Tone zone 7 versus Evolution 7 - which pickup is better?

neuromancer · #1 12-01-2001, 10:30 PM

Will soon be upgrading pickups in my RG7420...I would like everyone's opinion on which pickup is more suitable for heavy music. I have heard the Tone Zone is muddy, and the Evo is good for metal. Does anyone know which one has a higher output? Also clarity is very important. Does the Tone Zone have both crunch and clarity? Has anyone directly compared the two? I would appreciate the thoughts of anyone who has played 7-string versions of either of these pickups. Thanks in advance.

trouble311 · #2 12-01-2001, 11:50 PM

Man, I have been wondering this same thing, actually. *I need to upgrade from the stockers in my UV777BK, and I am torn between those two, and the Seymour Duncan JB-7. *I am putting an Air Norton-7 in the neck position, but I don't know which to put in the bridge. *Suggestions?

Evo-7
Tone Zone-7
JB-7

????

neuromancer · #3 12-02-2001, 12:14 AM

I am planning on using the Air Norton 7 in the neck position as well; maybe someone out there has tried a combination with either the TZ or the EVO and can enlighten us?

reguv760 · #4 12-02-2001, 12:15 AM

I have a Evo7 on my UV777GR. It's very loud (and punishing) compared to the stock Blaze II's. I haven't heard a TZ7 myself so I can't compare it with the Evo7. I think Dimarzio mentions that the Evo7 is the highest pickup available in their 7 string produciton. Dimarzio catalog says that the output for an Evo7 is 420mV. With good distortion, the Evo7 is very loud and very crunchy with enough oomphs, however, it will pickup every little mistake you pick.

Reg

neuromancer · #5 12-02-2001, 12:40 AM

I've done some digging in the forums and found this thread http://jemsiteforum.com/board/topic....amp;replies=10 that gave me some idea of what I'm asking, but I'd still like to hear more opinions on EVO vs. Tone Zone for 7-string guitars.

Exotic Shredding · #6 12-02-2001, 11:22 AM

TONE ZONE 7. *Hands down. *It's gotta be the best pickup i've heard. *I havent heard the evo 7...but i have played on evos. *The Tone Zone 7 is also different from the regular TZ. *Different magnet type. *Much better actually. *Harmonically it picks everything up. *You can pull "natural" harmonics from almost every fret. *It's sound is very controlled. *It's powerful enough for any style metal and rock, etc... but its articulate enough to bring out every note cleanly. *I am soo spoiled with it. *None of my other pickups are good enough for me anymore. *And in guitars right now i have V7/V8s, Gibson 500T/496r (tz sounds like a mature version of these), PAFs, YJMs, duncan singles, Super distortion, Super 3, X2N (not any more), air norton 7, and the TZ 7. *I want to stick a TZ in all my axes!!!!! *If i had the money i would. *I've been playing 7 strings for 4 years when it was just the Universe, and Rg just came out. *And i have been waiting for a pickup like this ever since! *If you are looking for high gain with perfect response and bite, yet a complete controlled tone, that adjusts with your input, dont even bother with anything else. *This IS the 7-string pickup. *

Scott of Actual Time · #7 12-02-2001, 03:11 PM

i have Duncan JB7's in my basswood RG7s and a TZ in my mahogany 2027. *i have done comparisons of these pickups through the same amps and noticed the following differences, but remember that the wood type and overall mass are also important factors.

the JB7 has crunch and a high end sizzle that gives my RG7s a great crunchy metal sound. *the TZ7 has a more barking midrange, with much less high end sizzle, in the mahogany 2027 that gives a great thick hard rock sound. *they both have great low end, and clarity, but i think clarity has a lot to do with your high gain amp settings. *you could use the JB7 for hard rock and/or the TZ for metal with no problems, that's just the general music style i think of when i hear those sounds.

since the 7420 is basswood, if you want a sizzling but thick metal and hard rock sound i would go with the JB7, but be warned that the intallation is a little tricky since the pole screws stick out below the base of the pickup. *if you want a less sizzly sound that would be fine for rock and metal, or you want a simple installation [since the dimarzios are easy drop in replacements], you might go with the TZ7.

trouble311 · #8 12-02-2001, 11:18 PM

Sounds like Tone Zone 7 is the obvious choice here, I guess....I know Dave Weiner uses the AN-7, TZ-7 combo in all his axes, so why question? *If I want Evos, I will get the 7VWH I am planning on getting soon anyway! *hehehe

Drew · #9 12-03-2001, 12:03 AM

I've been wondering the same thing- thinking of putting an air norton in the neck and either a tone zone or an evo in the bridge of my 7620. Looks like the tone zone has a lot of fans here... any imput from people who prefer the Evo, just to round things out a bit? tonally, i want a smooth, deep lead tone and bass-y, crunch rhythm tone, but i play with enough people who do different styles that i need to be able to dial in decent approximations of a bluesy tone and a jazzy tone. All this is out of a mesa boogie combo. any suggestions?

trouble311 · #10 12-03-2001, 12:09 AM

Boy, you don't ask much do ya? *

Actually, I think it would be pretty safe to say that you COULD realistically acheive all that from that combo though...

neuromancer · #11 12-03-2001, 01:00 AM

Thanks for all the input guys...I guess my gut feeling was right. I'll let you all know firsthand when I upgrade if the AN7/TZ7 combo does (reasonably close to) what I want. Thanks!

jeffrey · #12 12-03-2001, 01:33 AM

UV777BK = Tone Zone 7/bridge, PAF7, neck

RG7CT = JB7/bridge, Jazz 7/neck

Very very happy with both.

wyldbill · #13 12-03-2001, 07:48 PM

Anybody have problems w/ combining other hums (Evo7,paf7 or tz7) w/ the Blaze Single on a UV? Soud weird, wimpy, whatever?

-bill

jeffrey · #14 12-03-2001, 10:34 PM

PAF7 sounds fine split with the stock single on my UV, no probs. Sounds kinda trashy distorted, but I like it. :biggrin:

Drew · #15 12-07-2001, 03:53 PM

Quote:

trouble311 on 11:09 pm on Dec. 2, 2001
Boy, you don't ask much do ya? *

Actually, I think it would be pretty safe to say that you COULD realistically acheive all that from that combo though...

no, not at all. ;o) And yeah, the amp can cut it, but the pickups need a little more bite, i think, for the distorted stuff. Would a TZ/AN setup be the way to go? or is maybe a Evo a little closer to what i'm looking for?