Seymore Duncan vs. Dimarzio

[RGN]

I am pretty new to this web site and it is really obvious that most of you are really fond of Dimarzio pickups. I am curious about this. I have owned about 15 different guitars in my time with all kinds of pickups. I went through an EMG 81 phases, then did play X2Ns for several years. These days every guitar I own except my new Jem 7VWH has a Seymour Duncan Jeff Beck or Custom Custom model in the bridge. My neck pickups vary - Alinco Pro II, Jazz, ESP hot rail single coil, etc... I really like the Evolutions but still find something very "Dimarzio" about them. My last Dimarzio clad guitar had a Tone Zone in the bridge and PAF Pro in the neck. THat guitar (an old 550) was tuned down to C# and it sounded cool with the Tone Zone. I am not anti-Dimarzio. I just think that Duncan's have a certain warmth that I can't generally get with Dimarzios. I am interested in your opinions on this issue.

Regards,
RGN

[nuno]

to me it depends on what kind of music and sound you need.
would be odd to hear Vai playing his music with a Seymour, or whatever but DiMarzios...
viceversa for Slash...

[disassociative1]

i personaly think that yes the ducans do have a certain warmth to them and are nice is many situations i dont think they are better than dimarzio or worse i happen to like dimarzio a lil bit more i just love the combination of the fred and paf p and i love the evos to.

but i do see what you are gettin at and duncans are fine pickups if i could aford to then i would equip something with them but i have things that are higher on my to get and do list

[bammbamm]

I use both, I just try and find one that suits whatever need I may have.
I have the TZ in one of my 550s, a Demon in the other, then A super distortion and Hot rail in my 565 and the noiseless Fender's in my strat. So really what ever works for you is all that matters, and I think that is the attitude here. I don't think anyone would shoot down a pickup if it sounded kewl.

Bamm

[BrianH]

I like them both. I just use whatever gets me the tone I want. One thing about Dimarzio, I just get crazy harmonics and nice overtones I don't get with my SD... but yes the SD have a certian warmth to them. I don't care who makes the pup, as long as it fits my need. I'm sure this topic has been discussed before, try the archives.

[RGN]

A lot of times I'd be playing a guitar with Dimarzios and think "that sounds great" then grab my ESP with a SD Jeff Beck and think "that sounds even better". To my ear I think a Jeff Beck or Custom Custom through an old Marshall 50 watt head sounds devestating. There are a few Duncan's I don't like that much, the Invader, Full Shred, and Screamin Demon. I had an ESP Skull & Snakes and ended up selling the guitar because I just couldn't stand the Demon and really, really hated the pull pot pickup selection. That sucked. I doubt I would still like it but had an X2N in my Les Paul (my first good guitar) after seeing Via & Sheehan in a Dimarzio add from 1984 I think.

[bduersch]

My experience has always been that if you're plugging straight in to a tube amp, SD's are much tonally richer. But it seems that when running through a lot of effects, Dimarzios tend to hold up a lot better.

--B

[BrianH]

I love my screamin demon :-)

love paf pros, freds, breeds and evos too!

[OME]

RGN
Take a listen at Joe's DVD live in SF, he plays both Dimarzio Freds n Paf;
Than he switches to another chromeboy with seymour duncan installed.
Listen for the difference, IF you can tell. A lot of your sound will depend on what kind of wood your pickups are installed in, and also how you route your signal.
My Paf Pro has plenty of distortion at all volumes unlike my Evolution, turned down the volume and it gets cleaner, it's those types of things that make the pickups different.

[jem7vwh]

I won't dismiss the entire catalog, because I clearly haven't played all of them, but all the SD's I've played have been largely unimpressive. Most of the time, I think they sound like stock pickups off a Hamer. They're a little weak, and the ones with high output seem very muddy to me. But, I use a bunch of gain, and I really love the clarity you get from DiMarzios even in super high-gain and processing situations.

[trouble311]

Originally Posted by bduersch

My experience has always been that if you're plugging straight in to a tube amp, SD's are much tonally richer. But it seems that when running through a lot of effects, Dimarzios tend to hold up a lot better.

--B

I'll second that....my Randy Rhoads with two Seymour Duncan JBs sounds a lot better into the VHT Super Lead I was using the other day than my JEM7DBK....but through MY setup (a little more effects, but not a WHOLE lot), the JEM wins out....

[MrNiceguy87]

Originally Posted by trouble311

I'll second that....my Randy Rhoads with two Seymour Duncan JBs sounds a lot better into the VHT Super Lead I was using the other day than my JEM7DBK....but through MY setup (a little more effects, but not a WHOLE lot), the JEM wins out....

Cool! Randy Rhoads himself used DiMarzios I think... Super Distortion in bridge and PAF Pro... But impressive about him was his playing more than his sound... I know a guy who has a Seymour Duncan Custom Trembucker in bridge and Seymour Duncan '59 in neck on his Ibane RG520QS. Sounds great!

[Mr Orange]

To add my 2 cents, to my ears Duncans have a bit stronger personality, so to speak; whereas DiMarzios seem not to make so much noise about themselves, being a bit more transparent.

[mojorising_3110]

i have a dimarzio dp 151 for bridge...i put it in the neck position. i mean is that normal? have you tried doing it? thanks.

i replaced it with sh4. i love the SD JB!

[alecmm61]

i will always like dimarzios better i really like evos and steves special, air nortan, and paf pros they do it for me. i havent been to fond with seymores the only one i really kina liked was the invader had a cool sound to it.