DiMarzio Evolution

High output humbucking bridge pickup

Right now it is in my RG3120TWL (Lefty), Bridge, I didn't put it in there, someone else did. PAF Joe in the neck. Keep in mind with my review that I have used the following pickups to compare it to: Super Distortion, Super 2 and 3, PAF Pro, X2N, Air Norton, Tone Zone, PAF Joe, Fred, Steve's Special, Fast Track 2, EMG 81, EMG 707, Stock Carvins,Stock Ibanez (old ones and new ones) Fender Red Lace. (I've actually liked all these pickups better than the evolution!)

I have been using this with an all tube Mesa Boogie Triaxis/G Major set up for quite some time, and I can't stand this pickup. It may suit Steve Vai, but remember it was tailored to his needs and his gear and his ear. This pickup is all top end and mids, it totally lacks any bottom end. Because of this EQ shift it is very shrilly and squelchy, with little definition. Also because of this it is a very unforgiving pickup and will showcase any bad technique. I have had this pickup in both Mahogany and Basswood, Direct mount and pickguard mount and it all sounds the same, I dunno, maybe it belongs in Alder only. It is being replaced with a Tone Zone/Air Norton combo, which I already got I just need to find time to do it, heck I would honestly take stock V series pickups over this!!

I would never bother with this pickup, there are far better ones with much better tone and definition. Just because Steve Vai uses it, doesn't make it good.

* What model guitar or bass did you install this in?
Ibanez Prestige RG1570

* What position is it in?
Bridge

* What pickup are you replacing?
Stock V8

* Other pickups installed on the instrument?
Stock pups
* Any artists using this pickup?

* Reason for changing the pickup?
Was looking for something that had a better treble smoothness and clarity.

Well this pup did the trick by making the treble more smooth and with more clarity, BUT it totally lost all my dynamics and bottom end that I had with the stock V8. The pick attack sensitivity of this pup is horrible. When I say that, I mean when I play soft or play hard I expect the pickup to respond to that. The Evolution is just always full throttle and does not respond to dynamic playing. I would rather keep the V8 than this one. I may try an Air Zone and if that don't do the trick then I'll just stick with the V8. This is a good pup for lead playing but just doesn't cut it for that dynamic rhythm playing.

Well if I was rich and could afford an RG to have around just for lead playing for recording then I would keep this in one of my RG's, BUT I'm not rich and need something more versatile.

Dimarzio humbucker, ceramic magnets, DC res: 13.8ohms

Installed in a ibanez rg520QS, which has a mahogany body, rosewood fretboard etc, in the bridge position.
this replaced the stock v8 pickup which was absolutely terrible.
it has been on this guitar for about 5 years and havent even thought about changing it because it suits me and my playing style well.
about a year ago i put a paf pro in the neck and thats complemented the evo quite well and provided some versatility

this is a high output pickup and would not pair well with single coils, due to the quite large difference in output.

i play this guitar through boss delay & chorus pedals and a 100W JCM 900 high gain dual reverb head with JCM900 vintage cab

i play a few styles. satch/vai type solo stuff on one hand and i guess what you'd put into the general category of 'pub rock' in a band. this pickup suits the solo stuff very well and i find it complements the tone of the guitar nicely. sounds shit clean though, so i dont even bother using it for that, thus why i use a strat for cleaner playing. i only use this pickup with distortion, although even a little distortion will suffice. think van halen at lower distortion levels. love it!! haha. it also sounds great with metal even though i dont bother with that much

dont know if i would like this pickup in the neck but i would definitely recomend it in the bridge of an ibanez (not so much in a strat due to its rather trebly presence, certainly not in an alder body) and also if you dont need a clean tone out it.

im only a 19 uni student but ive managed to gather the previously stated ibanez rg520qs and jcm900 amp as well as an '06 fender american deluxe (which i put 2 tex. specials and a paf pro in, think bon jovi on 'these days', didnt like the samarian cobalt pups), an ibanez rg prestige with stock pups (which i dont mind, and dont have the money to replace) and an epiphone LP goldtop.

not sure how that part above related to the evolution but anyway, when buying i also considered the Duncan JB, dimarzio breed and tone zone but fortunately i loved this p/up and havent needed to change it in 5 yrs.

