DiMarzio Forum

DimarzioForum.Com => The Pickup Place => Topic started by: RayBarbeeMusic on April 10, 2021, 05:02:22 PM

Title: Al Dimeola Bridge
Post by: RayBarbeeMusic on April 10, 2021, 05:02:22 PM
Anyone tried it?  Can find very little info, some compare it to an Air Zone but I find that a little difficult to believe given specs.
Title: Re: Al Dimeola Bridge
Post by: mmmguitar on April 11, 2021, 03:24:01 AM
Warm-voiced, fat PAF good for thin-sounding guitars.
Title: Re: Al Dimeola Bridge
Post by: buddroyce on April 11, 2021, 01:02:54 PM
That reminds me that I have one sitting around that I haven't fully tested.
Title: Re: Al Dimeola Bridge
Post by: RayBarbeeMusic on April 11, 2021, 08:50:51 PM
That reminds me that I have one sitting around that I haven't fully tested.

If you do, let me know what you think.  If you want to get rid of it and it's an F spaced Bridge, let me know!
Title: Re: Al Dimeola Bridge
Post by: darkbluemurder on April 13, 2021, 08:40:48 AM
I remember  that they came out in the mid or late 80s together with the Steve Morse and Rick Derringer sets. The Al di Meola and Rick Derringer sets are available from the Custom Shop only.

I was actually always interested in the Al di Meola neck model - any experience on that one?

Cheers Stephan
Title: Re: Al Dimeola Bridge
Post by: RayBarbeeMusic on April 23, 2021, 08:24:42 PM
I have a bridge coming next week so I guess I'll find out first hand.
Title: Re: Al Dimeola Bridge
Post by: buddroyce on May 02, 2021, 03:17:58 PM
I have a bridge coming next week so I guess I'll find out first hand.

Let me know what you think of it. I'm still trying to find mine. I know I never got rid of it but where it's hiding at is another story. Should have never cleaned up my workbench.
Title: Re: Al Dimeola Bridge
Post by: HeyNorton! on May 20, 2021, 08:06:01 PM
I thought Al used the super distortion,  and that his siggy pickups were a variation thereof
Title: Re: Al Dimeola Bridge
Post by: darkbluemurder on May 21, 2021, 04:04:36 AM
That is what I read as well. Nevertheless, the signature pickup has much different specs than the Super Distortion. Could be that Al wanted something with a warmer tone but not as much output.
Title: Re: Al Dimeola Bridge
Post by: RayBarbeeMusic on May 30, 2021, 10:01:07 PM
To my ear it's a pretty traditional mid wind PAF. 

To compare it to the 36th bridge: 
Similar output, maybe a tad less perceived. 
More thumpy lows, more hair on the top of the wound strings.  Wound strings don't get dark, which seems like something Al would like as it maintains articulation on wound strings better than a lot of similar pickups.
Less vocal mids, but still plenty, and less air on the highs but maybe more bite. 

Nothing whatsoever like a Super Distortion.

To sum up, it's another viable flavor in the ever growing line of DiMarzio PAFs.  It's closer to a 36th bridge than a 36th bridge is to an Air Classic bridge or a PAF Master bridge. 
Title: Re: Al Dimeola Bridge
Post by: darkbluemurder on May 31, 2021, 01:37:05 PM
Wound strings don't get dark, which seems like something Al would like as it maintains articulation on wound strings better than a lot of similar pickups.

First of all, thanks for the description.
I understood you only have the bridge pickup but if the articulation on the wound strings was also a feature of the neck pickup that would make it interesting to me.

Cheers Stephan
Title: Re: Al Dimeola Bridge
Post by: RayBarbeeMusic on April 07, 2022, 09:41:04 PM
The more I play this, the more I like it.  The extra tightness on the wound strings vs. a 36th and the way artificial harmonics just jump out are great.  No idea why it's discontinued, IMO it's one of their best pickups for sure.  Not thin in the bridge like a PAF Pro can be, not as middy as a Breed Neck in the bridge can be, a little more interesting harmonically than a Mo
Joe.  Really, really cool member of their PAF family.   Also, when split, the split coil sound is more robust than a 36th. 

