DiMarzio Forum
DimarzioForum.Com => The Pickup Place => Topic started by: HelpImaRock on September 07, 2015, 08:59:34 PM
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Greetings, Earthlings! This is my first post on your fine forum.
I have a 2005 PRS Custom 24. I've owned this guitar for 10 years. It's #1 and always will be. Complete with it's matched Virtual PAF humbuckers, installed in '06. Not even the Hot. Straight up VPAFs. For nearly 10 years! At the time, I also modified the McCarty switching. Each pot is a push/pull, which puts a pickup into parallel. So there's a lot of combinations here.
I've always played another style of guitar as a backup. Usually a Tele or Ric. But I've started using a lot of alternate tunings and so I'm contemplating a custom build. Think Fano LPjr if that helps (and if not, just think LP without the maple top).
I need pickups! And Dimarzio doesn't make the VPAF anymore. What I love about them is they're balanced and clear sounding. There's not a lot of gain, which allows my amp and pedals to do the work (Skreddy Hybrid Fuzz Driver -> GGG Red Llama clone -> Catalinbread Echorec -> Allen Encore).
I've used the Air Norton in the bridge of an old Ibanez RG, and that sounds cool. But I think it might be too hot, and have too much bottom end for a mahogany hardtail. The Air Classic was the pickup I passed on way back in '06, though it's a consideration.
What recommendations do you young whippersnappers have for an old Rip Van Winkle like me?
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36th Anniversary or PAF Master is my suggestion.
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36th Anniversary or PAF Master is my suggestion.
This.
Or you can find the VPAF on eBay. There is one there now.
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I have to admit, I'm totally confused about the PAF Master set. Is it hotter than the 36th set? Reviews say yes, specs say no. And I'm shying away from the 36th set because they're hotter than my VPAFs.
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You owe it to yourself to try the Air Classic. There's not a more musical pickup made and its not too hot.
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You owe it to yourself to try the Air Classic. There's not a more musical pickup made and its not too hot.
I'm down to the Air Classic set and the SD Pearly Gates set. I dunno...
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The PG bridge is relatively hot for a PAF, and it is bright. It has some cut. I had to use 250k pots with a PG bridge on a strat.
The PG neck is warm. The PG set are like opposites on the same guitar, and that provides for a wide range of possible tones from warm to bright.
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The PG bridge is relatively hot for a PAF, and it is bright. It has some cut. I had to use 250k pots with a PG bridge on a strat.
The PG neck is warm. The PG set are like opposites on the same guitar, and that provides for a wide range of possible tones from warm to bright.
From the specs, it doesn't seem any hotter than the Virtual PAF, which is my reference. It just has a different tone profile.
At this point, I'm leaning towards the Dimarzio. The set is $30 cheaper. That's all I got to go on.
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If you want something similar to the VPAFs, get the 36th anniversary PAF set
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The Virtual Hot Paf sounds nothing like the 36th Anniv bridge.
I've never thought the Pearly Gates set balanced well. The neck is super warm and dark, and the bridge is super bright. Its too much of a jump when switching back and forth.
I liked the Virtual Paf Neck and the Virtual Hot Paf bridge. I see new VHOT PAF's on Ebay all the time.