DiMarzio Virtual Hot PAF
- Thread starter Travis
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strangegrey
New member
Re: DiMarzio Virtual Hot PAF
I can't offer any help, but I am quite interested in the resulting conversation, because I am currently shopping all of the various pickups offered by both companies in the so called 'PAF' ballpark.
I can't offer any help, but I am quite interested in the resulting conversation, because I am currently shopping all of the various pickups offered by both companies in the so called 'PAF' ballpark.
Re: DiMarzio Virtual Hot PAF
ahhhh Ok I have a lot of experience with Dimarzios and the Virtual PAFs in particular. I have not used the Virtual HOT PAF so much as such, I have used almost every other model live and recording.
I can tell you the view most people have that these pickups have a "single coil" sort of tone that has a chance to shine thru when spanked, are dead on. Amazing tone! I usually will tell people the NECK model is kinda like the Alnico Pro 2 only brighter, so I usually say use the BRIDGE MODEL in the NECK, gives you a thicker tone.
I do love the low string pull and smoothness that the "air" gives you. I have also found that the Dimarzio site tends to be dead on accurate in their descriptions. Dimarzios do tend to have a little touch of "vowel" reaction, where you get that subtle aww sound. None comes to the level of the Fred model though, so no real reason to worry. So you have to love the Dimarzio tone. I felt that the VIRTUAL PAF bridge was a touch too thin, unless you have a fat as hell, dark, les paul. I think the Virtual HOT might be just the ticket to clear up any other tones. They do have slightly hotter winds and models, so it's easy to find what you want without going custom shop prices. DMZ's are pretty cheap too!
ahhhh Ok I have a lot of experience with Dimarzios and the Virtual PAFs in particular. I have not used the Virtual HOT PAF so much as such, I have used almost every other model live and recording.
I can tell you the view most people have that these pickups have a "single coil" sort of tone that has a chance to shine thru when spanked, are dead on. Amazing tone! I usually will tell people the NECK model is kinda like the Alnico Pro 2 only brighter, so I usually say use the BRIDGE MODEL in the NECK, gives you a thicker tone.
I do love the low string pull and smoothness that the "air" gives you. I have also found that the Dimarzio site tends to be dead on accurate in their descriptions. Dimarzios do tend to have a little touch of "vowel" reaction, where you get that subtle aww sound. None comes to the level of the Fred model though, so no real reason to worry. So you have to love the Dimarzio tone. I felt that the VIRTUAL PAF bridge was a touch too thin, unless you have a fat as hell, dark, les paul. I think the Virtual HOT might be just the ticket to clear up any other tones. They do have slightly hotter winds and models, so it's easy to find what you want without going custom shop prices. DMZ's are pretty cheap too!
walt
New member
Re: DiMarzio Virtual Hot PAF
I have a Virtual PAF and a Virtual Hot Paf in my wolfgang special and also a pair of 59's in a strat. The 59's sound good and have a very pronounced bottom end, some say it's boomy and a very pronounced high end. All and all it's a very good, versital pup and used to be my favorite humbuckers until I got the Dimarzio combo in my wolfie. I found these to be very "tone friendly" as in the bottom end isn't boomy or mushy and the high end isn't overly bright. These pickups also have a very nice midrange voicing as well. I feel because of the way the Dimarzios are wound and eq'd coupled with the virtual and air technology they have a "3d" quality to their sound. It's really hard to describe, you have to hear it. The "Hot" is wound a little hotter than the Virtual PAF and matches very well with it (I'm not mentioning any numbers as it's forbidden for the time being). :27:
I have found that both the Duncans and Dimarzios will cover a very large playing field of music. Both will do Early VanHalen very well. For me, I like the Dimarzios very much for the time being with the 59s being a close second.
Travis said:
I have a Virtual PAF and a Virtual Hot Paf in my wolfgang special and also a pair of 59's in a strat. The 59's sound good and have a very pronounced bottom end, some say it's boomy and a very pronounced high end. All and all it's a very good, versital pup and used to be my favorite humbuckers until I got the Dimarzio combo in my wolfie. I found these to be very "tone friendly" as in the bottom end isn't boomy or mushy and the high end isn't overly bright. These pickups also have a very nice midrange voicing as well. I feel because of the way the Dimarzios are wound and eq'd coupled with the virtual and air technology they have a "3d" quality to their sound. It's really hard to describe, you have to hear it. The "Hot" is wound a little hotter than the Virtual PAF and matches very well with it (I'm not mentioning any numbers as it's forbidden for the time being). :27:
I have found that both the Duncans and Dimarzios will cover a very large playing field of music. Both will do Early VanHalen very well. For me, I like the Dimarzios very much for the time being with the 59s being a close second.
