DiMarzio Tone Zone and Super Distortion

[pro-fusion]

Re: DiMarzio Tone Zone and Super Distortion

I really like the Super Distortion in my Fusion Pro. Very luscious--screams, but not in a shrill way. But that's in a guitar with a basswood body. I can see how it might suck in an alder body--it sounded like crap in my Charvel 650xl neckthru. The Super Distortion requires easing back on the volume quite a bit to clean up, though. But then, I tend to play all of my stuff with the guitar volume just above 3/4 high. Rounds the sound out a bit.

[charvelguy]

Re: DiMarzio Tone Zone and Super Distortion

Btw, I used Super Distortions in my Gibsons and Fenders all thru the 80's. I used them in SG's from early 60's and early 70's. I had one in my main axe for 12 years.. a '75 strat of very dense ash, old style '81 warmoth maple/maple neck.. it's a sizzlin pickup, but it's great, just depends on how you use it. I always potted mine to keep the microphonics down.

[Riffmeister]

Re: DiMarzio Tone Zone and Super Distortion

I use the Tone Zone in the Bridge of both my guitars and an Air Norton in the neck.

I searched through every Duncan and a couple Dimarzios looking for the sound I wanted and the TZ was it.

In my soloist(neck through,alder body, Floyd and Ebony board) I get that early EVH sound. It's very fat and Chunky, but smooth and the Harmonics scream out of it.

In my Kelley (bolt on, poplar, floyd., rosewood board) it seems to have a bit more sizzle and higher out put. I don't know if the lower tuning has anything to do with that or not.

The TZ does clean up very well as some of the other guys have said. The closest thing in a Duncan is the Custom Custom, which I did like very much, but The TZ made it easier to get harmonics with it.

To be honest, the main reason I switched from the Custom Custom to the Tone Zone was because It is offered in a ton of colors. I like purple pup's for some reason, BUT I would not let that keep me from using the better sounding pup. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Dimarzio has a 30 day return policy, Duncans is 21, and I got a replacement Dimarzio in a week and Duncan took 5 weeks. No kidding.

[Dreamland_Rebel]

Re: DiMarzio Tone Zone and Super Distortion

try the SD EVH (evenly voiced harmonics) it might just be up your ally. or the screamin deamon. i have the deamon in my fernandes and it's full of tone! not very airy though, if thats what you are looking for. but i find it quit pleasing if you have an airy sounding rig. it really cuts through. personly i'd like to hear the custom custom in a bridge position on an alder and on a mohagony body. from what i've read about it and viewing its tone chart on the SD websight, i'm anxious to hear it at the bridge. tones of mids which is really the only frequency range that the electric guitar is physically capable of putting out. all the rest is made by amps eq's and pickups. just my 2 cents worth. i'm still an emg fan hehheh.

[thingman]

Re: DiMarzio Tone Zone and Super Distortion

Hey charvelguy,
How do you pot your pickups? is there a step by step method I could try this?

thanks

[charvelguy]

Re: DiMarzio Tone Zone and Super Distortion

I haven't done this in like 10+ years as I seem to recall the manufacturers started doing a lite coat so people didnt do this type of thing all the time. All the pickups I potted were Dimarzio SD's from the late 70's and early 80's.

I have used a light coat of parafin before as I had no clue as to what kind of wax to use.
Many years later, EVH revealed that he used a surfboard wax.

I don't recall the specific brand VH used..maybe someone here recalls what it was. Something like "luv wax" or something... I believe it was more of a beeswax, or a beeswax blend which would be even finer and much more desireable than parafin. You can buy beeswax honeycomb candles and melt a couple down. I don't want to start a debate but I believe the type of wax might effect the result as well, so the better the wax, the better the results.

I just took a small saucepan like a 1QT and melted enough wax to give me 2"-2 1/2" liquid wax.
Using the tangs...you can tie some string, or suspend it with a couple spoons (string would be better so you won't be holding it suspended as it cools).. whatever you have lying about that will work that isnt going to melt.

Thats the thing you have to be careful about..melting the bobbins..so I would start at a pretty low melting temp for the wax..like 200 degrees F, may take a few minutes but keep it pretty low to 200F... just so it's liquid and hot.
I think I might've taken the tape off as the windings as well, but be extra careful when working around the windings.

