Tone Zone or Super 3?

Re: Tone Zone or Super 3?

I've never tried a full sized tone zone only tone zone T and tone zone s which I just love, I have an original super 3 that came stock in a MIJ 1990 floyd rose strat or HR strat and it is one of my fav pickups, the guitar came stock with a TBX tone control, treble bleed and push/pull split, the TBX when cranked cuts just enough bass and brings the treble out and makes the super 3 perfect in a strat, still has strattiness but balls, yet super smooth and not too overpowering, the super 3 splits better than most any other HB I have tried, turn down the volume and the treble bleed keeps the highs crisp and it cleans up pretty well......ok at about 2-3. I don't really care for it at zero on the tbx but a little under zero it is like a no load pot and sounds better. The TBX makes a world of difference on a bassy or "muddy" bucker.
 
Re: Tone Zone or Super 3?

Darth makes a great point in his description. Dark is not the right word.
 
Re: Tone Zone or Super 3?

Obsessive Compulsive said:
I also have experience with SD Custom 5 in an alder bodied Strat. To my ears it yields that spanky tones you are after, if I understand you correctly. In essence, it is a merge of humbucker sound and single coil sound. So, it's heavy but also has sweet Stratty tones, if you get me.
Click to expand...
The Custom 5 also has scooped mids; not really what he's looking for.
 
Re: Tone Zone or Super 3?

I am solving this dilemna the old-fashioned way: I will try them both and see which I like better in this particular guitar through my amp.
I spent the last few days haunting eBay and got one of each at good enough prices that I can resell whichever one I don't use without losing any money on it.

I can report back my decision in a couple weeks if y'all like, but it really will just apply to this one guitar (that sounds different than most) through my amp, which also sounds a bit different than most.
Thank you all for the input, though. Your points made convinced me they are both good and both worth checking out.
 
Re: Tone Zone or Super 3?

Please let me know your thoughts. I was facing a similar decision last week and opted to go with a super distortion 7. I read a lot of things from both sides of the spectrum on the tone zone. People seem to really either love or hate it. You may want to keep in mind the level (or lack) of replay value and if either seems to get stale after a while. I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts and evaluation.
 
Re: Tone Zone or Super 3?

UPDATE
Today a miracle occurred and I actually had time to swap two pickups into my guitar back-to-back for head to head comparison. The Super 3 won, by a VERY small margin.
The Tone Zone gave me almost the same sound as the 1978 Ibanez V-2 pickup (NOT the same as the '80s V2 pickup) in my heavily-modded '77 Gibson Marauder: thick, full, with a lot of bottom, about the same gain and sustain and pick attack as well. Really nice. Except...it sounded a bit nasally when I kicked on my tubescreamer for smooth creamy sustain lines.
The Super 3 has a very similar sound but with more mids and tighter low end. As soon as I had it in my guitar I started playing old Judas Priest. It has smoother sustain and a bit more gain.
I could have been totally happy with either one, but on this particular guitar I chose the Super 3. The Tone Zone actually had just a bit too much bottom for chunky rythm chords. The Super 3 really does sound a lot like a Super Distortion but without that odd little single coil sound. But I am keeping the Tone Zone because I might love it in my next guitar, which is going to be more solid. (The current one is so heavily chambered it is essentially a semi-hollowbody.)
So that is the report. Thanks to all for your input!
 
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Re: Tone Zone or Super 3?

Positive. There is just a sound the Super D makes when you lightly play songle notes down low on the neck that has a funny twang, almost Tele-like "spank."
I had one in an SG for years and always thought it was the guitar. That one was wired series/parallel with a push/pull volume pot so i am real familiar with the two sounds.
It's just something about the specific eq curve. Love the Super D for rhythm and harder leads but really do not like the way it sounds when you back way off on the picking.
I am still happy with the Super 3.
 
Re: Tone Zone or Super 3?

Update: fell out of love with the Super 3. It's just TOO muted. It took me a while to figure this out since I almost never play out any more. At low volume it sounds great - thick and growly. But when I cranked my amp it just sounded...flat? Muted? Muffled? I am not sure the best word for it, but whatever would be the opposite of "cut" or "sparkle."
Yes, I am able to compensate by turning up the treble on my amp but the eq knobs interact and that shifts my sound in ways I do not love. I dropped a brand new Bill & Becky Lawrence Wilde L500XL and it totally stomps the Super 3. Just as thick and meaty, but with better clarity and just enough edge/cut/sparkle to make the guitar really shine.

I am just as surprised as you probably are. I expected the L500 to be way too bright and/or thin, but it really isn't, I swear! I have already ordered another one for one of my other guitars. I am a believer.
 
Re: Tone Zone or Super 3?

I can relate with odd twang sound you notice with the SuperD. I hear something along those lines too but hard to describe. I haven't had the Super3 but I have a FT2 which dimarzio states is closer to the Siper3 sound. The top end is rounded on it sorta but the slanted bridge position helps. It seems it sounds best in a master tone & volume config than the usual three knob config. The Super3 seems to be a unique sound that doesn't really suit everywhere, its odd sounding than most I guess given the specs lol

I wonder if the PATB Distortion model would have been a better fit over the Super3. Anyways, good thing its all sorted & done with the B&B.
 
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