Replacement suggestions for PAF7s on my K7

[akinu]

Hello,

I am not very satisfied with the PAF7s on my K7. The bridge PAF7 is not effectively amplifying the 7th string which is usually tuned to B, and the neck PAF7 isnt very different than the bridge PAF in sound character.

I want a softer, sweeter (?) and more "futuristic" (means not vintage sounding) neck pickup, which can also amp the 7 string without producing a muddy sound.

The bridge pickup,too, has to amplify the 7 string better and on the one hand it should produce the popular Linkin Park or Evanescence type of heavy chords, on the other hand producing a singing lead tone which resembles Satriani's Crystal Planet sound.

I emailed DiMarzio and they adviced AirNorton7 for the neck and Blaze Custom for the bridge. However I cant get a satisfactory answer when I ask them why they made such a suggestion.

Thus I wanted to ask this question to this forum as these things are better discussed in such environments.

[The Dark Wolf]

This one's easy.

I have a mahogany RG 7-string (RG2027), just like you, which is what the K7 basically is - a mahogany RG style 7-string. Dimarzio techs are right. I have the Air Norton 7 (neck) and the Blaze Bridge (bridge). Both, best choices for a mahogany RG 7-string.

The Air Norton just sounds great... you'd be hard pressed to find a better lead pickup, and it's very warm and sweet, and yet not muddy at all. Lots of rich mids, good bass, and smooth, smooth treble. Fantastic pickup. Nice clean jazz sound, too.

As for the bridge, Dimarzio may be right on here with the Blaze Custom. I have the Blaze Bridge (different model from the BC) and it will definitely give you that crunchy, punchy modern tone. It can ALSO give you a very sweet midrange character, sort of like a more 3D overwound PAF, in mahogany. Mahogany has lots of mids already in the wood, but the Blaze Bridge is scooped in the mids. Match them together, and you get a sound reminscent of Dimebag-meets-Old Skool EVH. Very nice. But if you want that, mixed with a Satriani type sound, well, the Blaze Custom has the same essential tonal character as the Blaze, but with a bit more power and a bit more mids. Joe likes a somewhat mid-dy, harmonically rich tone, and the Blaze Custom might get you near there, while still keeping that modern sound (as an aside, Linkin Park's guitarist Brad Delford (?) uses a Dimarzio D-Sonic pup, which has, according to the charts, a similar sound to the Blaze Custom, only in a 6 string).

Whatever you do, avoid the Tone Zone 7. Nice pickup, and works great in basswood etc., but NOT mahogany IMO. Some may try to convince you it does, but if you want a modern sound, eh eh! Don't believe 'em. I used it for 2 years in my 2027, and it sounded good, but nothing on the Blaze Bridge.

Hope this helps!

[akinu]

Thank you LOADS WordWolf. I got all the answers I need

[The Dark Wolf]

You're welcome!

[akinu]

WordWolf, I just checked with the local music shop. They got only Blaze bridge and blaze neck. I may think about getting B-bridge instead of custom, but I am confused about B-neck instead of AirNorton7. Do you think B-neck is anywhere near AirNorton? Shall I get B-neck and B-bridge while they still have them, or shall I wait for a B-Custom and AN7?

[The Dark Wolf]

I don't know what you should do. It depends on you, and how it all sounds. Dimarzio has a 90-day pickup return policy, should you not like the pickups.

Personally, I can't imagine not liking the Blaze Bridge in a mahogany 7, but who knows? And from all I've heard, the Blaze Neck sounds GREAT. More clear, scooped in the mids, than the AN7.

[nienturi]

akın hala almadın mı manyetiklerini???
(akın didnt u get your new pickups?)

[akinu]

Originally Posted by nienturi

akın hala almadın mı manyetiklerini???
(akın didnt u get your new pickups?)

I replaced the bridge PAF-7 with Blaze bridge (not Custom) and I really got that tight badass distortion sound I really wanted. Perhaps Blaze custom would spoil that balanced sound with excessive MIDs. Like WordWolf said, mohagony does have enough MIDs. However I have to test its full potential with my POD2.0, which is in the service shop right now.

The new problem is the replacement of the neck pickup. Local music stores do not have AirNorton7, the only 7 string neck pickup they got is Blaze neck. As far as I can understand from DiMarzio's website, PAF-7 and Blaze bridge are almost identical pickups in terms of tonal qualities. Only DC resistance and output are different (both higher in Blaze). I'm not sure whether replacing PAF-7 with Blaze neck is worthwhile. Here are some numbers;


PAF-7
Output: 220 mV
DC Resistance: 8.14K

Tone Guide out of 10
Treble: 5.5
Mid: 4.5
Bass: 6

Blaze neck
Output: 280 mV
DC Resistance: 15.8K

Tone Guide

Treble: 5.5
Mid: 4.5
Bass: 6.5

[zEr0]

What's the tonal characteristic related to the DC resistance?

Or is it just included as an electronic thing?

[akinu]

Originally Posted by zEr0

What's the tonal characteristic related to the DC resistance?

Or is it just included as an electronic thing?

Hehe I really dont know.. I've written them perhaps somebody will understand..

[The Dark Wolf]

Akinu, you could always try ordering the AN7 online, or bidding on e bay, or buying direct from Dimarzio.

I was surfing around the other day, and came across an ad for the Air Norton. It said something like, Here it is, the neck pickup that breaks all the rules... fat with lots of mids, but still retains excellent clarity, and even has good harmonics. So totally true. The AN is a great neck pickup.

[EnigmaUV7]

I have the Blaze Custom (br) and Blaze Neck in my UV7. Both are RIGHTEOUS pups and my favs for 7 strings. I like the original Blaze Bridge quite a bit, although I wanted a little more output so I dropped in the Custom. The BC REALLY brings out the 7th string, a definite improvement for lead playing. And I couldn't imagine ever replacing the Blaze Neck, it is awesome as-is.