Ignore everything else you read on the web RE these (and there isn't much).  It is NOT a high output pickup, and it does not sound anything remotely like a Tone Zone or Super D.  It's like a modded 36th.   
Title: Re: Al Dimeola Bridge
Post by: mmmguitar on April 09, 2022, 04:40:27 PM
The more I play this, the more I like it.  The extra tightness on the wound strings vs. a 36th and the way artificial harmonics just jump out are great.  No idea why it's discontinued, IMO it's one of their best pickups for sure.  Not thin in the bridge like a PAF Pro can be, not as middy as a Breed Neck in the bridge can be, a little more interesting harmonically than a Mo
Joe.  Really, really cool member of their PAF family.   Also, when split, the split coil sound is more robust than a 36th. 

That’s been my experience, as well. I put the DiMeola bridge in a guitar to replace an Air Norton and loved it, tried the Breed neck in another guitar and only liked it, then put a tweaked DiMeola (nickel covered, with a row of fillisters) in the next guitar and found I still prefer it to the Breed. I can see where Larry’s coming from when he said “that’s the most misunderstood pickup we ever made.”
Title: Re: Al Dimeola Bridge
Post by: darkbluemurder on April 11, 2022, 03:12:07 AM
The more I play this, the more I like it.  The extra tightness on the wound strings vs. a 36th and the way artificial harmonics just jump out are great.  No idea why it's discontinued, IMO it's one of their best pickups for sure.  Not thin in the bridge like a PAF Pro can be, not as middy as a Breed Neck in the bridge can be, a little more interesting harmonically than a Mo Joe.  Really, really cool member of their PAF family.   Also, when split, the split coil sound is more robust than a 36th. 

Did you use it with a 500k or 250k load or something in between?

Thanks, Stephan
Title: Re: Al Dimeola Bridge
Post by: mmmguitar on April 11, 2022, 02:55:58 PM
I’m not Ray but FWIW I use 500k volume and 250k tone in 50s wiring.
Title: Re: Al Dimeola Bridge
Post by: darkbluemurder on April 11, 2022, 03:17:50 PM
No idea why it's discontinued

.. as a regular model - it is still available from the custom shop (if their pickup FAQ ("Do you still make") as per today is up to date.
Title: Re: Al Dimeola Bridge
Post by: RayBarbeeMusic on April 15, 2022, 01:40:10 AM
I can see where Larry’s coming from when he said “that’s the most misunderstood pickup we ever made.”

Larry said that about the DiMeola?  Wonder why.  I'd think the Humbucker from Hell would get that award, solely for giving a low output PAF that name.
Title: Re: Al Dimeola Bridge
Post by: RayBarbeeMusic on April 15, 2022, 01:41:03 AM

Did you use it with a 500k or 250k load or something in between?

Thanks, Stephan

Pots that actually measure 500k+
Title: Re: Al Dimeola Bridge
Post by: headcrash on October 20, 2022, 11:17:06 AM
The more I play this, the more I like it.  The extra tightness on the wound strings vs. a 36th and the way artificial harmonics just jump out are great.  No idea why it's discontinued, IMO it's one of their best pickups for sure.  Not thin in the bridge like a PAF Pro can be, not as middy as a Breed Neck in the bridge can be, a little more interesting harmonically than a Mo
Joe.  Really, really cool member of their PAF family.   Also, when split, the split coil sound is more robust than a 36th. 

That’s been my experience, as well. I put the DiMeola bridge in a guitar to replace an Air Norton and loved it, tried the Breed neck in another guitar and only liked it, then put a tweaked DiMeola (nickel covered, with a row of fillisters) in the next guitar and found I still prefer it to the Breed. I can see where Larry’s coming from when he said “that’s the most misunderstood pickup we ever made.”

Hey mmmguitar, would you mind elaborating a little more about the Air Norton in the bridge vs. Al DiMeola bridge?

I am a huge fan of my EBMM Axis (Super) Sport guitars and their bridge humbucker. In fact it's been years since I have played anything other than this bridge humbucker  ;D
But for the fun of it I feel the urge to experiment a little with lower output pickups.
I put an AN in the bridge of one of my Sports, and find I'm liking it quite a bit, but also think it lacks some aggressiveness in the upper mids (also thought about half de-airing it...).
So I am curious, what the Al DiMeola would make different.

