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Messages - 123RnR

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31
You could wire the tone knob so that it only works on one of the pups.

I tend to want more brightness from the neck, so in 3 pot guitars I tend to use a neck spin a split, bridge volume and tone.


That's the thing. I want to have tone controls for each pickup. For me, the neck is the most important one for clean rhythms, and I need to ''tame it''. I like totally rolled off neck tones, but also need the brightness for clean rhythms, chording, some leads, etc. I do love my Super Distortion. It's the PERFECT bridge pickup for me, but getting a proper neck that can balance correctly (without the use of the tone knob) is a challenge. I had APH-2 pickups on my guitar. Everybody talks about the warm blah, blah, but the Transition I have on the neck at the moment sure is WARM! I really want and need some attack on that position. That's why I always write about the brightness. It surely can help me balance out, and get the tone I need to get out of my guitar. I know every guitar/pickup relationship will be different and all is test & trial, but I really want to find the proper one for my guitar. I have liked the tone I have heard of the PAF Master neck pickup, but I believe it would be lacking output/hotness in the long run. But that's just my ears with what I have heard. I like it, but it seems it wants something a little more low output in the bridge.

Everybody recommends me the PAF Pro! I just don't want thin leads, and I definitely don't shred at all!

32
The Trading Post / Re: WTB: Dimarzio PAF Master Neck
« on: October 15, 2018, 01:18:59 PM »
WTB: Nickel or Zebra PAF Master (neck) pickup.
Anyone!?

33
The Super Distortion would overpower the PAF Master about as much as the original PAF. I'm pretty sure you can get away with just one tone control on your guitar although that would really vary from person to person. I rarely if ever use my tone control but there are some guys that know how to work the tone control really well.

That's nice to know. According to the clips I hear, the PAF36 seems to be a darker, smoother, (jazzy?) type of pickup. I hear more clarity on the PAF Master. I also have found success with Alnico V neck pickups, and I definitely want clarity, attack, and an "alive" sound in the neck pickup. I definitely haven't had with the Transition. As I wrote on another thread here, I believe it's made for longer neck scale guitars. It's cold, dry, boomy, something that a brighter, longer scale guitar could fix. I also need that they balance well. I had a Slash Alnico II Pro set in this guitar that I couldn't find a way to work for me because of a low output bridge for my style of music (worked while I plated on a pop cover band), and because there was huge differences in the EQ. If you played the neck pickup, the tone knob could be rolled, and sound on-point. Change to the bridge pickup and it got muddy, without enough attack or clarity until you got the tone knob numbers up. That fixed issue! That means that it's a set that needs a two tone knob guitar, the Flying V only has one. I really need a pickup that could get the job properly done, balancing fine without the use of the tone knob. I use my volume knobs for clearing or gaining distortion volume, and raise the tone knobs as another volume increaser. In two tone knobs guitar, I set them...neck mellower, bridge with more attack, but prefer to not move the tone knobs.


34
The PAF Master neck would work fine with the Super Distortion bridge. I've been considering putting in a Super Distortion in my ESP Potbelly that I have equipped with the PAF Master set

#WIN
I was worried the Super Distortion was going to ''overpower'' the PAF Master. To my ear, the Super Distortion is really like a ''hot''/overwound classic pickup. I really don't feel the ceramic thing there. It's very organic (to my ear and touch/playing). The Transition feels processed and ''fake'' compared to the Super Distortion. That's why I was searching for something classic for it.

Do you think the Super D/ PAF Master combination could work out with just one tone knob on my guitar?  I wouldn't like to move the tone knob to ''match'' each humbucker sound. Just go like bridge, neck, bridge, neck, without thinking oh no!!! This one is very dark/muddy and the other one bright, while feeling an abrupt (not complimentary) EQ shift.

35
I can’t speak to he Master but I had (HAD) a 36th anny neck in my LP paired with a Super D.
Like you, I love the Super D but the 36th is super thick and for me, too muddy. Especially in the lower registers.
I replaced it with a Bluesbucker and I like it much more. It’s still thick but the notes are so round and well, bluesy.

