Neck Companion for Dimarzio Air Norton

[martilloseductor]

Since I upgraded my Sheraton II with an Air Norton in the bridge, it has become one of my favourite pickups ever. I freakin' love it's open sound and bright tone. I didn't think much of it when it was in the neck position of my telecaster, it was a bit dark and maybe... a bit too pretty.

Anyway, when i bought the Sheraton it came with a Kent Armstrong Six Shooter in the neck. It's a fine pickup. Similar to the Duncan 59 I have in another guitar, but a bit too warm and vintage sounding for my taste (Sounds great with fuzz pedals, though). I want something else. I need something more open sounding and bright. Something with a great clean tone, but that can take heavy fuzz pedals. I was thinking about getting a Duncan Jazz, but maybe there's something else. I'm not very familiar with the Dimarzio line (they're not very good naming their pickups), but their airbuckers seem to be great. Any thoughts?

 

[Condemned soul]

Re: Neck Companion for Dimarzio Air Norton

Seriously, is SD any better at naming their pickup?

Went fishing on the DMZ web site and came up with these pickups. No experience with them but a couple of them might get close to what you are looking for.
Air Classic Neck , bridge pickups.
Johnson pickups, again neck or bridge
Humbucker From Hell

Don't underestimate bridge pickups in the neck position. The SD Jazz bridge can make an awesome neck pickup.

You could contact DMZ and ask for suggestions or go to their tone guide on their homepage.


Lastly, if you don't mind staying with DMZ, here are two pickups that I have in SG's that might work.

First up is the PAF® Master Bridge. Yes, put it in the neck position. It is a very different animal that the PAF Master neck pickup. Yes, it can be brite, gets crunchy, and responds well with OD. I don't have any fuzz pedals. The neck version, under gain, gets creamy.

The other pickup that might get into the ball park is the DMZ 36 Anniversary pickup. To me, it is the DMZ equivalent to SD's Jazz pickup. Under gain it gets a bit of pushed mids. This is a great pickup for the days that I want more character than the SG with a Jazz neck can deliver.

Happy Hunting.

There probably other board members that have better suggestions, maybe they will give a reply.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Neck Companion for Dimarzio Air Norton

I would go for a Jazz (which I never thought was a good name for it), since it is great in a semi-hollow with fuzz. The bass doesn't get 'smeary' and the EQ seems to fit here.

 

[greekdude]

Re: Neck Companion for Dimarzio Air Norton

isn't air norton a supposedly neck pup at least mostly?

 

[jimlp]

Re: Neck Companion for Dimarzio Air Norton

isn't air norton a supposedly neck pup at least mostly?

I was going to suggest another Air Norton.

 

[devastone]

Re: Neck Companion for Dimarzio Air Norton

isn't air norton a supposedly neck pup at least mostly?

Not really, DMZ doesn't market a lot of their pups a bridge/neck versions (there are exceptions). I would suggest (and just did in another thread) trying a regular Norton in the bridge and putting the Air Norton in the neck.

 

[BadBen]

Re: Neck Companion for Dimarzio Air Norton

If I remember right, Bill Nash pairs the Air Norton in the bridge with a Bluesbucker in the neck in his LPs.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

 

[Mr. B]

Re: Neck Companion for Dimarzio Air Norton

Humbucker from Hell.

 

[darthphineas]

Re: Neck Companion for Dimarzio Air Norton

HFH is an option. So is the Bluesbucker.

 

[Sensates]

Re: Neck Companion for Dimarzio Air Norton

If I remember right, Bill Nash pairs the Air Norton in the bridge with a Bluesbucker in the neck in his LPs.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

That is right. Either that or Paf 36th (my pref) or Air Classic to keep the DMZ theme going.

I like the Air Norton in the bridge too, but it also excels in the neck IF your guitar is bright, otherwise its mud.

 

[Van Noord]

Re: Neck Companion for Dimarzio Air Norton

LOVE LOVE LOVE the creme Air Norton in my Strats bridge.

I suggest a Humbuckers from hell in the neck if you want bright, clear and open.

"Because a conventional humbucker senses the string at two different places, it cancels some frequencies along with the hum. What if there was a humbucker that cancelled fewer frequencies? It would be brighter and cleaner: almost glassy-sounding. In other words, it would sound a lot like a Strat® pickup, but with about the same power as a PAF®. We created The Humbucker From Hell® primarily as a neck pickup. You won’t believe how much it will open up the sound in the neck position of a Gibson® Les Paul®, and it has an almost acoustic quality in the neck spot of a bolt-on guitar."

 

[thrill74]

Re: Neck Companion for Dimarzio Air Norton

The AN is my favorite bridge humbucker to date. I'd use either the Air Classic or HFH with it. Probably the Air Classic and call it a day lol!

 

[martilloseductor]

Re: Neck Companion for Dimarzio Air Norton

I ended up getting a 36th anniversary off eBay. I'll let you know how it works.

 

[jmcorey]

Re: Neck Companion for Dimarzio Air Norton

I ended up getting a 36th anniversary off eBay. I'll let you know how it works.

Have you tried it?