Thank you!
Title: Re: Al Dimeola Bridge
Post by: mmmguitar on October 20, 2022, 02:12:36 PM
Hey mmmguitar, would you mind elaborating a little more about the Air Norton in the bridge vs. Al DiMeola bridge?

If you want more aggressive mids, I’d suggest de-airing or going full Norton like you were thinking. The ADM is voiced differently from the AN; and my endorsement was to do with feeling the ADM was a better fit for a particular guitar (a Strandberg) than the AN was. The AN emphasized the mids in a way that I enjoyed in other guitars, but didn’t fit so well in that one. The ADM smoothed it out and added body in a way I preferred.

In my meager opinion, I rate ADM bridge>Breed neck>Air Zone>Tone Zone as similarly voiced pickups from lowest output to hottest, according to one’s needs (e.g., if you want more output out of a PAF Pro, try the Breed Neck. If you want a warmer vintage-output PAF but don’t want to get into hotrod territory in terms of output, the ADM may be worth trying backed off from the strings a bit. Etc.).
Title: Re: Al Dimeola Bridge
Post by: headcrash on October 20, 2022, 05:22:19 PM
Hey mmmguitar, would you mind elaborating a little more about the Air Norton in the bridge vs. Al DiMeola bridge?

If you want more aggressive mids, I’d suggest de-airing or going full Norton like you were thinking. The ADM is voiced differently from the AN; and my endorsement was to do with feeling the ADM was a better fit for a particular guitar (a Strandberg) than the AN was. The AN emphasized the mids in a way that I enjoyed in other guitars, but didn’t fit so well in that one. The ADM smoothed it out and added body in a way I preferred.

In my meager opinion, I rate ADM bridge>Breed neck>Air Zone>Tone Zone as similarly voiced pickups from lowest output to hottest, according to one’s needs (e.g., if you want more output out of a PAF Pro, try the Breed Neck. If you want a warmer vintage-output PAF but don’t want to get into hotrod territory in terms of output, the ADM may be worth trying backed off from the strings a bit. Etc.).

As far as de-airing goes, I may try and first go the half-air way, since it's merely a nuance in the high-mids, that I think I miss.

I had a Norton in a very similar guitar (a EBMM Albert Lee) and remember it being too far away from the Custom DiMarzio in my (Super) Sports.
Plus, I like, that the AN is significantly quieter. Whereas the Norton is in EBMM Custom Dimarzio territory.
For example, with my SLO Clone increase the lead channel's gain from 3-ish (EBMM DiMarzio) to 4..4.5-ish (AN) to achieve similar gain levels.
Also I like the AN's punch or push, actually I was expecting it to be more "spongy" or saggy, which was my experience with the AT-1, compared to the Custom Dimarzio. With the AT-1 I thought it's the Airbucker technology.
As I am writing this, it might be, that for me the AN could just have a little more bite or presence.

So, as far as the ADM is concerned, would you say it's overall feel is warmer in the hi-mids than the AN ? Which would lead me to the conclusion, that the ADM might be the wrong pickup for me.
Title: Re: Al Dimeola Bridge
Post by: mmmguitar on October 20, 2022, 07:33:00 PM
So, as far as the ADM is concerned, would you say it's overall feel is warmer in the hi-mids than the AN ?

In my experience, yes. Have you tried the 36 bridge or Fortitude? As far as other offerings go, those may be more in the direction you’re describing; whereas the ADM is the opposite: A great pickup, but not aggressive in the mids in the way the Nortons or others are.
Title: Re: Al Dimeola Bridge
Post by: headcrash on October 21, 2022, 04:03:21 PM
So, as far as the ADM is concerned, would you say it's overall feel is warmer in the hi-mids than the AN ?

In my experience, yes. Have you tried the 36 bridge or Fortitude? As far as other offerings go, those may be more in the direction you’re describing; whereas the ADM is the opposite: A great pickup, but not aggressive in the mids in the way the Nortons or others are.

I had a 36th bridge a few years ago and remember not liking it. I think it lacked bass and low mids.
Fortitude shouldn't be too different.
I might give both a try one time.
Also I wait to get a good deal on a Bluesbucker as a companion to the AN to the neck position. Then I can take it to band practice and just work with it and see how it'll work for me.