Passive humbucker
4 conductor, ceramic magnet, output 294, DC resistance 13.04

Ibanez RG
Neck
EMG HZ-1
DiMarzio Evo2 (bridge) Shadow 661 Twinbucker(middle)
His holynessss Mr.Vai
Wanted a Vai-sound-like-GR

Medium but again's o.k for neck pu.

It ll take about an hour to write 'em down...

Very balanced, smooth tone, a bit muddy in (real) extreme distortion.

Classic Metal (80's to mid 90's)and some Vai like stuff... The match is perfect when you want something sounds really exciting and you love Vai's sound of course!

Neck, and only neck my friends!

I would duy it again, and again, and again, and again...

About 20 years. Too many to list...

I love the way it sounds during shredding or neoclassical. I hate that is a kind of hummy (like a good single coil pu, but it's still there) during coil splitting.

I've compared Evolution with my HZ-H1 EMGs, Ibanez Infinity, Duncan Jazz and i found that match my Ibanez perfectly!

Yeah, the name DiMarzio with white letters on it, like most Duncans...

For now I'm satisfied with Evolution's sound IN THAT GUITAR AND ONLY.

Don't care what you read. If your guitar has Basswood body, this is the best pu your money can buy if you want variety of sounds.

4 conducting Humbucker bridge pickup.

Its replacing the Ibanez V7 and V8 pickups in the bridge along with a Dimarzio Humbucker from Hell in the neck on the 5 way switching.

This pickup simply sounds incredible, masses of really high mid range treble smoothness, with just enough bass not to make it hiss like a snake. Super smooth high gain with a vintage feel without the muddy or dirtyness of some other high gain pickups.

Incredible pick up and i have no complaints about it whatsoever. Amazing.

Passive Humbuckers, technical specs are at www.dimarzio.com

Came stock in my Alder bodied JEM7vwh. Guitar has been modified by taking the single coil out and re-wiring it.

Output is very hot, if your amp is high gain you'd best dial it back a bit. I'm still playing through effects into a solid state, but these pickups still make the guitar shine.

Word to the wise - The bridge pickup can be very bright in a bright tone-wood guitar like alder. The neck pickup is very smooth though. Running the two together is pure tonal bliss though.

For leads, these pickups are amazing. For rock n' roll rhythm playing they really cut through, but I wouldn't use them for "chugga chugga"

I've been playing about 4 years now, enough for my ears to get an idea of the difference between good tone and bad (to me anyway, its all subjective in the end).

Its good for leads, but it can be a little bright at times, so if you use it with other guitars/pickups that aren't as bright, you may need to re-evaluate your EQ. Screams on command, very good for being expressive with. I don't know the technicalities of Dimarzio's "Dual resonance" design, but if its what is making the Evolutions sound good I'm all for it.

Humbucker
Passive
Not sure about other specs

Epiphone Les Paul Custom
Bridge
Stock Epi pickup
the neck still has a stock Epi
Well Vai obviously but thats no endorsement in my Oppinion, and i sure as hell didnt pick it because its one of his Sig pickups.
I wanted more output for my Leads, and some clarity even under high gain, as the stock PU's were muddy and imbalanced.

