Blaze Pickups Vs. Blaze-II Pickups in a UV - What's the esse

trouble311 · #1 12-06-2001, 10:45 PM

Okay guys, sorry if this has been asked before, and I'm sure it probably has, but the pickups in the UV777BK are the Blaze "IIs", right? *What is the difference between the Blaze and the Blaze II? *Is there any difference? *And if so, which do you prefer? *Because I am dissatisfied with the Blaze IIs, and I wonder what the original Blaze and the Blaze Custom sound like....I know Ryan Shuck from Orgy uses the "Blaze", and I am wondering if his tone (minus all the droves of signal processing) is indicative of their sound. *Thanks guys!

Jay Satriani · #2 12-07-2001, 03:51 AM

From what i have understood, there is no "blaze", it is just that sometimes, people say it without the II, the blaze custom however, is a little fresher, and got made after the demand of more gain för the bridge position...

BTW, What do you think of Vais sound in PAW ? There is alot of BLAZE II in that record... *Maybe it is another part of your sound chain that is the problem ??

(Edited by Jay Satriani at 8:54 am on Dec. 7, 2001)

trouble311 · #3 12-07-2001, 11:39 AM

It might be some EQ-ing problems, probably is, but I was just wondering.....I just wanted to make sure the stock UV777BK pickups were the Blaze that Dimarzio sells aftermarket....they just seem a little too spongy for me....plus, Steve's P&W tone has a lot to do with his other equipment (which I can't afford) and Steve's hands (something else I can't afford....LOL...and the fact that he has about 30 more years experience playing guitar than me) as much as anything....I will probably just go with my plan of putting an Air Norton 7 in the neck and a Tone Zone 7 in the bridge, as I originally thought....

wyldbill · #4 12-07-2001, 03:53 PM

The Blaze's are weird. I'm not really fond of the ones in my UV, and am thinking about replacing them...

BUT

One way to make them sing is to stick a DS-1 in your chain. I think that they may have been designed w/ this in mind because it REALLY changes their tonality. I think it balances them out pretty nicely.

FWIW,
-bill

Rodney James · #5 12-07-2001, 07:45 PM

I recently found out some information about the old Blaze II compared to the Blaze. I bought a new UV777BK awhile ago and it didn't have the sweet tone my old early 90's uV's had. I didn't like it. So I called Hoshino (Ibanez) and they said they were the same pickups as the early UV's.

I called Dimarzio and found out a couple of things, The pickups were called Blaze from Dimarzio back when they came out, and Ibanez *put the Blaze II title on the pickups when they were released in the first UV's.

Today they are called Blaze, which are the same pickup as the early 90's Blaze II's except one small detail the Tech at Dimarzio explained. *The new Blaze 7 string pickups have a different base plate, causing the sound to be more controlled from High strings to the low strings, also makes the low end tighter, this was done to make the pickups better. Yet I just plain don't like the new ones, they don't have the Growl in the sound like the OLd UV's have. Old UV's sound a ton better IMO, but that's just me, many like the new sound better im sure. I find the Old UV's have much more character to the sound, not to mention the much better neck thickness and profile for the most part.

hope this sheds a little light.
Peace
RJ

trouble311 · #6 12-08-2001, 03:03 PM

Man, does it EVER....I knew there was something different about it.....maybe that's why Vai hasn't recorded much with the UV777BK? *7 string was all over P&W, and sounds just like his 6-string playing, with more range....could pickups be the problem? *And I think that tears it, AN7 and TZ7 for my bad boy, ASAP...

rvj · #7 12-08-2001, 04:05 PM

The pick-ups in my UV77MC sound pretty good. Not as good as my Evo's, but they do growl, chunk, and scream.

trouble311 · #8 12-08-2001, 04:07 PM

See, the ones in my UV777BK don't do those things....plus, they break up way too easily, and they get harsh really quickly.....sounds like a job for New Pickup Man....

rvj · #9 12-08-2001, 05:19 PM

Did someone call me? How about an Evo7 in the bridge and the AN7 for the neck? Did you consider the Blaze Custom? I think they are more aggresive than the stock pups. --rvj

trouble311 · #10 12-08-2001, 05:29 PM

Yep, that was a direct page to you, Ron....hehehe....I need to get us a soldering iron, though....I prefer soldering....and I think it is going to be Air Norton 7 and Tone Zone 7.....DWSwift just found me a Tone Zone 7 on *******.com....I am going to look into it....now to find the Air Norton 7....might have to get it from Dimarzio....

rvj · #11 12-08-2001, 05:32 PM

Abe, order it through a dealer and you'll save some cash. DiMarzio charges full list price.