DiMar Air Norton muddiness

[Number_3]

So, I've got an Air Norton and it sounds a handful muddier than my Tone Zone. I get that it's not really mean for neck use, but hooking it up H-H/H-H shouldn't result in my getting a muddy sound, should it?

Red goes to the switch, white+black together, green+bare go to ground.

Anyone have some advice for a novice in need?

[Jaden]

it is a good neck pickup, ive used it in the bridge too..
any neck pickup will sound muddy if you try to play rythym metal using it
the wiring is correct so what a re you using it for specifically that sounds muddy ?

[Number_3]

Well, I'm after a high-mids crunch, similar to what my Tone Zone is offering me. I'm aware that neck and bridge pickups will, and do, sound different, but I'm not getting anything even remotely similar to my TZ. It's much (and I mean MUCH) bassier than I would've expected it be be, even after comparing stats and listening to demonstrations.

[RSVampire]

if you want a more Tone Zone type tone.... why don't you buy an Air Zone and stick that in the neck?

[jono]

I've always found the air norton to be a bit muddier than you'd think it should be. I think it's the character of the pickup coupled with how folks are used to setting their amps.

But, I've always found the Tone Zone too muddy as well...

[dgbaker33]

Originally Posted by Number_3

Well, I'm after a high-mids crunch, similar to what my Tone Zone is offering me. I'm aware that neck and bridge pickups will, and do, sound different, but I'm not getting anything even remotely similar to my TZ. It's much (and I mean MUCH) bassier than I would've expected it be be, even after comparing stats and listening to demonstrations.

Try adjusting the pickup height? Bass side further away??...

FWIW the TZ never had a lot of high mids for me, more low mids and lotsa bass. If its a new pup, Dimarzio has the 30 day exchange also...

[_FR0D0]

turn it around, and you will find a brighter sound

[axemanrio]

I've got a TZ+AN in a basswood body and never really found them muddy with Laneys. And as Jaden pointed out, don't go playing metal rhythm on an AN in the neck position.

[jono]

Originally Posted by _FR0D0

turn it around, and you will find a brighter sound

Or one that's even muddier

[_FR0D0]

I think in the end is all about setup. My amp is a mesa dual rectifier triple channel and my cabinet is a custom self made pine plywood 2x12 loaded with Avatar Hellatone 60L speakers. And my main tremolo loaded guitar is a RG570 with an air-zone in the neck position, and I DO play metal rhythm with it when I want a dark sound.

At first it was muddy, but I spend some time adjusting the pickup and polepices height, and everything start sounding clearer and heavier.

I used to have a guitar with air-norton in the neck and it also sounded great and not muddy at all, but that was before having my current rig.

BTW I have another air-norton guitar on the way from my luthier, so the next weak I'm gona test this pickup in my rig to see if I can make it work.

But tone is a very personal thing, I love my neck pickups to be warm

[Typhonian]

When playing powerchords through Mesa amps, the Breed in the neck only sounds muddy when the black cable is close to the bridge. If the cable is close to the neck, it still sounds a bit dark, but not muddy, and with the Air Norton it's pretty much the same in my opinion.

Once I arrived at a rehearsal and my bridge pickup, a Duncan Distortion, was not working. I had to play for hours using the Tone Zone in the neck. Pure muddiness. We should have worn boots.

One day, a friend came over to play some Iron Maiden, and things were going fine until he switched to the neck pickup during those powerchords, and said "your neck pickup sounds better than the bridge for rhythm". That day, I knew that the Breed in the bridge had to go. The Breed neck model was in the neck, and still is, but is about to be kicked out.