7 String Pick-ups... *Blaze Custom in Bridge? - Re-replacing

[Acid Rainforest]

Please no one throw anything at me for bringing up the same ol' same ol'... * (I actually read through the archives first to avoid some repetition).

I have an RG7620 and I recently replaced the pick-ups with Air Norton 7 (Neck) and Blaze (bridge). *I'm fortunate enough to own a JPM90HAM, so I was able to compare the tone of the seven string pick-ups with their six string counterparts (I was told Blaze is most similar 7 string pick-up to Steve's Special). *

Guitar differences aside, the 7 string pick-ups compared nicely, BUT... (there had to be a BUT, otherwise there wouldn't be a post, right?) ...Although the overall timbre is nice, the Blaze seems to not be as hot as I had hoped (like the volume knob is on 8 or 9, when it's actually up all the way) and it is a lot harder to pull out artificial harmonics than with the the Steve's Special. *Lastly, it seems to be a bit dark or less sparkly when selecting the inner coils of both pick-ups in parallel... *the selection that produces that wonderful,sparkly, chimey, ultra clean tone on my JPM90.

In any event, I'm thinking of returning the Blaze bridge for another pick-up and would like some specific feedback about comparisons of the Blaze with the Blaze Custom and also the Tone Zone 7 and JB 7. *I'm a die hard Dream Theater fan, and Petrucci's tone circa Awake and FII is my ideal sound. *I use similar gear (and am able to get that sound with my JPM), so the final link is the pick-ups in this guitar.

If anyone can shed some light and their opinions of a slightly hotter version of the Blaze with easier harmonics (ala the Steve's Special) please let me know. *I'm considering the Blaze Custom (and possibly others), but don't have any experience with this pick-up.

Thanx!

*

[Spiral Acid]

I would have thought the Tone Zone 7 would have been closer to the SS than the Blaze...

[bduersch]

I know Dimarzio says the Blaze II is modeled after the Steve's Special, but I don't know if I really believe that...

I have a 7620 with a Blaze Neck & Blaze Custom installed. The Blaze Custom has a definite edge over the standard Blaze bridge... higher output, and a lot more mids. I play 'Caught in a Web', 'Lie', and 'The Mirror' on it all the time and it sounds much more Petrucci-like than my UV (which has standard Blaze II's). IMO the Blaze Custom is great for harder rock.

I have a Tone Zone installed in my RG7CT, and it kicks a lot of a$$, too. Personally, it always seems to me that Tone Zone's sound better in mahogany guitars. I've never tried a TZ7 in a basswood guitar, though, so I can't be of much help there.

Good luck!

--B

[hittman7]

Boy do I feel stupid. I still use the original 7620 Pickups. I would like to try some different ones, but I would have to hear them first. Is there a site that has comparisons between pickups? I'm mainly going for that Dream Theater sound through line 6 POD or Mesa/Boogie DC3. Any body have a clue as to what to try? Thanks for any help

[jeffrey]

Tone Zone 7 is the best 7 string bridge pickup DiMiarzio has made to date imo.