Dimarzio vs Duncan - What compares?

[Aceman]

Another thread inspired this question. Can we work this chart until it seems right? Here are what I think the basic comparisons are:

DiMarzio / Seymour / Notes
PAF / 59 / Is there a difference?
PAF Classic / Seth / Think the Seths are slightly more "vintage"
PAF Pro / Pearly Gates / Pro more mids, Gates more treble. PG might be Hotter
Superdistortion / Distortion / SD hotter? maybe, DD more high end
Tone Zone / JB / JB more high end
X2N / Invader / Your nuts if you use either!
Fred / Custom Custom / Don't know

A table like that might really help you make some reasonable choices - although I generally prefer Duncans, DiMArzio makes some decent pups too.

 

[DeadSkinSlayer3]

Re: Dimarzio vs Duncan - What compares?

I'd like this as well, I'm going to be trying out DiMarzio's where I currently have Duncans, and this would help a bit,

 

[Hellion]

Re: Dimarzio vs Duncan - What compares?

You don't want a crazy person advising you on this one....I like Invaders and use them in several instruments......

 

[Jeffrec]

Re: Dimarzio vs Duncan - What compares?

Aceman,

Nice job. I don't have any intention of straying into Dimarzio-land (my only experience with them was a Super Distortion that was in my LP Custom when I got it...hated the sound and put in Antiquities), but for anyone who is interested, this would be really helpful.

Jeff

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Dimarzio vs Duncan - What compares?

you guys have to keep this in mind...LOTS of guys here in Duncan land love the tone of Alnico II pickups (I am one of them), DiMarzio ONLY offers ceramic and Alnico 5 magnet pickups...that said

PAF Classic / Seth
PAF Pro / Pearly Gates
Fred / Custom Custom

These 3 are gonna be way off due to the magnet issue

I have had both Super Distortions and Duncan Distortions...If I had to choose between the 2 I wouls much prefer a DD. I also have an old set of DiMarzio PAF's...I can't stand them at all...they just sound cheep, I can't decsribe the tone anybetter than that. 59's are much better pickups!

 

[Jocelyn]

Re: Dimarzio vs Duncan - What compares?

you guys have to keep this in mind...LOTS of guys here in Duncan land love the tone of Alnico II pickups (I am one of them), DiMarzio ONLY offers ceramic and Alnico 5 magnet pickups...that said

PAF Classic / Seth
PAF Pro / Pearly Gates
Fred / Custom Custom

These 3 are gonna be way off due to the magnet issue

I have had both Super Distortions and Duncan Distortions...If I had to choose between the 2 I wouls much prefer a DD. I also have an old set of DiMarzio PAF's...I can't stand them at all...they just sound cheep, I can't decsribe the tone anybetter than that. 59's are much better pickups!

+1 too that. The one thing that wld anoy me wld be spending on a pickup that sounds cheap.

 

[Aceman]

Re: Dimarzio vs Duncan - What compares?

That was a great tip right there. When I'm going for scorch and shriek, I like an A5. For "Tonier" stuff I lean towards the A2's. And Shame on the person who is swapping out the Duncan's for DiMArzio's! I was hoping to simply articulate why I seem to prefer Duncans. I think that a5 vs A2 thing just told me a lot right there! But still, it would be nice to have a stock reference with some consensus from the real tone pro's out there. Like, for juiced PAF with mids, go PAF Pro. For more "scoop" and better highs, go for the Pearly Gates. And knowing the PAF Pro is an A5 tells me something too!

 

[DeadSkinSlayer3]

Re: Dimarzio vs Duncan - What compares?

DiMarzio's just fill the huge gap in the Duncan line

 

[WITH FULL DISTORTION]

Re: Dimarzio vs Duncan - What compares?

to me the Paf pro sunds like the JB.
anyone Disagrees? i have played and owned both.
dimarzio evolution is Hot, Velvety, sweets, articulated, heavy and tighted Bass and strong midrange and sweet acid and strong Highs!

 

[rguser]

Re: Dimarzio vs Duncan - What compares?

