DiMarzio EJ Custom

Pickup features: HUMBUCKER
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: GIBSON ES-333
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: GIBSON
Other pickups on guitar: DONT KNOW WHAT THE OTHER ONE IS--GIBSON I GUESS..I DONT PLAY THE NECK PICKUP MUCH..
Artists using this pickup: ME AND I GUESS ERIC JOHNSON..SO FAR
You musical style(s): MUSIC
Reason for pickup change: THE GIBSON BRIDGE PICKUP SUCKED..TOO UNDEFINED..NO GRIT..NO SPARKLE..TYPICAL GIBSON HUMBUCKER SOUND...GOOD BUT ...TOO MUDDY FOR ME..

Perceived output level: ITS HOT...CLEAR AND GRITTY...AND IT HAS GOOD GRIIND TOO
Tone: OVERALL VERY WELL BALANCED...NOT TOP HEAVY..NOT BOTTOM HEAVY...HAS SHIMMER THAT NO GIBSON HUMBUCKER WILL GIVE YOU
Sonic evaluation: I PLAY THROUGH A TUBE AMP...A MATCHLESS SPITFIRE...SOUNDS AWESOME TOGETHER

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: GET THE ROARING 60'S SOUND...VERY GRETSCH LIKE..NOT EXACTLY LIKE A GRETSCH..BUT CLOSE

Comments: I LOVE THIS PICKUP..FOR THE MONEY..IT'S A GREAT DEAL...

Pickup features: Passive Humbuckers
Impedence or other specs: Neck & Bridge Model

Model of guitar or bass: Ibanez Artcore AF 85 VLS
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Ibanez Stock PU
Other pickups on guitar: see above
Artists using this pickup: Eric Johnson obviously...
You musical style(s): Harder Rock Music
Reason for pickup change: Wanted to get that mighty Gretsch Twang, added a Duesenberg Bigsby style Vibrato and wanted to see how close you can come.

Perceived output level: Low/Moderate
Tone: Clear, percussive, not ultra Tele bright but shiny, very good overtones.
Sonic evaluation: Marshall Silver Jubilee / Fender Super Champ

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: It's best suited for Jazz and Rockabilly and all the styles that need a crunchy tone (e.g. Southern Rock)

Comments: Does it deliver that mighty Gretsch twang? was the question on my mind buying this pair of PUs. It german distributer told me to wait 8 weeks(!!!), although it was tested in Germany's most important guitar magazine in that very month. After 17 weeks (no kidding here, I'm absolutely super pissed!!!) they finally arrived - when I had to recognize that "Zebra" at DiMarzio's means the ohter way round it's usually seen (my mistake, could have looked it up on the internet...), the creme coil inside. But let's get tot the point: Yes, they DO sound quite gretschy in my Ibanez Artcore, they are definetly smacky, crunchy and full but not muddy sounding (when not put too close to the strings, which has it's own charme by the way - bit ill sounding Jazz Crunch, a soundscape for a John Frusciante record). They are NOT exactly copying that Gretsch sound and feeling, but they are very, very close. I'll keep 'em and consider them satisfying since they are better sounding than the P-90's I tried out once before, perhaps a liiiiittle bit lifeless (it's that certain gooey feeling associated with that DiMarzio Virtual Vintage PUs... you can feel it more than hear it, but there's something stiff in evolving the tone). Because of that I'll rate it "9". Perhaps I'll try some other PUs in the future, but right now this is the best solution available to me and fitting my guitar.

Pickup features: Humbucking, Passive
Impedence or other specs: Resistance 7.85K bridge, Output 200mv: 7.0K neck Output 178mv

Model of guitar or bass: Fender Double Fat Strat
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): New/Old Rock, Country
Reason for pickup change: Wanted a pickup with less midrange pickup and lower output that more complemented my other strat.

