Steve's Special vs. Tone Zone....?

TheJazzTerminator · #1 07-02-2007, 03:59 AM

I have three RG3120's, which all have a TZ in the bridge. They all had PAF pro's in the neck, but I replaced one with an Air Norton.

On the 3120 with the Norton, I was thinking about replacing the TZ with a Steve's Special, just to have a bit of a different tone from the other 3120's, but I'm a little 'nervous.'

I've read all the reviews on Harmony-Central, but I was hoping someone here could give more insight into the difference between the two pickups and, more specifically how the SS will sound in a mahogany guitar like the RG3120.

LethalAe86TypeR · #2 07-02-2007, 04:50 AM

I'm not very sure of the TZ but the SS was way to weak for me.

TheJazzTerminator · #3 07-02-2007, 12:01 PM

Weak? Really? See, everyone has a different opinion of this damn pickup. Some of the people on Harmony Central claim it's really high output, some claim it's not high output, but closer to medium, some people claim it's good for a particular thing, some people say the complete opposite. My head is going to explode! lol

AirGuitar · #4 07-02-2007, 12:35 PM

Ive got a SS in my EBMM JP (or very close to it, i beleive the JP version has slightly less treble). Its a very hot pickup capable of a scooped crunchy sound. Its very cutting, and as the Dimarzio page says, all the notes remain pretty clear when playing.

If i want to play a heavy rhythm section, i almost always pick up the JP because the SS does a really good job of metal tones, while still remaining clear.

The TZ has loads of mids compared to it, and isnt quite as crunchy. I love lead playing on the TZ, but it does muddy up pretty quickly with a lot of gain.

Ive only played these through basswood guitars though, so there would be difference in mahogany. It should give you a general idea though

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TheJazzTerminator · #5 07-02-2007, 01:18 PM

Thanks for the info!

Yeah, the Tone Zone is very mid-heavy, which I love. I just figured, since I have THREE RG3120's, why not change the pickups in at least one of them for a different tone. I guess I'll just go for it and try the Steve's Special.

Thanks again.

BigShred · #6 07-02-2007, 01:37 PM

The Tone Zone and Steve's Special are almost opposites. The Tone Zone is a mid-heavy pickup, whereas, the Steve's Special is scooped. I've got no experience with the Steve's Special (I despise scooped mids), but I imagine you'd have a hard time cutting through the mix with it.

AirGuitar · #7 07-02-2007, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheJazzTerminator

Thanks for the info!

Yeah, the Tone Zone is very mid-heavy, which I love. I just figured, since I have THREE RG3120's, why not change the pickups in at least one of them for a different tone. I guess I'll just go for it and try the Steve's Special.

Thanks again.

Sounds like a good plan. Ive got different bridge pickups in all my guitars, and i really like the variety (though i have an Air Norton in the neck on most of em!).

Just so you know, the direction of the SS has quite an impact too. I remember reading a post by Rob Balducci mentioning how he prefered the pickup one way round to the other.

Roadstar · #8 07-03-2007, 11:52 AM

I found the steve to be tooo hollow sounding
very little mid body
on the postive side the steve is very articulate and had defintion beyond belief
i can dime the gain on my 5150 and play a big sus 2 or 4th chord and still hear all the notes clear!
they are clean man and track your lead real fast!

buddroyce · #9 07-03-2007, 12:50 PM

I dunno about the Steve's Special but seeing that it's based on the Blaze II bridge, I can say that while the scooped sound is nice and clean, it doesn't have that 'big' sound that I get with my TZ equipped J-Customs. The scooped sound is great for leads but doesn't really do it for me for rhythm sounds.

Roadstar · #10 07-03-2007, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by buddroyce

I dunno about the Steve's Special but seeing that it's based on the Blaze II bridge, I can say that while the scooped sound is nice and clean, it doesn't have that 'big' sound that I get with my TZ equipped J-Customs. The scooped sound is great for leads but doesn't really do it for me for rhythm sounds.

it is a lot like the blaze bridge pup and i agree with you about the "BIG" sound
the S.S does not have the full big tone like a TZ at all
unless you play a mesa amp which is what John Pettrucci used when the S.S was made
the TZ he played back then had too much mids for his amp so he had steve blucher make him a mid scooped pup and the S.S was born and it is very similar to the blaze

waylay00 · #11 07-03-2007, 01:02 PM

Yeah, the SS definitely lacks the big midrange, but I think i's a fantastic pickup. You don't have to worry about arpeggiating chords and having them all turn into mush.

Some of you people crack me up though when you say it's "weak"...

Roadstar · #12 07-03-2007, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by waylay00

Yeah, the SS definitely lacks the big midrange, but I think i's a fantastic pickup. You don't have to worry about arpeggiating chords and having them all turn into mush.

Some of you people crack me up though when you say it's "weak"...

nah it is not "weak" just real clean and that comes off as more polished and weak than say a tone zone or super 3
the SS has 390 millivolts of output which is more than the TZ

AirGuitar · #13 07-03-2007, 01:53 PM

A lot depends on the amp too.

I run both those pickups into a TriAxis, which is already very mid heavy. The SS doesent come off as weak at all, because if i want to solo with it, i just increase the mids on the amp, with the Tone Zone, i tend to set them lower.

Roadstar · #14 07-06-2007, 12:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AirGuitar

A lot depends on the amp too.

I run both those pickups into a TriAxis, which is already very mid heavy. .

gee that is EXACTLY what john used when he had the SS designed

-Rhaab · #15 07-07-2007, 05:56 AM

can someone tell me by what scooped?

I havent tried a SS but i do have a tone zone which i just reinstalled in my s470, and i dont find any problem with muddyness on high gain, I love the big sound you get from it and im a big fan of the dimarzio dual resonance, i'll have to try it on a marshall mg agian cause i dont remember liking it too much on that.