Why do people talk more about Dimarzios here than Duncans?
- Thread starter JSS
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HeadBanginologist
Re: Why do people talk more about Dimarzios here than Duncans?
half this board?
i dont knwo about that, but people are more open minded here as to what tone they want. if they cant find that tone with a duncan, try dimarzio, or emg, or whatever.
i use both but i like them equally, i have a super distortion and i havd a Custom. i love both, they both sound great so im not complaining
half this board?
i dont knwo about that, but people are more open minded here as to what tone they want. if they cant find that tone with a duncan, try dimarzio, or emg, or whatever.
i use both but i like them equally, i have a super distortion and i havd a Custom. i love both, they both sound great so im not complaining
strat_master
New member
Re: Why do people talk more about Dimarzios here than Duncans?
ya somewhat it seems like that, but what can you do. EMG, dimarzio, and otehrs dont have a forum....me im a duncan user of course!
ya somewhat it seems like that, but what can you do. EMG, dimarzio, and otehrs dont have a forum....me im a duncan user of course!
Re: Why do people talk more about Dimarzios here than Duncans?
Dimarzios get talk on here but not at the expense of Duncans. I don't know who exactly is "advertising"....sounds more like people are recommending the right pickup for the job rather than recommending something that may not be right for someone or to their taste.
Personally, I would rather take advice on here from someone who has used both brands because they offer very different lines of pickups rather than someone trying to shove one brand down my throat trying to make a square peg fit in a circle hole.
Dimarzios get talk on here but not at the expense of Duncans. I don't know who exactly is "advertising"....sounds more like people are recommending the right pickup for the job rather than recommending something that may not be right for someone or to their taste.
Personally, I would rather take advice on here from someone who has used both brands because they offer very different lines of pickups rather than someone trying to shove one brand down my throat trying to make a square peg fit in a circle hole.
wasteofo2
Oxygen-Enriched Tonologist
Re: Why do people talk more about Dimarzios here than Duncans?
I've been on other guitar-related forums which have nothing to do with any specific pickup manufacturer. Of all the polls I see, people prefer SD's to any other aftermarket pickup maker out there. Also, I believe B2D said that the vast majority of people buying aftermarket pickups at GC buy SD. Being that SD apparently has the advantage over everyone else, I can't imagine that they think if someone is exposed to a DiMarzio or EMG that they'll just forget about SD.
I've been on other guitar-related forums which have nothing to do with any specific pickup manufacturer. Of all the polls I see, people prefer SD's to any other aftermarket pickup maker out there. Also, I believe B2D said that the vast majority of people buying aftermarket pickups at GC buy SD. Being that SD apparently has the advantage over everyone else, I can't imagine that they think if someone is exposed to a DiMarzio or EMG that they'll just forget about SD.
rspst14
Tone Cat
Re: Why do people talk more about Dimarzios here than Duncans?
There are some occasional Dimarzio threads, but I wouldn't say they are in the majority. The fact that Duncan forbids bashing the competition on their message board speaks volumes as to what kind of company they really are.
Ryan
There are some occasional Dimarzio threads, but I wouldn't say they are in the majority. The fact that Duncan forbids bashing the competition on their message board speaks volumes as to what kind of company they really are.
Ryan
Re: Why do people talk more about Dimarzios here than Duncans?
Also, another way to look at it is from a sales standpoint where it's good to acknowledge your competitors. One thing I've learned is that pushing the wrong product down a customers throat isn't the best thing necessarily just because it's your product.
Why shove a pickup down someones throat that may not be right for them....they're gonna end up ditching it anyway and lose trust in your company.
Case and point is that Duncan really only has two humbuckers that are mostly mids with the treble and bass cut back...the Custom Custom and the Active Metal Live Wire. One is fairly low output and one is extremely high output not to mention active. What if someone wants a pickup with a good dose of mids but with a ceramic mag and a good amount of output but not insane output??
