Eric Johnson Custom Dimarzio Pup... First blush...

[Gr8Scott]

It's a very nice pickup. It's chimey and can be sharp when you dig in to the high E string etc, but it's rounded and smooth as butter when strumming. It has a refined sound that is kind of gretsch, but not quite there. It has a good bit of the character, but it's missing a little of the jangle that a gretsch has. I think that if this pickup had real polepeices put in it and not that virtual vintage crap, it would be a great pickup. Virtual Vintage just sucks the tone and the top end right out of an otherwise good pickup. I can't tell for sure right now because the lower strings on this guitar are too heavy (it's an odd set of strings I used and it's not the final set that will remain on this guitar). I think the lows will be a bit more balanced and the pickup will be brighter when strummed once a more ordinary set of strings go on this guitar. Overall, it's a neat sounding pickup, but it needs more highs overall. Very throaty and smooth as velvet for the moment. Worth checking out if you have a medium to bright guitar.

 

[jony]

Re: Eric Johnson Custom Dimarzio Pup... First blush...

I have been waiting so long for someone to try this pickup out.. Big Kudos.

I am anxiously waiting for more tonal reports!

 

[theodie]

Re: Eric Johnson Custom Dimarzio Pup... First blush...

Scott, what did you put it in???

 

[Gr8Scott]

Re: Eric Johnson Custom Dimarzio Pup... First blush...

That amber Hamer Archtop (aka the problem child). It fits nicely with the Bluesbucker. The bluesbucker offers a nice contrast to this pickup because it's hotter and it has a nice midrange snap to compliment the smoothness of this pickup. It's really cool to play with the EJ Custom and get smooth buttery lines and then smack the pickup selector to the bluesbucker bridge for an instantly hotter and meaner sounding pickup that cuts as well as the bluesbucker does. Very nice combination IMHO. One thing that I failed to mention is that the EJ custom almost makes the guitar sound slightly hollow. It makes sense because it's meant to simulate a gretsch pickup. Imagine going from a sweet slightly hollow and rounded pickup that is buttery when strummed and chimey when plucked and then slam on the bluesbucker for a gritty cutting lead sound. The bluesbucker is a really cool pickup. I'll have to bring this guitar up and let you take a run with it. I know that you aren't a fan of the VV pickups and these probably won't make you any bigger of a fan of them, but they sure are interesting pups. Makes the problem child sound way different than it did.

 

[theodie]

Re: Eric Johnson Custom Dimarzio Pup... First blush...

That amber Hamer Archtop (aka the problem child). It fits nicely with the Bluesbucker. The bluesbucker offers a nice contrast to this pickup because it's hotter and it has a nice midrange snap to compliment the smoothness of this pickup. It's really cool to play with the EJ Custom and get smooth buttery lines and then smack the pickup selector to the bluesbucker bridge for an instantly hotter and meaner sounding pickup that cuts as well as the bluesbucker does. Very nice combination IMHO. One thing that I failed to mention is that the EJ custom almost makes the guitar sound slightly hollow. It makes sense because it's meant to simulate a gretsch pickup. Imagine going from a sweet slightly hollow and rounded pickup that is buttery when strummed and chimey when plucked and then slam on the bluesbucker for a gritty cutting lead sound. The bluesbucker is a really cool pickup. I'll have to bring this guitar up and let you take a run with it. I know that you aren't a fan of the VV pickups and these probably won't make you any bigger of a fan of them, but they sure are interesting pups. Makes the problem child sound way different than it did.

At least its something that may work for problem child. That thing has been a Pain in the butt!!!!

 

[appar111]

Re: Eric Johnson Custom Dimarzio Pup... First blush...

Did you put the EJ pickup in the neck or bridge position. I'm looking at the neck version of the EJ Custom for my telecaster (pairing it w/ a Chopper T in the bridge position).