Hi there! Glad to see (read) you! I hope you're doing well!
My former guitar tech had a Bluesbucker, and I passed on the offer. He also had the Titan set. :(

I will research it. I read that it's P-90 like, with more output than the PAF Master, treble, and less bass. My tech also confirmed what you wrote about the 36th. He said that if I disliked the Transition, the 36th is in that direction too. Dimarzio should have left the original PAF in production (I know they're still some in the market today), and provide us with finer options to pair the Super Distortion with. I know it's a classic and some may say ''dated'', but damn! It's an amazing pickup! Proper neck pickups should be made to match his tone glory, while providing us with a more vintage, classic, not so modern alternatives for the neck position. Not everyone wants another ''Super'' something in the neck. I consider myself a versatile player, and really would love that this guitar becomes my #1 someday. It's close. Just need the right neck pickup...

36
A Transition neck will do the trick!
Let me know if you want one!
I'm planning to sell mine soon!

37
Hello there!
I was just wondering if a PAF Master (neck) pickup would match a Super Distortion in the bridge? A year and a half ago, I went over to the Dimarzio side, and started with a Dimarzio Super Distortion in the bridge + a Transition (neck) in the neck. Since I have it on a mahogany Gibson Flying V, I only have a tone knob in the guitar. While I love the Super Distortion, I can't say the same thing about the Transition. It feels like ''another bridge pickup but in the neck''.  My ears are asking for something clear, bright, not so bass heavy, muddy or dark in that position, that could hold his own with the Super Distortion, but provide me a vintage experience at the same time.  My SH-5/59n' Seymour Duncan equipped guitar is one of the best, and if DC Resistance is an indicator of something, there would be less difference pairing a Super Distortion with a PAF Master (neck) than a SH-5/59n'.

I have gotten Super2, PAF Pro and PAF36 recommendations, but no PAF Master recommendations. I read that it's an underpowered pickup or something. Just would like to know your opinions on the subject. This guitar gets bass heavy on the neck, maybe something tamer on the department would do the trick.

38
Hello there!
Have any of the pickups mentioned above? I'm looking something to replace match my Dimarzio Super Distortion (bridge) in my Flying V. I imagine the PAF (Original), PAF36th, PAF PRO or PAF Master could do the trick.  I'm searching for them on nickel!    Have one on mint/excellent condition for sale?

Let me know!  Zebra colored could also be considered*

39
The Trading Post / Re: FS/FT: A bunch of DiMarzios
« on: September 23, 2018, 03:41:08 AM »
Hi there! Still have the PAF?
Can you send me any pics? #APPRECIATED

40
Wow beautiful axe!  I like the Zebra/nickel combo too. 

I just wanted to echo the previous suggestions of the Super 2 or PAF Pro. 

But honestly my most fave "bright" neck pickup (from Dimarzio at least) that I've tried is the EJ Custom w/ polished A5 magnet (ceramic had too much bass and highs)... unfortunately, it would be too quiet for the SD.  But just an FYI if you ever wanted to try on a diff guitar, preferably Alder (which I tried with).

Thanks for your reply! I do believe the right pickup for this guitar would be the PAF Pro. The Super 2 sounds tempting, but I still haven't had any luck getting the right ''lead'' sounds out of this Super Distortion. It's the rhythm and riff king, but not so lucky on lead guitar (unless I want to rock out ''Detroit Rock City'').  The Transition neck can really deliver on those Slash type of tones with the right push. Sounds like a very compressed/dark/powerful neck humbucker, but very dry sounding. It's killer for fast stuff, but it acts more like a bridge pickup than a neck one. I really like something good for cleans and leads, that feels more ''alive'' than this. 

I do believe the Transition would be suitable in another guitar, possibly a long scale one, but the bass can be too much and it's ''dark'' in here. Very modern sounding too. It sounds like 70's, 80's with the Super Distortion and then suddenly  the EMG sound of Metallica!  WHAT!?

41
The Pickup Place / UPDATE: Super Distortion - Transition Neck
« on: February 21, 2018, 07:34:29 PM »
Got the guitar back from the tech!



