Dimarzio vs Duncan - What compares?

[BeckerRomeo92]

Re: Dimarzio vs Duncan - What compares?

Eddie Van Halen's Signature EVH model uses custom wind Dimarzio pickups. Jason Becker used Carvin guitars almost all of his career and his signature guitar has Dimarzios in it. It is ridiculous and childish to say that my arguments are meant to create trouble. Although this topic is controversial and opinions are very different, I didn't thought that I would find that kind of comments in this forum. Really disappointing

 

[BeckerRomeo92]

Re: Dimarzio vs Duncan - What compares?

BTW my point is just to give my opinion about the topic, just as everybody else have. The only difference is that I preffer Dimarzios so I'm attack by some Duncan Lovers

 

[dr. ad]

Re: Dimarzio vs Duncan - What compares?

In my opinion Duncans are way more generic than Dimarzios. A lot of SD pickups are just A2 or A5 version of a pre-existing model they have and thats something you can do by yourself. Dimarzios are way more versatile and offer a more exclusive tone in my opinion. Look at the players that are endorsed by Dimarzio: Satriani, Vai, Petrucci, Gilbert, Timmons, Romeo, Howe, Marcello, Becker, Van Halen, Malmsteen (formerly user), Di Meola (formerly user), Eric Johnson (formerly user). I can go on and on with that list.

were you going to factor in the big pile of dimarzios that are made from the same 5 coils..?
and all their variations, where the only difference is the addition of non-ferrous spacers and/or extra poles hidden in the bobbins?

is the super 3 versatile? endorsements and generalisations mean nothing.

you're not being attacked, you're being corrected.

 

[frankfalbo]

Re: Dimarzio vs Duncan - What compares?

C'mon guys, we're not going to bash any other companies, and we're not going to bash anyone who thinks other brands have good products or more to offer for their style. The OP (which is years old by now) was looking for some similarities, not differences. To me, the differences are more defining than the similarities. The Custom is the closest on paper to the Super Distortion, but I always keep a Super D around because nothing sounds just like it. I also like it in a 24 fret guitar with a Super 2 in the neck. The Distortion neck is our only ceramic neck but it's not a substitute. The Super 2 is closer to a ceramic 59n.

For similarities I used to think the Breed neck in a 24 fret guitar was irreplaceable, until I put a modified Screamin Demon in it's place, and got the same resonant peak but with a little more top end clarity and bite.

These days many Dimarzio pickups described as producing vintagey tones utilize non vintage designs and construction techniques, whereas we generally favored remaining true to those vintage construction methods. Different strokes for different folks.

I keep a list of comparisons, that we sometimes use when someone calls and says "I like _______ (other brand) what do you have that I would like?" it's not fair for me to post it in public, but if someone really wanted a Seymour Duncan, like the other pickups in the guitar were SD's and they wanted the visual match, or they can't get brand x in their country, it's safe to say there's probably a Seymour Duncan that's "close enough for rock 'n roll" as they say. Otherwise, if someone does something well, they should be rewarded for it, even if they're not us.

 

[LtKojak]

Re: Dimarzio vs Duncan - What compares?

Dimarzios are way more versatile and offer a more exclusive tone in my opinion. Look at the players that are endorsed by Dimarzio: Satriani, Vai, Petrucci, Gilbert, Timmons, Romeo, Howe, Marcello, Becker, Van Halen, Malmsteen (formerly user), Di Meola (formerly user), Eric Johnson (formerly user). I can go on and on with that list.

You must be VERY young... :baby:

 

[LtKojak]

Re: Dimarzio vs Duncan - What compares?

Who got this thread from the dead...?

You've guessed it! Our own PEARLYHELLHOUND!

Hi, Pearly! Always in great form!

 

[formula73]

Re: Dimarzio vs Duncan - What compares?

My head is still spinning from the few X2N to Invader comparisons here. You can't really have 2 ceramic pickups that sound so different.

 

[JHN]

Re: Dimarzio vs Duncan - What compares?

