Dimarzio vs Gibson vs Seymour Duncan pickups

[Leon Of Late]

Re: Dimarzio vs Gibson vs Seymour Duncan pickups

I think everyone is slightly missing the intent of the OP's post.

He's basically saying, to compare pickups properly, you need to use the same guitar for the evaluation; using the sh1, V490r and paf pro as examples. If you tested these pickups in the same guitar, then you can have a good comparison.

However, if you compare the sh4, tone zone or 498t in DIFFERENT guitars, the testing is flawed and not interesting.

Now, I'm not sure if he is asking if anyone has tried these specific pickups in the same guitar or not. I can't read that far into it. I think the whole thing is more a statement of his views on comparing different pickups vs. a question about the pickups themselves. Since English is not his first language, I think cutting him some slack is ok. IMHO only.

 

[always SD]

Re: Dimarzio vs Gibson vs Seymour Duncan pickups

At some point I've had the DiMarzios and the Duncans in my Music Man. I haven't had the Gibsons but I'll compare the two other brands.

The SH1 '59 is a little bit brighter and cleaner than the PAF Pro. The PAF Pro is smoother and has a little more output and natural compression to my ears. This would be my experience using both in the neck position

The Tone Zone Compared to a JB has a lot more low end, flatter mids, and smoother highs than the JB and it's tighter as well. The SH4 JB is louder, has more mids, less lows, and sharper highs than a Tone Zone.

I hope that helps.

great answer
thanks !

i wonder how will be a LP Slash with dimarzio's
A PRS Santana with seymour duncan's
A js 2410 with Gibson pickups

 

[always SD]

Re: Dimarzio vs Gibson vs Seymour Duncan pickups

I think everyone is slightly missing the intent of the OP's post.

He's basically saying, to compare pickups properly, you need to use the same guitar for the evaluation; using the sh1, V490r and paf pro as examples. If you tested these pickups in the same guitar, then you can have a good comparison.

However, if you compare the sh4, tone zone or 498t in DIFFERENT guitars, the testing is flawed and not interesting.

Now, I'm not sure if he is asking if anyone has tried these specific pickups in the same guitar or not. I can't read that far into it. I think the whole thing is more a statement of his views on comparing different pickups vs. a question about the pickups themselves. Since English is not his first language, I think cutting him some slack is ok. IMHO only.

if you have understand my sentences, my english is good

when i was looking for new pickups (and even if my guitar had not his body wood) , this video helped me and this is the best way to find the good pickups

but i use the program here too: the website gives some advices and it helped me for a HSH
i like professionals guitarists because they have the opportunities to test a lot
and to choose
and they don't buy anything lol
Gibson: choose your guitar !
DImarzio: choose your pickups !
Seymour Duncan: tell me if it works with your amp ! the good life

 

[AlexR]

Re: Dimarzio vs Gibson vs Seymour Duncan pickups

Your estimation of pros is somewhat flawed. The people who have the most chance to try the most pickups are the rich middle-class. 'Pros' either have endorsements, or are dirt poor (if we continue the theme of vague broad brushstrokes). And I can't see why a 'pro' should have any more valid opinion per se than anyone else.

But I'll echo the call that you original premise was a bit too broad to gain any meaningful dialogue.

About the best advice is 'listen to clips of the pickups through the closest rig to your own, playing the style closest to your own'. The buy from there and hope they suit your rig.

Opinions are almost pointless. There are people here of the same playing style to me who like Duncans I find unusable.....and there are people on MLP who swear by Classic 57's, about THE worst pickup I have ever heard (even GFS produce better tone to my ears).

 

[blueman335]

Re: Dimarzio vs Gibson vs Seymour Duncan pickups

there are people on MLP who swear by Classic 57's, about THE worst pickup I have ever heard.

+1. Terrible PU in everything I've had them in. Why in god's name does Gibson insist in putting them in so many models? And look at what they charge for them as aftermarket!

For me, a classic rock/blues player, BB's have been the best Gibson PU's by far. Don't know why Gibson uses them so sparingly. I haven't owned any of the several new PAF's they introduced recently, but they do sound interesting. 490's are much better with different magnets, as in the 498T.

 

[MkIII Renegade]

Re: Dimarzio vs Gibson vs Seymour Duncan pickups

Your estimation of pros is somewhat flawed. The people who have the most chance to try the most pickups are the rich middle-class. 'Pros' either have endorsements, or are dirt poor (if we continue the theme of vague broad brushstrokes). And I can't see why a 'pro' should have any more valid opinion per se than anyone else.

But I'll echo the call that you original premise was a bit too broad to gain any meaningful dialogue.

About the best advice is 'listen to clips of the pickups through the closest rig to your own, playing the style closest to your own'. The buy from there and hope they suit your rig.

Opinions are almost pointless. There are people here of the same playing style to me who like Duncans I find unusable.....and there are people on MLP who swear by Classic 57's, about THE worst pickup I have ever heard (even GFS produce better tone to my ears).

I value a pro's opinion over the average slob because a pro has demonstrated his skill and command of tone on stage and in the studio/jams in many different places and rooms, and is likely to have a far broader perspective of what a pickup can deliver, as well as a certain level of thoughtfulness when making public statements, since his words will be widely known. He also produces music good enough that people will pay to hear it.

