Dimarzio Humbucker from Hell vs. Duncan Jazz for neck?

[appar111]

Has anyone tried both of these in the neck position? They're both supposed to be very articulate neck humbuckers, with the HFH being advertised as leaning more towards a single coil tone.

I'd love to hear some opinions & experiences from those who have tried both in the neck position.

thanks!
J.

 

[idsnowdog]

Re: Dimarzio Humbucker from Hell vs. Duncan Jazz for neck?

I haven't tried the jazz. The HFH is bright, but its output is so low that its not very good. You would need to hit it with a big boost.

 

[Binnerscot]

Re: Dimarzio Humbucker from Hell vs. Duncan Jazz for neck?

Jazz FTW. The HFH is a cool pup, but it better to think of it in terms of a single coil. Very bright with very low output. The Jazz has a more fluid sound and enough output to use with hotter bridge buckers and not feel like your cord fell out when you switch to the neck.

 

[appar111]

Re: Dimarzio Humbucker from Hell vs. Duncan Jazz for neck?

The output isn't that low on the HFH--- if you look at the output specs it's as loud as the pre-2008 DP103 PAF and the Air Classic Neck. Definitely not high output, but not super low output either.

I'd be pairing it w/ a '59 at the bridge, which isn't high output either, so maybe the volume imbalance wouldn't be that bad?

I've seen some on here and the dimarzio forums who pair it w/ a Super Distortion, and Paul Gilbert used to use the HFH with either a PAF Pro or a TZ in the bridge.

For clean & mildly distorted chording, clean funk licks and bluesy neck solos, either the HFH or Jazz should still work for that, right? (w/ the HFH maybe having a slight edge for those particular needs)

 

[Willybomb]

Re: Dimarzio Humbucker from Hell vs. Duncan Jazz for neck?

I've seen some on here and the dimarzio forums who pair it w/ a Super Distortion

That would be me.

Probably not a shred pickup, but blues and jazz, yeah sure. Split in the neck position it's sorta an acoustic janggling sounding thing. I like it.

 

[blueman335]

Re: Dimarzio Humbucker from Hell vs. Duncan Jazz for neck?

The HFH is probably made for mahogany guitars, to me it's ideal for an LP. In a maple body, it would be overkill. In a Gibson-style mahogany guitar, either PU would be good (both being very clear, the Jazz being a little warmer and fuller). In brighter wood, a JazzN would be better.

 

[idsnowdog]

Re: Dimarzio Humbucker from Hell vs. Duncan Jazz for neck?

The output isn't that low on the HFH--- if you look at the output specs it's as loud as the pre-2008 DP103 PAF and the Air Classic Neck. Definitely not high output, but not super low output either.

I'd be pairing it w/ a '59 at the bridge, which isn't high output either, so maybe the volume imbalance wouldn't be that bad?

I've seen some on here and the dimarzio forums who pair it w/ a Super Distortion, and Paul Gilbert used to use the HFH with either a PAF Pro or a TZ in the bridge.

For clean & mildly distorted chording, clean funk licks and bluesy neck solos, either the HFH or Jazz should still work for that, right? (w/ the HFH maybe having a slight edge for those particular needs)

Specs are one thing experience is another. The HFH has a very narrow frequency range so its perceived volume is less even if the rating in mv is higher.

 

[veryhungrycaterpilla]

Re: Dimarzio Humbucker from Hell vs. Duncan Jazz for neck?

A more appropriate question would be Duncan Jazz neck vs. DMZ EJ Custom neck... It's a draw. Both are awesome pups.

 

[appar111]

Re: Dimarzio Humbucker from Hell vs. Duncan Jazz for neck?

Specs are one thing experience is another. The HFH has a very narrow frequency range so its perceived volume is less even if the rating in mv is higher.

So the fact that it's not as wide of a frequency range makes it seem not as "big" and therefore not as loud? Hmmm, I was leaning towards the HFH, but perhaps the Jazz is the better choice.