Well its a bloody hot pickup which was the primary reason for my choosing. It reminds me of a EMG HZ4 in the bridge but without the extra grit and gravel.
Its quite a tight sounding pickup which isnt a bad thing. Ive also found that its unforgiving with sloppy picking and fretting which is really good.
Its really balanced and suites my style of playing quite nicely, i play a lot of Zakk Wylde type stuff, and Rhodes as well as the whole Corrosion of Conformaty/Down southern metal and i find that this Pick Up owns. My only criticizim is that even in a Mahogany body its not quite as warm as i would have hopes, but decent EQing can sort that out.
I played it through a couple amps such as a 25watt fender, a 60watt line 6 spider and my mates Randall half stack and it smokes its got pritty good mids so even when your EQ has mid at 0 it doesnt sound compleatly gutted (not that i recomend that setting). Great clarity under hi gain.

I probably would look at getting another if lost or stolen, its a solid pickup, but i cant help but feel that maybe there is something a little more suited for my playing out there.
In the mean time i plan on instaling the EVO neck model as the current neck is really muddy and it blows when im mixing the two for rhythm.
I havent been playing as long as some of the people round hear and i dont claim to have been there and done it all, but for my 4 years of Guitar and countless years of other instruments this pickup is good...but its not the holy grail of tone in my ears. Im hoping to get another custom (Gibo or Epi im not sure) sometime soon and i was goning to try out the Breeds. I hear they are a bit warmer sounding...otherwise it might be an EMG 85/85 set...i dont mind a bit of grit in my sound personly, but if you dont then id say hay give the Evo a try...just dont let Vai put you off.

Pickup features: Passive Humbucker
Impedence or other specs: DC Resistance: 13.84; Output: 404

Model of guitar or bass: PRS Custom 22 with Stoptail bridge
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Dragon II set, Duncan JB/Jazz
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: Steve Vai and anyone who uses an Ibanez JEM7
You musical style(s): Blues, Jazz, Rock Reggae and mostly Metal
Reason for pickup change: The Dragon II Treble was too flabby and "boomy" to do tight riffs. The JB sounded a bit "twangy" for my taste.

Perceived output level: Very Hot
Tone: Very tight with lots of treble, crazy harmonics with a bassy undertone. Slightly darker than the JB and the EMG 81
Sonic evaluation: I run my guitars through different amps... Peavey JSX, Traynor YCV40, Peavey 6505 and a little practice amp. Through the JSX, it sounded really clear and powerful especially on solos. Through the Traynor, its a little rounder on the low end. on the 6505, it has a really "dry" but round sound on the rhythm and really tight on solos... think Master of Puppets rhythm tone.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Metal and shred. a little too tight for blues and jazz.

Comments: This pickup rules! If you find the EMG 81 very bright and shrill, the Evolutions are the way to go. The Evo's are a bit rounder, darker and less gritty than the 81, but still remains very clear and aggressive. you still get that aggressive pinch harmonics ala-Zakk Wylde. Dimarzio's have a distinct "aaawwwwooaaahhh" vowel tone to them, ie. Steve's Special, PAF Pro, FRED, Tone Zone etc. the Evo's however sound a bit different... it has an "oooooowwwwoooaaahhh" vowel tone. a bit rounder than other Dimarzio's. It sounds dark because of the body-wood of my guitar (mahogany, maple top) therefore, it will sound brighter on ash or alder bodied guitars. the bridge is really tight for riffs and solo's. very punchy. NEVER twangy! the other guitarist in my band has an EMG 81 and 85 set in his guitars, and he used to tease me a lot because my guitar sounded twangy with the JB /Jazz that was in it before. the Evo bridge is like an 81 with less treble and more bass. the neck is very powerful, but it never becomes muddy. its very warm and clear on fast picked runs ala-petrucci. I've compared the Evo's with my other guitars: Music Man John Petrucci, Gibson Les Paul and Ibanez RG3120 with Tone Zone and PAF Pro. the MM is brighter but just as aggressive... the harmonics on the MM are a lot harder to come by. the Ibanez has a lot more crunch and midrange, but the harmonics are almost up-to-par with the Evo's. Bottom line is, if you like heavy music and want a clear and aggressive pickup, the Evo's are for you. Im sold on these... I love them! I play death metal with my band, and these suit me just fine! although nothing is a 10, i would give this a 9.

