DM virtual PAF: good PUs?

Ced777 · #1 09-29-2003, 02:27 PM

just one questions:

Do they react well with high-gain situation? (think GNR, Satch and some hairy band, not nu metal). I have a lot of gain from my amp and pedal, so I need a clear PU, sweet, but able to deliver harmonics and overtones in high gain stuff. Solid bass, sweet mids, and not harsh highs (my LP is bright). I tried a lot of SD : all the custom (they all have a spike in the mids/high-mids/highs, it depends of model), the JB, the A2P (too trebly). Pearly gates would be too harsh and rude in treble.

So I thought about DiMarzio. A long time ago I tried a lot of DM, but not in my LP. So.... I have all the gain I need from my rig, I need just a good sweet but clear PU with touch and fullness.

Thank you

Ced777

Drew · #2 09-29-2003, 02:38 PM

Um, slash plays with suprisingly little gain. Satriani, meanwhile, uses a lot and compresses the hell out of his signal. Which ought to make it suprising that they use as similar pickups as they do- i forgot exactly what Slash uses, but it's something in the PAF-style family, be it gibson, SD, or Dimarzio. Satriani, on the other hand, uses a Dimarzio PAF Pro, which is a slightly higher-gain, more contemporary sounding PAF, as i understand.

Is this for neck or bridge? Neck, the PAF might be nice, but for bridge, i think what you're looking for is the Tone Zone. Very little treble, but with that midrange, you'll never miss it. It'll run the gauntlet from singing, sustaining leads (the TZ7 in my 7620 has almost wah-like overtones, it's just incredible) all the way down to Godsmack-like crunch through a dark, modern sounding amp- think rectifier, or a REALLY high-gain marshall. In the mahogany 2027 i used to own, it was actually TOO weak in the treble for me- sounded just ridiculously rich clean, and like i said, it'd do Godsmack to a T if you pushed the gain, as well as handling classic rock duties quite well inbetween, but i just needed something with more cut and prescense. So, it's probably exactly what you're looking for.

-D

Ced777 · #3 09-29-2003, 07:14 PM

It depends of the song, but slash use a lot of gain in rythm stuff, less in solo (neck PU).
I tried a TZ in another guitar but it has too much bass, too much mids and was too powerful. Lacks clarity to my ears.

Ced777

Ced777 · #4 09-30-2003, 08:44 AM

Bump!

frankfalbo · #5 10-01-2003, 02:58 AM

It sounds like it could be good for you, but if you thought the Duncan AlnicoII was too trebly, the Virtual PAF will most likely be, also. You might get excellent results from the Duncan Custom Custom, or the new Duncan Custom 5.

Another pickup that I think would not disappoint you is Schaller's "Golden 50". I think that's what it's called. It could be Golden 58, I'm not sure. Anyway it's supposed to be real PAF-ish, but there's a compression to the high end that's not there in what's described as the "open, airy, vintage sound" of other various PAF ripoffs. To me, it is a failure of that pickup to get the PAF sound, but a wonderful failure at that, because it is a great sounding pickup, and should be described as a more even toned, solid sounding PAF.

Ced777 · #6 10-01-2003, 03:22 PM

Hi frank,

I tried both Custom 5 and Custom Custom. They are too hot for my LP (but the C5 was nice in my all mahogany Ibanez S). The CC is too middy. No bass, too few treble to cut. And the mids are allways there. Not versatile at all (but sweet mids). The C5 was not bad but too hot again.

The problem with SD Custom series(CC, C, C5) is that they all have a spike in the mids/high-mids/highs (depends on model) that is always there. It's the "tone signature " of the PU but is not very nice. Very boring at the end. And they don't have a vintage tone to my ears.

Ced777

darren wilson · #7 10-01-2003, 03:49 PM

Have you tried the Duncan '59? I find it to be quite versatile and well rounded in the tone department.

Ced777 · #8 10-01-2003, 04:34 PM

I have A '59 in the neck of my Ibanez S470. I like it in the Ibanez but not so much in the LP. My LP Standard is very particular: it seems this LP push forward the main character of the PU. It's a bright guitar (a not-mellow LP if you want). A trebly PU is even more trebly, a powerfull one becomes very powerful. I don't know how to explain that. My Ibanez (all mahogany, ebony fretboard) accept a lot of PU.

But I never tried the 59' bridge model.

I read a lot of very goods things about this Virtual PAF (and in others forums). I think they could be the deal, and less expensive than Fillmore, Fralin, Crossroads or other PAFish PUs.

Ced777

**jim777** · #9 10-01-2003, 04:40 PM

A great neck pickup for a LP is the Dimarzio PAF. It's not as trebly as a PAF Pro at the same volume, and sounds more like a real PAF than an "updated" PAF. That would be my first choice, then an Antiquities or Bartolini V88. The Duncan '59 is a great pickup too, though. Difficult to go terribly wrong here.

jim

frankfalbo · #10 10-01-2003, 05:36 PM

I'd say to check out the Schaller for sure. It doesn't have that pronounced midrange, and (unlike a true PAF) it doesn't seem to have the treble spike either. It's very even toned. From what you said about your LP overemphasizing the "main characteristics" of the pickups, the Schaller should do very well, because it is a little flatter than a PAF. In other words, it has less of any one particular frequency range than a PAF or a "Custom-type", or anything that bills itself as a "hotter and fatter" PAF.

I've had as many as three of them at one time in various guitars, and I'm down to one in the neck of my LP. No matter what guitar I put them in, they never sounded bad, and they never had an overly hot peak in any frequency. The Bartolini V88 that was mentioned is a good choice, too, for the same reasons.

kabuki · #11 10-01-2003, 06:45 PM

Stew-Mac doesn't sell Schaller pickups anymore???

frankfalbo · #12 10-02-2003, 01:09 AM

That stinks! They still have the Schaller Golden 50 pictured in their "Humbuckers" thumbnail. I'm sure it is in the effort to sell their own "Golden Age" pickups, and, NO, those are not the Schallers under a different name. I don't know who's making the Golden Age pickups. It could be someone in Asia, the baseplates don't look like any of the big U.S. companies. They could be Kent Arstrong types, those are Korean.

Granted, I didn't really plan to buy any from them, but it still stinks in theory. If anyone wants them you might call Stew Mac and see if they have any left in inventory. Plus, ask for a "blowout price"

VOLTAGE · #13 10-22-2003, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by darren wilson

Have you tried the Duncan '59? I find it to be quite versatile and well rounded in the tone department.

this is a good pup but a bit treblier than the V-paf's.
the concept of the dimarzio virtual paf's were to have the low notes clear and the high notes warm. the 59 will not do this.
the V paf's are excellent modern paf's they have the tone of the old paf's along with the lower string pull of aged magnets,but use full strenth alnico 5's..
very worth geting IMHO

The Virtual PAF captures the finest qualities of 50s and early 60s humbuckers to create a great sound. Patented AirbuckerTM and Virtual Vintage® technology permit the use of an Alnico 5 magnet to generate the same low string-pull that an Alnico 2 or 3 produces, and combine two of the most sought-after tonal characteristics: low note clarity and high note warmth. The neck model has a pure, bell-tone chime and the bridge model has a thicker, woody sound. The Virtual PAFTM is available with both standard and F-spaced pole pieces and comes in black, creme and zebra (black and creme), as well as with nickel or gold-plated covers, and comes with 4-conductor cable for all coil-access combinations.