DiMarzio Chopper T

Passive, humbucking (or single-coil depending how you wire it).

This pup replaced the Rio Grande Tall boy I had in the bridge of my Tele. This is about the 6th pup I've had in this guitar, and it may be the 'keeper'. My "Franken-Tel" has a TV Jones in the neck, and a Lawrence 280 (Strat) in the middle. I liked the Rio but it was noisy and couldn't compete with the output of the TV.

I wired this pup according to factory instructions to operate in series (standard humbucking), parallel (also noise-cancellingand bit brighter), and single-coil (brightest, least output, and a little noisy). So, my tone palette is pretty broad. In standard humbucking, this pup keeps up with the TV and still has enough "edge" to sound like a Tele. Some have compared it to a P-90. Not quite that much output and a little brighter. I play thru a Music Man RD-100 head (30 years old and still kickin') into two JBL E-110's in an open back cab. This axe may be replacing my beloved old '76 Les Paul Custom which I have not been on a gig without since I bought it, but has become a nightmare to keep in tune and is killing my back. With the Chopper in the bridge and some high end rolled off, I can get that "honky" Chuck Berry rhythm sound when I need it.

Knowing me, I'd probably want to try something else, but I think I'll be sticking with this pup for awhile. I wish it were a little better looking. I've been playing about 48 years (but sound like 5..haha!).

Humbucking, single coil-shaped tele pickup

Passive and hum-cancelling, can also split the coils

DC resistance is 9.19

Put this in the bridge of a custom made tele ... it has an extra thick mahogany tele body with maple/rosewood neck. It has a traditional Fender tele bridge (string through body) and brass nut and brass saddles. In other words, this is very bright-sounding guitar.

I replaced a really old Fender tele pickup that came with the bridge. It is a great pickup, but with the brass nut and saddles and string through body, the guitar had way too much high end. I wanted to flatten out the sound of the bridge so that this guitar would be half way between a les paul and a tele. The Chopper T helped me reach that goal.

The Chopper T is paired with an old 'Bill Lawrence' designed neck pickup (... the guy I got it from said it was from an old Aria guitar that Bill designed pickups for back in the 80s. I don't know much more about it, but it has a very unique overwound tone). Together the two pickups give a wierd Gretsch sound ... which was a nice surprise.

The Chopper T is an awesome rock and blues pickup. It has a very flat response. The tone rating is 7 - treble/ 6 - mid / 6-bass. On my very bright sounding guitar, this worked out perfectly. I now have an axe that takes me half way btw a Les Paul and tele bridge. In other words, it's fat but doesn't loose the high end definition. I also have a 500K volume pot, which also helps define the top end to the point where I wouldn't hesitate to take this guitar to a country gig, although this pickup was created -- and perfect -- for rock and blues. When you tap the coil into single mode, you get a very passable traditional tele tone. Not as good as my old Fender pickup, but I wouldn't hesitate to use it.

I am recording with the Chopper T now. So far, it gives a great distorted lead tone that cuts through the mix. I also use it for adding substance to crunch/power chords. With just a bit of natural amp distortion, you really hear that Les Paul/PAF character. The clean sound is decent, but this is my go-to pickup for distorted tones. It's made to rock hard.

I really like this pick-up. I'm not a les paul guy. But if I was, this is what I'd want it to sound like. I read another review of a Duncan Little 59 tele pickup where the guy lamented that it turned his tele into a bad sounding Les Paul. THis is NOT what happened to me with the Chopper T. Now I have a unique sounding guitar that is literally half way btw a tele and les paul in the bridge position.

So, If you want to fatten up your tele for rock without totally and completely losing the tele feel, with the 500K volume pot this is a perfect option.

you allready know this.

I had a Amber Vintage + in the bridge of my Tele and was pleased with it for some days ( still a keeper ) but for a good allround Tele that has no fizzling in the spot on stage this is my better choice. Artist ? On Dimarzios Homepage you can check them out.

The putput is lower than the Amber so it works better with amps that produce the gain and not the pickup. Its has fat bass, punchy mids and nice treble. I have played my Tele about some amps and it was everytime a fun.

A cheap, industrie product that works perfect ! I dont want to go for that 150 $ Custom wounded Pickups any longer !
Destroyed ? Yes I would buy another one.
I love the versatile of it. I can go from clean chords, to Jazzy, Blusey Styles to funky hard Rock, Indie Pop Metal.
Pure Vintage Heads are maybe not pleased with it, also pure Metal heads but when youre home in different styles you have a great pickup here !?

