Which DiMarzios have about the same output as the Duncan Distortion?

Rex_Rocker

Well-known member
... and the Black Winter?

My experience is that the JB is around is about as loud as the Dominion. Perhaps a hair less than the Tone Zone.

How about the DD? Which DiMarzios are about as hot?

Just wondering.

:)
 
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Re: Which DiMarzios have about the same output as the Duncan Distortion?

It’s a very similar pickup to the Super Distortion.

Also I think the Tone Zone is clearer sounding than the JB. Probably due to each coil being wound with different gauge wire.


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Re: Which DiMarzios have about the same output as the Duncan Distortion?

Thanks!

I always thought the Custom was more closely related to the Super Distortion. I've never tried a Custom, though, and I only had a Super Distortion ages ago. It was the first aftermarket pickup I ever bought.
 
Re: Which DiMarzios have about the same output as the Duncan Distortion?

No, the super, and custom are similar in that they use roughly the same number of turns of 43, but that’s where the similarities end. The super sounds quite a bit different because of its larger magnet, and fatter shorter poles.

There are many dimarzio’s that are just as hot as the dd, but none that are a direct replacement sound wise. You could put a double thick ceramic magnet in something like an at-1 and get something close. You could likewise do the same for the dominion or breed. They would sound different than a dd.
 
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Re: Which DiMarzios have about the same output as the Duncan Distortion?

Personally, I've never found a DiMarzio that sounds like a Seymour Duncan. Especially the 80's era SD Distortion model.
 
Re: Which DiMarzios have about the same output as the Duncan Distortion?

I don't mean that sound similar, just that have roughtly about the same output.

The Dominion is much tighter/drier/thinner than the JB, yet side by side, when played through a clean channel or when recording DI's, you notice their output levels are very close.

On the DiMarzio mV scale, where would the Duncan Distortion fit? Around the Evo mark? Super Distortion? Super 3?
 
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Re: Which DiMarzios have about the same output as the Duncan Distortion?

The X2n is really close, and the only DiMarzio I even like.
 
Re: Which DiMarzios have about the same output as the Duncan Distortion?

Really? I would've thought the X2N was in Dimebucker levels of output.
 
Re: Which DiMarzios have about the same output as the Duncan Distortion?

Output wise a lot of their models will be close to a DD, anything that’s in the high 300’s to 400mv will be close in output, so you have most of their high power models to choose from, but the problem is that the perceived output is more so contingent on what frequency range is more excited, so the number in itself isn’t a good indicator of what your ear is going to perceive as an equal level. remember don’t look at the dcr of the pickups either, Dimarzio often will use tricks to increase the total inductance of the pickup while keeping the wire gauge reasonable, this will actually make the pickup’s resonance frequency less damped which will directly affect output.

The closest you will probably get without changing anything, or swiping magnets is the evolution bridge followed by the dactivator. If you feel like magnet swapping, a tone zone with double thick ceramic will for sure give you something monstrous. I’ve only done it once to a TZ, completely changed the vibe of that one, and it was ridiculously aggressive afterwards. Of course this would also be the case if you swapped magnets in the at-1, and breed which would be the next two I would look at for something more closely following the dd’s output. Or if you wanted something a little cooler sounding double thick ceramic in a gravity storm.
 
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Re: Which DiMarzios have about the same output as the Duncan Distortion?

Interesting. I suspected the Evo would be close, it's just the DCR that threw me off. But then again, like you said, DiMarzio has several tricks around that.

Thanks for the replies! :)
 
Re: Which DiMarzios have about the same output as the Duncan Distortion?

Output wise a lot of their models will be close to a DD, anything that’s in the high 300’s to 400mv will be close in output, so you have most of their high power models to choose from, but the problem is that the perceived output is more so contingent on what frequency range is more excited, so the number in itself isn’t a good indicator of what your ear is going to perceive as an equal level. remember don’t look at the dcr of the pickups either, Dimarzio often will use tricks to increase the total inductance of the pickup while keeping the wire gauge reasonable, this will actually make the pickup’s resonance frequency less damped which will directly affect output.

The closest you will probably get without changing anything, or swiping magnets is the evolution bridge followed by the dactivator. If you feel like magnet swapping, a tone zone with double thick ceramic will for sure give you something monstrous. I’ve only done it once to a TZ, completely changed the vibe of that one, and it was ridiculously aggressive afterwards. Of course this would also be the case if you swapped magnets in the at-1, and breed which would be the next two I would look at for something more closely following the dd’s output. Or if you wanted something a little cooler sounding double thick ceramic in a gravity storm.

No issues swapping magnets in the Dimarzio? I had heard somewhere that they may have glued the magnets in place....no?
 
Re: Which DiMarzios have about the same output as the Duncan Distortion?

No issues swapping magnets in the Dimarzio? I had heard somewhere that they may have glued the magnets in place....no?

Only Some of the models like the super line and others that use the fatter hex slugs use a silicon type caulking material to hold the magnet to the base plate, and to give the bobbins some cushion. it’s easy to pry off with a heat gun on low or a hair drier, just be careful and finesse it. I usually take a small screw driver and carefully pry as much off as I can first.E371506C-861B-49C1-A673-3A571308380C.jpg

I haven’t noticed the caulking like stuff on any of the models that use keepers for the longer Allen poles, or slug and screw type models, just wax.
 
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Re: Which DiMarzios have about the same output as the Duncan Distortion?

So would a D-Sonic be close to the output of a Duncan Distortion? Or would it be hotter or less hot?
 
Re: Which DiMarzios have about the same output as the Duncan Distortion?

So would a D-Sonic be close to the output of a Duncan Distortion? Or would it be hotter or less hot?

I would say maybe a little weaker, but close. but again, because the d sonic emphasizes a different frequency range, it might seem cleaner and les compressed (thus weaker) than the dd. The d sonic is really a pickup with a design goal in mind, and that’s staying big yet focused for dropped tunings. The dd has a lot of grind and tooth in the upper mids which will make it seem stronger, and compressed in comparison simply because it’s a dirtier sounding pickup.
 
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