Well Duncan doesn't make one....why wouldn't you recommend a Dimarzio instead of recommending something that the person isn't going to be happy with and then that person might go around saying that "Duncans suck...blah blah blah" instead of "Duncans aren't really the pickup I'm looking for".
I see this time and time again on here not to mention that some people don't understand a particular pickup doesn't sound the same in all guitars and other pickups/brands might fit the bill.
Case and point is that I have two super strats....one with an ebony fretboard and one with rosewood. The JB sounds shrill and awful in the ebony boarded one...way too bright. On the other hand it sounds perfect in the rosewood boarded guitar. For the ebony I had to get something with the treble cut way back but with about the same output. None of the other Duncans fit the bill...I ended up with the Super 3 in that guitar....cause that's what worked.
I also hear time and time again, "well this company's pickups suck." Why? "Oh I just dont' like the company"......WTF??
Yeah, that's an unbiased opinion I'll trust..... :laugh2:
Also, another way to look at it is from a sales standpoint where it's good to acknowledge your competitors. One thing I've learned is that pushing the wrong product down a customers throat isn't the best thing necessarily just because it's your product.
Why shove a pickup down someones throat that may not be right for them....they're gonna end up ditching it anyway and lose trust in your company.
Case and point is that Duncan really only has two humbuckers that are mostly mids with the treble and bass cut back...the Custom Custom and the Active Metal Live Wire. One is fairly low output and one is extremely high output not to mention active. What if someone wants a pickup with a good dose of mids but with a ceramic mag and a good amount of output but not insane output??
Well Duncan doesn't make one....why wouldn't you recommend a Dimarzio instead of recommending something that the person isn't going to be happy with and then that person might go around saying that "Duncans suck...blah blah blah" instead of "Duncans aren't really the pickup I'm looking for".
I see this time and time again on here not to mention that some people don't understand a particular pickup doesn't sound the same in all guitars and other pickups/brands might fit the bill.
Case and point is that I have two super strats....one with an ebony fretboard and one with rosewood. The JB sounds shrill and awful in the ebony boarded one...way too bright. On the other hand it sounds perfect in the rosewood boarded guitar. For the ebony I had to get something with the treble cut way back but with about the same output. None of the other Duncans fit the bill...I ended up with the Super 3 in that guitar....cause that's what worked.
I also hear time and time again, "well this company's pickups suck." Why? "Oh I just dont' like the company"......WTF??
Yeah, that's an unbiased opinion I'll trust..... :laugh2:
midnite_man
New member
Re: Why do people talk more about Dimarzios here than Duncans?
Huh? Sorry, but gotta raise the flag on this one. I think you may be confusing comparison with advertising. What is written here is for the most part by it's members and not by DiMarzio or SD ad-men.
:bsflag:
JSS said:
Huh? Sorry, but gotta raise the flag on this one. I think you may be confusing comparison with advertising. What is written here is for the most part by it's members and not by DiMarzio or SD ad-men.
:bsflag:
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Lightning
New member
Re: Why do people talk more about Dimarzios here than Duncans?
In the early sixties Link Ray took natural tube distortion to the next level by slitting his speakers with a razor blade.
Then came the germanium transistor fuzz box which was replaced by the FET transistor fuzz in the beginning of '70s.
Simutaneously Jim Marshall went on tour with Hendrix and modified Jimi's amps to his liking.
Earlier Lanie built an amp for Toni Iomi with 2 gain stages to the power amp and the output of those 2 gain stages feeding another 2 gain stages (=4 gains) feeding the power amp.
Simutaneously Duane Allman was having his Marshall 4 gain modded.
Hence, we should call the first factory hot rodded marshalls the Hendrex Mod and the JCM 900 the Duane Mod and no one produces the Iomi Mod amp, although those amps show up on eBay and go for a pretty penny.
In the early '90s Jerry Cantrell hit the Seattle thing with the JB and a pre designated what would be the JCM 800 (Hendrix Mod) amp.
For the first time the PU played as important a role as the amp.
In '90 no one was making a Duane modded amp so the JB was it. Through the 90s, the JB through a Jimi modded or the first 800s was it.
