Do Dimarzios sound fatter than Duncans?

[Holy Diver]

Re: Do Dimarzios sound fatter than Duncans?

I'm gonna have to disagree with you on this one. The Dimarzio X2N, Evolution, Tone Zone, and also the Super Distortion are considered high gain pickups that can drive an amp real easy. Any of these are great for metal. When I first put the Evolution in, I immediately thought I nailed "Korn" tone. It's got that low tight bass, yet aggressive sound to it, with a very decent crunch, with a bit of fuzz on top of it. The Super Distortion sounds big and thick..again with bass but it reminds me of Metallica's "Black Album" era tone. These are all used on basswood bodies, as I think that Dimarzio's sound the best in them..except I think the evolution would sound massive in an alder body like some of Steve Vai's guitars.

My amp is the JVM. The best high gain amp period in 20+. My technique smokes. I don't see Anthrax, Megadeth, or any real metal band (not Korn or any other scabs) using Dimarzios. That is because they suck for metal, period.

 

[edsmith]

Re: Do Dimarzios sound fatter than Duncans?

My amp is the JVM. The best high gain amp period in 20+. My technique smokes. I don't see Anthrax, Megadeth, or any real metal band (not Korn or any other scabs) using Dimarzios. That is because they suck for metal, period.

I'm not trying to call you out or anything, but I would really like to hear some of your stuff. A player with a JVM and good technique is something I'll look forward to hearing. I agree about Korn and other pseudo metal bands, but the Dimarzio thing is just crazy.

 

[thucydides]

Re: Do Dimarzios sound fatter than Duncans?

My amp is the JVM. The best high gain amp period in 20+. My technique smokes. I don't see Anthrax, Megadeth, or any real metal band (not Korn or any other scabs) using Dimarzios. That is because they suck for metal, period.

My technique only smokes after I've smoked....:smokin:

 

[Holy Diver]

Re: Do Dimarzios sound fatter than Duncans?

I'm not trying to call you out or anything, but I would really like to hear some of your stuff. A player with a JVM and good technique is something I'll look forward to hearing. I agree about Korn and other pseudo metal bands, but the Dimarzio thing is just crazy.

I may just do that sometime. Look, you people can play or listen to whatever you want. I just can't get a decent heavy metal chug sound out of Dimarzios. They sound great for lead, but they lack in the bottom end, at least for me.

 

[thucydides]

Re: Do Dimarzios sound fatter than Duncans?

You didn't think that the X2N got a pretty solid sound? It's been yrs since I used one, so maybe I'm not remembering it correctly.

 

[Push to Shuv]

Re: Do Dimarzios sound fatter than Duncans?

My technique only smokes after I've smoked....:smokin:

HAHA nice!

 

[Aceman]

Re: Do Dimarzios sound fatter than Duncans?

You didn't think that the X2N got a pretty solid sound? It's been yrs since I used one, so maybe I'm not remembering it correctly.

It was a little more than a year ago since I played mine. It was solid like a brick ***house! You remember correctly.

 

[blueman335]

Re: Do Dimarzios sound fatter than Duncans?

There are so many models in each company, you can't make any generalization. DiMarzio makes a lot of ceramic bridge PU's, which are bright, and they make some relatively bright & clear PAF PU's, along with the innovative Bluesbucker & Humbucker from Hell. And...Duncan makes a few HB's with A2's (DiMarzio doesn't), which are warmer than A5 magnets.

It all depends on which PU's you're looking at, and no one's tried them all.

If you want to add or subtract brightness or warmth, take any American-made HB, and experiment with magnets, pots, and caps. You can create "new" PU's yourself and get the exact tone you want.

 

[thucydides]

Re: Do Dimarzios sound fatter than Duncans?

Slight hijack; can anyone comment re the DM Bluesbucker vs the SD Phat Cats?

 

[alashredder]

Re: Do Dimarzios sound fatter than Duncans?

My amp is the JVM. The best high gain amp period in 20+. My technique smokes. I don't see Anthrax, Megadeth, or any real metal band (not Korn or any other scabs) using Dimarzios. That is because they suck for metal, period.

