DiMarzio Chopper

Single coil sized dual rail passive humbucker.

Neck position in a Steinberger GM copy project guitar. The stock pickups were just crap. I was concerned this pickup wouldn't be a great match for the guitar, as the body is made of Elm, a very soft lightweight wood. This type of wood with a middy pickup could've been a muddy disaster. I was wrong, this pickup is simply perfect for the application, and It's a perfect match with the Tone Zone I installed in the bridge. The guitar is an H/S/S configuration, I yanked out the middle pickup and left the position empty to leave room for picking. Just the two pickups with a few extra switching options is quite enough.

High output, a perfect match with a high output bridge pickup. The tone is bold and clear, great sustain, very middy but nicely balanced. Noise? It's dead silent! Enough output for some nice rumble when you push it, but it cleans up very nicely. My new favorite single coil replacement. I play jazz metal, a style that demands a wide variety of tasteful sounds. This one delivers.

I'll buy this again next time I need a single coil replacement for a project. Under direct comparison, it kicks the *** out from under a Seymour Duncan Hot Rails. Might be a little hot for purist vintage single coil junkies. That's not what this one's after. But for what it is, this pickup is the shit.

See bellow

Gibson Melod Maker :)
Bridge position
Stock,Dimarzio Solo Pro
It is a Single pickup Melody Maker.
Artist...I think mr. Kotzen
Reason for change: I generally like Gibson pickups. They are just great with Marshall, However I am a Peavey, Mesa Guy. So Stock was very treble heavy. Solo Pro was just the opposit so too warm for my taste. I replaced stock Cap. Replacement caused some improvements
I used a lot og choppers before, it worked always so had good experience.

Chopper is just a masterpiaece. I am not great fan of Dimarzio however I really think this is the best ever singlebucker. Great character. Very quick, dynamic. Tone is balanced however tends towards treble side very good upper mids.
I dont like scooped mid pickups. I don't always like the Dimarzio enchanted mids. I accept they work if you are a professional musician and want to stay alive in the mix. I don't like Tone Zone but I like Breed, I don't like Fred but I like Norton I don't like VV2.1 2.2, 54s but I like Area 58-61. Funny relationship.
BUT CHOPPER JUST RULES. There are more aggressive, more muscular, hotter rails howerer it is just lovely for Rock music, in my melody maker sound like AC/DC Back in Black era.

Avoid the risk buy a chopper.
I warn you it doesn't fit Melody maker so you have to work a bit.

Single coil sized humbucker. Passive pu.

Custom Strat, in the bridge position. It is replacing EMG SV's Dimarzio cruisers. Reason changed is that I wanted a more versatile sound and the bridge pickup on most Strats sound like crap.

The output is similar to my Les Paul with stock pups. I use a Mesa Boogie Triaxis and a Mesa 50/50 power amp. Effects are through an old Alesis Quadraverb. The sound of this pickup is what I was looking for - and I was really worried. I wanted more of a paf sound, but from a single coil sized pickup. It is a touch more mid rangey compared to the Les Paul Gibson 498T, but has nice high end and plenty of beef down low. Clean it doesn't sound much like a Strat bridge pu, but that is good for me. It does clean up though, unlike some humbucker pup's - My Les Paul you really can't get a good clean sound out of the bridge pickup. It blends fairly well with the middle pickup to give you some quack, but you lose some of the high end sparkle, but when you go distorted it is worth it. I was having to change back and forth between guitars all the time, but I can rock this really hard and still shift around and get a good clean tone. I'm pretty happy. I've been playing it now for about two months. PS. the bottom end is not muddy, which is one of the things I feared. I put it with a Cruiser bridge in the middle position and a Cruiser neck in the neck pos. It all works well together with just a bit less highend than a reg. Strat, but with much better sustain and little drop off after the initial pluck, which is a plague of most Strats.

Is anything really a 10 when it comes to Guitar players who are always searching for the holy grail of tone? I would buy this pu again. I've had many different pups in the bridge of this custom Strat including a Duncan Custom, Duncan Alan Holdsworth - nice sustain but too middy, EMG SV - too much like reg. strat, but great classic tone with a bit more output, much better than stock strat and really nice neck tones, and my favorite up to now was the Dimarzio PAF Pro - I eventually got tired of an annoying res. peak. The Chopper works really well for a good, hot PAF sound (similar to Gibsons 498T) but still has a good clean tone. What I don't like is the out of phase sound, where you lose some of the highs, but still have good quack (but for me the trade is worth it, since a only play a few songs where I use that quacky strat, Dire Straights tone) If that is what you want stick with the more stock pups. The thing that I like most is the increased sustain, excellent rock tone when distorted and only a touch of dropoff, which you just can't get with lower out put pickups - I don't like high output pickups either, but you've got to have something that doesn't just die after you hit it.

