anyone else prefer dimarzios over duncans in thier jacksons?

[savage]

this is not a dimarzio is better than duncan thread but i found that in alder the dimarzio's have a extra warmth and are not harsh like the duncans i tried?
I tried a duncan JB and a custom, a DD,a dime,invader,demon,custom custom.
and none of these had the smoothness and warmth of the dimarzio's like the tone zone,norton,super D,steve special,breed
not that the duncans were not real good but not as smooth
this was more noticable with the bridge pups than the neck ones i tried
the 59,jazz,PG were are real good neck pups but when i went to the bridge duncan it was harsh
is it that duncans have more presence and highs?
seems to me that the duncan stuff is more suited for gibson types with a mahogany body and stop tail
the trem alder guitars like more warm pups

[straycat]

I agree to an extent.The model series Charvels sound best with DiMarzios for some reason Super Ds mostly have such a huge sound as do the steve's special.Now the alder or poplar Jacksons sound great with Duncans.DD,Custom etc.
This is just my observation.

[Flatpicker]

I'm a Dimarzio fan so I tend to prefer most guitars with them over Duncans.
Each has it's place, but I find most Duncans to be muddy to my ears.

[quiksilver]

I don't prefer the JB that most Jacksons come with, so I've started replacing mine with my favorite pickup, the DiMarzio Evolution.

[savage]

I don't prefer the JB that most Jacksons come with, so I've started replacing mine with my favorite pickup, the DiMarzio Evolution.

the JB in alder is really not a good choice and i dont understand why it is STOCK on most jacksons?
actually IF jackson insists on duncans OEM they should load the alder guitars with a custom
this duncan sounds good in all woods
the JB sounds best in basswood,poplar and mahogany

[quiksilver]

I think that sounds like a good idea. While I haven't had one myself, the SD Custom is widely praised - much moreso than the JB from what I've read. I did like the SD Custom Custom I once had, though that was in a maple-bodied guitar, so I don't know how I would like it in Alder.

[savage]

I agree to an extent.The model series Charvels sound best with DiMarzios for some reason Super Ds mostly have such a huge sound as do the steve's special.Now the alder or poplar Jacksons sound great with Duncans.DD,Custom etc.
This is just my observation.

I just took out a custom to try the dimarzio air zone and the air zone is much more dynamic,has more harmonics,is more open sounding and warmer/fatter overall in my alder dinky
as far as the model series charvels they are made from basswood which is a warmer toned wood than alder and i would think the brighter duncans would sound better in them?
i know the JB sounds like ass in alder compared to it in basswood
I did think the custom and DD were OK in alder but the dime,demon,JB,PG,
did not fair so well in it.
many have said that dimarzio do have more warmth than duncans while not getting muddy
if i dime the gain on my ENGL savage or powerball and play a full open E chord the notes are more distinct with the dimarzios than with the duncans i tried.
dimarzios seem to have great note seperation for whatever reason?

[savage]

FWIW,i originally used EMG's and these things are all about output and being quiet
they lack any real good tone or dynamics than passives posess
I cant believe i used em for as long as i did

[savage]

I think that sounds like a good idea. While I haven't had one myself, the SD Custom is widely praised - much moreso than the JB from what I've read. I did like the SD Custom Custom I once had, though that was in a maple-bodied guitar, so I don't know how I would like it in Alder.

the custom-custom is not real tight and does not have a lot of bass but has good tone in alder and
it reminds me a lot of older EVH with the right amp
it is one of the warmer duncans but i still like the air zone more since it is about the same thing with more bottom and more tightness for metal while still being able to do the older VH thang real well

[skull]

Im looking to buy some now pickups, but i really want the brightest sounding pickupis with lotsa gain + they must be passive. Im open to all possibilities.

Tnx!

[dannyr]

My favorite pick up is the Dimarzio Evolution, but I like the Duncans also. Duncan makes some excellent pickups and they all have their place.

[Flatpicker]

Im looking to buy some now pickups, but i really want the brightest sounding pickupis with lotsa gain + they must be passive. Im open to all possibilities.

Tnx!

Buckers or Singles?
What body wood are you installing them in?

[toejam]

I prefer DiMarzios for the most part, but I like to mix and match, too. I really liked the Duncan Custom I put in my old Schecter 7-string with a DiMarzio Blaze single coil in the neck.
I changed out the Duncan Custom 5 in my Star for a DiMarzio Tone Zone, because I was looking for something warmer and less scooped in the mids, and it's perfect, especially paired with the Duncan Jazz in the neck (I like brighter neck pups, so this is nice).

I really dig the Duncan '59 and Jazz models as neck pups. I thought the JB didn't sound all that great in my old Hamer Special FM, I think that pup is pretty overrated. I'm a big fan of DiMarzio Tone Zones, Super Distortions and X2Ns for bridge pups. And the Super 2 is an awesome neck pup to match with the Super D or X2N.
I don't think I'll change the Duncans in my Double Fat Strat, though. The '59 in the neck is a nice match with the Pearly Gates Plus. The PG+ can be a little bright, but it's not too bad, sounds pretty nice.

[toejam]

Im looking to buy some now pickups, but i really want the brightest sounding pickupis with lotsa gain + they must be passive. Im open to all possibilities.

Tnx!

Then you want a DiMarzio X2N in the bridge with a Super 2 in the neck!

[guitarsjb]

Yep, can't go wrong with the X2N.