Regarding the average slob, however, he can trot out any severely biased/uninformed opinion whilst posting in his underwear in his mother's basement without the slightest thought before clicking "send", since no one cares if he says something offensive. And no one has ever paid to hear his music. So yes, there is a difference.

 

[AlexR]

Re: Dimarzio vs Gibson vs Seymour Duncan pickups

^ Interesting. A pro is simply someone who plays and makes money from it. It doesn't in the slightest mean someone who is good, or discerning. Especially now.

And your view that the 'non pro' has to be a slob seems only to be that this particular attribute is required for your argument to have any validity. The way you put it is that anyone non pro is automatically a bedroom slob. A poor argument at absolute best.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Dimarzio vs Gibson vs Seymour Duncan pickups

I, for one, am not a bedroom slob. I am a music room slob.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Dimarzio vs Gibson vs Seymour Duncan pickups

I suggest that the best people to ask are not those who already know what they like and stick with it but guitar techs. i.e. People who have to work on whatever shows up, regardless of whether they rate that gear or not. These are the people who will be exposed to the widest selection of pickup makes and models in any given popular host guitar.

 

[Gibson 1964]

Re: Dimarzio vs Gibson vs Seymour Duncan pickups

I suggest that the best people to ask are not those who already know what they like and stick with it but guitar techs. i.e. People who have to work on whatever shows up, regardless of whether they rate that gear or not. These are the people who will be exposed to the widest selection of pickup makes and models in any given popular host guitar.

I am a former tech / hobbyist builder at this point in my life. (My day job pays much better)

I tell you, installing and testing literally hundreds of pickups does give you a good feel for what you like. It also convinced me I dislike certain things very much.

 

[Ben Davella]

Re: Dimarzio vs Gibson vs Seymour Duncan pickups

Nice vibrato mmm

 

[Adieu]

Re: Dimarzio vs Gibson vs Seymour Duncan pickups

Methinks shredders like dimarzio cause a lot of their stuff is a bit more "blurry", makes it easier to pick away at warp speed with a pickup that's less punishingly articulate

 

[Mincer]

Re: Dimarzio vs Gibson vs Seymour Duncan pickups

I don't know if you can pit brands against each other as much as individual models.

 

[Adieu]

Re: Dimarzio vs Gibson vs Seymour Duncan pickups

I don't know if you can pit brands against each other as much as individual models.

Generalizations will abound, of course... but when it comes to brands producing a variety of original flavours of something, some manner of corporate culture or design philosophy will surely leave its mark on the results

 

[KNUCKLHEAD]

Re: Dimarzio vs Gibson vs Seymour Duncan pickups

Yea ~ what about ( Wide Range pickups ? Fender

They actually work good for some applications

 

[The Convert]

Re: Dimarzio vs Gibson vs Seymour Duncan pickups

and there are people on MLP who swear by Classic 57's, about THE worst pickup I have ever heard

I play classic rock with modest overdrive compared to most I hear these days. I've swapped in and out of my Les Paul and SG several times and I keep coming back to the Gibson 57/57+ combo. The SD 59s are just a bit to bright and it adds a high-mid harshness when I give them some dirt, but not distorting to mush. I just want the tone and don't care who it comes from or how it's produced. The Gibsons just sound 'right' to me, and by right, I mean that all I need to do is use the right amount of dirt and I've got the sound I remember. I'm not saying that 59s aren't good pickups, and they are a bargain compared to the 57s, but for my money and to my ear, the Gibsons take that matchup.

I guess there's one in every bunch. Hi.

EDIT: Oh and for the record, I think the worst pickup I've ever heard was in a Squier Affinity Telecaster neck. I've played Teles since 1989. That instrument is an insult to anyone with ears.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Dimarzio vs Gibson vs Seymour Duncan pickups

To me, Duncan excels at making great, vintage sounding pickups at an affordable price. 59's, Seth Lovers, Pearly Gates, Antiquity humbuckers and Surfers, SSL-1's, etc.

I'm not interested in their "modern" pickups at all.

Gibson just builds pickups for it's own guitars. No Fender style pickups. Just humbuckers and P90's based on their pickups of the 50's. I know they sell them separately but it's a different thing. 57 Classics, Bursbuckers, P90's, etc.

DiMarzio pickups seem to sound especially good through a Marshall or modern rock amp. I do think of their audience as being primarily rockers. Some of my favorite guitarists (Eric Johnson, for one...) use them but I've never owned a Dimarzio I loved.

I know this is a weird thing to say, but Dimarzio pickups sound sort of like a Brooklyn or Bronx or New York accent. They have that edge or attitude.

 

[KNUCKLHEAD]

Re: Dimarzio vs Gibson vs Seymour Duncan pickups

I know this is a weird thing to say, but Dimarzio pickups sound sort of like a Brooklyn or Bronx or New York accent. They have that edge or attitude.

yea , I have to say ~ That's a little Weird to say + I've had at least 1 Ax loaded with at least 1 for 25+ years . My Brain has Never equated the sound to back there just because of Larry D.

 

[KNUCKLHEAD]

Re: Dimarzio vs Gibson vs Seymour Duncan pickups

I Like that there's No whammy bar screwed on

 

[bacosta1972]

Re: Dimarzio vs Gibson vs Seymour Duncan pickups

Great thread, all makers of PAF pickups have there version, so I guess it's like the original ones, all different��