Dimarzio Tone Zone replacement?

S

SF audio

New member
Just got the tone zone for my Jackson soloist, replacing the vernerable TB4. It gives more bass, less treble, and generally fattens things up, however the mids have that "ahh" sound which kinda makes me yawn and doesn't make me go :banana:

So, what's a similar pickup with a different mid sound? Looking for good bass response, smooth treble, and flatter mids. Or maybe a lower mid resonant frequency to make it go "oooh" instead of ahhhh....:13:

thanks
 
Re: Dimarzio Tone Zone replacement?

Super3 or SuperDistortion....big on mids and bass without that AWWW of the TZ.
 
Re: Dimarzio Tone Zone replacement?

Butch Snyder said:
My vote would be for either the CC or the Air Zone...
Click to expand...

The Air Zone has the same voicing as the TZ - it's just lower output.
 
Re: Dimarzio Tone Zone replacement?

I'd say it's the Super D. It has about the same bass and mids as the TZ without the awww.

The ceramic Custom from Duncan would probably be closer than the CC, because the TZ also has a ton of bass. Also the DD would probably have too much treble grind compared to the TZ.
 
Re: Dimarzio Tone Zone replacement?

it depends on what you term by good bass response. imo, the cc has a spongy bass that seems to bloom. it has more low mids and mids than bass but with very smooth highs. the custom, c5 and 59 has an in your face bass good for chugging, mids are slightly pulled back but the highs are not as smooth though.
 
Re: Dimarzio Tone Zone replacement?

The Air Zone may have the same EQ as the Tone Zone but it doesn't have that "ahhh" to it. At least to my ears it doesn't. It's a very smooth pickup with a nice low end. It reminds me a lot of my favorite Duncan (see below) with more lows.

The Custom Custom is my favorite Duncan. It's got a loose low end, but not really flabby because it can be pretty tight through a good amp and closed back cab. It's more of "on the edge" which I like. The highs are rolled off just right. The mids are there too. It's got a great "creamy" tone.
 
Re: Dimarzio Tone Zone replacement?

Dimarzio Breed neck might work. Have you adjusted the mids on the amp?? That might take away the pronounced "awww" and make it more bearable. I have a TZ in my wolf gang special and it's a monster and doesn't have the awww thing. I have played most of the pups in the duncan line (buckers anyway) and with the exception of the 59 and CC I really haven't been able to get close to what I have been hearing in my head (probably rocks rattling around in there). I have put all of the negative vibes aside and have been experimenting with some dimarzios. My favs are Air Norton neck with ToneZone bridge in my wolfie gets me close to the unlawful sound. Pro track neck, fast track 1 mid, and VHPaf bridge for early VH tones and yjm/hs3 for my malmsteen strat. With the right eq, they seem to do what I've been looking for.
 
Re: Dimarzio Tone Zone replacement?

All cool ideas...seems that some don't hear the "ahhh" sound in their TZ equipped guitar, or not as much as I seem too. It's very pronounced in the soloist...maybe it's the ebony fingerboard or neck through design?

Now that I own a bunch of guitars and amps, you really see how tone interacts and changes between pickups, guitars, and amps. EVERYTHING affects tone one way or the other!!!

Anyways, I'll try the super D and the CC. Any other non-Seymour/Dimarzio pickups with big bass and rolled off highs that I should look at?
 
Re: Dimarzio Tone Zone replacement?

ErikH said:
The Air Zone may have the same EQ as the Tone Zone but it doesn't have that "ahhh" to it. At least to my ears it doesn't. It's a very smooth pickup with a nice low end. It reminds me a lot of my favorite Duncan (see below) with more lows.

The Custom Custom is my favorite Duncan. It's got a loose low end, but not really flabby because it can be pretty tight through a good amp and closed back cab. It's more of "on the edge" which I like. The highs are rolled off just right. The mids are there too. It's got a great "creamy" tone.
Click to expand...

Hmm. I've owned guitars with both, and they seemed to be voiced the same to me. The lower output of the Air Zone did make the "aaaah" lesss pronounced, but compared to the TZ, everything about it was less pronounced. :)

Either way, it's a great pickup and very versatile. I don't have any now but I'm sure I will again if the JB in my Jackson doesn't float my boat when it gets here.
 
Re: Dimarzio Tone Zone replacement?

SF audio said:
Any other non-Seymour/Dimarzio pickups with big bass and rolled off highs that I should look at?
Click to expand...

rio grande bbq bucker.
 
Re: Dimarzio Tone Zone replacement?

jazzerlbn said:
What is that aahhhh the mids do? I don't get it.
Click to expand...
I think you can compare it with a wah-wah pedal which shifts the mids and there is a position where you get a "aww" or "ahh" sound, whatever. :)
 
Re: Dimarzio Tone Zone replacement?

The TZ has way more bass than the jb and isn't as bright, the mids are in the lower frequency also.
 
Re: Dimarzio Tone Zone replacement?

Why wouldn't you just swap it for a Breed?

Isn't that basically a Tone Zone without the "flub"?

Big bass, low treble, and big mids that don't crap-out. As they say on DiMarzio's site, if the Tone Zone provides "chunk", then the Breed provides "crunch".

Similar output, EQ curve, etc.
 
Re: Dimarzio Tone Zone replacement?

Erik is right. The Air Zone lets the midrange pressure out. It's like deflating the "aww" midrange bubble. It lets the gas out. The Breed bridge is even rounder, so I don't think it's going to reduce the aww like SF is asking. It may produce a little more "ooh" but it's still round and fat. The SD is like totally compressing and flattening the mids. They become hard edged and dulled vs. the TZ. So you deflate the mid hump down, but fill it with a little concrete so it isn't as elastic as you change playing styles and dyamics. The Super D is a big ceramic, so it's not going to respond like the A5 Zones.

Finally, the Al Di Meola bridge pickup is the diamond in the rough. If you can stand a lower output pup, (around 10k I think) then that is a fantastic TZ/AZ counterpart. The EQ curve is very similar to the TZ, but it's more subdued, versatile, and less "blasty".
 
Re: Dimarzio Tone Zone replacement?

If you can find the Di Meola model that would be cool but I don't think it's being made anymore. He uses the SuperD as well. The man has taste. ;)
 
Re: Dimarzio Tone Zone replacement?

You just have to order it. The one I ordered was in stock. Actually I didn't order it, I "30-day exchanged" another pickup for it, and they shipped it right out. They said they had some. They person on the phone also thought they came with gold poles, and that I should specify if I wanted black or chrome. (no charge) I did have to add $5 because it was more than the pickup I swapped them.
 
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