Soloist USA Pickups - ACTUAL DiMarzio replacement experiences? - SL1, SL2,

[jeffbeck]

Hi Guys.

Noob here - so excuse any idiotic behavior from me?

Specific topic: Who has changed to (which) DiMarzio pickups in USA SOLOISTS, and what was your verdict?

I've searched on the forum and read all results for "soloist pickups".
But, a lot of the posts are old, and most are people asking/giving advice - not actual experiences.

So, I'm hoping I can get some help from you guys that HAVE SOLOISTs, that have actually changed their pickups!

Maybe I can narrow this question down by telling you what I'm playing through,
And, I MUST use Dimarzio Pickups, making choices much easier.

I plug direct in to my Marshall JMP-1 preamp to an effects unit, BBE, then a Marshall 9200 (2 separate 100w amps in a rack mount chassis) - goes into 4 speakers left, and 4 spkr right, a mix of Greenbacks, Vintage 30, and G-12H Heritage Series
So at this point, basically ANY guitar sounds pretty good!

MY issues with the SD stock Jackson pickups(s)
----------------------------------------
"ho-hum" I feel the JB/59 combo is boring, not sounding shi*ty, but not sounding amazing!
And my feeling is - I DO want something that does sound amazing!

Sterile: almost as sterile as an EMG 81? Not? Anyway it's a good word to describe it.

No musicality (imagine - a violin?) or when playing blues, slides, and legato. No Mojo from the stock stuff.
Think Zep Tones on "Since I've been Lovin you" (yes I know that was a les Paul.).. But I would like to dial in that 'kind' of tone from my Soloist. Why not?

I don't have 'enough' Pick attack, dynamics, roll-off volume knob tone is poor, harmonics, feedback (not without a overdrive pedal)

Note separation especially in chords is not good.

Soloist SL1 - Not able to dial in a syrupy, yet hollow, toneful single coil neck PU sound (Fender sound?) the H-S-S Model

WHO has upgraded - and had an experience - good or bad?

I'd like to have a:
Metal Soloist - chugging out thick, low frequency rhythm/power/open chords, and fast notes, with separation, definition, and quick attack after picking...

80's Soloist - rhythm crunch w/note separation, and lead tones - EVH type lead tones, no brittle ice pick treble, but soaring high freq lead passages with tonality (no buzz, or fizz). Fast riffs must be reproduced quickly by the pickup. The pickup has to deal with volume changes, pick attack, speed, slides/legato, tremolo, vibrato, and should produce tons of feedback and harmonics! Not as 'dark' sounding as the 'metal' soloist.

Vintage Soloist - I think I can handle that with Paf master or paf 36 anniversary.

I would really love a tremendous amount of dynamic response to the way the string is picked, abundant harmonics and feedback, and a huge tight bass sound without affecting the pickup's job on other strings. It must reproduce lead playing with screaming sustain but somehow creamy and delicious, with pick and finger sensitivity (for tapping), a sustain that becomes feedback and reveals harmonics, distorted/overdriven yet musical sounding with everything dimed.

Maybe I should take my 10-46 strings and add some heavier bottom strings...?

Sorry for that long description, and I hope other people can benefit from it..

Here's some combinations based on my reading forums and websites:
Bridge neck
-------------------------------
SD super2
Super3 super2
SD Paf Pro
D-Activator matched Set
Paf Master Paf Master (matched set)
Crunch Lab Liquifier
Tone Zone, Evo, Norton?

There's got to be a lot of pickup change information on the forum, so many people must have changed!
I'm willing to take the info I get and put it on a web page eventually - after testing with my guitars and pickups.

I plan to buy about 5 sets of pickups to evaluate..

Thanks

Jeff

[xenophobe]

I would really love a tremendous amount of dynamic response to the way the string is picked, abundant harmonics and feedback, and a huge tight bass sound without affecting the pickup's job on other strings. It must reproduce lead playing with screaming sustain but somehow creamy and delicious, with pick and finger sensitivity (for tapping), a sustain that becomes feedback and reveals harmonics, distorted/overdriven yet musical sounding with everything dimed.

A Super Distortion would do most of what you ask. EMG 85 as well. D'Activators are ok, but I still prefer the super distortion.

I absolutely hate the JB. I think it's mostly horrible unless you're playing 80's glam tunes which is mostly just strumming chords to solo over. It's good for that. But not much else.

[jeffbeck]

thank you -I assume you mean the Bridge position? . What you would you use in the neck position Humbucker? Or, on my SL1 I would need 2 single coils...I described in my post what I hoped they would sound like! Have you actually put the SD in a Soloist?

Thanks again.

[pro-fusion]

I have a Super 3 in my Charvel Model 5, which is basically a Soloist. It works really well for solos, since it's focused in the "vocal" sweet spot. Might not be the clearest pickup you can get, though...

[jeffbeck]

I have a Super 3 in my Charvel Model 5, which is basically a Soloist. It works really well for solos, since it's focused in the "vocal" sweet spot. Might not be the clearest pickup you can get, though...

Thanks. I assume you mean the bridge? And by 'not clear' - do you mean not cleaning up nicely with the vol knob or ??

