Tone zone

[taphappy]

I'm not much a reviewer, but I'll give it a shot anyway. This pickup was not how I expected it to be in my guitar. Instead of the bassy mess I was scared of, it turned out to be a perfect. Chords are very dense, thick, AND crunchy. I noticed that chords no longer sounded like individual strings like my fred. Harmonics have never been easier or screamed harder. The output is somewhat hot, I would say this pickup is right on the line of high output. The leads are where its at. The pickup has more aww than even the fred. While it doesnt mask sloppy playing, it still feels good to play through and is more forgiving than a bright pickup. I forgot to add that chords are tight. I couldnt ask for more. 10/10

 

[SCOTT502]

Re: Tone zone

Sounds cool! What guitar and amp are you using?

 

[taphappy]

Re: Tone zone

The guitar is an RGT3120: maple neck through, maple top, mahogany wings, rosewood fretboard. The amp is a 5150. I'm also driving it with a tube screamer.

 

[BluesGuyJ]

Re: Tone zone

Sounds great man. I've got an ESP Mirrage Custom on the way with a Dimarzio TZ in the bridge and I am anxious to se how it sounds.

 

[saladin]

Re: Tone zone

That "aww" sound is why I prefer Duncan's.

 

[Aceman]

Re: Tone zone

I have a tone zone in a paul and love it. I was going to go superD for the obvious reasons, but I though the TZ description and my tone preferences were just a better pairing. I was right! Nice and hot, but not out of control. Good eq, bass and mids (but not too much) and a nice high end without being shrill. A bit compressed- but it adds a tube like mojo to a solid state amp. I dig it.

 

[taphappy]

Re: Tone zone

Your right it is pretty compressed.

 

[Dave Z]

Re: Tone zone

what I like about the TZ is that it has nice articulation if played light & clean....I found it did not have as much of an obvious EQ as the Duncan JB, except for a ton of bass it sounds pretty flat to me, played clean.

And cranked it is a lot of fun, hit hard and you can plaster an older (non higain) tube amp...

 

[madguitar26]

Re: Tone zone

maybe its just me but i just adore the JB clean and semi distorted.at least way more than the duncan custom.
ihmo the tone zone is better for high gain.

 

[Aceman]

Re: Tone zone

I agree that it is a bit more touch sensitive than say A DD or an SD.

 

[taphappy]

Re: Tone zone

Its a good thing its touch sensitive or it would sound too pushed all the time.

 

[jimlp]

Re: Tone zone

I'm not much a reviewer, but I'll give it a shot anyway. This pickup was not how I expected it to be in my guitar. Instead of the bassy mess I was scared of, it turned out to be a perfect. Chords are very dense, thick, AND crunchy. I noticed that chords no longer sounded like individual strings like my fred. Harmonics have never been easier or screamed harder. The output is somewhat hot, I would say this pickup is right on the line of high output. The leads are where its at. The pickup has more aww than even the fred. While it doesnt mask sloppy playing, it still feels good to play through and is more forgiving than a bright pickup. I forgot to add that chords are tight. I couldnt ask for more. 10/10

You are driving the front end of a 5150 with a boost!?!:eek13:

 

[ColdHit]

Re: Tone zone

You are driving the front end of a 5150 with a boost!?!:eek13:

I thought I read that wrong also...Actually I used to push my 5150 with a tube screamer also. Used it to boost the volume only.

 

[taphappy]

Re: Tone zone

Its more of a tonal thing and I set the gain on the amp to about 4. The tubscreamer tightens up the sound, compresses it, and adds a little bit more crunch and harmonics.

 

[Aceman]

Re: Tone zone

Shouldn't have tightness/crunch/harmonic issue w/ the Tone Zone. HAven't played it through my 5150 model...I'll try it and see what happens.

 

[Majestic]

Re: Tone zone

A Tone Zone is the last pickup I'd play through a high gain amp. Too much loss of bandwidth.

Signed,

A former 5150 owner who still owns two EBMMs with the "Van Halen" version of the Tone Zone.

 

[taphappy]

Re: Tone zone

Whats bandwith?

Aceman, The tube screamer is just a personal preference, the tone zone is tight enough by itsself.

 

[Aceman]

Re: Tone zone

Cool-Got a TS9 myself. Rarely use it ecpet for some blues-boost. But like I said, I like the compression-sometimes it's a tone I want. I'd get a 59 if I wanted a full/articulate pup or maybe a jazz. And a 5150 should have enough gain to put anothing into distorto-land.

 

[fenderiarhs]

Re: Tone zone

Unfortunately i did't have the same opinion as you on the tone zone when i tried it :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: I found it artificial sounding, very very dense(in a bad way) and i didn't like the way it was EQsed.........infact it stayed in my guitar for only one week.......

 

[taphappy]

Re: Tone zone

I can understand how some people would not like, while others like me love it. I'm sure you dont like the tones from Dream Theatre and Symphony X.