DiMarzio Blue Velvet

Single coil strat pup.vintage output about 6k

1979 25th anniversary strat.Replaced the 57/62 reissue pickup I had in there.I liked the 57/62 but the staggered magnets were throwing my low E and A intonation waaayyy off.So I needed a more flatter poled pup(not that these are completly flat).I have the stock(WEAK) original pickup in the middle which I plan on replacing with another BV and a Duncan JB in the bridge which is next to go(too muddy and middy on choppy rythm)

Well once I tweaked the pickup height I'm surprised.Very warm neck tone,very bluesy.VERY Jimi Hendrix neck tone.I'm not a big user of the neck pickup but what I want out of it is that woody,hendrixy neck tone for when I need/want it.And this delivers.Its not high output its very vintage in that respect.nICE PICKUP.

i DUNNO ABOUT THE BRDIGE VERSION AS i HAVE A HUMBUCKER IN MY BRIDGE,BUT THE NECK TO DOES IT IF YOUR LOOKING FOR A WARM,BLUESY VINTAGE STRAT NECK TONE.nOTHING HOT ABOUT IT JUST WARM AND WOODY.

Pickup features: Passive single Coil
Impedence or other specs: around 6K

Model of guitar or bass: 1996 Strat Plus, that has been completely been converted back to a NON Plus stratocaster - bone nut, blocked trem, non locking tuners, etc.
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: Old Japanese Fender Single Coils - nice and bright, a tad harsh, not clucky enough in the notch positions.
Other pickups on guitar: Dimarzio Red Velvet (replacing a Duncan Hot)
Artists using this pickup: ???
You musical style(s): Rock, Blues, Indie
Reason for pickup change: The old Japanese Fender Single Coils - nice and bright, a tad harsh, not clucky enough in the notch positions. A little sterile sounding.

Perceived output level: Average single coil output.
Tone: Well, I should have read the Dimarzio description better. Because the treble strings really ARE warm sounding, which in my head, isnt what I wanted. I like BITE on my single coils. And these really don't BITE at all...Very smooth sounding, which can be good or bad. For me, its bad. The notch 2&4 positions are terrible. Almost no cluck. Very muddy.
Sonic evaluation: They sound just ok man. Nothing spectacular. I feel like I have to dig in and fight WAY too hard with these pickups. And the in-between cluck positions are TERRIBLE. I need something more shimmery...Perhaps these pickups work GREAT in an ash body strat with a maple fingerboard.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable:

Comments: I"m going to replace these with a SSL1/Twangbanger set from Duncan. Hopefully that'll give me a fatter bridge sound, and a brighter neck and mid sound.
If you're using a ash strat with a maple fingerboard, MAYBE these are the ticket to warm it up. for a relatively WARM strat with rosewood board and alder body, these really don't fit the bill...

Pickup features: passive single coil
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Fender Mexican Std. Strat
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: '79 Fender American Strat
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: ME!!!
You musical style(s): Metal, Funk, Blues, Rock
Reason for pickup change: I wanted something very versitile. I wanted classic strat tone but not stock pickups.

Perceived output level: Slightly more output than stock '79s but a lot more than Mexican stock pickups.
Tone: Smooth bass and crisp highs, in neck, classic strat tone but even better!
Sonic evaluation: I play into a mesa boogie DC-5 and a couple of pedals sometimes.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: The neck pickup is great for anything but thrash/hardcore metal (but still ok), the bridge is only good for country!

Comments: I would bye it again but only the DP-170 (neck). The DP-171(bridge) is good but it makes ur ears bleed like most strat stock single coils! I want something with more bottom end and with MUCH more output in my bridge position. They have GREAT harmonics and tone, but i think i lost alittle of the sastain with these - i'm gona get a "fat-finger". These are really quite - hum wise (most pickups are if u know how to use them). I love this pickup in the neck but i think i'll replace the bridge one with a Dimarzio FS-1 and put that one in the middle. AWSOME PICKUP if u want great Strat tone!

Pickup features: Single coil, passive
Impedence or other specs: close to classic strat

Model of guitar or bass: Fender Standard Strat with mahogany/maple body
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: Standard (mim)
Other pickups on guitar: 2 standards
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Rock, blues. anything
Reason for pickup change: Wanted a real start sound and I got it!

Perceived output level: More then a standard
Tone: Better bass, nice highs, the sound is a bit deeper than classic strats
Sonic evaluation: different amps, danelectro EQ

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: It's a close to classic single coil, it suits anything!

Comments: Of course I would buy it again if it were stolen. Been playing for about 7 years. Used to have Dimarzio PafPro instead of this. PafPro is a great humbucker, Blue Velvet is a great single!

Pickup features: single coil
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: fender stratocaster
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: carvin ap11
Other pickups on guitar: carvin ap11
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): little bit of everything
Reason for pickup change: i wanted to get a little more "girth" in the bridge position

Perceived output level: campared to the carvin ap11's i have in the neck & middle positions,the blue velvet is just a bit louder & more powerful
Tone: the blue velvet has just a tad less harshness that the carvins.nice balance between bass & treble. the strat retained is signature quack & bite but the blue velvet seems to give it a fuller sound.
Sonic evaluation: i may have wired somthing wrong when i put in this pickup cuz now the guitar hums like crazy. even in the "in between" positions. dangit! oh well,i aint going to take the thing apart to find out what is causing it. everything looked good when i bolted the pick guard back on so i dont think i can figure it out anyway. i was happy just to have the thing work. (a tech i aint) the setup i had was a little differant from the stock strat wiring. i bought all 3 pickups premounted & wired in the pickguard from carvin & it had a mini toggle for the neck pickup (on/off) so i couldnt use the wiring diagram that i saw in a book for a stock strat

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: its seems to be a nice "multi purpose" pickup

Comments: ive been playing for about 25 years. i love (and play) fender strats but the other guitarist in my band has a les paul. each guitar has its strong points & weak points. i was trying to get a ballsier sound out of the strat. i probably could have gone with a stacked single coil sized humbucker but the blue velvet was such a grat deal (50% off at guitar center = $40) i like it just fine but i wish the guitar wouldnt hum so much. especially when i turn up the distortion. blame it on me tho, not the new pickup.

Pickup features: Passive single coil
Impedence or other specs: ?

Model of guitar or bass: Am. Std. Stratocaster
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: Am. Std. Stratocaster neck pickup
Other pickups on guitar: middle: standard pickup, neck: Dimarzio SDS-1
Artists using this pickup: ?
You musical style(s): Blues, Funk, Rock
Reason for pickup change: I wanted a better sound, warmer and clearer than the standard pickup.
This pickup can recreate the sounds of a Texas Special,
but you have to pay only half the price Fender is asking...

Perceived output level: normal, maybe slightly more than the standard pickup
Tone: very clear and balanced
Sonic evaluation: Guitar: stratocaster
Amp: Fender Super Twin Reverb or Crate Vintage Club 3x10inch

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: mostly blues and funk, I think the pickup is suitable for about every style of music

Comments: I just picked this pickup from the list because of its name (it sounds bluesy to me) and because of the price. If the pickup was stolen, the thief would probably steal my guitar too, so I would buy another guitar wich may not be a strat (I'm actually a Les Paul-sound fan, but I can't stand their necks). The sound is almost exactly what I was looking for. You can use this pickup for about every style of music (SRV, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Black Crowes, ..., you just name it). If I had to buy a neck pickup for a strat again, it would be the blue velvet.