Just turning on the Blackstar HT-40 (with the settings I had). HOLY MOLY! The Super Distortion gave me the real KISS tone, very powerful and cool indeed! Boston, Def Leppard rhythm tone, Judas Priest, etc. I could even nail early EVH tones! The Transition, well.... it was dark, very EMG like, lacked spark, sterile sounding, very bassy, dry... It ain't the best neck pickup I have ever played... A day later (today) I gave it tries thru my Marshall MG15CD and the Blackstar HT-40.  The Transition has an amazing singing tone. Sounds more Slash than Slash with just the right push so the creamy sounds get out with punch not stuck. The Transition necks acts like a bridge pickup. It ain't a traditional sounding neck pickup, the leads are better than the ones in the Super D, it cleans up pretty well with the volume knob too, very good tracking too.

I believe this is a quite ''unbalanced'' combination. The Super D sounds amazing, but needs a more vintage pickup in the neck position. The Transition, well... maybe get paired with the Transition bridge?   I know the Transition will part from this guitar one day into another, but I will not sell it. It definitely offers something.  I'm actually thinking of using Super D for rhythm and riffs, Transition for solos and cleans; but both clean up pretty well.

The Duncan Custom SH-5 is definitely still one of my favorite pickups and the one I believe is closest to the Dimarzio Super Distortion. The SH-5 is darker with more thump in the bass, slightly less mids. The SD offers better cleans, but the SH-5 has better OD leads. Very interesting. 

 I believe the case at least on this guitar will continue...
The Transition would go to another guitar in the future. Just need something that's really a neck pickup, not a neck pickup pretending to be a bridge pickup.

42
Yeah! That's the part that bothers me. I hear too much bass, lack of clarity, jazzy sound in the demos. Should have waited out... About the Dimarzio Warranty. How does it work? It would between the PAF Pro or the PAF 36 DP103.

It seems like the Transition is better suited for Alder and Basswood guitars. I just digged the ''PAF36 on steroids'' comments I read.  So according to you (gtrjunior) there really seems to be a Super D/Transition mismatch?

The other humbucker guitar I could install it to would be my Gibson SG with the 498t/490r (a dark guitar). My Flying V is definitely on the brighter side, that could help.

I'm still worried about the muddy/too much bass part. The APH-2 is bassy as it's, if the Transition (neck) is bigger sounding...
But as you said, somebody has to try the combination. Nobody has written about Transition on a full mahogany/24 3/4 scale guitar.

43
Yeah! Reading Mark's reply and you (gtrjunior) now, I should have gone with the 36th.
I'm seeing Youtube videos now and I got mixed feelings. Seems like it has a lot of bass and gets muddy. There's no information of it in a full mahogany guitar (only maple top/mahogany, alder, and basswood).

Should I return it for a refund or give it a try?
Which are your opinions about it?

44
Thanks! I was just about to place the order for the PAF36 neck, just about to...
But I have been reading the Dimarzio Transition (neck) is a ''juiced'' Dimarzio PAF36 pickup.
I'm a little scared, but already pulled the trigger for it.

I'm still deciding if go FULL TRANSITION SET or the Dimarzio Super Distortion...
It feels weird when you're not familiar with a brand of products. I hope I didn't make a mistake...

45
Thanks ''greenlion'' for the help!
Will definitely consider the Super D/Super 2 combination as one for a hard rocking machine/sound.

I was seeing these days that Phil Collen from Def Leppard has a D-Activator X pickup in the neck of his guitar.


I know that's a totally different guitar than mine in scale, woods, looks and everything; but would like to know how that configuration would sound in my setting. I imagine like a high gain monster, not so good for cleans. I have experience playing EMG's (not mine, but still).

Just would like to make some more research. I still believe the Super D is the major contender for the bridge position. I also read good things about the Norton in the bridge. I just would love a big, raw, authoritative sound in the bridge position, and a neck that could help keep up with it. For the moment, the Seymour Duncan 59' neck (with Roughcast magnet) could be used as a point of reference. That's the one I'm most familiar with and that I have had good results with. Of course! This is a whole different guitar and a situation. Definitely the neck has to be higher out than an APH-2. The bridge can be close to the JB or SH-5 Pickups from Seymour Duncan in terms of output. For sound we can go in another direction. 

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