DiMarzio X2N: Worth The Money?

[Sweet Leaf_Sabbath]

From what I read on the DiMarzio web site, the X2N has a TRUCK-load of gain/overdrive built into it. Is this true? Would it be good for some good old thrash, yet some intense Black Label Society chording with a Metal-Zone? Or perhaps a Black Sabbath-type sound?

Sorry I have so many questions, but I am totally confused on what pickup to get.....

first it was the JB, then the Duncan Distortion, then the Duncan Metal Live-Wire, then the EMG-81, then the X2N....i'm lost, completely

 

[Farkus]

Re: DiMarzio X2N: Worth The Money?

From what I read on the DiMarzio web site, the X2N has a TRUCK-load of gain/overdrive built into it. Is this true? Would it be good for some good old thrash, yet some intense Black Label Society chording with a Metal-Zone? Or perhaps a Black Sabbath-type sound?

Sorry I have so many questions, but I am totally confused on what pickup to get.....

first it was the JB, then the Duncan Distortion, then the Duncan Metal Live-Wire, then the EMG-81, then the X2N....i'm lost, completely

Dude. lots of gain is an understatement with the x2n. Go for it if you want blistering tone with buckets of gain....


Farkus

 

[Wattage]

Re: DiMarzio X2N: Worth The Money?

Worst single pickup I ever owned.

 

[RACER X]

Re: DiMarzio X2N: Worth The Money?

Let your amp do the work, get a Custom or a Deamon.

 

[Sweet Leaf_Sabbath]

Re: DiMarzio X2N: Worth The Money?

Let your amp do the work, get a Custom or a Deamon.

That's not gonna work....I have a Crate 15 watt amp...The only thing i have that would make my guitar playing sound somewhat more decent would be the Boss MT-2 Metal-Zone...and would the X2N sound good with it?

that's basically all i wanted to know

 

[RACER X]

Re: DiMarzio X2N: Worth The Money?

Yor talking about a lot of juice from 2 different things. Id either do one or the other but not both, i dont think youd like the end results. IMOP id go with a stomp box, youll have more control over your tone, good luck.

 

[Sweet Leaf_Sabbath]

Re: DiMarzio X2N: Worth The Money?

So, what would go good with the MT-2? The DD? The Metal Live-Wire? an EMG-81???

What should I do!?!?!?

 

[RACER X]

Re: DiMarzio X2N: Worth The Money?

Since you have a low wattage amp id say either a DD or JB, but if you want more output a Dime or Invader might be your pup.

 

[DeadSkinSlayer3]

Re: DiMarzio X2N: Worth The Money?

I say you save for a good amp, but that might just be me.

 

[RACER X]

Re: DiMarzio X2N: Worth The Money?

DSS is right, a better amp would be the ticket,

 

[Biu]

Re: DiMarzio X2N: Worth The Money?

Yup, you might just be unsatisfied with your tone because your amp isn't cutting it. Invest in a quality amp. I'm a big DiMarzio fan, so if you decide on getting one, let me know. Don't have experience with the X2N though, sorry!

 

[Rainmaker]

Re: DiMarzio X2N: Worth The Money?

Haven't tried it myself but a lot of people say the X2N is uncontrollable...

What about the Super Distortion, or the splittable Super 2, or the self-proclaimed 'dark' Super 3?

 

[Kent S.]

Re: DiMarzio X2N: Worth The Money?

From what I read on the DiMarzio web site, the X2N has a TRUCK-load of gain/overdrive built into it. Is this true?

No ... no pup has gain/overdrive built into it, gain I could see if it was active. The X2N is simply a loud pup, it slams the front of your amp really hard, the X2N is overkill for thrash with the gain of many amps today, it's not hard to control or any of that other crap you hear, no harder to control than any other pup out there. For some reason people get caught up in this *more is better routine*, it doesn't work that way, a PAF with a MT-2 will give you sabbath stuff just as well, the X2N is wasted there. The X2N was made for older amps (read moderately high gain amps), not the gain monsters that we have today.
You can only pump so much voltage into something before it turns into mush, you might get away with it on single notes ... but not chords. The X2N is also more than just a loud pup to give more distortion, it also does very well clean with a properly set up volume control. Forget the more is better train of thought, if you've got a hot amp, or hot pedal, like the MT-2 you just don't need the X2N (or invader for that matter). Most of the metal stuff wasn't made with those pups anyway.