Just dunk it in, hold it for about 15-20 seconds, (or so,the longer the better) keeping your eyeballs on it, pull it out, let it suspend dry for a bit till it's set,(takes minutes to cool) once it gets set, you could even pop it in the freezer to super cool it... then reapply if desired another time.
The thing is, you want the wax to soak into the windings as much as possible, but like I said, keep an eye on the bobbins. I've never melted one, but I wouldnt want to be responsible for someone elses going up because it was a newer different brand pickup. I think Seymour Duncan pots his stuff.

One or two times should be suffice..If I recall correctly, the point is to freeze everything in place so the possibility for minute vibration in the windings doesn't cause unwanted microphonics in a high volume application. you'll still get feedback from the pickup, it just should eliminate the real uncontrollable squeal kind.
I don't recall where I first read that either, it was a long time ago.. maybe it was a GP article with Boston's Tom Scholz or EVH, I dont recall which I seen do it first.

[ February 21, 2003, 10:35 AM: Message edited by: charvelguy ]

[sully]

Re: DiMarzio Tone Zone and Super Distortion

hey chuck,

what ended your love affair with the tone zones? i remember when you slapped one in, you were pretty happy with it. i'm considering putting one in the firebird i'm workin on. it's an alder body, quilt maple top, and the neck will be maple/ebony. think i'll be better with a jb?

sully

[OklaStrat]

Re: DiMarzio Tone Zone and Super Distortion

Go for the JB, sully. Or... my favorite pickup right now is a Custom Custom Custom from Duncan. I know, that sounds redundant/redundant... it was a custom shop only pickup that retailed for around $200, got it in a trade deal with a processor for a ton o' pickups from a guy who was endorsed by Seymour Duncan. They make a regular production model now I think. Mine has great output, a little more harmonics, and is a lot like a GREAT JB on steroids.

Only bad thing about JBs are that they can sound like God or Dog - I think part of it is the fact that they really bring out the tonal qualities of the guitar - a piece of plywood with a JB is likely going to sound like crap, imho.. and also I think they have had different versions or the QC on those pickups suck. But a good JB in a great guitar is an amazing tone.

pete

[Chuckracer]

Re: DiMarzio Tone Zone and Super Distortion

Good description, Pete. I generally prefer the custom series myself.
Sully, I was real impressed with the Tone Zone at low volumes in my house, but with the band, I was always digging in a little harder trying to pull something out of the pickup it just didn't have. It is a real smooth, sweet sounding pickup, but in a band situation it got washed out.

[Bruce Weaver]

Re: DiMarzio Tone Zone and Super Distortion

I just had my DR3 refitted with a Fred (neck) and Norton (bridge), both coil tapped. This set up is absolutely amazing. I'm not sophisticated enough to describe harmonics and output, but I can say I just like to way it sounds. I can get a super wide range of tones, and backing off on the tone control still gives a real pleasing tone. Every other guitar I've played just sounds muddy when you back up on tone. Norton crunches as well as anything I've heard.

When I brought the DR3 to my last lesson, my teacher spent over half my time just playing my guitar! He was absolutely blown away, and he demonstrated it to everyone else in the store. He and I both agree that my DR3 sounds better than his American Strat with it's new JB.

Obviously, I'm real happy with my DR3. It'll handle my meager talents for a long time to come. So much so that I've decided to sell my SL4. I'm seriously considering a Tone Zone in my next guitar.

[thingman]

Re: DiMarzio Tone Zone and Super Distortion

thanks for the description charvelguy!

I found this link pretty informative too

http://www.guitarnuts.com/technical/...cal/index.html

[terrax]

Re: DiMarzio Tone Zone and Super Distortion

jb's tend to be really responsive in different guitars. I have one in my yamaha ty tabor model, and it sounds great. I had one in another guitar and it sounded like muddy doo doo.

as for the dimarzio's, the super distortion (to me) sounds buzzy, the tone zone is smoother, better all round pickup. I have several of them in different guitars, and used to be my favorite, until i met the anderson h2+ [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

all really really subjective. with the dimarzio's you can return them for others if you dont eat up all the lead wire. so i would find a shop that will work with you, on trying them out.

Dave

[Boxcar Willie 84]

Re: DiMarzio Tone Zone and Super Distortion

I think I have noticed what I don't like about the JB...there are too many mids in it for my taste. Can you recommend something that's about the same as a JB, but with less mids?

[rstites]

Re: DiMarzio Tone Zone and Super Distortion

Give the Custom a shot. It's similar in output to the JB, but has a more even response.

[Boxcar Willie 84]

Re: DiMarzio Tone Zone and Super Distortion

Thanks, will do!