overwound" for a P.A.F. clone) and 7.51k for 4.23H (neck). These last specs might seem close to those a SH1 neck (measuring roughly 7.5k and 4.2H) BUT I know that other people have measured higher values than me on other examples of the 36th neck model.
3-Physically, 36th’s differ from the old DP103's, which were already not vintage correct as P.A.F. clones. According to the technologies mentioned above by Rex_Rocker, New DP103's / 36th include embedded slugs between the usual poles in their bobbins and their magnet is separated from their pole pieces by plastic (silicone?) circles. They have no maple spacer nor keeper bar. Their mag is not rough cast. There’s no Duncan pickup like that, partly because it involves DiMarzio patents and partly because Duncan HB’s are closer to real P.A.F.’s.
4-Visually, when their bobbins are double cream (like in the set that I've tested), 36th’s s have a specific color, patented by DiMarzio in order to forbid to other winders to use it. Granted, there's double cream Seth Lover's, for example, but this color is initially hidden under their cover because of the mentioned patent.
5-Sonically, 36th's produce non typical twin resonant peaks, hence a non typical harmonic spectrum. I don't remember if they're listed among Dual-Resonance models (to name another DM patent) but IME, they behave as such. To me, the sound obtained has a kind of "hybrid" texture, not vintage nor modern, with less harmonic richness than P.A.F.’s or their variations.
Personally, I've not liked the 36th's that I've tested: they gave me the same kind of sensations than aspartame compared to cane sugar. YMMV.
There's no Duncan equivalent to the DiMarzio 36th PAF set, because…
1-"PAF" is a DiMarzio trademark, not to be confused with P.A.F. (Patent Applied For).
2- I don't remember any Duncan set exhibiting the DCR & Inductance of the 36th's… On those that I've tested, I've measured 9.36k for 5.47H (bridge: it would be considered as "overwound" for a P.A.F. clone) and 7.51k for 4.23H (neck). These last specs might seem close to those a SH1 neck (measuring roughly 7.5k and 4.2H) BUT I know that other people have measured higher values than me on other examples of the 36th neck model.
3-Physically, 36th’s differ from the old DP103's, which were already not vintage correct as P.A.F. clones. According to the technologies mentioned above by Rex_Rocker, New DP103's / 36th include embedded slugs between the usual poles in their bobbins and their magnet is separated from their pole pieces by plastic (silicone?) circles. They have no maple spacer nor keeper bar. Their mag is not rough cast. There’s no Duncan pickup like that, partly because it involves DiMarzio patents and partly because Duncan HB’s are closer to real P.A.F.’s.
4-Visually, when their bobbins are double cream (like in the set that I've tested), 36th’s s have a specific color, patented by DiMarzio in order to forbid to other winders to use it. Granted, there's double cream Seth Lover's, for example, but this color is initially hidden under their cover because of the mentioned patent.
5-Sonically, 36th's produce non typical twin resonant peaks, hence a non typical harmonic spectrum. I don't remember if they're listed among Dual-Resonance models (to name another DM patent) but IME, they behave as such. To me, the sound obtained has a kind of "hybrid" texture, not vintage nor modern, with less harmonic richness than P.A.F.’s or their variations.
Personally, I've not liked the 36th's that I've tested: they gave me the same kind of sensations than aspartame compared to cane sugar. YMMV.
sedawkgrep
Member
Re: Dimarzio 36th Anniversary PAF set, whats its Duncan equal ?
I love em. And yes there are legions of fans. They’re often referred to as the best non-boutique PAF, and therefore the best value.
Also, fwiw, I could not care less about construction as long as it’s well made. For some people vintage correct is important. I care about sound.
I love em. And yes there are legions of fans. They’re often referred to as the best non-boutique PAF, and therefore the best value.
Also, fwiw, I could not care less about construction as long as it’s well made. For some people vintage correct is important. I care about sound.
DavidRavenMoon
New member
Re: Dimarzio 36th Anniversary PAF set, whats its Duncan equal ?
Which is what a real PAF sounds like. PAFs are bright and chimey. Not this dark tone people seem to associate with them.
I had a set of ‘62 patent number pickups. They were nothing special. Sounded like a guitar. [emoji1]
I got them when the owner, who had a ‘59 Les Paul converted to humbuckers in ‘62 replaced them with the original DiMarzio PAFs in the late 70s.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Which is what a real PAF sounds like. PAFs are bright and chimey. Not this dark tone people seem to associate with them.
I had a set of ‘62 patent number pickups. They were nothing special. Sounded like a guitar. [emoji1]
I got them when the owner, who had a ‘59 Les Paul converted to humbuckers in ‘62 replaced them with the original DiMarzio PAFs in the late 70s.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Re: Dimarzio 36th Anniversary PAF set, whats its Duncan equal ?
I only find current Gibson PAFs dark but I think that may be due to pot values. I find the 59 a bit bright in some longer scale guitars but I love it. People tell me vintage PAFs varied more than a bit.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I only find current Gibson PAFs dark but I think that may be due to pot values. I find the 59 a bit bright in some longer scale guitars but I love it. People tell me vintage PAFs varied more than a bit.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Archer250
Well-known member
Re: Dimarzio 36th Anniversary PAF set, whats its Duncan equal ?
I used to like them. Now? Not really.
The neck PU sounded like a cross between a PG and a 59 to me.
The comment above about how it sounded to othet PUs what aspartame is to sugar is accurate, at least to me.
I've never had a DiMarzio I liked in the long run due to this reason. They all sounded "fake" to me somehow, no matter how good the EQ was.
Sent from my EVA-L19 using Tapatalk
I used to like them. Now? Not really.
The neck PU sounded like a cross between a PG and a 59 to me.
The comment above about how it sounded to othet PUs what aspartame is to sugar is accurate, at least to me.
I've never had a DiMarzio I liked in the long run due to this reason. They all sounded "fake" to me somehow, no matter how good the EQ was.
Sent from my EVA-L19 using Tapatalk
SFW
Well-known member
Re: Dimarzio 36th Anniversary PAF set, whats its Duncan equal ?
I had a set for a bit. Couldn’t bond with them. DiMarzios have a brand wide mid range thing that I don’t care for. Almost liked a cocked wah. Like they have a head cold. I’ve heard other people use them and sound great. I just can’t bond with them.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I had a set for a bit. Couldn’t bond with them. DiMarzios have a brand wide mid range thing that I don’t care for. Almost liked a cocked wah. Like they have a head cold. I’ve heard other people use them and sound great. I just can’t bond with them.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Similar threads
- Featured
- Featured