Then came the anniversary Marshalls, the introduction of the 900 (the Duane Mod). Steve Morse was the first anniversary (900) I heard. He switched to Peavy VTMs after that (single chanel 900 copy).
So what happens after the advent of the 4 gain pre? SD custom type pickups. That PU coupled with a 4 gain pre...Now you don't have to say Duane Allman anymore. Duane works now and is representive of everything I just said.
To answer your question...Seymour has heard a lot of good music in his day, the cilia on his ear drums is left to what is remaining.
In the 80s he produced PUs that changed rock' n roll. Now that everyone produces Duane modded amps and we can have what we want without slitting our speakes with razor blades we want more mids.
SD does not make a #42 10k PU and DMZ does (they are producing a few in this range.
Seymour doesn't hear the need for this PU. I, like Seymour, don't hear the need for this PU but know I need it just to save what is left of my hearing.
I'm impressed with the young guys here that are asking for it early on, while they can still hear treble.
IMO that's all the fuss about DMZ these days.
Fortunately there's a little piece of America left (thanks to the SD forum) where someone can say why the shift has occured.
Please forgive me for being a fourm natzi in the past and thanks for the space. Later, Chuck
In the early sixties Link Ray took natural tube distortion to the next level by slitting his speakers with a razor blade.
Then came the germanium transistor fuzz box which was replaced by the FET transistor fuzz in the beginning of '70s.
Simutaneously Jim Marshall went on tour with Hendrix and modified Jimi's amps to his liking.
Earlier Lanie built an amp for Toni Iomi with 2 gain stages to the power amp and the output of those 2 gain stages feeding another 2 gain stages (=4 gains) feeding the power amp.
Simutaneously Duane Allman was having his Marshall 4 gain modded.
Hence, we should call the first factory hot rodded marshalls the Hendrex Mod and the JCM 900 the Duane Mod and no one produces the Iomi Mod amp, although those amps show up on eBay and go for a pretty penny.
In the early '90s Jerry Cantrell hit the Seattle thing with the JB and a pre designated what would be the JCM 800 (Hendrix Mod) amp.
For the first time the PU played as important a role as the amp.
In '90 no one was making a Duane modded amp so the JB was it. Through the 90s, the JB through a Jimi modded or the first 800s was it.
Then came the anniversary Marshalls, the introduction of the 900 (the Duane Mod). Steve Morse was the first anniversary (900) I heard. He switched to Peavy VTMs after that (single chanel 900 copy).
So what happens after the advent of the 4 gain pre? SD custom type pickups. That PU coupled with a 4 gain pre...Now you don't have to say Duane Allman anymore. Duane works now and is representive of everything I just said.
To answer your question...Seymour has heard a lot of good music in his day, the cilia on his ear drums is left to what is remaining.
In the 80s he produced PUs that changed rock' n roll. Now that everyone produces Duane modded amps and we can have what we want without slitting our speakes with razor blades we want more mids.
SD does not make a #42 10k PU and DMZ does (they are producing a few in this range.
Seymour doesn't hear the need for this PU. I, like Seymour, don't hear the need for this PU but know I need it just to save what is left of my hearing.
I'm impressed with the young guys here that are asking for it early on, while they can still hear treble.
IMO that's all the fuss about DMZ these days.
Fortunately there's a little piece of America left (thanks to the SD forum) where someone can say why the shift has occured.
Please forgive me for being a fourm natzi in the past and thanks for the space. Later, Chuck
Re: Why do people talk more about Dimarzios here than Duncans?
Thanks for the history lesson and forgive my ignorance but I'm still a little confused by it.
When you imply(or at least I think you do) that Dimarzio and Duncan both fulfill different needs I think you're right for the most part.
However, I'm not clear on what those needs are in regard to treble/mids as you state them.
Also, I think Dimarzio did play a role in the 80's as well although admittedly not as much as Duncan.
Lightning said:
Thanks for the history lesson and forgive my ignorance but I'm still a little confused by it.
