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The Pickup Place / My Humbucker from Hell REview

« on: January 09, 2026, 02:48:24 AM »

Hello. This is my review of "Humbucker From Hell". Hope you like it

https://www.tonejourney.com/post/dimarzio-humbucker-from-hell-review

2

The Pickup Place / Re: My review of the Super PAF Ceramic

« on: December 22, 2025, 12:55:23 AM »

Hi guys, long time no post on my end (happens when we get old). I ordered a Super PAF Ceramic and installed it in my Kiesel Delos which has 2 bridge Cruisers in the neck and middle.  It replaced the Air Classic that I was running.  The sound, for me, was too compressed (less openness than the Air Classic).  I'm currently playing classic rock in my current band and recording progressive rock at home and various jams.  It just didn't have the openness that the Air Classic has, and for me, it was an exchange for another (a PAF 7 for the neck of my 7-string Delos with an Air Norton 7 in the bridge).  It was just too much squeeze for me, as I find myself going to more vintage pickups these days.  Some will like it, but for me it wasn't to be.
 Yours in 
Walt

Hi Walt. As a Zappa fan, glad to meet you

Virtual Hot PAf with A2 is something i really like to hear yet i'm afraid to spoil the pickup somehow. Did you leave the "airbucker" tech or took the ring out and put spacers?

Thanks for your review.

Nevertheless the result was too obvious; results from air classic to Super PAF are, you know, inevitable If i were you i would pick something more "real" PAF oriented like Virtual Hot PAF, Fortitude, PAF 36th bridge

I had replaced the cruisers with an Injector neck and Area 58 middle with a full strength Norton in the bridge.  So far/so good, but I due suffer from this disease called "I know how to solder" which seems to help keep Larry DiMarzio in business (all these years of loyalty and not even a Christmas card  )
I actually have an original production (not the custom shop ones) Virtual Paf neck and Virtual Hot bridge along with another Virtual Hot with an A2 magnet swap.  And I also have another strat that is over due for surgery, what fruits might that bare, time will tell.

BTW, I'm a big Zappa fan

3

The Pickup Place / Re: Can anyone identify this old 80s stacked single?

« on: December 16, 2025, 05:45:01 AM »

My pickup was like this.

4

The Pickup Place / Re: Can anyone identify this old 80s stacked single?

« on: December 16, 2025, 01:21:06 AM »

I had once a HS-1 from mid or late 80s. Its DCR was 10.63K. But old catalogs says for HS-1, it was wound 14.97K. But that pickup is very similar to my HS-1

5

The Pickup Place / Re: My review of the Super PAF Ceramic

« on: December 10, 2025, 12:51:55 AM »

Hi guys, long time no post on my end (happens when we get old). I ordered a Super PAF Ceramic and installed it in my Kiesel Delos which has 2 bridge Cruisers in the neck and middle.  It replaced the Air Classic that I was running.  The sound, for me, was too compressed (less openness than the Air Classic).  I'm currently playing classic rock in my current band and recording progressive rock at home and various jams.  It just didn't have the openness that the Air Classic has, and for me, it was an exchange for another (a PAF 7 for the neck of my 7-string Delos with an Air Norton 7 in the bridge).  It was just too much squeeze for me, as I find myself going to more vintage pickups these days.  Some will like it, but for me it wasn't to be.
 Yours in 
Walt

Thanks for your review.

Nevertheless the result was too obvious; results from air classic to Super PAF are, you know, inevitable If i were you i would pick something more "real" PAF oriented like Virtual Hot PAF, Fortitude, PAF 36th bridge

6

The Pickup Place / Re: VHPaf now available from custom shop

« on: November 11, 2025, 12:14:06 AM »

been away for a number of years now but I check in every once in a while.  So if this is old news, forgive me.

Walt (wxs3)

Nope. It is fresh and very welcomed news from Dimarzio. Next step? Make it back to regular production with full of options like 7 string version

7

The Pickup Place / Re: Dimarzio Virtual Hot PAF (DP214) Review

« on: October 15, 2025, 04:00:10 AM »

Yes, here's mine I bought.
Nice black matte cover, brass back, black plastic wire tubing and F-Spaced.

I removed the cover and it had double black bobbins, which I prefer. I also removed the wax on top of the bobbins (as DiMarzio double-wax pots after installing the cover).
If I had a black Les Paul Custom, I would have used it with the the black matte cover and would have installed gold screws - I just love that look in a black LP Custom (I had one like this 10 years ago).

The DCR of mine measures at 9.33K

Awesome

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The Pickup Place / Re: Dimarzio Virtual Hot PAF (DP214) Review

« on: October 09, 2025, 08:02:22 AM »

It's always good to see another VHP

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The Pickup Place / Re: Dimarzio Virtual Hot PAF (DP214) Review

« on: October 09, 2025, 02:36:16 AM »

I have found it. It is LAG Imperator I3000. VHP was used as a neck pickup for that model.

https://en.audiofanzine.com/lp-shaped-guitar/lag/imperator-3000-qm/

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The Pickup Place / Re: Dimarzio Virtual Hot PAF (DP214) Review

« on: October 08, 2025, 07:01:57 AM »

Yes, I have a DP214 with brass plate and the plastic tubing is also the standard black and not clear as usual.
I bought this from an online retailer. When I asked DiMarzio, why my DP214 has golden brass plate and black plastic wire tubeing (not sure of the exact term for this part of the humbucker) they replied with:

"The pickup is authentic. It is an OEM version of the DP214 that was made for LAG Guitars."

Really? For LAG Guitars? Now, we got to find what LAG models have that pickup

11

The Pickup Place / My Dimarzio Cruiser Neck Review

« on: September 02, 2025, 06:28:02 AM »

Hello,

This is my Dimarzio Cruiser Neck review. Hope you like it;

https://www.tonejourney.com/post/dimarzio-cruiser-review

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The Pickup Place / Re: 1990s B5 bridge humbucker

« on: July 23, 2025, 09:30:46 AM »

Well the one I'm talking about has a classic pole pieces configurations, no double row allen key type ones.
It could be a Tonezone, from visuals and the DC resistance, but with black baseplate an B 5 stamped in ... ?
Other than that I am out of ideas :-)

You are right.

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The Pickup Place / Re: 1990s B5 bridge humbucker

« on: July 22, 2025, 06:55:14 AM »

Does anyone have any infos? It basically looks like a black EVH custom with black back, and  "B 5" stamped on it. It measures 17,2k and is F-spaced.

May it be "Breed"?

14

The Pickup Place / Re: My NORTON Review

« on: July 16, 2025, 06:51:51 AM »

The Norton works great in a guitar that has a lot of natural lows, like a Les Paul or PRS Singlecut. It pairs well with the Liquifire in the neck.

I have a set neck guitar with 25" scale and warm tone. I will swap its custom pearly gates into Norton soon

15

Everything you wanted to know about .... / Re: The Bluesbucker

« on: July 04, 2025, 02:44:34 AM »

I have just uploaded a new review of Bluesbucker. Hope you like it;

https://www.tonejourney.com/post/dimarzio-bluesbucker-dp163-review