Perceived output level: Simular to a PAF but with a sound all it's own
Tone: Very balanced sound that doesn't loose anything when you overdrive
Sonic evaluation: Very suprised by the low end respose of the bridge pickup. The Dimarzio web site lists it as being more bright. I think it is just adds definition when you play clean. It really bites when you cruch it and really screams when you overdrive it. It goes from Metalica to Rolling Stones at the change of the channel on the amp or just rolling off on the volume on your guitar. The neck pickup is very warm and very user friendly. These pickups complement each other extremely well. When you put them out-of-phase you can get a nice Knopfler like tone that is both bright and meaty. I play through a Marshall 1/2 stack that really loves these pickups. I have the black and cream F spaced models that complement my bright red double fat Strat.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Hard rock to blues to country. Covers all styles. Would be great for Jazz.

Comments: I am very impressed and love everything about these pickups. I have been playing for 25+ years. Playing in two bands now. I have really found a sound I love and probably will hang on to these for a long time. I really like the low output level. This allows my amp to do all the work when its time to Rock. The when its time to clean up and get that crisp, clean and bright tone it just dials right in. These got rid of the overly middy tone of the Pearly Gates and put in a really balanced tone that can cover the whole spectrum by changing the tone controls on your amp and dial in whatever distortion level you want. They respond nicely to your amp and are very touch sensitive. I really believe these to be a fanstasic value. I Love 'em den dere now hey don't cha know.

Pickup features: Passive humbucker
Impedence or other specs: 7.01k

Model of guitar or bass: Tele with northern (hard) ash mody, maple neck/fretboard
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: Seymour Duncan '59
Other pickups on guitar: GFS Fat TC in bridge
Artists using this pickup: Eric Jonhson
You musical style(s): Jazz, Fusion, Blues, Hard Rock
Reason for pickup change: I wanted a neck pickup that wasn't as muddy sounding as the '59. To get a nice beafy tone out of my bridge pickup, I typicaly boost the bass and mids, and cut the treble on my amp. This resulted in a less than clear sound coming from my neck pickup.

Perceived output level: Less than the '59, but not by much.
Tone: Contrary to what the DiMarzio website states, this pup does NOT provide a great deal of presence (treble). Compared to the '59, it offers a rounder (bassier) tone.
Sonic evaluation: I play through a Tech21 Trademark 10. While I do not believe the DiMarzio website description of the EJ Cutom Neck is accurate, I still feel that the pup offers very smooth sounds taht are especially useful for clean jazz applications. It's also quite nice overdrive since it rarely sounds overly harsh.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Good for clean jazz and distorted tones that are more elegant than crunchy/nasty.

Comments:

Pickup features: Humbucking (4-conductor)
Impedence or other specs: nickel-covered

Model of guitar or bass: '69 Gibson ES150
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: '69 Gibson stock PAF
Other pickups on guitar: identical '69 Gibson stock PAF - bridge
Artists using this pickup: Eric Johnson, on Les Pauls
You musical style(s): Acid-jazz
Reason for pickup change: Heretical yes, but the stock neck PAF sucked on this guitar.
Why? The ES150 has a shortened center-block which only seats the neck pickup. So the bridge was bright and brittle like a 335 should be, but the neck PU was sludge-caked and useless, like a late-model Les Paul.

Perceived output level: Low. Much lower than the stock PAF
Tone: VERY bright and present, but never harsh. Gretsch-y indeed.
Sonic evaluation: Through a Fender Blues Deluxe: rolling off the treble jazz-style, it's wonderfully defined, no matter how thick the gain
Through the Adrenalinn: energizes its (very bassy) amp emulations

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Does what the Seymour Duncan SH2 Jazz aspires to: it yields definition when your tone is darkened by rolled-off-treble jazz amps, thick fuzzboxes, or off-axis mic-ing.

Comments: After trying more than ten pickup models (including the Duncan 59, Jazz, Bluesbucker, etc etc).. this is it.
If you're hating a sludgy neck pickup (particularly in a solidbody) then run like hell and grab one. Just be aware of what it is intended to do.