Pickup features: Passive humbucker.
Impedence or other specs: 14 ohms or a little more.

Model of guitar or bass: Jackson 1984 Randy Rhoads,JDR Dinky Reverse and PS-4.
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: S.D. Duncan Custom,stock Jackson pick ups and a generic humbucker.
Other pickups on guitar: Fast Track 2,B.Lawrence L-250, S.D. Screamin' Demon.
Artists using this pickup: Steve Vai and too many others that want good tones.
You musical style(s): Neo-Classical/Metal,Blues,Metal,Classic Rock,Hard Rock and Fusion.
Reason for pickup change: Wanted to have more power with a great balance.

Perceived output level: Powerful, yet very very defined.
Tone: Lots of pounding bass, fat mids with just a slice of treble to keep me happy!
Sonic evaluation: Guitars to (pedal board)S.D.Pick up Booster,RP-12,Hush pedal,RP-1,DBX 563X,VHT Valvulator,J.Dunlop vol-boost pedal to(rack#1)ETA power conditioner,BBE 462,Hush 2CX,2 DOD 32 band EQ's,Behringer Feedback Destroyer Pro,Hush 2CX,BBE 462 to (rack#2)Monster Cable power conditioner,Hush/Rocktron Super C,BBE 362 to the front and to the effects of the Carvin X-100 B amp.Sonic sounds may very because every bit of gear makes a difference.What may make me tonally happy would probably make some one else not happy.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Not for people who want lots of treble, it's geared for players that want a heavy sound with the highs not being too excessive.

Comments: I'd get more Evo's for my guitars.I used Bill Lawrences,Dimarzios(majority of my guitars have them)and some Duncans.But the Evo is one of my all time favorites and I would recomend them for people who love sonic sledge hammer tone that can be rolled back with a volume knob or can be wired to back off to get a(single coil) sweeter tone yet still have definition with out compromise.

Pickup features: HUMBUCKING PASSIVE
Impedence or other specs: n/a

Model of guitar or bass: RG170DXBK
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: Ibanez Stock
Other pickups on guitar: Evolution bridge and stock Middle
Artists using this pickup: Steve Vai, ALEX SKOLNICK
You musical style(s): THRASH - SLIPKNOT TO VAI, SATRIANI TO ALEX SKOLNICK
Reason for pickup change: NECK PICK UP IS RUBBISH AND I BOUGHT THE BRIDGE AND THE NECK TOGETHER FOR ?145.00 AND IT CAME IN THE JEM PINK SO I BOUGHT THEM AND HAVEN'T REGRETTED IT... I LIKED THEM THAT MUCH THAT I HAVE JUST BOUGHT MY FIRST Ibanez JEM 7v SPARKLING BLUE

Perceived output level: LOUD just like the bridge pickup but is slighty Quieter than the output on the bridge
Tone: Slightly BASSY But is ideal for neck solo's
Sonic evaluation: Line 6 SPIDER ii AMP AND A LINE 6 POD XT PRO AND A IBANEZ RG170DXBK

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: SLIPKNOT TO THRASH METAL TO VAI SATRIANI AND MY FAV ALEX SKOLNICK

Comments: I WOULD DEFINATELY GET THE PAIR OF EVOS IF STOLEN
NINETEEN LONG YEARS
ALWAYS LOVE DOING SOLOS AND IF YOU GET THE SOUND YOU WANT THEN YOU ARE LAUGHING!!!
I TRIED IT AFTER HEARING DIMARZIO PAF PRO'S AND THEY SOUND 100%PERCENT BETTER IDEAL FOR ANYTHING
IM HAPPY WITH THE SOUND OUT OF THIS PICK AND ANY OTHERS I HAVE AS ALL GUITARS ARE DIFFERENT ANYWAY SO ITS GOOD TO HAVE A VARIETY OF SOUND...