Dimarzio recommendations for an OLP MM1 (aka Axis?)

[appar111]

Just picked up a sweet looking OLP for a great price and wanted to replace the pickups.

I'm looking at Dimarzios and want something that will give me a nice fat PAF sound that will work well on medium gain stuff for classic rock, as well as be able to handle high gain stuff and still sound good and "PAF-ey" on clean stuff (particularly in the middle position w/ both pickups on).

I'm thinking that a set of Breeds would probably be the best way to go. Anything else that might work better? Dual PAF Pro's perhaps, or dual 36th PAF's?

I thought the Breeds might get me the extra fatness for power chords (everything from Kiss to Spacehog). I want to stick w/ A5 magnets (no ceramics, since they make clean stuff sound too "sterile").

 

[Tim O'Sullivan]

Why not give it an Axis vibe with a Tone Zone and an Air Norton?

 

[appar111]

I had an Air Norton in another guitar (a strat) and wanted to get away from the AN/TZ pairing & try somethin' different. Of course that pairing is proven to be quite good, I just thought I'd go for something a little different.

 

[hbucker]

FWIW: I don't consider the TZ to be anything like the stock Axis/EVH bridge pickup. The Air Norton is fairly close to the neck pickup though.

As much as I love the pickups in my EVH, that's how much I ended up disliking the TZ's I've tried.

Why do you want to stick with DiMarzio? I've got nothing against DiMarzio but opening up your options to other manufacturers will only yield good choices.

If you have a tight budget, GFS pickups are quite good, especially for the money. They are at guitarfetish.com Their Fat Pat (PAF), or Crunchy Pat might be good choices or their new VEH is a possibility.

Look around on the net. There are A LOT of pickup winders/manufacturers in all price ranges. I'm sure you'll be able to find something you like. And it it's a DiMarzio, that's super too.

 

[appar111]

Well, this OLP's pickup cavities are routed such that only Dimarzio pickups (w/ triangular shaped pickup legs) will fit. Plus I have Duncans in another guitar, so I want to get back to Dimarzios.

Here are my potential combos so far:

Combo 1 (fat, high output rock w/ cut in the neck position):
Breed (bridge)
Evo Neck (neck)

Combo 2 (fat rock & classic rock tones):
Breeds (neck & bridge)

Combo 3 (moderate output, more versatile):
PAF Pro (bridge)
Humbucker from Hell (neck)

Or a blend, such as the HFH in the neck and a Breed in the bridge...

 

[NoUse121]

I like the Humbucker from Hell a lot! I have it in a neck of a Les Paul and it sounds very warm and glassy. I have it match with a Super Distortion in the bridge and my only dilemma is that when I go back and forth between pickups you can hear a significant volume drop with the Humbucker from Hell.

 

[appar111]

I like the Humbucker from Hell a lot! I have it in a neck of a Les Paul and it sounds very warm and glassy. I have it match with a Super Distortion in the bridge and my only dilemma is that when I go back and forth between pickups you can hear a significant volume drop with the Humbucker from Hell.

Warm & glassy sounds good to me. I also like fat & crisp, but the problem w/ typical neck 'buckers is that even the good ones sound too bassy & big on the clean channel (like the Air Norton & to some extent the PAF Pro).

Do you have the HFH set closer to the strings and the Super Distortion further away than typical to help compensate for the volume difference? Or are you getting that volume imbalance after adjusting the pickup heights?

If I went w/ the HFH, I'd probably get something low output in the bridge like the DP103 PAF 36th to minimize the volume imbalance issue.

 

[aussiejoe]

Hi,

I have an OLP as well and swapped out the original pups (they are actually not too bad themselves) for a breed in the bridge and a air norton in the neck. They went straight into the cavity with no problems and are excellent for classic rock, mid gain and higher gain settings.

As you would know there is no tone control on the OLP so its important that the pups sound good without any tonal adjustments made at the guitar. Get the breed definitely for the bridge its excellent in the OLP, the air norton is also a great pickup (especially clean) but Im more of a bridge player only type of guy.
cheers

 

[wolfbone07]

I recommend the DiMarzio EJ Custom neck + bridge set. I like them a lot. I find that they split well, and they retain note detail, even with a lot of distortion. Sound good clean too.