[j2379]

Lately I've been putting a Duncan custom I'm all my guitars that need pickups. I just put a custom/59 combo in an old soloist and it's great.

[mantis]

I own a SL3 which is slightly different then your SL1. They have very similar tonal chartists as I have played them side by side when I was purchasing my SL3. I actually sat with the SL1 SL2 and the SL3 and came home with the SL3.
Mine is loaded with Hot rails by Seymour Duncan. They are warm fat and powerful. What a fantastic pickup and from what you just described you want in your tone, I would look there as well and not lock yourself into a brand. Dimarizo pickups are nice but are touchy and can sound very badly in many different guitars. I have swapped them out for your exact setup in the SL2 in the 59/jb combo. I removed a Tone Zone and a Evolution and the guitar sounded much better to me and the person who owns it. I did the work so I got to play it for awhile before I removed the pickups and installed the SD's.
The Japanese Model Charvels came with Dimarizo pickups in the So Cal and when the 2013 model MIM's came out with Distortions, I felt it was a HUGE upgrade. But then again it's very personal.
The SL1 with a Distortion in the bridge position would be killer if you ask me and probably most guys in here. Again going by what you described your looking for, The Distortion would do it well.
I have not put any Dimarizo pickups in any of my Guitars and my SL3 that has a JB in the Bridge I like for the most part. I would like something brighter and more mid range so I might wait to see what you do in your Sl1 and read your opinion since the Sl1 and SL3 sound almost exact when using the Bridge pickup. It's so close I played them side by side and I was floored how good the SL3 did against the SL1. I actually liked the Sl3 cleans better in the Neck position as the single coils in the Sl1 I don't like at all. I much prefer the Sl2 59 tone over that and the Sl3 Hot rail tone much better.

Good luck my friend , I'll be looking forward to your upgrade to see what you think.

[LRGman]

You just have to try them everyones different. Like last post talks about pulling tone zone and evloution. I have both of those pickups in bolt ons and the tone zone replaced a jb. Try a tone zone or a super dist is my advice. Im going to try the jason becker pickup myself in the bridge.

[jeffbeck]

Hi- OP here. Thanks for the replies. I do upgrades and repairs for myself and my buddies, and I am asking about pickups for myself, as well as for them. Most of the details in the OP - I want those sounds for MY Soloists.

Also I should clear up - I have 2 humbucker soloists, and Hum-single-single but they're all USA made, or custom shop.
So, maybe SL3 is incorrect?

Friends ask for advice or bring what pickups they've already chosen, and sometimes are very disappointed. I want to be able to help them choose, too.

I have an association with diMarzio so, that's why I asked about them - and many top pro players use them, so I don't see how they can be really bad. Maybe certain models (of any brand)...

Hoping for more info from Soloist owners who could not live with the stock setup for recording, playing live, playing Metal, or Blues, etc... and didn't want to sound like every other Soloist player out there! What did you do?

thanks

[toejam]

You just have to try them everyones different. Like last post talks about pulling tone zone and evloution. I have both of those pickups in bolt ons and the tone zone replaced a jb. Try a tone zone or a super dist is my advice. Im going to try the jason becker pickup myself in the bridge.

+1. I usually can't stand the JB and replace them with something else. In certain guitars, they can sound okay, but they're loose on the bass and typically muddy.
For a neck pup, I usually like the Duncan '59 or Jazz.

My Hamer got the JB swap out for a DiMarzio Norton, and it's much better, IMO. I also love the Tone Zone, X2N, Super Distortion and Super 2, as well as the 7-string version of the
D-Activators (never tried the 6-string).

[toejam]

Also I should clear up - I have 2 humbucker soloists, and Hum-single-single but they're all USA made, or custom shop.
So, maybe SL3 is incorrect?

SL3 was the Japanese version of the SL1, just rosewood board, no binding, import trem and Duncan Designed pickups. I believe later models got real Floyds and real Duncans.

[jeffbeck]

Thanks..

[goshac]

I've been experimenting with different pickups in my 2005 SL-1
For now i ended up with Steve's special in bridge & Air norton S in neck. in middle i have HS-3 single but i don't use it much
Steve's special is chunky rythm pickup that sounds great in solos too. Air norton S is phenomenal. they complete each other very good.

Before that i tried Paf Pro, JB, Tone Zone in Bridge...not sounded good
In neck i tried Fast track 1, it was not strong enough, too single coil sounding

In my Charvel 750XL i've put Duncan Custom TB-5 in bridge...fantastic! recommended too

[jeffbeck]

Great! I was considering PAF Pro but, in the Neck I think.

Can you describe what you didn't like about the tone zone in the bridge position ?
Thanks.

[goshac]

Tone zone has a very bass-low mid heavy sound. It sounds fantastic in Ibanez RG which is quite a trebly guitar, so they compensate each other.
Soloist is more balanced instrument and the tone zone sounds muddy, without enough definition in it.
Soloists wood construction produces overall balanced sound, however the mids are very dominant, that's why Steve's special and Duncan Custom, whos mids are slightly rolled back, but still have a balanced sound are a success in Soloist