Dimarzio Tone Zone

[Steelrz13]

I'm looking to get a bridge pickup for my alder strat. I'm trying to find a pickup that has a big but tight low end and will help make my tone nice and thick without being muddy. It will be used mostly for rhythm but enough clarity for occasional solos would be ideal.

From what I've read the tone zone seems to match this except some reviews claim it to be muddy, which to me would be a deal breaker.Input from those who have had experience with this pickup would be great and any recommendations of pickups that sound like the above would be just as helpful. Thanks

 

[LonePhantom]

Re: Dimarzio Tone Zone

The Tone Zone in alder kicks ass. If the low end is a little too much place a 0.047uf capacitor between the red hot wire and the pickup selector lug.

Otherwise try the Dominion bridge. This is killer for rhythm work, and is similar to the Tone Zone.

 

[Falloffthebonetone]

Re: Dimarzio Tone Zone

Could try the Super Distortion instead if you wanna stick with Dimarzio. More output and treble detail than the Tone Zone. Still nice and thick sounding too, though the Tone Zone picks up your dynamic attack better.

 

[Mr. B]

Re: Dimarzio Tone Zone

I've had the Tone Zone in a couple of guitars and it sounds great after you tweak the pickup height. It is a bit finicky about height. I wouldn't worry about it being muddy, but do you have traditional single coils in the neck and middle?. If so, it is going to overpower them by a good bit.

 

[UberMetalDood]

Re: Dimarzio Tone Zone

The Tone Zone isn't a muddy pedal any more than a JB would be. I've compared them both and they're VERY similar. If you're worried about mud and want an alnico pickup, you need to get a Norton DP160. It's like a Tone Zone except the low end is dialed back just enough, and there is a little bit more emphasis in the mid and high mid frequencies. It's often described as a "brown" sounding pickup, but it's way more versatile than just 80's rock and blues for sure. You can find it used in a lot of heavy metal.

 

[Lake Placid Blues]

Re: Dimarzio Tone Zone

From what I've read the tone zone seems to match this except some reviews claim it to be muddy, which to me would be a deal breaker.

It depends on the amp. Through an old school Plexi or Fender it can get muddy on chords, but through a modern high gain channel switcher it's not. You would probably use it for distortion tones with a high gain amp and another pickup when switched to the clean channel anyway.

It will be used mostly for rhythm but enough clarity for occasional solos would be ideal.

The Tone Zone has plenty of clarity in the top end. It can be, like the JB, unforgiving in that regard, but it makes for nice bright, articulate, voicing for soloing.

 

[GuitarStv]

Re: Dimarzio Tone Zone

I've had the Tone Zone in a couple of guitars and it sounds great after you tweak the pickup height. It is a bit finicky about height. I wouldn't worry about it being muddy, but do you have traditional single coils in the neck and middle?. If so, it is going to overpower them by a good bit.

This is very much my experience, pickup height is super important with the TZ. I run it in an alder Charvel So-Cal with just a volume knob for a touch of extra clarity. It sounds really good split as well.

It itsn't bright by any means, has a very nice kinda vocal sound to it. Sings rather than screams if that makes sense.