Really? Bands like Death and Testament aren't metal enough? What about Stone Sour? Josh Rand uses the X2N in the bridge and it sounds very metal. I don't doubt that you have skills, but I'm into metal as well and I'm going to say it again. It does metal very well! I can get really thick chunky riffs from the super distortion and the X2N as well as the Evolution too! Maybe its not the tone that you like, but to say that it sucks for metal is really ignorant. What kind of pickups have you used from Dimarzio to generalize that they "suck" for metal?

Check out Stone Sour

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUE__SQWJVg

 

[ubertwerp]

Re: Do Dimarzios sound fatter than Duncans?

SOME dimarzios might sound fatter and muddier -the tone zone and super distortion come to mind-but aside from these-almost every duncan I have heard sound fatter -or with "more headroom " as a term ,or a perhaps "wider harmonic range",than the dimarzios ,at least to my ears

I also agree that dimarzios excel at solos -look at the list Yngwie ,Petrucci
Vai etc,etc.

However duncans can also excel for solos -Michael Schenker ,George Lynch
and especially Blues Saraceno for example

In fact a good analogy could be made with dual coil vs single coil -
Duncans = start with humbucker power and try to build and shape the sound from that base to become more articulate and toneful for example JB

Dimarzios = start with a more more single coil accuracy and build on this by hot rodding from this base to build more harmonic content for example Steves Special..

the hot rodded single coil sound is often more precise or accurate
but the humbucker sound has more harmonic range and is more exciting to listen to with distortion to my ears -by starting with the harmonic power of the humbucker ,duncans are not really limited on any frequencies and thus sound more "open " and "live" and sound like articulate humbuckers suited to both rhythm and leads ?

By starting with the single coil type accurate and clean sound,Dimarzio
with rare exceptions (tone zone) sound like hot rodded single coils ?
ie a bit boring or "dull" by comparison and not really suited to heavy rhythms
but more leads like holy diver explained

Btw,I am not a single coil basher -I love single coil tones in the necks of guitars

_Ube




_Ube

 

[Holy Diver]

Re: Do Dimarzios sound fatter than Duncans?

Really? Bands like Death and Testament aren't metal enough? What about Stone Sour? Josh Rand uses the X2N in the bridge and it sounds very metal. I don't doubt that you have skills, but I'm into metal as well and I'm going to say it again. It does metal very well! I can get really thick chunky riffs from the super distortion and the X2N as well as the Evolution too! Maybe its not the tone that you like, but to say that it sucks for metal is really ignorant. What kind of pickups have you used from Dimarzio to generalize that they "suck" for metal?

Check out Stone Sour

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUE__SQWJVg

How about they suck for my playing. I tried the Evolution bridge and the Morse bridge. Both of them are two of the highest output that Dimarzio makes. I have never tried the X2N, so I won't put it down, but there is no way I could have played Dokken, Dio, or Ratt with the two I tried. I'm not talking lead here. Let me make that clear. For lead, Dimarzio's rip it up, but I could not get any chug out of them. I think I will stick with DD bridge and Jazz neck.

 

[KeeperOS]

Re: Do Dimarzios sound fatter than Duncans?

My amp is the JVM. The best high gain amp period in 20+. My technique smokes. I don't see Anthrax, Megadeth, or any real metal band (not Korn or any other scabs) using Dimarzios. That is because they suck for metal, period.

Although I really don't feel the urge to defend DiMarzios I really can't see what you're claiming. I would be very interested to hear how many DiMarzios you've tried, in how many different guitars and through how many amps...

I may just do that sometime. Look, you people can play or listen to whatever you want. I just can't get a decent heavy metal chug sound out of Dimarzios. They sound great for lead, but they lack in the bottom end, at least for me.

That is an entirely different thing. Many have said that DMs are built to be very inflexible, designed for very specific scenarios at which they excel but with less than optimum results in different situations.

Saying that DiMarzios aren't good for your guitar running through your amp I can totally understand.
However saying that ALL DiMarzios can't get a good chunk in ANY guitar running through ANY amp... Well that's a bit too much of a generalization for me.
I've tried a couple of DMs in my rig and honestly I found them too mid heavy, however I've also tried them stock on different guitars and the difference was worlds apart. However those guitars came stock with them and I feel this says much...