Output 260, 9,19 Ohm

I use this on in a Fame Telecaster, which is a very fine Tele copy, handmade in Poland.

The output LEvel fits well to Texas Special PUs. It has a very fast attack and it sounds very middy. You have a very powerful crunch sound and I like the Lead sound which has a lot of pressure. It still has a tele Feeling but you can really rock. It

What I do not like is the plastic cover instead the metal plate. I am frightend to screw to much becuase it could break. There are better Materials for Pick ups.

On the other hand if it is built in you will not touch it for month or years. The Sound is great.

humbucker in a singlecoil style
"moderat input" no vintage and no high gain !

i have a Fender Deluxe Tele that comes with the noisless ******,
they re fine but thats all, I wanted a bit more "fattness" in the bridge position and I get it from the Chopper T.
In the neck is still the std. Fender noizless...
For me it works, maybe they better call i the " Chunky T" ;-)
becouse thats what it is, a chunky, fat, crispy Rock thing.
My choose for it was the Sound of Richie Kotzens last two Albums.

Moderate output works from Jazz to Hard Rock not the best for Metal.
My Amp is a Engl screamer(V 30)combo with 2x12 greenback cab.
or a Fender Blues deluxe with a 1 x 12 Heritage cab.
My Effects are Maxon Ad 999 and A modded crybaby classic a Peterson Hardwire Tuner thats it.
I play Blues, Jazz, Rock, Funk and a bit Hard Rock since the early 90??. I played with this equipment in small Clubs and large studios, works...
its only for a Tele bidge !!!!
Maybe ther is a better pickup outthere I dont have find or its from a boutiqe Handmade freak for $$$ so thats why I can give only 9 points.

Destroyed ? stolen ? Yes i would deffenetly buy the same and hope that the actuall material is the same. Mine is 4 years old.
I love it and cant hate him.
Perfect for me.

Tele bridge position humbucking passive pickup
Check DiMarzio or Musician's Friend for the specs

Installed in Warmoth guitar with Walnut body and mahogany neck
It's the original pickup I installed when I built the guitar in 1995!
The neck position is a DiMarzio Air Classic, also the original from '95!

Don't know of any artists using this; don't care...

...at the time I just needed a bridge pickup; I didn't know much about tone; I lucked out and started with a great choice!

This pickup has vintage humbucker level output with nice highs and lows. I've got it tapped for series and parallel tones; in parallel it gets pretty close to vintage Tele single coil tone, although I know purists would want more glassy highs and spank. Still, through a good tube amp, you can get most of that, and still have a balanced versatile tone that goes into standard humbucker territory very nicely when used in series...I've installed a lot of pickups in a lot of guitars since '95, and this one still is one of the best for versatile tone. Overdrives smoothly through my FullTone Full Drive 2 into either my Peavey Delta Blues or Gibson GA15-RV. Have used it through Fender amps and other Peavey amps, and it sounds great.

I play blues/bluesy rock (think Allman Brothers, Govt. Mule, SRV, Johnny Winter, etc., also Beatles, Clapton, and WISH I could play like Gatton and Buchanan!), country rock, contemporary Christian & worship and am getting into more fingerstyle (a la Gatton, Doyle Dykes, Junior Brown).

I thnk it deserves a 10, but I know others would stick their noses up, so I'll give it a 9 (but really 10 for my purposes).

Yeah, I'd replace it, but I'd be heart broken, since this was my first project guitar that I built from the ground up (with Warmoth neck and body); I did the nut, the assembly/set-up, and all the wiring (series/parallel on both pickups separately, which was a nightmare for a beginner, but a great learning experience).

I just orderd a DiMarzio Fast Track T and a Cruiser (Strat pickup) for another one of my Warmoth Tele's; I want to go for just a little different tone in that guitar (a walnut thinline body with no f-hole), and still avoid noise (which I'm getting big time from the current set of pickups, some Rio Grandes; great tone, but too noisy!).

This pickup does a lot; if someone closed their eyes and just listened, they'd swear this thing was a good vintage humbucker (in series mode); covers the above mentioned styles plus Led Zeppelin, etc. I keep coming back to DiMarzio and Bill Lawrence pickups. A lot cheaper than a lot of other boo-teek pickups (I've had a set of Barden's; good pickups, but overpriced; I sold 'em a couple years ago for a nice profit when he was temporarily out of business; I'll stick with DiMarzio's and Lawrence's!).