When you imply(or at least I think you do) that Dimarzio and Duncan both fulfill different needs I think you're right for the most part.
However, I'm not clear on what those needs are in regard to treble/mids as you state them.
Also, I think Dimarzio did play a role in the 80's as well although admittedly not as much as Duncan.
RG 2570
New member
Re: Why do people talk more about Dimarzios here than Duncans?
I think once if they do ever get a forum dimarzio users wont be here unless they use both companies pups.
dimarzio and duncan are night and day and cant be compared.
dimarzio's seem to be best for a heavily processed tone ala vai,petrucci,
whereas the duncan stuff tends to have a rawer tone,and more true
ever dimarzio i have tried has left me wanting something else,so i decided to go duncan now :burnout:
I think once if they do ever get a forum dimarzio users wont be here unless they use both companies pups.
dimarzio and duncan are night and day and cant be compared.
dimarzio's seem to be best for a heavily processed tone ala vai,petrucci,
whereas the duncan stuff tends to have a rawer tone,and more true
ever dimarzio i have tried has left me wanting something else,so i decided to go duncan now :burnout:
Re: Why do people talk more about Dimarzios here than Duncans?
Jeez guys. I have to say that I've used DiMarzios in the past. At that time, I was just trying to get lots of gain to drive my amps. But, I switched after I found myself sounding thin next to the other guitarist in the band (this was in about '93). I tried several DiMarzios, but I was always just too thin sounding. Swapped out my PAF Pro for a JB. Great improvement, to my ears. Around '97 I decided to give DiMarzio another chance, and I left the HS-3 pups in my old Yngwie Strat. They sounded passable, just not great. I liked them humbucking, so I ordered a couple more. After about 6 months, I put my extra HS's in a guitar and sold it and sold the Yngwie Strat because I just couldn't take that narrow spectrum of tone anymore.
So, no, I don't like DiMarzios by and far. I don't dig the sound or the dubious business practices (the former is more important than the latter; I do, after all, play Fenders, too). But if YOU like them, by all means play them.
Farkus
Jeez guys. I have to say that I've used DiMarzios in the past. At that time, I was just trying to get lots of gain to drive my amps. But, I switched after I found myself sounding thin next to the other guitarist in the band (this was in about '93). I tried several DiMarzios, but I was always just too thin sounding. Swapped out my PAF Pro for a JB. Great improvement, to my ears. Around '97 I decided to give DiMarzio another chance, and I left the HS-3 pups in my old Yngwie Strat. They sounded passable, just not great. I liked them humbucking, so I ordered a couple more. After about 6 months, I put my extra HS's in a guitar and sold it and sold the Yngwie Strat because I just couldn't take that narrow spectrum of tone anymore.
So, no, I don't like DiMarzios by and far. I don't dig the sound or the dubious business practices (the former is more important than the latter; I do, after all, play Fenders, too). But if YOU like them, by all means play them.
Farkus
Lightning
New member
Re: Why do people talk more about Dimarzios here than Duncans?
Ranalli,
I was ****eyed when I wrote that but reading it now it still makes sense to me. Most people who use bright distorted guitars are treble hearing deficient. I know I am and I love the JB/DD. I don't know how Seymour sets the tone on his amp so I shouldn't have included him in the group of old rockers minus some cilia. Seymour I apologize.
The point of my post is that the millenium sound is a gutsy mid range mainly cause of 4 gain stage amps table topping the sign wave (killing the treble) and most of the young guys here are looking for even more. Seymour needs to address this if he wants to be the main contributor for this decade as well.
Ranalli,
I was ****eyed when I wrote that but reading it now it still makes sense to me. Most people who use bright distorted guitars are treble hearing deficient. I know I am and I love the JB/DD. I don't know how Seymour sets the tone on his amp so I shouldn't have included him in the group of old rockers minus some cilia. Seymour I apologize.
The point of my post is that the millenium sound is a gutsy mid range mainly cause of 4 gain stage amps table topping the sign wave (killing the treble) and most of the young guys here are looking for even more. Seymour needs to address this if he wants to be the main contributor for this decade as well.
beandip
Frito's Better Half
Re: Why do people talk more about Dimarzios here than Duncans?
