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EBMM Axis Pups vs. DiMarzio Tone Zone?

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bmkeirns

New member
Joined
Mar 12, 2006
Messages
3
Location
Wisconsin
Hey all,

Newbie here. I have an Axis which I absolutely love; the way the harmonics jump off the fretboard really impresses me. I also have a Jackson Phil Collen, which has a DiMarzio Super 3 in the bridge position. I would like to swap the Super 3 for something similar to the Axis bridge Pup, as the Super 3 is a "darker" pup with "chopped" highs, which diminishes pick attack and harmonics. I believe this is because Phil uses a metal pick, which produces significantly more attack and high end than your typical pick, thus the rolled off highs don't affect him as much.

DiMarzio's website says the Tone Zone is the closest "stock" pup they make to the OEM only DiMarzio in the Axis. Anyone here confirm this? If not, what would you recommend to replicate the Axis bridge (as close as possible)? Duncan '59 or EVH (Evenly Voiced Harmonics)? Any help you've got would be GREATLY appreciated!

Brandon
 
I confirmed this directly with DiMarzio that the Tone Zone - Air Norton combo is the closest set they make to that in the EVH/Axis. I've owned an EVH since '93.

Over the past 9 years I've had two Tone Zones in 3 different guitars. I got themspecifically because I liked the pickups in my EVH so much. I must say though that I don't find the Tone Zone to be very close at all to the bridge humbucker in the EVH/Axis.

The Tone Zone is hotter. It has a lot more mids and low end. Very little crisp edge and pretty much none of what I would describe as the defining characteristics of the bridge pickup in my EVH. I would go as far as to say I've been thoroughly disappointed in my attempts to make the Tone Zone work well for me. I've given up on it and am trying to sell them.

Let me know if you're interested after my glowing endorsement. :rolleyes:

The Air Norton is closer to the neck pickup than the Tone Zone is to the bridge. Yet it's still not as warm and creamy sounding. I do like the Air Norton as a neck pickup though. I think it's very usable.

Sorry I don't have any experience with the Duncans you describe. My understanding of the '59 though is that it's a vintage style pickup and will have significanlty less output than the Axis DiMarzios.

Beyond that, I can't be of much help.

good luck.
 
Thanks for the info. Perhaps I need to inquire to the DiMarzio Custom Shop if they'd make a "special-order" pickup to bridge the gap between the Tone Zone and the Axis pup. Unfortunately, I fully expect the response to this request to be a resounding "Nah"...:rolleyes:

Oh well, never hurts to try, I guess.
 
I agree, it never hurts to ask. And I also agree, it probalby won't happen.

I've heard people say they think the Tone Zone is almost exactly like the EVH/Axis DiMarzios. All I can say is I've never had that experience. And like I said, I've tried them for almost 10 years in different guitars and many different settings: clean, crunch, overdrive, high gain, different genres, etc. I finally just gave up on the Tone Zone.

My only thought is that the guys who think they are identical just do high gain with effects all the time. Even there I hear a big difference. I do wonder how they could say they are almost the same though.

Good luck.
 
I have changed the bridge pickup from my Axis SS for a Tone Zone.
Sure both pickups are near sounding, but i can tell easily the little differences between both :
Hbucker is rigth, the TZ has got a higher output, more Bass and Middle and a little less Highs than the stock pickup, their sound is nearly the same, but you can definitely ear these differences.
The TZ has always been my favorite pickup !
 
I'd say they're similar. I have one in my Kramer and am comparing to my Axis. Everything that has been said above is true. They're definitely not the same pickup, but they do share some of the same tonal properties. I like it, it's different enough from the Axis to make it obvious, but still keeps me in the same ballpark tone wise.
 
well the stock tone zone is close and so is the air zone
but what if you had a pup that was right in the middle of those two?
well that is the axis custom wound dimarzio bridge pup made for EVH
hbucker is right the tone zone has too much output and bass and low mids to be a exact dupe and the air zone is too low in output and has a too rounded high end but i found a way to make a tone zone have less output, bass/mids
all of my tone zones are modded and all of them are dead ringers for the B1 dimarzio
it is a trick i learned while experimenting with the tone zones heights
you have to have some basic pup working skills since it involves taking the pup apart;)

btw i own real deal B1 EVH pups so i know for a fact that the modded TZ's are dead on tone,output wise
 
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