anyone have a regular norton ?

1613 Views 7 Replies 7 Participants Last post by manfromplanetX, Jan 1, 2006

j.arledge

Discussion Starter · Aug 9, 2005

i bought one today and was wondering if anyone had one or had played one and what they would compare it to. I liked the fred and kind of liked the tone zone so i though the norton would be about right for me. Does it get sort of a satriani sound ? I am not trying to copy the sound exactly but i have to say i really like it and was hoping that norton would be a bit more powerful and punch then the fred

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buddroyce

· #2 · Aug 9, 2005

I had a Norton before. It sounded better as a neck pickup than in the bridge (I had it on there before the Air Norton's came out). But if you're going for that Satriani tone, it'll give it to you. It's got a bit more balls than the Fred in my opinion. I kinda find it as a tone between Joe Satriani and early Van Halen.

Hope that helps.

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TheToneZone

· #3 · Aug 9, 2005

I had a norton in the bridge slot of my RG for about a month, decent pickup, just not for mohagany. You could call it satchy, but it's got a little more rip and fullness than the Fred. A nice compromise of The Tone Zone and the Fred actually. It makes lead work sound more responsive and liquid than TTZ, on the downside, if you like to use your bridge pickup for rhythm only, it smears the notes together a bit more than TTZ because of its "unique" midrange, chords still sound open, just not as defined.

Since you said you've used TTZ I think it's safe to say you're in the ballpark definately. In fact, just drop the bottom end chunk out of TTZ and fizz up the mids a bit, and you've got a Norton.

If i had a one pickup "hotrod" axe, the Norton would fill the slot, that's my impression, perhaps only my own.

Mike

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j.arledge

Discussion Starter · #4 · Aug 9, 2005

well i had a super 3, i like it bit i needed a little less power and more highs to equal out the extended mids and thick bass.

like i said i have played both the tone zone and fred before and like them, the tone zone was alright i wish it had had a bit more highs and the fred was alright but i wanted a bit more power/drive.

does the norton clean up like a fred ? i figured it wouldn't as well because of the mids but i dont need an clean like a fred all that often

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rgr

· #5 · Aug 9, 2005

The Norton is kinda like a Tone Zone with less bass, so it doesn't get muddy. I had a TZ in a guitar that didn't work well, I talked to Steve at DiMarzio and he suggested a Norton, and basically said it was a TZ will tighter bass, he should know he designed it. Like almost any pickup, it sounds great in the right guitar. More power than a Fred, the big mids of a TZ.

Roger

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fleeeep

· #6 · Aug 9, 2005

I have Nortons in the necks of 2 Rgs and they sound PHAT PHAT PHAT! very smooth, great with the volume rolled back!!

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JohnnyGuitarCA

· #7 · Dec 31, 2005

jra2217 said:
i bought one today and was wondering if anyone had one or had played one and what they would compare it to. I liked the fred and kind of liked the tone zone so i though the norton would be about right for me. Does it get sort of a satriani sound ? I am not trying to copy the sound exactly but i have to say i really like it and was hoping that norton would be a bit more powerful and punch then the fred

I had one, and loved it. If you've ever heard the clip of Van Halen's "Act like it hurts", that what it reminded me of.

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manfromplanetX

· #8 · Jan 1, 2006

fleeeep said:
I have Nortons in the necks of 2 Rgs and they sound PHAT PHAT PHAT! very smooth, great with the volume rolled back!!

BINGO....
the Norton in the neck is the way to go
<not Air Norton>

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