What pickup in the Dimarzio line, would sound close or like the 59's ???

[Lake Placid Blues]

Re: What pickup in the Dimarzio line, would sound close or like the 59's ???

i really like the air classics. they are very open sounding to me, kinda like an unpotted PAF.

I think a lot of people dismiss the Air Classics because of the published output specs in milli volts. People see that they are lower output compared to their medium output pickups like the PAF Pro, and think maybe they are a bit weak. But if their 6k single coil strat pups are at about 140mv and the Air Classic is at 225mv, thats about right. They don't sound weak. They say that the 36th is actually louder than the old highly regarded Virtual Hot PAF. Thats why the stopped making the VHPAF. Is the 36th too loud for a vintage PAF?

 

[dhuber]

Re: What pickup in the Dimarzio line, would sound close or like the 59's ???

I've played the 36th and the 59's side by side. They are really 2 different flavors of PAFs. The 36th PAF is more articulate but still very warm sounding. The 59 is a bit warmer and muddier (don't take that as a negative). I like them both but I'm partial to the 36th PAFs. It's fair to say that it's probably my favorite PAF from the big guys.

I do agree the 59 is a bit warmer and muddier. Right now I like it over the Dimarzio 36th Anniversary. Maybe I did not have the Dimarzio 36th close enough to the strings. I have a set of 36's that came in a Hamer Studio. Tried the JB too and did not like it. I put 59's in my Les Paul Studio and liked them so much I replaced the Dimarzio's in the Hamer Studio. I also put a 59 Trembucker in one of my Strat's. What can I say I like the 59. To date the 59 is one of my favorite Humbucker's. I like the Seth Lover in my Hamer Artist too but it's a complete different animal. I don't have a lot of experience with humbuicker's. I can also say I did not like the stock Gibson Humbucker's in my LP Studio. Too hot. The 59 is great from clean to overdrive. The 59 in the bridge is good, it could be a tad bit hotter. The 59 in the neck is perfect!

It really comes down to whether you prefer chocolate over vanilla. I change pickups all the time. My wife can't tell the difference.

 

[Zombiwoof]

Re: What pickup in the Dimarzio line, would sound close or like the 59's ???

Dimarzio has two pickups for their take on a PAF: One is the Air Classic and the other is the 36th anniversary. I have not used a 36th, but the Air Classic is a gem. They are both A5 like the 59, but the Air Classic has a weaker magnetic field by virtue of the air gap between the magnet and the poles without using a A2 magnet and congesting the mids. It sounds and plays its own kind of great. Not exactly like the 59 which also sounds and plays great IMO. After all, what is the "correct" PAF sound? The Air Classic can give you this:

As I recall from the Dimarzio site, the 36th Anniversary humbucker also uses the air gap technology. I thought the 36th actually replaced the Air Classic and the old PAF in the Dimarzio catalog, as it is sort of a combination of the two pickups, but I could be wrong about that.

Al

 

[zenmindbeginner]

Re: What pickup in the Dimarzio line, would sound close or like the 59's ???

DiMarzio doesn't have anything in their line that is like a '59.

1). Nickel-Silver baseplate vs brass baseplate
2). Duncan '59s are wound on Seymour's old Leesona winder
3). SD uses as much vintage correct material like maple spacers and plain enamel wire as is possible vs. DiMarzio's lack of vintage correctness

I just don't see DiMarzio as keeping one foot in the past like Seymour Duncan has. Modern day players should always strive to maintain some sort of a connection to the the historical beginnings of the electric guitar. Seymour Duncan never lost sight of this but DiMarzio sure has IMHO.

 

[blueman335]

Re: What pickup in the Dimarzio line, would sound close or like the 59's ???

I just don't see DiMarzio as keeping one foot in the past like Seymour Duncan has. Modern day players should always strive to maintain some sort of a connection to the the historical beginnings of the electric guitar. Seymour Duncan never lost sight of this but DiMarzio sure has IMHO.

+1. Which is why I own a lot more Duncans than DiMarzios.

 

[Lake Placid Blues]

Re: What pickup in the Dimarzio line, would sound close or like the 59's ???

The bottom line is the sound. For that reason I don't mind Dimarzio using non-traditional design elements on the Air Classic because it sounds great. I'm not saying that it sounds better or more athentic (whatever that is?) than a 59 though. It depends on what you need and want, and the guitar in question.

 

[eggman]

Re: What pickup in the Dimarzio line, would sound close or like the 59's ???

Howdy,

DiMarzio's lowest output HBer is the oddly named Eric Johnson HBer, which is intended to sound like an old Gretsch Country Gent HBer. It's low output and heavily EQd toward treble. I've an Air Classic in the neck of my ES-335 and couldn't be happier; it's a much better P/U for me than the Duncan '59, which was rather boomy and brittle toned in the neck. My current bridge P/U is DiMarzio's 36th Anni PAF, which is a little too middy and slightly too powerful for my purist tastes. I may well replace the 36th in the bridge with something more traditional.
The Air Classic is a wonderfully musical P/U: touch sensitive and possessing at least some mids, unlike the '59. A satisfying P/U, the Air Classic.