Dimarzio vs Duncan - What compares?

[Number One]

Re: Dimarzio vs Duncan - What compares?

Dimarzio is for uneducated hears or people with crap rig .

kinda harsh there eh pardner? everyone's entitled to their opinions, and if they like DMZ's then that's fine with me. i see no reason to label them with such disrespectful generalizations.

 

[fab.regnaut]

Re: Dimarzio vs Duncan - What compares?

Dimarzio are probably usefull for some , but come on listen dimarzio players have a polite and standardised tone IMO ...

 

[ranalli]

Re: Dimarzio vs Duncan - What compares?

I tried Tone Zone few years ago when my knowledge of metal tone was little and yes it sounded good for metal : hot and thick but you don't ear the string of your guitar , there is no attack and no sensitivity to pick attack , it is like you have distortion pedal in the p-u , and it actually sound weak , no aggression and could compare it with a Screaming Demon and the sound was cheap , blur and muffled .
Dimarzio is for uneducated hears or people with crap rig .
And the HfromHell is not as good as a Jazz or a Demon in neck , it's bright , compressed without bass and kick .
Listen to Paul Gilbert , nice player but boring tone , fuzz fuzz fuzz and the same to Mickael Romeo , one of my favorite player .

No offense man but you need clean the wax out of your ears.

What you're saying isn't true in the least.....this is coming from someone who is a fan of both companies.

While the TZ isn't the *clearest* pickup of the bunch....to base most of your Dimarzio experience on it is silly.

And the HFH does EXACTLY what it's designed to do....try reading the descriptions on the Dimarzio page. It's SUPPOSED to be bright without bass and kick....it's supposed to sound like a single coil in humbucker housing.

And to try to say that Dimarzios are fuzzy because of those players...well that's just silly....it's their WHOLE signal chain that plays a role in that....NOT just the pickups.

Pickup don't create fuzz anyway.

 

[Binnerscot]

Re: Dimarzio vs Duncan - What compares?

I have models from both and still like models from both. Example: In my youth back in '90 or so - I had a Hamer with SD HM Live in the bridge and a Full Shred in the neck which worked well back in the days before serious high gain out of the box existed (The Dual Rec had just come out about that time) Loved that tone combo in general. The Tone Zone in the bridge with an Air Norton in the neck is very similar tonewise - minus the scary output of the HM Live Wire. There is a reason both companies are very successful, both offer some great products. I have read and heard great things about the Breed from Dimarzio also. I guess it has a few Duncan lovers surprised. I think that Duncan does seem to cater to tradition more than Dimarzio, but I will always love the Full Shred, Live Wires, a few others. By that same token, Dimarzio has some very cool models. The Humbucker from Hell will out "Strat" a lot of strats. Very jangly, super cool pickup. For the guy who thinks Gilberts got a crappy tone......I am sure yours is much better! After all, we see how pickups make or break a guitarists. Eddie wound his own, Rhoads tone wasn't so great, many "shredders" play Dimarzios, many greats of all genres play Duncans, etc. Hmmm....maybe they can play - that must be it.

 

[Nate]

Re: Dimarzio vs Duncan - What compares?

Finally, a comment about the Air Norton!! Even if it is a generalization, it's good that the Air Norton was mentioned. I've been wondering what the SD equivelant to it was, anyway.

 

[ranalli]

Re: Dimarzio vs Duncan - What compares?

I'd say it's roughly:

Super Distortion = Distortion
X2N = Invader
Breed Bridge = JB
Norton = Custom V
Air Norton = Custom Custom
PAF = '59
Air Classic = Pearly Gates
FRED = Screamin' Demon
PAF Pro is voiced like a Jazz but it somewhat hotter.
Steve's Special is similar to a Full Shred but louder.

These are all generalizations of course.

I don't know how close some of those really are....the Super Distortion really isn't like the Duncan Distortion at all....completely different. Same with the Custom 5 and the Norton....one is scooped and one has tons of mids. I could go on but that list is really not all that accurate.

 

[BornToShred]

Re: Dimarzio vs Duncan - What compares?

the Super Distortion really isn't like the Duncan Distortion at all....completely different.

Correct. The only thing they have in common is the word "distortion" in their names.

 

[Aceman]

Re: Dimarzio vs Duncan - What compares?

I worried there for a second that it was going to get ugly! But we got back to the good place....

That comment about the distortions was exactly what I was really trying to get at. It seems to me that there are two kinds of people out here...those who use both (me) and those who hate DiMarzio. It makes it tough to make really informed pup decisions, though.

And I still say that there is at least some validity to the comparison of the SuperD to the DD. Those were both created for the same purpose. SO how do they differ?

Take a look at ranalli's comparison list (which seems more or less based on sound) and my original post which is at the more "purpose" level. I may go back and try to compile the feedback here into a new list.

And I love my Tone Zone - but still prefer Duncans overall!

 

[joelap]

Re: Dimarzio vs Duncan - What compares?

I have a Super Distortion and a Hubucker from hell.
I dont think duncan makes anything like the HFH.

Isn't the HFH the pickup that's essentially two single coils stuck together? In that case, I would think the stagmag comes close in the Duncan line. I'm sure they sound different, but the design concepts are the same.

 

[inter]

Re: Dimarzio vs Duncan - What compares?

