Dimarzio Tone Zone replacement?

[BluesGuyJ]

Re: Dimarzio Tone Zone replacement?

What woods is your Jackson composed of>?

My ESP is a Jackson Soloist copy.
ebony fretboard, maple neck and Alder body.

I have a TZ in the bridge. I find that its a great rhythem pickup, but somewhat lacks in articulation for lead work. I prefer more awwwwww for lead work ala my FRED and T Tops.

I find that the mids and bass over power the tone and cause any first signs of articulation to just become "rounded" out. Very tubular tone.

My best bet is a Breed.

Good luck.

 

[JohnnyGuitarCA]

Re: Dimarzio Tone Zone replacement?

My vote would be for either the CC or the Air Zone...

Agreed. I'd say try the Air Zone first. That pickup is amazing...

 

[JohnnyGuitarCA]

Re: Dimarzio Tone Zone replacement?

The Air Zone has the same voicing as the TZ - it's just lower output.

Oh noooooo....I disagree!

No offense, but the AZ is a much more tonally balanced P/U than the TZ. Better highs (not shrill tho) and incredibly responsive. Basically, the AZ is sweeter, more clarity but still freakin' BALLSY.

 

[JohnnyGuitarCA]

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.

Yep! Totally agree here!

Hey Erik, have you got a copy of Jethro Tull's "Songs from the Wood"? Bro, my wife turned me on to this last year, and it STILL freaks me out. It's one of those "perfect" (in a good way) albums. Check it out if you haven't already!

 

[JohnnyGuitarCA]

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".

Agreed on the DiMeola...amazing stuff there!

 

[ErikH]

Re: Dimarzio Tone Zone replacement?

Yep! Totally agree here!

Hey Erik, have you got a copy of Jethro Tull's "Songs from the Wood"? Bro, my wife turned me on to this last year, and it STILL freaks me out. It's one of those "perfect" (in a good way) albums. Check it out if you haven't already!

Hey Johnny. Was wondering if you'd see this thread...LOL. I don't have that album but my brother-in-law might. I'll ask him. We've been watching a lot of the Rolling Stones Circus Parade from 1968. Freakin' amazing music on there.

And you're right on about the AZ as well. I just couldn't say it that way.

 

[lynchaddict]

Re: Dimarzio Tone Zone replacement?

hey guys, i'm just gonna join in the thread since the air zone's a topic here.
i was gonna get an F-spaced air zone and i was gonna ask what it sounded like in the birdge of an alder guitar(as usual). haha. can the sound cut through the mix? i wanted a fat humbucker sound.

 

[ErikH]

Re: Dimarzio Tone Zone replacement?

hey guys, i'm just gonna join in the thread since the air zone's a topic here.
i was gonna get an F-spaced air zone and i was gonna ask what it sounded like in the birdge of an alder guitar(as usual). haha. can the sound cut through the mix? i wanted a fat humbucker sound.

Like a hot knife through butter. I have this exact setup. Check my clips in my sig on Soundclick. There's a few there of my Strat with the Air Zone.

 

[Xeromus]

Re: Dimarzio Tone Zone replacement?

Try a Dimarzio Breed

 

[JohnnyGuitar]

Re: Dimarzio Tone Zone replacement?

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.

(took me some time to respond )

I actually like these sort of effect... most players see it as a good thing in a humbucker...

then again.. you can get it from a wah with any pickup... so it is nice to have the option not to have tha awwwww...

 

[roadstar II]

Re: Dimarzio Tone Zone replacement?

some of you guys know about those old Al D pup huh?:laugh2:
man i thought thast was a locked secret! LOL!

this is not as low output as you may think it is at 275MV and the air zone is 323MV and in the real world that is not all that much and it has the big bass and mids with more of a paf output
essentially it is a fatter air norton,it is not a air bucker but has a similar feel
anyway the AZ will not have the AW sound due to its more subdued output
also you can take a tone zone and make the stud coil a air coil and this will remove the AW sound from the tone zone

 

[StrangeSound]

Re: Dimarzio Tone Zone replacement?

(took me some time to respond )

I actually like these sort of effect... most players see it as a good thing in a humbucker...

then again.. you can get it from a wah with any pickup... so it is nice to have the option not to have tha awwwww...

The Breed has plenty of "aww"..which I don't like anymore...[rant on]I'd like to change my guitar too and use SD pups...Breed is quite hot, too. Too much bass/mids with my current setup[rant off]

It's good for distortion tones but clean it's meh imo.