 

[Kent S.]

Re: DiMarzio X2N: Worth The Money?

Haven't tried it myself but a lot of people say the X2N is uncontrollable...

What about the Super Distortion, or the splittable Super 2, or the self-proclaimed 'dark' Super 3?

Those might be better choices in the dMZ line, as they wouldn't go to far with the MT-2, the super II ...No, I've used the super II for years, I don't think he wants a bright tone like they have, if he's scooping his mids on the mT-2 (the over used ala metal tone) then the super III would be nice, if he maxes his gain out though, the super D might be a little too muddy on the low side, because of it's solid bass response. The super III would be my pick there. The low end thing is why I wouldn't go with the invader in this situation. If he plays with a good amount of mids though the megadrive might do him better, as it's not quite as scooped as the steve's special. Unless he is using a lot of mids post distortion, which I don't think is the case here.
The JB sounds like that might be reasonable as it's low end won't get muddy, it's got strong mids, my only concern woould be that it might get a little screechy on the high end, where as the super III has that rolled back.Then agin the jB would probably clean up better under distortion (because of the high end). It think he is looking for a pup with medium hot output, a leaner low end, good strong mids, and a fair amount of top end, just enough to clean up nicely, without making the distortion sound icepicky ... Sounds like what he needs is the super III and JB combined ... go figure huh?

 

[Dills]

Re: DiMarzio X2N: Worth The Money?

Too much output, uneeded u dont need such a hi output bucker to get a heavy tone get one with a lower output that cleans up better, and would be more versatile. Your guitar and amp can do the rest of the work but if youve got a crappy amp and guitar theres nothing you can do.

 

[ZxCv]

Re: DiMarzio X2N: Worth The Money?

I've tried the MT-2 with my EMG equiped Les Paul and the truth is that MT-2 sucks.
I won't even get enought chord separation with that pedal. EMG's have the best chords separation out there and they didnt help enough to get a playable sound from the MT-2.

Buy a preamp that simulates a hot rodded marshall stack or something for the Trash distortion.

 

[some_dude]

Re: DiMarzio X2N: Worth The Money?

Save your money, get an amp.

EMG's are great pickups, and they'll bring out both the best and the worst in your rig.

Since you're using a Crate 15w.......

I assume Live Wires will have the same best/worst quality to them.

Personally, I'd go with a Duncan JB or a DiMarzio Super Distortion. I've used both with solid state amps and had good results with them.

 

[ranalli]

Re: DiMarzio X2N: Worth The Money?

I say you save for a good amp, but that might just be me.

Ditto. No pickup is really gonna change the tone drastically with that setup.

Save for a new amp, then worry about pickups. A good amp will make even bad pickups sound semi-decent IMO.

 

[RG 2570]

Re: DiMarzio X2N: Worth The Money?

the X2N is the EMG 81 of the passive pup world

 

[WITH FULL DISTORTION]

Re: DiMarzio X2N: Worth The Money?

ahahah holy ****ign **** man
the guys are making a soup of words and driving you crazy....
i have boss mt-2 metalzone... of course that it could be better, but i can get a lot of clear soounds and defined speed riffs in the BLACK/DEATH/THRASH/FUSION metal territory weith it
i had a crate gx80 and i had a crate gx30 watts.
"i ****ed all the asses" with my distortion. that´s why my nickname is WFD.
i have four guitars, see my signature.
and i have soundclips using my gear (the EX crate gx80 and the still metalzone mt-2) and i would liek to send them to you
i love the bill lawrence l500xl, and i love the dimarzio paf pro, it gets and awesome sound. ****ign hellish sound.
also. dimarzio evolution is a good pickup. seymoru duncan Custom custom is a lot good, but you might think it lacks Bass, The same happens to teh JB.
by the way.. i have soundclips of all those pickusp
Pm me if you really want to hear destroying sounds....
also. check out my clips in the tips and clips section.
here´s the link.
https://forum.seymourduncan.com/showthread.php?t=6739&page=1