Tone Zone in a Les Paul?

[Rex_Rocker]

In Drop C? Genius idea or recipee for disaster?

This is a particularly bite-y Les Paul. Tight with some high mid agression. It's lightweight, chambered, and with a Maple neck. But it is still a Les Paul with the growly mids, after all.

I have the AT-1 in my Strat, and I love it. I have the Antiquity JB in my LTD, and I adore it. I have the production JB in my Les Paul, and sometimes I like how bite-y and aggressive it is, sometimes I feel it's a bit much compared to my other two guitars. I just wished it was a tad smoother, a little fatter, and a tiny tiny bit hotter, but not completely different.

FWIW, I have the Air Norton in the neck, which many people would think would be a no no, and I think it's fine. It is a bit dark clean, but it sounds killer distorted because it may be dark, but the low-end isn't as deep as, say, a '59.

Wonder if anyone is using a Tone Zone in a Les Paul? Thoughts?

 

[jeremy]

ive seen it done, but its too thick for my tastes. you might love it

 

[xxxplorer]

Breed or Dominion. Motor City Afwayu.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Breed or Dominion. Motor City Afwayu.

Breed would be cool. But is it hotter?

Dominion I've had it, and it's actually thinner/tighter and more attacky than the JB. Kinda the opposite of what I want.

Afwayu... will look into it!

Thanks!

 

[Juanhanglo]

Breed would be cool. But is it hotter?

Dominion I've had it, and it's actually thinner/tighter and more attacky than the JB. Kinda the opposite of what I want.

Afwayu... will look into it!

Thanks!

Breed is a bit lower output than the TZ, but not noticeable in practice. It's like a vintage version of the tz IMO.

Dimarzio transition is about the same output. It reminds me of a cross between the super d and a 36th, as others have suggessted. Also kinda like a vintage norton.

I have a transition set in my ltd ec401v (the full thickness one).
the neck pickupbis about the same output as a 36th neck, but has fatter low mids. I see it as a better air norton. Like if a 36th and an AN had a baby.

The bridge has a great feel under the fingers, and rocks out all day long.

I thought they were going to be a bit "tz/an" sounding in a lp, but am pleasantly surprised that they aren't

 

[eclecticsynergy]

TZ should indeed be a little fatter and a tiny bit hotter than your JB.
Could be a good fit for a Les Paul that's tight/bright in character.

One of my LPs is much brighter than the others and was very harsh & scratchy with the stock BurstBuckers.
I tried several bridges but it was the AT-1 that stayed; filled it out nicely, still plenty of bite. Not wooly or overly warm.
I had also considered the Air Zone.

Breed bridge is a fantastic pickup, but I've never tried it in an LP or any 24¾" scale axe.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

The Tone Zone doesn't sound too bad in this Les Paul-esque guitar in Drop C in this clip.

The low-end does sound a little all-over-the-place compared to the JB, though. But not in a bad way? Or maybe? Not sure.

 

[soulforger]

Bottom is fat, I love the sound of the distortion in that Tone Zone though, very rich, TZ have a great lead tone too, but of course so do JBs!

 

[Masta' C]

Tone Zone is hot and fairly warm sounding. The low end can come off as a bit flubby in some guitars, but just sounds big and commanding in others. Definitely adds girth to a thin sounding instrument and it has a lot of harmonic character that makes it cool for '80s riffage.

Not sure how it performs in drop tunings, but probably wouldn't be my first choice for that application. I'd either de-air an AT-1 (with a metal spacer to increase inductance a little more) or go with something like a Transition or Gravity Storm.

Whereas the JB really fills a niche that has proven hard to improve on over time, I think there are quite a few pickups that have improved on the core sound of the TZ. I still have a guitar with one and it's fun, but I'm not in love with it.

 

[GuitarStv]

The Tone Zone is one of the few bridge pickups I'd run without a tone pot. And maybe with a 1 meg volume.

 

[Masta' C]

The Tone Zone is one of the few bridge pickups I'd run without a tone pot. And maybe with a 1 meg volume.

Yes! This is the way.

I think I'm using a 1 meg pot on mine and it's nice.

 

[xxxplorer]

If you want something wicked for C... my favorite is the Jim Wagner Ironman. 22K, ceramic 8. They do their own thing. Like a giant thick yet clear hammer. Rolls back in a cool way. Not JB like though. Just your taste seems close to mine a bit. I like my JB like winds too. But this is my go to.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Found this other clip of the JB and the TZ with the Afwayu included.

Afwayu doesn't seem like what I want. It's more attacky than either the JB or Tone Zone, and I kinda want something smoother than the JB. It's not bad. I actually think it sounds the best in this comparison. But it's not what I want for this guitar.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

If you want something wicked for C... my favorite is the Jim Wagner Ironman. 22K, ceramic 8. They do their own thing. Like a giant thick yet clear hammer. Rolls back in a cool way. Not JB like though. Just your taste seems close to mine a bit. I like my JB like winds too. But this is my go to.

I'll look into the Ironman. I've actually heard a lot of good things about Wagner pickups.