Pickup features: SC-size Humbucker (Ceramic, TwinRail) passive
Impedence or other specs: 260 mV, 9.19 kOhms

Model of guitar or bass: 88' Fender US Strat
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Lace Sensor Gold
Other pickups on guitar: 2 * Lace Sensor Gold
Artists using this pickup: dunno, me and at least the other guys reviewing this one
You musical style(s):
Reason for pickup change: Lace Sensor to low output for fat rhythm sounds

Perceived output level: The output is higher than the old PAF's, not really high-output compared to PU's like the ToneZone or SuperDistortions
Tone: Sound is kind of open, a little Strat-like trebly, very balanced mids and bass. Like a Duncan Custom crossed with a vintage SC
Sonic evaluation: 88's Fender US Strat plugged into an Ernie Ball Volume, '71 Colorsound Wah to drive a BigMuff which goes into the MXR phase 90 (EVH), finally reaching the MXR-117 flanger which is then connected to my beloved Engl 530 preamp, TC Major inserted for reverb, pitch, chorus and delay, outputs going into the Engl 930/60 driving a 4x12" Hughes & Kettner (Celestion GT75). This works so fine I'm really thinking about replacing my Yamaha RGX (2 * TexasSpecial, 1 * Duncan CustomCustom) with the Strat (except a few songs). The Chopper sounds very good at all distortion levels I get with the Engl and a bit more defined when I kick the BigMuff in (All my other guitars have higher output HB's, getting a bit muddy with the Muff). If you want the kickass distortion sounds go for a full-sized high-output HB, if you are into classic distortion sounds and would like to reatin a good portion of the typical Strat twang without having to replace the pickguard and do additional routing to the body than this one is for you ;-)

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Playing Cover (from Funk, Blues, Disco to Classic Rock, 80's/90's Heavy and Grunge). Would never put this one in the neck position.

Comments: I really love (and these are really a love/hate thing) the Sound of the LaceSensors, the gold is quiet close to the early 70's Strat sound but a bit more balanced. Great for blues sounds. Because of the various styles I have to go through in a gig i tried quiet a few Duncans and DiMarzios to replace the bridge PU. I needed something hot but without getting muddy, something that doesn't completely take over the guitars sound. And the winner is (of course) the Chopper. Really does the job for me...

Pickup features: rail side by side humbucker
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: custom built neck thru "strat"
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: BL knock off
Other pickups on guitar: HS-2 (neck) and HS-3 (middle)
Artists using this pickup: me
You musical style(s): blues, rock, some jazz
Reason for pickup change: the pick up in it sucked... why else

Perceived output level: pretty hot, not like a hot rail. better than a standard single coil
Tone: kind of bassy and middy. no mud. works very well with the other pups
Sonic evaluation: I installed this into a custom built strat, neck thru all eastern rock maple. an all maple guitar is very bright and I needed more lows. this is ran thru a Fender twin Reverb II with a pair of V30's. I don't use may effects. I also play it thru a POD, I have kids that need to sleep

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play mostly blues and blues rock, but I do play some rock and older metal

Comments: I really like this pup, but I have only been using it for a couple of months. it works really well in the bridge position with the HS-3 in the middle. It is really warm with no mud, used with the HS-3 it gives me a great screaming tone that works well in my style of music. I'm not a "gotta have the hottest pup in town" kind of guy. I'm more interested in getting great tone. this is the last piece of getting a guitar that will cover everything from smooth jazz to screaming rock (I don't do modern metal). this is a great pup to work with other pups. it's tone helps to smooth out of your screamers. it's cleans are warm and each string is articulated well, and clear. this thing comes to life when you add some grind to it. the sustain and drive makes this one of my favorite pups. keep in mind that this is a rather bassy pup, so you'll need something with a bit more highs to bring it to life, if you looking for screaming solos. this isn't a great pup for the modern metal sound, but for blues and rock this thing is very very nice. I would have given it a 10, but it is a bit bassy for soloing, but rhythm is its real forte. this would make a nice middle pup if you have some screamer in the bridge as well

Pickup features: twin blade single coil size humbucker
Impedence or other specs: 12 K ohms

Model of guitar or bass: stratocaster
Position: middle
Pickup being replaced: stock single coil
Other pickups on guitar: SD Hotrails in bridge, single coil in neck
Artists using this pickup: ?
You musical style(s): blues, rock,
Reason for pickup change: Wanted an 'alternate' lead tone, and got it. It's exactly what I wanted to get some utility out of the middle.

Perceived output level: Pretty gutsy, but slightly lower ouput than hotrails, an excellent match
Tone: Classic fat humbucker, very well balanced, nice clean tones, smooth and slick with a little gain
Sonic evaluation: Behringer blue devil

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Blues, bluesy rock,...I coudn't be happier with this pickup..so nice and smooth when you want a break from the hotrails edge, and just the edge you want when switching from the neck pickup. I'm sure this would be a fine bridge pickup too

Comments: I'd definitely put this pickup arrangement together again if this guitar was stolen.. Been playing for 40 years, from Mike Bloomfield to Satriani-- I've got a real '59 LP special w/p90's, a LP 'the paul' with SD Custom Custom/59, and a jap squier w/humbuckers, so this strat w/hotrails, chopper and single coil is loud and fat when necessary, and still very strat-like.

