Dimarzio Tone Zone: Sad and Confused

[-Rhaab]

I find tone zone doesnt sound good clean with any pickup in the split position, it sounds wierd and hollow to me

[Dan_H]

I agree with your experience.I've had a Tone Zone in ash and mahogany Rgs. It sounds passable in the bright ash, terribly muddy in the mahogany. Had the TZ7 in a basswood RG and that was terrible too, on many different amp & EQ settings. So it's a 'not recommended' from me. I'd say set it up with your fave EMG81s or try an EMG85 for a warmer, if slightly less focused tone.

The argument that passives give you more dynamic range may be true for some setups, but I can only judge from my own, and I found the TZ and TZ7 to be the least versatile active or passive pickup I've tried. Whereas for a full-on metal tone, the EMGs respond much better to the dynamics of your pick attack and muting. Different story on clean - EMG81 or 85 in the bridge not great. However EMG85 or single coil EMG SA are both great in the neck.

At the end of the day, experiment with different settings, but if you're not happy with the pickup, it may not be for you. Just rip it out and try something else :-)

[John01W]

Man, if you're used to the 81 then your amp is set up for screaming treble. Rethink how you set those controls for this guitar. Start making new setting until they sound good, then you'll notice what the pickup can do. On the tone/air zones I like to have the treble side rased up closer and the bass side a little lower(pickup height).

[bammbamm]

I would start over on your amp's settings.
Zero everything out, if you're used to the headroom on the 18V mod, you're not going to get the same initial feel from a passive pickup. Take some time and play with your amp settings. You may be pleasantly surprised once you do that.

Let us know how it goes.

[rty13ibz98]

Originally Posted by nightofthelivingshred

Anyone know anything about this pickup? From everything I've read, it's supposed to sound great. PG has used it, and he has some great tones.

Well I just installed one in my guitar...the usual deal, basswood RG550 with a pickguard...and it sounds...

like ****.

It's in the bridge position. I have it set pretty low with the pole pieces raised high like I've read it good to do. And it sounds so god damn muddy and bassy, no bite or cut. Am I doing something wrong?

you got a pic of how you have it setup in your guitar? the actual pickup in relation the the strings/pole pieces and the then a shot of the wiring/control cavity? that would help to see if it is a problem that could be fixed with a screw driver or one that requires a soldering iron.

rich

[TheJazzTerminator]

To the original poster: raise the pickup a little, but lower the pole pieces. When you raise them, they sound like complete sh-it.

[rty13ibz98]

Originally Posted by TheJazzTerminator

To the original poster: raise the pickup a little, but lower the pole pieces. When you raise them, they sound like complete sh-it.

that's what i was trying to determine, too. i was pretty sure that it was just pickup adjustment.

rich

[mike570]

IMO, the TZ is the best pickup ever made. That said, it just might boil down to it not being the right pickup for you. Some folks like the EMG 81 / 85's, others Tone Zones or Invaders, still others Evo or Bill Lawrence 500's. It's just what you like sometimes...

[bdk]

Originally Posted by nightofthelivingshred

Anyone know anything about this pickup? From everything I've read, it's supposed to sound great. PG has used it, and he has some great tones.

Well I just installed one in my guitar...the usual deal, basswood RG550 with a pickguard...and it sounds...

like ****.

It's in the bridge position. I have it set pretty low with the pole pieces raised high like I've read it good to do. And it sounds so god damn muddy and bassy, no bite or cut. Am I doing something wrong?

got a tone zone in my RG565 and it sounds very good. Plenty of bite and very clear and articulate. Harmonically detailed, and reallly shreds. I would lower the poles and raise the pickup. But pickups are ALL hit or miss, larger companies just have MORE reliable production lines, but none are perfect.

As stated in earlier posts, you can always exchange them with Dimarzio, or sell online and buy something else

[Scali]

I had a 1995 RG570CT (alder + maple top), and I replaced the stock V7-S1-V8 kit with a PAF Pro - Blue Velvet - ToneZone from DiMarzio after my V7 (neck pickup) died.

I found that the ToneZone had a darker, more muddy sound than the V8 did. It lacks the 'crunch' on palm-muted runs on the wound strings. The high end is very nice and smooth, but I could use a tighter and more trebly pickup to get a punchier sound on the low-end, and a wilder, more screaming sound on the high-end (like I had with the V.

It even has less punch than the 498T in my Les Paul, which I find rather strange, as the ToneZone is supposed to be a shredders pickup with pretty high output and a tight sound. The 498T is a beast compared to the ToneZone in my opinion.
I think I should have gone for Evolutions.

[nightofthelivingshred]

hey sorry for wandering off, thanks for the replies


i've tried every pickup height\polepiece height imaginable, no dice. i'm putting a new neck on soon so i'll get the pickguard off and take a pic of the wiring for you guys. in the mean time i'm thinking about grabbing a d activator...

[nightofthelivingshred]

correction: well i plugged the guitar into my Crate solid state combo on a whim, and the tone zone's scream. what the hell? goes to show it's more than just the p'up's huh? my emg 81's into my normal amp (mesa rectifier) produce the thickest, most lush tone. the tz's sounded flat and muddy through it. admittedly, the rectifier is a dark amp. the crate is a bit more trebley and brittle, more of the non-organic solid state tone, and the tz's gel with it.

[LuredMaul]

I always said that the TZ fills every hole the crate seems to have..........
I loved my old TZ threw my Crate.......any other amp it seems bloated to me.

[rub_800]

Do you think a tonezone will work in a mahogany guitar with quilted maple top like the s470dx? I like a fat and bassy sound, and play mostly with transistor amps, just I don't know if the tonezone in mahogany will be too muddy.

What do you think? I aprecciate any advice.

[Big Red]

Originally Posted by rub_800

Do you think a tonezone will work in a mahogany guitar with quilted maple top like the s470dx? I like a fat and bassy sound, and play mostly with transistor amps, just I don't know if the tonezone in mahogany will be too muddy.

What do you think? I aprecciate any advice.

It should work fine. I currently have a Tone Zone in the neck position (which is a naturally darker position compared to the bridge) of my RGA121H, which is ALL mahogany (no maple cap). While it sounds dark and fat, it isn't muddy when I use a solid-state amp (Roland VGA-3, which is a glorified Cube) and various boss pedals. Given the fact that it any given pickup should sound brighter in the bridge position of the guitar, it should sound fine in your case. It will obviously work best when your distortion source is tight and articulate.

It don't know what your rig is, so YMMV.

My $0.02.


Cheers