Travis
New member
Re: DiMarzio Virtual Hot PAF
Do you have the Wolfgang USA Special, or the Special EXP? I've been thinking about swapping out the pickups in my USA Special Flame Top for a while, but I don't want to have to modify the pickups or the route to get Duncans to fit. Should I assume you have the Hot PAF in the bridge and the Virtual PAF in the neck? How would you differentiate the DiMarzios from the stock Wolf pickups? Thanks a bunch.
Do you have the Wolfgang USA Special, or the Special EXP? I've been thinking about swapping out the pickups in my USA Special Flame Top for a while, but I don't want to have to modify the pickups or the route to get Duncans to fit. Should I assume you have the Hot PAF in the bridge and the Virtual PAF in the neck? How would you differentiate the DiMarzios from the stock Wolf pickups? Thanks a bunch.
STRATDELUXER97
Stratoblaster Tone Meister
Re: DiMarzio Virtual Hot PAF
Hopefully my own double cream VPAF Hot will arrive today or tomorrow?
OlinMusic said:
Hopefully my own double cream VPAF Hot will arrive today or tomorrow?
Re: DiMarzio Virtual Hot PAF
I think Duncans are clearer on the top end of the pickup because most(not all) Duncans are brighter than most(not all) Dimarzios but the same can be said for the thickness of most Dimarzios...by far thicker than most Duncans IMO. Just look at the tone charts.
papersoul said:
I think Duncans are clearer on the top end of the pickup because most(not all) Duncans are brighter than most(not all) Dimarzios but the same can be said for the thickness of most Dimarzios...by far thicker than most Duncans IMO. Just look at the tone charts.
Re: DiMarzio Virtual Hot PAF
Can anyone compare the VPAF neck to a Gibson Classic '57??
I started off with a '59 in the necks of some of my guitars but HATED it and think it's a truly awful pickup in the neck because of the overbearing bottom end. The Classic '57 was much better and more in the right direction but I still am looking for something even a touch brighter....wonder how the VPAF neck compares???
I'm considering matching this to a Custom I'm going to buy for the bridge.
Can anyone compare the VPAF neck to a Gibson Classic '57??
I started off with a '59 in the necks of some of my guitars but HATED it and think it's a truly awful pickup in the neck because of the overbearing bottom end. The Classic '57 was much better and more in the right direction but I still am looking for something even a touch brighter....wonder how the VPAF neck compares???
I'm considering matching this to a Custom I'm going to buy for the bridge.
Last edited:
strangegrey
New member
Re: DiMarzio Virtual Hot PAF
:banghead:
Arrgghh...It's a magnet, a bobin(or 2) and some WIRE!!!!
I know different pickups sound different...but it's largely due to a combination of three factors ===>
* the gauge wire used
* the type of magnet used
* the amount of winds of above mentioned wire
I know that's a gross overgeneralization.....but if you boil it down to 3 basic factors, the above applies. There's also techniques that some pickup manufacturers use that also affect the way a pickup sounds...Dimarzio's 'air' spacing comes to mind...
But the fact of the matter is that, 99% of the time passive pickups are just bobbins wrapped with wire around or above a magnet. Thats it...
So to make a gross generalization that dimarzios are muddy or Duncans are ear-piercingly bright is rediculous. Both companies have bright pups and dark pups....
This topic really bothers me because it's been abused by boutique pup winders and fans of boutiquers. They'd love to have you believe that hand winding the thing makes for a better pickup (no, just a more unpredictable one)...before long you're going to see them selling pickups that have actual fralin or detemple sweat dropped into the bobbin...that'll be a 40 dollar upcharge, I'm sure!
I've tried dimarzios that I thought were muddy...but if that generalization were true, then the company, by that generalization should have never made the 'Air Norton'. The 'Air Norton' is a mid gain pickup...with a DC resistance of 12.5K...you'd think in the neck, it would be mud city. In the neck of a guitar, this pickup is strong and as crystal clear as a bottle of spring water.
I'm sorry to sound like I'm ranting....I really do...
Unfortunately, a little mystique around a particular pickup or manufacturer is what sells replacement pups. But the fact of the matter is that it's a tool...it's one part of a guitar that gets you the tone you need.
Look to each pup manufacturer, boutique (fralin, detemple, lollar), specialty (SD, Dimarzio) or guitar (fender, gibson)....individually. If a particular guitar sounds good with stock fender pups, don't argue...just play the thing till it dies in your hands. If a Duncan pup sounds good in you axe....don't argue, play your guitar....same with Dimarzio...or Fralin, etc, etc...
But trust me, every pup manufacturer has bright and dark pickups....
papersoul said:
:banghead:
Arrgghh...It's a magnet, a bobin(or 2) and some WIRE!!!!