Pickup features: Single sized bladed humbucker
Impedence or other specs: dont know- have a crap memory

Model of guitar or bass: Levinson Blade Texas Standard (S***T style guitar)
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: stock single coil
Other pickups on guitar: two stock levinson single coils
Artists using this pickup: Unknown
You musical style(s): Pop, Rock, funk, disco, soul 60s 70s covers
Reason for pickup change: I dont like single coil strat bridge pickups- Although these levinson units a really good

Perceived output level: Hotter than stock singles- Medium output humbucker volume
Tone: Fat meaty strat sound, twangy clean, great dirt- sounds a bit brown
Sonic evaluation: Two levinson blades- texas & RH4 ( both with active mid and bass/treble boost, and graphtech saddles.
Yamaha DG80 amp

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: this pickup is verstile- Its good for many styles except that down tuned stuff

Comments: If it were destroyed thaen the chances are the guitar would be also and I'd get a nice Peavey Wolfgang- but i'd probably just get the same setup.

Pickup features: Humbucking
Impedence or other specs: 260 millivolts

Model of guitar or bass: 1997 Strat Plus
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Many
Other pickups on guitar: Lindy Fralin Vintages in middle and neck
Artists using this pickup: I don't know
You musical style(s): Rock, Fusion, Jazz, Country
Reason for pickup change: Wanted a bridge pickup that would really scream.

Perceived output level: At least twice as much as a normal Strat bridge pickup
Tone: Emphisis on mids and lower highs
Sonic evaluation: I have used this through an Digitech RP3 strait to my Fender DeVille (2x12), and also through a number of effects (without the RP3) including a Danelectro Cool Cat Chorus, Dano Dan-Echo, Electro-Hamonix Small Stone Phaser, Snarlin' Dogs Veri-Tone, and an Ibanez Tube Screamer Reissue.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: This pickup is well suited for any style of music.

Comments: I have searched far and wide for a combination of pickups that would give me a decent clean sound and also a good distorted tone. I have tried more pickups, more pickup configurations, more switching options, poured over more giutar schematics, and spent more late night hours with my soldering gun than any one person should ever have to in 3 lifetimes. I am embarresed to tell you how much trouble I have gone through to arrive at a sound I can live with. But if you're obbsessed that's what you do. Anyway, strictly speaking from my point of view, and for this guitar type (decent sustain, rosewood fretboard, alder body, locking tuners(locking tuners add mass to a guitar and thus sustain, if you don't believe it try adding a Fat Finger to your headstock, hell, cable tie a brass slide to it) and an LSR nut), this Chopper pickup in the bridge is awsome. Keep in mind that the materials that make up the guitar are very important, because the most valuable qualities of a guitar is it's tone and the ability to sustain a note or chord. Good sustain makes up for a lot of a pickup's drawbacks. Now that the disclaimers have been laid down, I will say that this pickup is incredible. It has a fantastic sustain when distorted and the tone is very Strat-like. But it doesn't have the noise of a Strat and has twice the power. In other words it sears. It is cutting without being overly trebly with overtones in the mid to low high area. It has a substantial bass response but is nowhere near being muddy. It screams and wails and is everything a distorted Strat wishes it was. In summary, this pickup is THE BOMB. If you are searching for a cooking (and I mean red hot)Stratocaster bridge pickup try the Chopper. Hey, maybe it's not the perfect pickup for your guitar, but if you have a guitar built like mine, it is definely worth looking into. I feel like I am home. Also, if you are interested in a really good clean sound, you can't go wrong with Lindy Fralin Vintages in the middle and neck positions.
Here are some pickups I have tried that didn't cut the mustard with me: the originals, Fender Lace Sensors (they suck), Dimarzio Super Distortion (full humbucking, pretty good, but not good enough), Dimarzio HS-3 (real crap), Duncan Distortion (they suck), and Duncan Rails (ok, but not too inspiring).

Pickup features: Passive single coil-sized humbucker
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Fender Squier Stratocaster
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Fender-Lace Sensor Gold
Other pickups on guitar: DiMarzio HS-3 (neck) and Fender-Lace Sensor Gold (middle)
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Rock (all kinds), blues, Jazz
Reason for pickup change: Lace Sensors are too thin and nasal in the bridge, and I tried
using the HS-3 in the bridge, but that didn't have enough
output for my taste.

Perceived output level: Twice the power and sound than the other two pickups on my guitar.
Tone: Lots of mids, good highs, and a nice round bass
Sonic evaluation: The Chopper has to be the loudest single coil sized pickup I've used.
It sounds like a full-sized humbucker when distorted, but almost keeps that
Strat glass when you play it clean. The result is a sound that is very boomy.
And the cool part is when I play it
in combination with my Lace Sensor, I get this wierd sound that almost
gives the impression of having a wah hooked up to it with the treble all
the way up. The pickup itself, however, tends to give a fat middle,
which some people like. I perfer a little more treble myself.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Good for most types of rock. Might sound better in the middle, but I like pickups with more high end.

Comments: I like this pickup a lot, and will probably give it permanent station
in the middle position. The output is very hot, and the sound is buttery.
The humbucking is also a great feature, which helps the level of the sound.
I would give it a 10 if it had more glass, so I have to give it a 9.