I Better Like The Dimarzios I Picked Out

[zw470]

Huge EMG fanboy (obviously), but I have another Ibanez on the way and nothing they offer fits the vibe I was going for.



Not expecting a "passive EMG 81" sound but based on the clips I listened to I think I'll enjoy the Super 3. I am a little bummed the Allparts knobs don't match the bobbins, though

 

[Crungy]

Maybe you'll dig them. If not, you might have to get some customized EMG's.

As far as EMG'S and Dimarzios I went from a 707TWX-R to a PAF7 and there was very little difference in tone and output.

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

Out of all the passives (lots of DiMarzios included) I tried, the Super 3 bridge and PAF Pro neck is probably the closest combination I found to a passive 81/60 set. it's still not 100% there but that's practically impossible due to designs.

 

[technomancer]

It was a dark day when DiMarzio stopped making knobs and switch tips

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

It was a dark day when DiMarzio stopped making knobs and switch tips

And stopped selling polepieces direct.

 

[Shask]

Out of all the passives (lots of DiMarzios included) I tried, the Super 3 bridge and PAF Pro neck is probably the closest combination I found to a passive 81/60 set. it's still not 100% there but that's practically impossible due to designs.

Weird, as you would think a pickup advertised as having a lot of bass wouldnt be anything like an EMG 81.

 

[lattjeful]

It was a dark day when DiMarzio stopped making knobs and switch tips

Driving me nuts trying to find a cream knob that match the zebra DiMarzio humbucker I have for my baritone Strat project. Dark days indeed.

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

Weird, as you would think a pickup advertised as having a lot of bass wouldnt be anything like an EMG 81.

Every experience I had with the Super 3 is that the mids seem to overpower everything lol. Like I'm not getting that supermassive bass that's usually advertised. The extremely crunchy mids are just so present.
I will say I've had a strong urge to go back to the 81/60 set though. Most likely doing that with my G&L ASAT I got coming

 

[Shask]

Every experience I had with the Super 3 is that the mids seem to overpower everything lol. Like I'm not getting that supermassive bass that's usually advertised. The extremely crunchy mids are just so present.
I will say I've had a strong urge to go back to the 81/60 set though. Most likely doing that with my G&L ASAT I got coming

I think that is how the Invader is also. People think it is so bassy, but the mids are the most dominant thing.

 

[jonsick]

Personally I love the Seymour Duncan Invader.

As for the Super 3, it's a great pickup. It has a good amount of versatile output in that it can really promote upper EQ bands of your guitar. That is if your guitar acoustically has some nice mids and highs inerrant to it then it will promote those a lot. I found myself reaching for the ol' presence knob on Marshall type amplifiers with it but it's a great pickup.

If I had to choose my favourite passive set up, it would be the DiMarzio Super Distortion in the bridge and a Gravity Storm in the neck.

 

[Neon_Knight_]

Weird, as you would think a pickup advertised as having a lot of bass wouldnt be anything like an EMG 81.

Super 3 has far more low-mids than bass IMO, despite DiMarzios EQ ratings.

That said, I think the D Activator and Evolution bridge models are far more similar to an EMG 81 than the Super 3 is.

 

[lost_horizon]

Super 3 has far more low-mids than bass IMO, despite DiMarzios EQ ratings.

That said, I think the D Activator and Evolution bridge models are far more similar to an EMG 81 than the Super 3 is.

I love the mids in a Super 3, nails the instrumental 90s guitar Satriani/Steve Morse sound. Solo's are great. Don't really miss the bass in a mix and the palm mutes are chunky.

 

[Neon_Knight_]

I love the mids in a Super 3, nails the instrumental 90s guitar Satriani/Steve Morse sound. Solo's are great. Don't really miss the bass in a mix and the palm mutes are chunky.

I wasn't suggesting the Super 3 lacks bass (far from it) - only that DiMarzio's description of the EQ is slightly misleading, so it's not as far away from an EMG 81 tone as someone might assume from that (but it's not all that close IMO).
I believe DiMarzio used to describe it as something like "Bass - 6 / Mids - 8 / Treble 4", but in recent years describe the bass as "10" because of how the low-mids can be perceived in certain situations. Not particularly helpful IMO.

I've heard the Super 3 described as a hotter, tighter, more compressed alternative to the Breed. I've never used a Breed, but based on what I know of it, I would guess it's closer to that than EMG 81.

 

[Shask]

Super 3 has far more low-mids than bass IMO, despite DiMarzios EQ ratings.

That said, I think the D Activator and Evolution bridge models are far more similar to an EMG 81 than the Super 3 is.

That is how I found the Super Distortion. I thought it was going to be bassy, but it has like no bass, but tons of lower mids. Did not really like that one.

 

[zw470]

I watched a bunch of this guy's videos trying to decide which DiMarzio I wanted, but didn't realize he had a Super 3/81 comparison until now.



Probably the worst I've ever heard an 81 sound but it is what it is.

 

[Neon_Knight_]

That is how I found the Super Distortion. I thought it was going to be bassy, but it has like no bass, but tons of lower mids. Did not really like that one.

Super 3 is more compressed than the Super Distortion (less bass and less treble).

DiMarzio humbuckers in general seem have more of a low-mid frequency peak than other brands.

 

[Shask]

Super 3 is more compressed than the Super Distortion (less bass and less treble).

DiMarzio humbuckers in general seem have more of a low-mid frequency peak than other brands.

Must be why I dont seem to jive with many of them. They just dont have that lower bass chug. The Tone Zone and Crunch Lab are the only ones I have kept for a long time.

 

[zw470]

Definitely need some black mounting screws 🤔

 

[Neon_Knight_]

Must be why I dont seem to jive with many of them. They just dont have that lower bass chug. The Tone Zone and Crunch Lab are the only ones I have kept for a long time.

The Crunch Lab has plenty of bass, but is actually a prime example of a DiMarzio bridge model that is relatively dark but has significantly more low-mids than bass. Tone Zone has tons of bass and low-mids.

 

[lattjeful]

Must be why I dont seem to jive with many of them. They just dont have that lower bass chug. The Tone Zone and Crunch Lab are the only ones I have kept for a long time.

Might I suggest the Fortitude, if you're a lower output/PAF guy?