The strat it would be going into is alder, not mahogany or maple, and would have a rosewood fretboard.

 

[idsnowdog]

Re: Dimarzio Humbucker from Hell vs. Duncan Jazz for neck?

So the fact that it's not as wide of a frequency range makes it seem not as "big" and therefore not as loud?

Exactly! The two guitars I had it in were replaced with GFS Bigmouths. I was hoping for a fat single coil sound from the HFH, but I just didn't get it. With the Bigmouth I got a super fat single coil sound like a Quarter Pounder without the noise and single coil sludge.

 

[Binnerscot]

Re: Dimarzio Humbucker from Hell vs. Duncan Jazz for neck?

and Paul Gilbert used to use the HFH with either a PAF Pro or a TZ in the bridge

PG usually had his bridge pups wired in parallel also.

 

[appar111]

Re: Dimarzio Humbucker from Hell vs. Duncan Jazz for neck?

Only when he was using Super D's in the bridge and neck. His TZ's and PAF Pros were always wired in series.

 

[gauchosilvertone]

Re: Dimarzio Humbucker from Hell vs. Duncan Jazz for neck?

Resurrect- Guys, John Petrucci used HFH on Images & Words and Awake,with a Tone Zone in the bridge- no volume problem!

I have extensive experience with both. Jazz is a very articulate PAF sound with a cutting high end, which is not synonymous with bright. Plenty of body though less than many PAF neck pups.

HFH is a different animal altogether. The single coil comparison is fair, only because there's nothing else that comes close. But still it sounds decidedly like a humbucker, but the expanded frequency response includes areas usual buckers can't touch. Still a very modern, "different" tone despite its introduction in the early 90s.

 

[Dr.J4ckal]

Re: Dimarzio Humbucker from Hell vs. Duncan Jazz for neck?

I had the HFH on my 24 fret basswood superstrat. Sounds GREAT for bluesy mild overdrive, and high gain bubbly shred lead tone. I just can't stand the output drop when switching from the bridge pickup (dimarzio crunch lab), and it's thin plinky clean tone. Might try it again paired with medium output bridge bucker (FRED, AT1, etc.)

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: Dimarzio Humbucker from Hell vs. Duncan Jazz for neck?

The HFH has a lot less low end IME, and therefore sounds less mid scooped (better, IMO). I'm not a fan of the Jazz in the neck position (in the bridge I like it). I do like the HFH, though.

 

[MacBradley]

Re: Dimarzio Humbucker from Hell vs. Duncan Jazz for neck?

I've tried them both. The Jazz I like a lot. The HFH was alright, but it fell in an awkward spot for me. It didn't have the best humbucker aspects of the Jazz, but didn't go far enough the other way to sound like a single coil. The mismatched coils and phase cancellation make it sound more like a hotter humbucker weird in parallel to me.

After going through both of these neck pickups I liked the Jazz better, but ultimately it didn't matter because I decided I need something without phase cancellation in the neck, like a strat pickup, twisted tele, or my hum cancelling offset single coil in a humbucker pickup (looks like a wide range humbucker but its not) that I made.

 

[51501984]

Re: Dimarzio Humbucker from Hell vs. Duncan Jazz for neck?

Hey OP it's been 7yrs but what did you end up using ?

 

[Demanic]

Re: Dimarzio Humbucker from Hell vs. Duncan Jazz for neck?

Love the Jazz neck base solely upon my experience with the DD versions I have heard. I have a 7 string version wired to a push/pull for split/parallel and paired with the DD 7 string bridge version (based on the JB, with an A5) that I put a single thick ceramic in. I recently put a 6 string version in a friend's J. Turser Les Paul that has a Duncan Distortion in the bridge. I'd love to get an actual Duncan Jazz neck and then try it with either a A4 or UOA5 magnet. Just such a clear articulate neck sound. Especially good in the middle position paired with the bridge pickup.