 

[appar111]

Hi,

I have an OLP as well and swapped out the original pups (they are actually not too bad themselves) for a breed in the bridge and a air norton in the neck. They went straight into the cavity with no problems and are excellent for classic rock, mid gain and higher gain settings.

As you would know there is no tone control on the OLP so its important that the pups sound good without any tonal adjustments made at the guitar. Get the breed definitely for the bridge its excellent in the OLP, the air norton is also a great pickup (especially clean) but Im more of a bridge player only type of guy.
cheers

That's good to know that the Breed Bridge is an excellent choice for the OLP. I'm surprised at how good this guitar is for the money I paid for it ($160). I really dug the Air Norton when I had it in my strat (before I sold it), and it sounded really really good when wired by itself in parallel. Like a nice warm, big single coil-- like I would imagine the HFH would sound. Plus, in parallel it still balanced perfectly with the bridge pickup I had in that guitar-- a Duncan JB which is pretty high output.

There are a couple neck pickups that I've wanted to try for a long time-- the HFH is one of them, and the Evo Neck is the other. The Breed Neck seems like it would also be an excellent (and logical) choice to pair w/ the Breed Bridge. I could also try wiring it in parallel like I did with the Air Norton for that great, warm single coil-meets-humbucker tone.

Ahh, so what's it gonna be? HFH, Evo Neck or Breed Neck?

 

[Astrofreq]

Why don't you find Axis pickups?

 

[appar111]

Why don't you find Axis pickups?

Because I don't want Axis pickups. I don't want the typical AN/TZ type sound.

 

[Butch Snyder]

I had an Air Zone/Air Norton combo in my OLP MM1. That combo now sites in my EBMM Morse. Very nice, fat and loud PAF tones that are open and basically souped-up. I am thinking about trying a set of Breeds in my Morse though....

 

[azazael]

Because I don't want Axis pickups. I don't want the typical AN/TZ type sound.

They sound nothing like axis pickups mate...

 

[TNT]

I have them all, I've tried them all, and I'm sooooooooooooooo picky!!!

When I change out pickups I always use them in a full gig setting before deciding. It's a lot of work sometimes, but you can hear instantly direct comparisons!!

DiMarzio Norton!! (not air). It's basically one of two pickups that I gig with: Van Halen through Journey, thru Audioslave on up to Creed - it's the pickup you're lookin' for!!

Played through a JCM 900 High Mk111 High Gain Mst Vol or a VHT Pittbull 100/CL - no comparison!!!!

 

[candid_x]

The Bridge Breed is great if you're looking for something to cross over from classic PAF into modern HB. Split, it retains enough crispness (clean or OD) to sound distinctly single coil, full on HB it's got tons of power and punch. I have one in a rw board Silo Special and like it a lot. I understand the neck Breed is softer, but haven't actually tried one. I wouldn't hesitate to try one out though, based on the bridge Breed. It's a good pickup, especially if you need more oomph on the bottom end.

 

[appar111]

I have them all, I've tried them all, and I'm sooooooooooooooo picky!!!

When I change out pickups I always use them in a full gig setting before deciding. It's a lot of work sometimes, but you can hear instantly direct comparisons!!

DiMarzio Norton!! (not air). It's basically one of two pickups that I gig with: Van Halen through Journey, thru Audioslave on up to Creed - it's the pickup you're lookin' for!!

Played through a JCM 900 High Mk111 High Gain Mst Vol or a VHT Pittbull 100/CL - no comparison!!!!

Ahh, the Norton... another sleeper on my list. I've read that it can be harsh sometimes, but so can the Duncan JB (which I have in another guitar). But the Norton is also reported to sound really good on clean stuff for a fairly high output 'bucker. I've heard the Norton is really great for 80's hard rock & metal.

Hmmmmm, Norton in the bridge, Evolution in the neck.... that could be one ballsy combo!