EDIT:

How about they suck for my playing. I tried the Evolution bridge and the Morse bridge. Both of them are two of the highest output that Dimarzio makes. I have never tried the X2N, so I won't put it down, but there is no way I could have played Dokken, Dio, or Ratt with the two I tried. I'm not talking lead here. Let me make that clear. For lead, Dimarzio's rip it up, but I could not get any chug out of them.

Sorry, you posted this while writing.
Ok, you take two pickups that were DESIGNED specifically for lead playing apparently judging them solely on their output and wonder where you went wrong?
Sure they suck for rhythm and excel at solos, that's their intended use.

Not gonna say more as I am way more familiar with the SD line than the DM but I guess if you really wanted a better opinion you can always contact DMs tech support for a suggestion. My guess however the Tone Zone and the Super Distortion are a real good place to begin.
Many 80s Glam/Heavy albums were recorded with the S.D. and the Tone Zone doens't come too far behind...

 

[alashredder]

Re: Do Dimarzios sound fatter than Duncans?

How about they suck for my playing. I tried the Evolution bridge and the Morse bridge. Both of them are two of the highest output that Dimarzio makes. I have never tried the X2N, so I won't put it down, but there is no way I could have played Dokken, Dio, or Ratt with the two I tried. I'm not talking lead here. Let me make that clear. For lead, Dimarzio's rip it up, but I could not get any chug out of them. I think I will stick with DD bridge and Jazz neck.

You only tried 2 pickups and slag the whole Dimarzio line down (except for the X2N that you mentioned, which you haven't tried) as not good for "metal". 2 of the highest output pickups? Wrong, the D-activators, Super Distortion, and X2N are Dimarzio's other highest output pickups. hmmmm seems like you haven't listed or tried any of those to make a generalization that "Dimarzio's suck for metal". You can say that they suck for your playing, but again..suck for metal? Case closed.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Do Dimarzios sound fatter than Duncans?

Dimarzio's sound like people from Brooklyn talk.

LOL!

 

[Holy Diver]

Re: Do Dimarzios sound fatter than Duncans?

This thread started because the OP wanted to know why shred players use Dimarzio and metal players use Duncan. From what I've played I can tell why. I could be wrong, but I find it hard to believe that the X2N, SD, or any of the other ones will fare much better. If I can't play metal rhythm with a Steve Vai or Steve Morse PU then something is wrong. The JB smokes both of them put together.

 

[waylay00]

Re: Do Dimarzios sound fatter than Duncans?

You really do think that all pickups from the same manufacturer sound the same, don't you?

 

[alashredder]

Re: Do Dimarzios sound fatter than Duncans?

This thread started because the OP wanted to know why shred players use Dimarzio and metal players use Duncan. From what I've played I can tell why. I could be wrong, but I find it hard to believe that the X2N, SD, or any of the other ones will fare much better. If I can't play metal rhythm with a Steve Vai or Steve Morse PU then something is wrong. The JB smokes both of them put together.

How can you find it hard to believe, when you've never tried the X2N or the SD? Yes, the X2N and the SD will fare better for metal than the Evolution or the Morse pickup. The X2N sorta reminds me of EMG's..they have about the same output..the voicing and EQ is a bit different..but please don't say EMG's arent made for metal.

 

[Johtosotku]

Re: Do Dimarzios sound fatter than Duncans?

I think that Aceman said it best. Except that I usually go for Dimarzios first. I really like what they do with the mids. I also think that Duncan has a too two-sided a line-up. I tend to gravitate towards the mid-output pickups.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Do Dimarzios sound fatter than Duncans?

Generally speaking, I like the voicing of Duncans better than I like the voicing of Dimarzios. Just seems like Seymour's pickups remind me more of the familar warmth and singing tone of old Gibson HB's and the sparkly, throaty, warmth of the best Fender single coils...like the '62 Strat pickups. Even if they're overwound like the Custom or Custom Custom or the Antiquity Custom Strat bridge pickup, the Duncans seem familiar to me. Never owned a Dimarzio I loved...I've owned a lot of Duncans that I still love! Dimarzios seem to be all about aggressive HB tone...like Satriani's or Vai's tone. It's a cool tone and I like those players a lot...but it's just not my tone.