Ok here's how I see it and I will only refer to pickups I own and tried several times and in quite a few instruments
Paf category
The 59 is to me the benchmark Paf style not because it's neceserilly better but because almost anyone knows how it sounds,so i'll compare Dimarzio equivalents to that.
The old design Paf by Dimarzio has more mids and to me has more moderate frequency spikes.That's what in my opinion makes the dimarzios easier to agree to a guitar's characteristics,but not as touch sensitive as the duncan.The closest to the '59 in my opinion is the Air Classic,but a little lower output and again more polite than the duncan.
Vh Paf is a pushed Dimarzio character Paf,I still consider it a Paf.
Paf pro is NOT Paf sounding to me,but a great higher output solution.I suspect for most Duncan afficionados the problem here is the polite sounding bass,although it's there.That's the reason many of us love it in neck position but find it mediocre in bridge
JB,Norton and Breed although different,i think have the same goals sonically.
Same can be said about DD and Evolution.
I don't think i would find anything close to the Tone Zone in the Duncan line(a good thing to me ),but yes as told before,in the wrong environment can turn muddy like the Invader,same goes for the Super 3
I haven't heard something simillar sonically to Full shred from Dimarzio,although the touch when playing it feels modernish like some Dimarzios do.These come to mind for now.Oh,I have to say that I always try Duncans first,but any dimarzio is nice to have on the self to experiment and in some cases I have ended up with them as the final and best choice.

 

[CountFunkula]

Re: Dimarzio vs Duncan - What compares?

Personally, I feel that SD isn't better than Dimarzio, or vice cersa. Of course, I feel the need to defend Dimarzio!

The Super Distortion is simply irreplaceable. Nothing sounds like it.
The PAF Pro is very unique. It has the clarity of a Jazz, but with more mids and a very unique vowel-like sound.
The FRED to me is like a PAF Pro on steroids (i.e. for the bridge)
Breeds (the bridge especially) are great pickups for a super-smooth tone with a particularly tight bass.
Air Nortons have a great reputation for a SMOOOTH lead sound and a DEEEEP clean sound without being muddy in most cases.
Evos have the most personality in the world. They want to scream at you and slap you in the face.


As said before, different strokes for different folks. They're both good, and that's why they lead the pickup market.

 

[Jessie's ghost]

Re: Dimarzio vs Duncan - What compares?

Everybody knows that Satriani's tone comes from the FRED and Mo Joe.

Maybe now, but neither pickup existed when he did the work that made him famous.

 

[Kam]

Re: Dimarzio vs Duncan - What compares?

I can't wait until I've tried all the Duncans I'm curious about so that I can start exploring all these other companies...

 

[WGTP]

Re: Dimarzio vs Duncan - What compares?

This is sort of like the Chevy vs. Ford situation. I like both the Mo'Joe and Screaming Demon in my PRS SE, but they are different.

I remember when there were no choices, but what came in the guitar, (T-tops, which I don't care for).

We are BLESSED to have so many choices in the new millennium.

 

[Barron1]

Re: Dimarzio vs Duncan - What compares?

This is sort of like the Chevy vs. Ford situation. I like both the Mo'Joe and Screaming Demon in my PRS SE, but they are different.

I remember when there were no choices, but what came in the guitar, (T-tops, which I don't care for).

We are BLESSED to have so many choices in the new millennium.

Not only that, but we have budget guitars that are actually good.

 

[El Supremo]

Re: Dimarzio vs Duncan - What compares?

I've tried SD's Screaming Demon, JB, Full Shred, Jazz and DiMarzio's X2N, PAF Joe, SD and Heavy Blues 2.
The only Duncan that kinda compares to a DiMarzio for me was the Screaming Demon. It didn't accentuate the high mids as much as the other bridge models did.
Duncans sound more raw and open to me. I prefer them for clean and overdriven playing.
DiMarzio's sound more hifi, focused and handle distortion better for my playing. They also have a more clicky, squishy kinda attack to my ear.
I know the DM's I've tried are mostly Ceramic and my Duncans Alnico V. Nevertheless, I don't think the companies can really be compared to each other. They both have a very distinct colour, EQ and attack to them that sets them apart from each other.

 

[TheLivingDead]

Re: Dimarzio vs Duncan - What compares?

What does SD have that compares closely to the Tone Zone? It's become my favorite bridge pickup to be honest . . . thick sound that gets better with more gain thrown at it, very pick sensitive, and splits really well. I was thinking that one of the PATBs might be similar based on the descriptions I've read.

A lot of the TZ's uniqueness comes from the "wah" like vocal quality it has when you dig in. I don't know of another pup from another company that does what it does. Been my favorite bridge pup for a good while now.