I know different pickups sound different...but it's largely due to a combination of three factors ===>
* the gauge wire used
* the type of magnet used
* the amount of winds of above mentioned wire
I know that's a gross overgeneralization.....but if you boil it down to 3 basic factors, the above applies. There's also techniques that some pickup manufacturers use that also affect the way a pickup sounds...Dimarzio's 'air' spacing comes to mind...
But the fact of the matter is that, 99% of the time passive pickups are just bobbins wrapped with wire around or above a magnet. Thats it...
So to make a gross generalization that dimarzios are muddy or Duncans are ear-piercingly bright is rediculous. Both companies have bright pups and dark pups....
This topic really bothers me because it's been abused by boutique pup winders and fans of boutiquers. They'd love to have you believe that hand winding the thing makes for a better pickup (no, just a more unpredictable one)...before long you're going to see them selling pickups that have actual fralin or detemple sweat dropped into the bobbin...that'll be a 40 dollar upcharge, I'm sure!
I've tried dimarzios that I thought were muddy...but if that generalization were true, then the company, by that generalization should have never made the 'Air Norton'. The 'Air Norton' is a mid gain pickup...with a DC resistance of 12.5K...you'd think in the neck, it would be mud city. In the neck of a guitar, this pickup is strong and as crystal clear as a bottle of spring water.
I'm sorry to sound like I'm ranting....I really do...
Unfortunately, a little mystique around a particular pickup or manufacturer is what sells replacement pups. But the fact of the matter is that it's a tool...it's one part of a guitar that gets you the tone you need.
Look to each pup manufacturer, boutique (fralin, detemple, lollar), specialty (SD, Dimarzio) or guitar (fender, gibson)....individually. If a particular guitar sounds good with stock fender pups, don't argue...just play the thing till it dies in your hands. If a Duncan pup sounds good in you axe....don't argue, play your guitar....same with Dimarzio...or Fralin, etc, etc...
But trust me, every pup manufacturer has bright and dark pickups....
roadstar II
New member
Re: DiMarzio Virtual Hot PAF
travis i have one and i also have a duncan 59 and have tried the demon
the V hot paf is like the 59 bridge model but it has more output and a different feel.
have you ever played a classic 57 plus by gibson?
it is also wound to 9K but the dimarzio has a bit more going on with it's air technology and virtual vintage design.
i think it is one of the better dimarzio's in that it sounds like a paf but with more "attitude"
send walt a PM, he also has a V hot paf and seems to really like it in his peavey wolfgang.
i can tell you this it really does not sound like any duncan stuff but more like a air zone with less output and bass.
pretty good pup overall
Travis said:
travis i have one and i also have a duncan 59 and have tried the demon
the V hot paf is like the 59 bridge model but it has more output and a different feel.
have you ever played a classic 57 plus by gibson?
it is also wound to 9K but the dimarzio has a bit more going on with it's air technology and virtual vintage design.
i think it is one of the better dimarzio's in that it sounds like a paf but with more "attitude"
send walt a PM, he also has a V hot paf and seems to really like it in his peavey wolfgang.
i can tell you this it really does not sound like any duncan stuff but more like a air zone with less output and bass.
pretty good pup overall
STRATDELUXER97
Stratoblaster Tone Meister
Re: DiMarzio Virtual Hot PAF
An A4 magnet fixes the boomy 59N syndrome!
ranalli said:
An A4 magnet fixes the boomy 59N syndrome!
Re: DiMarzio Virtual Hot PAF
I pretty much agree. I hate to make generalizations because I know of Dimarzios that are brighter than any Duncan and Duncans that are dark sounding(Invader).
But for the most part, the two companies have different views on how a pickup should sound even if they have a good bit of exceptions to those cases.
strangegrey said:
I pretty much agree. I hate to make generalizations because I know of Dimarzios that are brighter than any Duncan and Duncans that are dark sounding(Invader).
But for the most part, the two companies have different views on how a pickup should sound even if they have a good bit of exceptions to those cases.
STRATDELUXER97
Stratoblaster Tone Meister
Re: DiMarzio Virtual Hot PAF
I sold the 57 and the 57 Classic cause the Duncans blew then away! Funny how are ears and gear work isn't it? :laugh2:
Yep....I'm at an advantage being able to do the tweaks etc..,but it's also a disease! :chairfall
Read my tutorial in "The Vault" under "Tips" on how to change a bar magnet...You don't have to actually do the work,but you could learn a little something along the way?
ranalli said:
I sold the 57 and the 57 Classic cause the Duncans blew then away! Funny how are ears and gear work isn't it? :laugh2:
Yep....I'm at an advantage being able to do the tweaks etc..,but it's also a disease! :chairfall
Read my tutorial in "The Vault" under "Tips" on how to change a bar magnet...You don't have to actually do the work,but you could learn a little something along the way?
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