I think Seymour will do ok, since now it seems that more "vintage styled" music is comming back. Emo seems to be the main thang around on MTV and such, and it seems that they're using more vintage styled gear. The Nu-Metal and the Mesa's on top of Mesa's on top of Mesa's being pushed by 60 distortion pedals fad seems to be fading, and if it does, SD will remain the leader. and I can backup B2D's saying that SD's sell more than any other pup maker. When I worked at the local music shop (which sucks now by the way) SD's and Rio Grandes were all people asked for. The metalheads didnt even know that you could change pickups, the Emo kids all wanted JB's and the Blues guys want the RG Deul Calibrated set, SSL-1's, or Ants. The Ants and JB's are probably what kept us in business.
I think Seymour will do ok, since now it seems that more "vintage styled" music is comming back. Emo seems to be the main thang around on MTV and such, and it seems that they're using more vintage styled gear. The Nu-Metal and the Mesa's on top of Mesa's on top of Mesa's being pushed by 60 distortion pedals fad seems to be fading, and if it does, SD will remain the leader. and I can backup B2D's saying that SD's sell more than any other pup maker. When I worked at the local music shop (which sucks now by the way) SD's and Rio Grandes were all people asked for. The metalheads didnt even know that you could change pickups, the Emo kids all wanted JB's and the Blues guys want the RG Deul Calibrated set, SSL-1's, or Ants. The Ants and JB's are probably what kept us in business
.Re: Why do people talk more about Dimarzios here than Duncans?
DiMarzio has as many differently voiced pups as can be, mid heavy, mid and bass heavy (with or without extra harmonics),bright pups with scooped mids, bright pups with mids in tact ... upper mid, lower mid,wide or spiked mid, or scooped with ample bass and treble ... low output, medium output, high output, fairly flat eq, vintage voiced pups (fairly well balanced with a bit of mid dip ... think a paf),etc. So the choices for the individual to make are certainly there ... I wasn't aware that SD was lacking in any choices per se' (regarding the two pups with predominant mids) ... apparently the SD clients aren't asking for more, so they must be happy with what SD has to offer...
So I don't get the current trend thing comparisons. I think that DMZ was just as much a part of the 80's as SD was ... funny thing, I never liked the tones that the guys were getting with their SD loaded guitars, but can I blame the pups ... probably not.
The statement about DMZ pups being better with heavily processed stuff, and SD being better straight into the amp doesn't hold water with me, as I like my DMZs either way. To suggest that either company has any one thing in there pups that make them more suitable in a certain application; in an across the board comparison, is in itself a failling of logical thought process.
Regarding comments of business practices ... Well, there are two sides to every story, and I don't get caught up in such dribble.
Lightning said:
DiMarzio has as many differently voiced pups as can be, mid heavy, mid and bass heavy (with or without extra harmonics),bright pups with scooped mids, bright pups with mids in tact ... upper mid, lower mid,wide or spiked mid, or scooped with ample bass and treble ... low output, medium output, high output, fairly flat eq, vintage voiced pups (fairly well balanced with a bit of mid dip ... think a paf),etc. So the choices for the individual to make are certainly there ... I wasn't aware that SD was lacking in any choices per se' (regarding the two pups with predominant mids) ... apparently the SD clients aren't asking for more, so they must be happy with what SD has to offer...
So I don't get the current trend thing comparisons. I think that DMZ was just as much a part of the 80's as SD was ... funny thing, I never liked the tones that the guys were getting with their SD loaded guitars, but can I blame the pups ... probably not.
The statement about DMZ pups being better with heavily processed stuff, and SD being better straight into the amp doesn't hold water with me, as I like my DMZs either way. To suggest that either company has any one thing in there pups that make them more suitable in a certain application; in an across the board comparison, is in itself a failling of logical thought process.
Regarding comments of business practices ... Well, there are two sides to every story, and I don't get caught up in such dribble.
