DiMarzio vs. Seymour Duncan

[KeeperOS]

Re: DiMarzio vs. Seymour Duncan

My experience sorta mirrors yours. My first guitar was an SSS Strat and being mostly into Metal I always wanted a bit more "oomph". Originally I went for what was more readily available by the largest Guitar-Center-like music chain here, which was DiMarzio with a Fast Track II in the bridge and a FT1 in the neck. A definite improvement over the mystery pickups in my Strat but I always thought they sounded kinda lifeless and, I guess pre-voiced would be the best way to describe them.
Then came the first SDUGF high-gain-oriented bridge pickup, the Crazy 8 and I decided to get one too, now my only regret is ONLY getting one.

After installing it in my Strat she came to life and I almost immediately took both DMZs out, gave them away and never looked back.

To this day, every single DMZ pickup I've heard/played sounded the same, by that I mean so aggressively voiced that it matters less (if not little) the guitar that it is in whereas a Duncan will still color the tone in a certain way but that will always be paired with its' own natural sound.
I can't really find fault in either approach since the DMZ way means more predictable results with greater leeway in wood tone/quality whereas Duncans seem best suited to coloring the voice of a great-sounding guitar.

Nevertheless, I still go for Duncan's approach.

 

[Lake Placid Blues]

Re: DiMarzio vs. Seymour Duncan

My most recent DiMarzio set is Air Classics, said to be a PAF that shares characteristics of an A2 and an A5, sounded promising, but I'd say its more like a PAF on a pot of coffee, very loud and touch sensitive while still somehow being PAF voiced.

That's the first I have ever heard about the air classics being too hot. The Pearly Gates are louder.

 

[El Supremo]

Re: DiMarzio vs. Seymour Duncan

That's the first I have ever heard about the air classics being too hot. The Pearly Gates are louder.

Same here. The Air Classic is probably the least loud of the PAFs I came across. Pairs really nice with a Super Distortion imo.

 

[DreX]

Re: DiMarzio vs. Seymour Duncan

Loud might not be the right word since I have a matched set in the same guitar, I mean that when I put the volume somewhere comfortable, the attack is still a bit jolting with lots of upper mids. They are not as mellow or warm as seths or 59s.

 

[El Supremo]

Re: DiMarzio vs. Seymour Duncan

Loud might not be the right word since I have a matched set in the same guitar, I mean that when I put the volume somewhere comfortable, the attack is still a bit jolting with lots of upper mids. They are not as mellow or warm as seths or 59s.

Gotcha. They indeed come across brighter than 59's to my ears. That's what I like in the neck position though.

 

[DreX]

Re: DiMarzio vs. Seymour Duncan

I recorded the Air Classics and the Seths for comparison. The Air Classics are in fact much quieter, but also somewhat brighter:

DiMarzio Air Classics, Series, Epiphone Les Paul Florentine



Seymour Duncan Seth Lovers, Series, Epiphone Sheraton II



and I recorded a demo of Pearly Gates since the opportunity presented itself. The Pearly Gates are much higher output than either the Seths or the Air Classics.

Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates, Series, Mahogany Body, Rosewood Fret Board

 

[Lake Placid Blues]

Re: DiMarzio vs. Seymour Duncan

The Air Classic is certainly not as bright as the Pearly Gates or the Dimarzio 36th. If you think the Air Classic is bright then brace your self for the 36th. I can see it as brighter than the Seth. Not sure I buy that its brighter than a 59 though. The thing about the Air Classic, is that its very dynamic in response to pick attack. It can sound completely different based on pick attack, and from one player to another, probably more than most PAF style pickups.

 

[Archer250]

Re: DiMarzio vs. Seymour Duncan

The Air Classic is certainly not as bright as the Pearly Gates or the Dimarzio 36th. If you think the Air Classic is bright then brace your self for the 36th. I can see it as brighter than the Seth. Not sure I buy that its brighter than a 59 though. The thing about the Air Classic, is that its very dynamic in response to pick attack. It can sound completely different based on pick attack, and from one player to another, probably more than most PAF style pickups.

Try the 36th with no tone knob. It's brighter than the Jazz with no load pots.

 

[Sixtiesguitarvibe]

Re: DiMarzio vs. Seymour Duncan

I have SD antiquities in both my 58 VOS LP and my Firebird and I am a SD fan all the way but that takes nothing away from Any other company, SD just fits my ears and gives me the sound I am after.

 

[daveyisgreat]

Re: DiMarzio vs. Seymour Duncan

I recorded the Air Classics and the Seths for comparison. The Air Classics are in fact much quieter, but also somewhat brighter:

DiMarzio Air Classics, Series, Epiphone Les Paul Florentine



Seymour Duncan Seth Lovers, Series, Epiphone Sheraton II



and I recorded a demo of Pearly Gates since the opportunity presented itself. The Pearly Gates are much higher output than either the Seths or the Air Classics.

Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates, Series, Mahogany Body, Rosewood Fret Board

Those Seths sound SO classic! Love the clips, really makes it easy to compare them. Thanks for posting them.

 

[DreX]

Re: DiMarzio vs. Seymour Duncan

One thing to note is that Soundcloud compresses the audio, the Air Classics were about 60% of the volume of the Seths prior to compression, and the PGs were like 110% the volume of the Seths.

Can anyone comment on the difference between the Seths and the DiMarzio 36th Anniversary? I only got the Air Classics because they slightly edged out the 36th in overall opinion. I'm not 100% happy with the Air Classics, they just seem a little too brash for my tastes. I have other humbuckers that specialize in brash anyway.

 

[Rockstar216]

Re: DiMarzio vs. Seymour Duncan

The PG bridge sounds exactly like it does in my guitar but mine was in the neck slot. I like the brightness but the bottom end was a bit too lose and not defined enough for me. The L90 I have cured that but kept the brightness.

 

[Lake Placid Blues]

Re: DiMarzio vs. Seymour Duncan

Can anyone comment on the difference between the Seths and the DiMarzio 36th Anniversary?

The 36ths are more like the Pearly Gates than Seths. The 36ths are also much louder than Seths.

not 100% happy with the Air Classics, they just seem a little too brash for my tastes.

I don't hear them that way at all, but my ears are not your ears.

 

[daveyisgreat]

Re: DiMarzio vs. Seymour Duncan

So I've had the SD Custom Shop Eclair pickup set (neck and bridge, with a Five-Two single in the middle) in my guitar for a couple weeks now. They're in an Ibanez RG550 body (basswood) with an Ibanez JEM neck (maple neck/rosewood board) so it's not exactly top tonewoods, but I really like how they sound.

To my ears the bridge Eclair pickup has a woody, almost dry sound that's still warm and round. Very organic and responsive. It's clear and articulate and responds well to hand technique adjustments. It seems to sound a bit compressed, and seems to roam the lower midrange frequencies. It sounds and especially feels chewy, if that makes sense. It's really fun to play.

The neck Eclair pickup is big and bold sounding, and articulate too. Again, somewhat compressed sound and feel. But warm and organic, and really sensitive to playing techniques. Very smooth and clear.

The Eclair pickups are relatively big and bold sounding to my ears, but they're clear, they clean up nicely with a lighter touch or lower volume on the guitar's volume knob. But they burn hot when I dig in hard with the pick. Overall they're fun to play. Woody and warm, big and chewy.

They don't hide poor technique, however. So if you play sloppy, you'll hear it, for sure.

BTW, I ran them through my Ibanez and straight into the amp (a marshall-esque 50-watter with 6CA7s [PRS Original Sewell] into a soldano 2x12 with stock soldano speakers).

 

[Securb]

Re: DiMarzio vs. Seymour Duncan

I have Duncans, Lollars, Dimarzios, Fishman, TV Jones and some various stock pickups. I think of them as painters brushes. Different pickups for different textures and effects. I don't think there is a way to say any company is better than another.

 

[Shinobo]

Re: DiMarzio vs. Seymour Duncan

Great post. What works for one doesn't work for everyone. It took me ages to find a strat neck tone that I loved, after lots of swapping and soldering I fell madly in love with SD's most 'bog standard' pickup, the SSL1. Perfection to my ears and a lesson learnt that I'm not a high output single coil guy (apart from Quarter Pounders which I adore).

 

[SFF]

Re: DiMarzio vs. Seymour Duncan

^right on. I use Duncans in all my guitars, but not because of some sort of brand-worship. Just a matter of pairing the pickup with the guitar. A mahogany+maple cap guitar with a rosewood fretboard for playing extreme metal along with other rock/shred/blues stuff? Duncan Distortion and 59'. It's about how suitable a particular pickup is, not how 'good'.

 

[oneblackened]

Re: DiMarzio vs. Seymour Duncan

It's about how suitable a particular pickup is, not how 'good'.

Agreed.
The most sensitive-to-wood brand of pickups I have experience with is Bare Knuckle. You have to match those to the individual guitar more than the wood types. Dimarzio is in my experience least sensitive to wood of the aftermarket passives I've tried, then Duncan, then BKP.

 

[Drunken Bowling]

Re: DiMarzio vs. Seymour Duncan

I've owned more Duncans than DiMarzios. I'm not sure what that says about me, if anything. Maybe I'm just afraid to try new things.

 

[rafsza]

Re: DiMarzio vs. Seymour Duncan

I must contradict. In my opinion SD pickups have more aggressive - modern metallic tone, while DiMarzios are more traditional. By the way I thinks it is pointless to praise other pickups than SD on this site.