As a few guys have already mentioned, there's a major difference in Dimarzio's and Duncan's humbucker pickups.

I've tried a heap of pickups from both camps and it must be an unspoken rule (or maybe agreed upon in a darken alley) that they voice there pup range differently. The cynic in me suggests it's to stop smaller manufactures grabbing a bigger slice of a relatively small replacement/OEM pickup market.

To use an automotive analogy, it's a similar situation to GM and Ford. I've never seen a vehicle from either company that's the same. And of course, both sides have their rabidly loyal followers . Duncan & Dimarzio both have a stable of top shelf artists flogging their products, further dividing their individual markets and keeping the rest of the competition light years behind.


I'm guilty of slagging Dimarzio pup's in the past (I blame the Tonezone since it was my first replacement pup ), Luckily, I tried a few more.

The best Dimarzio's I've used, in order are:

1. Breed neck in the bridge

2. Paf Pro (neck & bridge)

3. Breed bridge (in the bridge )

To all you Dimarzio haters, check out Steve Vai's tone on Eat em' and smile. It's a Paf Pro through a heap of different stock and modded Marshall's (approx 12 in total and not a single Carvin in sight). He also used various distortion pedals. I don't know how many times I've heard that Vai used a ton of effects on Eat em' and smile. The reality is he used some reverb and a Harmonizer on a few tracks. His effects fetish probably started when he earned a few dollars and he was all geared up for Skyscraper.

Anyway, despite my Dimarzio praise, the JB is my favourite at the moment .

 

[AdmiralB]

Re: Dimarzio vs Duncan - What compares?

Exactly. As there are Ford folks and Chevy folks, so are there SD and DiMarzio folks.

I would say that the philosophies are different - as far as humbuckers go, at least, most of Duncan's offerings are based on one of several themes: the '59 Lover, Seth, Pearly Gates, Jazz, Screamin' Demon, and AlNiCo Pro are all variations on the PAF; the JB and DD are similar save the magnets, as are the Customs.

DiMarzio is a lot less concerned with 'vintage', at least until very recently, and I think their humbucker range covers a lot more ground.

Clearly Duncan has a much broader selection of single-coils, something DiMarzio appears to have little interest in save the noiseless models.

 

[PearlyHellhound]

Re: Dimarzio vs Duncan - What compares?

Dimarzio's are anxious. Seymour Duncan's are relaxed. Dimarzio great for rock leads. Seymour Duncan great for rock rhythms.

 

[Ed Hunter]

Re: Dimarzio vs Duncan - What compares?

to me the Paf pro sunds like the JB.
anyone Disagrees? i have played and owned both.

The JB has a bigger output and does not have the touch of the pro. the regular norton by dimarzio is more similar to a JB imho

 

[Ed Hunter]

Re: Dimarzio vs Duncan - What compares?

The best Dimarzio's I've used, in order are:

1. Breed neck in the bridge

2. Paf Pro (neck & bridge)

3. Breed bridge (in the bridge )

Anyway, despite my Dimarzio praise, the JB is my favourite at the moment .

The breed neck model does indeed sound amazing in the bridge spot of a super strat. it is basically a paf pro on steroids imho. i also love the paf pros

 

[Gplayerzzz]

Re: Dimarzio vs Duncan - What compares?

I would say based on EQ

Duncan distortion= D activator
Invader= tonezone
custom= super distortion
norton or EVO= jb
Full shred= X2n

 

[Barron1]

Re: Dimarzio vs Duncan - What compares?

I just wish that Seymour Duncan could offer double cream buckers like Dimarzio

 

[Jessie's ghost]

Re: Dimarzio vs Duncan - What compares?

Dimarzio's are anxious. Seymour Duncan's are relaxed. Dimarzio great for rock leads. Seymour Duncan great for rock rhythms.

Interesting. How do you figure?

 

[Ed Hunter]

Re: Dimarzio vs Duncan - What compares?

I tried Tone Zone few years ago when my knowledge of metal tone was little and yes it sounded good for metal : hot and thick but you don't ear the string of your guitar , there is no attack and no sensitivity to pick attack , it is like you have distortion pedal in the p-u , and it actually sound weak , no aggression and could compare it with a Screaming Demon and the sound was cheap , blur and muffled .
Dimarzio is for uneducated hears or people with crap rig .
And the HfromHell is not as good as a Jazz or a Demon in neck , it's bright , compressed without bass and kick .
Listen to Paul Gilbert , nice player but boring tone , fuzz fuzz fuzz and the same to Mickael Romeo , one of my favorite player .

I would expect to see this kind of IMMATURITY at maybe harmony central but am dissapointed to see it here!:butkick:

 

[misterwhizzy]

Re: Dimarzio vs Duncan - What compares?

I would expect to see this kind of IMMATURITY at maybe harmony central but am dissapointed to see it here!:butkick:

I'm not sure that this place is exactly the same as it was six years ago.

 

[Barron1]

Re: Dimarzio vs Duncan - What compares?

I don't know how close some of those really are....the Super Distortion really isn't like the Duncan Distortion at all....completely different. Same with the Custom 5 and the Norton....one is scooped and one has tons of mids. I could go on but that list is really not all that accurate.

The Dimarzio Super Distortion kind of sounds like the Seymour Duncan Custom in my opinion.