Pickup features: Single coil sized humbucker
Impedence or other specs: 260 mV output

Model of guitar or bass: Peavey Reactor
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Stock
Other pickups on guitar: Texas special
Artists using this pickup: ??
You musical style(s): 80's Rock
Reason for pickup change: To thin sounding not to much lows

Perceived output level: Pretty hot just as hot as my duncan invader in one of my other guitars
Tone: sounds alot like a Duncan JB with a little more mids & highs
Sonic evaluation: Roland VG-88 V-Guitar System stereo out to two Ibanez tone blaster 100 heads two Ibanez cabinets.this guitar with this pickup in it screams like a banshee! just like all my guitars.I LOVE the bell like tone it has.This is a Great pickup for in your face rock tone.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play 80's metal and its perfect for it

Comments: If it were destroyed or stolen, I would buy it again Ive been playing all my 38 year life and this is one of the best sounding singel coil sized humbucker I have ever heard Compared to other pickups I have owned & own Duncan STHR-1,JB jr,Fast Track 1,Little 59er, EMG-RTC,

Pickup features: passive humbucker fit for single coil slot
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: fender standard telecaster
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: stock fender singe coil
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): screamo, rock, punk
Reason for pickup change: i dont care for single coils but i love the style and quality of telecasters

Perceived output level: pretty hot, i have a seymour duncan JB in my other guitar and the chopper t is hotter
Tone: trebly but pretty well balanced
Sonic evaluation: fender tele into marshal MG half stack

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

Comments: if it was destroyed or stolen, i would definately replace it. it makes my amp just sound better in general. it sounds brighter and it almost makes my amp sound like a tube amp.

Pickup features: Dual rail humbucking
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Mexican Standard Tele
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Stock Mexican Single Coil Bridge
Other pickups on guitar: Stock Mexican Single coil Neck
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Blues/Rock/Shred
Reason for pickup change: To give the guitar some balls

Perceived output level: Rocking! Kiss that puny Mex twang sound goodbye
Tone: This adds a load of bass and mid over the stock sound whilst maintaining a sweet amount of treble
Sonic evaluation: I'm using a Mexican tele through a Trace Elliot hybrid amp. With the valves glowing and the distortion whacked upto 11 this PU really sounds sweet. With the 250K pots in it has a great tone. Bassy yet the treble allows lead playing to cut through. Also great for blues at lower distortion levels.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play blues through to shred. This thing covers all those bases pretty well

Comments: If this PU got messed up, I wouldn't even think twice about getting it again. It has converted my rather feeble Mex tele into a guitar that can rock with the best of 'em. Love it.

Pickup features: Humbucking
Impedence or other specs: unknown

Model of guitar or bass: Califonia Telecaster
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Tex-Mex Telecaster pickup
Other pickups on guitar: Tex-Mex Stratocaster pickup
Artists using this pickup: unknown
You musical style(s): Gospel, R&B, Rock
Reason for pickup change: Tex-Mex Bridge pickup was very good for the Gospel and R&B music. Tex-Mex was not good enough for Rock music that I played because I needed more gain and distortion.

Perceived output level: This is a true humbucker in a single coil sized package! Improved gain by 100%!
Tone: Good overall but, the ceramic magnets lack character, and are a little dry.
Sonic evaluation: I am using a California Telecaster with a Marshall JCM- 900 SLX. I am using a Fender Bassman Cabinet loaded with 2x12 Peavey Sheffield speakers.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play a wide variety of styles R&B to Rock. This is a good pickup for both if there is a coil tap switch installled to tone down the gain.

Comments: I am very happy with this pickup, and would buy it again on my next telecaster. Think of this pickup as a very hot P-90 or P-100. If you need alot of gain in a tele sized pickup, this one is for you. If you think you can play country music with this forget about it. I added a coil tap to this pickup and made the pickup more versitile!!!. I have talked with some anti-Dimarzio guitar players and even they were surprized by the solid sound of this pickup. Because it has ceramic magnets it lacks some character and are a little dry when compaired to the Tex-Mex telecaster pickups. I think the Tex-Mex stratocater neck pickup is a good match for this Dimarzio. I was looking at Seymour Duncan pickups and could not find a replacement pickup that was a beefy humbucker, they only offered traditional single coil pickups. I have stopped searching for that sound, because I found it. I never thought I would say this, but, thanks Dimarzio.