DiMarzio's just fill the huge gap in the Duncan line

I agree!
I honestly think those two companies intentionally set their products apart.
DMZs seem to be more distortion friendly. the best example is tonezone. the more gain you run it through the better it sounds. I run my RG with tone zone thru a Danelectro Fab tone. The high tones are organic and low notes are like a wall. SDs are good for clean and overdriven tones. C5, JB, jazz. They are open sounding.
also it's not fair to compare super distiortion to DD. Super distortion is old and outdated. I put evolution next to DD.
Norton next to jb, if I have to

 

[twoheadedboy]

Re: Dimarzio vs Duncan - What compares?

Yeah, i'd put the Norton next to the JB in terms of output and EQ. The JB is smoother overall in my opinion.

 

[theodie]

Re: Dimarzio vs Duncan - What compares?

I agree!
I honestly think those two companies intentionally set their products apart.
DMZs seem to be more distortion friendly. the best example is tonezone. the more gain you run it through the better it sounds. I run my RG with tone zone thru a Danelectro Fab tone. The high tones are organic and low notes are like a wall. SDs are good for clean and overdriven tones. C5, JB, jazz. They are open sounding.
also it's not fair to compare super distiortion to DD. Super distortion is old and outdated. I put evolution next to DD.
Norton next to jb, if I have to

Different strokes for different folks, the Super Distortion is about the only Dimarzio I really really like. Outdated or not its a great pickup.

 

[wixomwhat]

Re: Dimarzio vs Duncan - What compares?

Where's Biu when you need him?




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

anyway I still prefer My Invader over anything.

 

[Edgecrusher]

Re: Dimarzio vs Duncan - What compares?

I dont really like trying to equate the two companies. They both build good pickups many of which stand on their own. I really like the Dimarzio Super 3 and Steves Special.

 

[ranalli]

Re: Dimarzio vs Duncan - What compares?

Another thread inspired this question. Can we work this chart until it seems right? Here are what I think the basic comparisons are:

DiMarzio / Seymour / Notes
PAF / 59 / Is there a difference?
PAF Classic / Seth / Think the Seths are slightly more "vintage"
PAF Pro / Pearly Gates / Pro more mids, Gates more treble. PG might be Hotter
Superdistortion / Distortion / SD hotter? maybe, DD more high end
Tone Zone / JB / JB more high end
X2N / Invader / Your nuts if you use either!
Fred / Custom Custom / Don't know

A table like that might really help you make some reasonable choices - although I generally prefer Duncans, DiMArzio makes some decent pups too.

Some of those pickups sound nothing alike....

THe JB is nothing like the Tone Zone and the X2N is not like the Invader except for output....SuperDistortion sounds nothing like the DD, etc...

I guess the point to make if there is one that is that no one companies pickups really replace the others.

They seem to have different pickups that don't compare on purpose.


With that being said I use the pickups of both companies and they all are great.

 

[Aceman]

Re: Dimarzio vs Duncan - What compares?

Absolutely! Some of the pups are obviously similar, though. Both are trying to cop the ultimate 59' tone. But they do it slightly differently. And both are trying to make a bigh flat eq'd pup (JB and Norton?). But we see some comments above that really point out some key differences that would make you choose one or the other, like output level, or ability to clean up.

On a Tone Zone vs JB thread, the comment was made about using a Tone Zone distorted really sounds great. But it won't clean up. Well, That's the only way I use it, and the only way I intended to! I don't think there was a Duncan that would have quite worked for me (Sorry guys - I do always try Duncan first!).

 

[fab.regnaut]

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 .

 

[jimo]

Re: Dimarzio vs Duncan - What compares?

I have a tone zone in a guitar I built and it sounds incredible with distortion and like utter crap clean. I knew that when I bought it, so its cool with me.--cheers!---JIMO :dance:

 

[AdmiralB]

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.

 

[Johtosotku]

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 .

In my experience, that is not true. Or maybe I'm one with "uneducated hears or a crap rig". That seems to solve my other problems as well.