Anyone else think eddie never used a 9K PAF?

[GilmourD]

Oh, also, the DiMarzio AT-1 is the EVH/Axis bridge pickup with added Virtual Vintage and Airbucker tech.

Initially, the EVH/Axis bridge pickup was two of the same coil wind from one of the Tone Zone. That's why they say that the Tone Zone is the closest they have. The TZ has offset coil winds, like a lot of DiMarzios, while Seth Lover intended for both coils to have an identical wind, which is how almost all Duncans are. I honestly forget which coil they doubled up when making the EVH/Axis bridge pickup, though. LOL

[T.L.]

Oh, also, the DiMarzio AT-1 is the EVH/Axis bridge pickup with added Virtual Vintage and Airbucker tech.

Initially, the EVH/Axis bridge pickup was two of the same coil wind from one of the Tone Zone. That's why they say that the Tone Zone is the closest they have. The TZ has offset coil winds, like a lot of DiMarzios, while Seth Lover intended for both coils to have an identical wind, which is how almost all Duncans are. I honestly forget which coil they doubled up when making the EVH/Axis bridge pickup, though. LOL

I never knew the Tone Zone was an asymmetric wind.

[Santino]

The same day that Steve told me what I posted here about the JB, he told me the story of the Axis bridge pickup. According to Steve, Ed and Luke were hanging out and talking about the right bridge pickup to choose for the Axis. It came down to the Tone Zone and the EBMM pickup used in the Axis. Ed said "I like 'em both. What do you think?" Luke said, "Ahh, go with that one." pointing to the guitar that had the Axis pickup. Ed went with Luke's advice. There you have it.

Yep. Someone, Matt Bruck(?) maybe tells the story only they flipped a coin. Nope. Lukather picked and Ed couldn't make up his mind.

It's been a long time and I may be wrong, but I thought someone at Dimarzio said the EBMM was between the Air Zone and Tone Zone. EVH pickup was somewhere between the two. I put my first TZ in a plywood Kramer. Didn't know it was plywood until I started working on it. Anyway sounded great. Also the aforementioned ash strat and a korina custom body Kramer. Tried a few other Dimarzios. TZ seems to work for me. I like the EVH Frankenstein pickup too. Although sometimes it's a little too hot for even me.

[EJSLPlexi]

[donnyboiler]

The same day that Steve told me what I posted here about the JB, he told me the story of the Axis bridge pickup. According to Steve, Ed and Luke were hanging out and talking about the right bridge pickup to choose for the Axis. It came down to the Tone Zone and the EBMM pickup used in the Axis. Ed said "I like 'em both. What do you think?" Luke said, "Ahh, go with that one." pointing to the guitar that had the Axis pickup. Ed went with Luke's advice. There you have it.

Yep. Someone, Matt Bruck(?) maybe tells the story only they flipped a coin. Nope. Lukather picked and Ed couldn't make up his mind.

It's been a long time and I may be wrong, but I thought someone at Dimarzio said the EBMM was between the Air Zone and Tone Zone. EVH pickup was somewhere between the two. I put my first TZ in a plywood Kramer. Didn't know it was plywood until I started working on it. Anyway sounded great. Also the aforementioned ash strat and a korina custom body Kramer. Tried a few other Dimarzios. TZ seems to work for me. I like the EVH Frankenstein pickup too. Although sometimes it's a little too hot for even me.

I love the Custom Custom, which the Frankenstein was based on, I believe.

If you want a pickup exactly halfway between a TZ and an AZ, you need to do the half air mod on a TZ. Fixes the slightly overbearing low end, clears it up and reduces the output, without making it as weak as an AZ (also a great pickup). I have a collection of TZ spacers in my toolbox for this exact reason

As an added bonus, a half aired TZ has basically even coils, like the DiMarzio EVH, and basically the same output.

In my opinion all these pickups are variations on a theme. The EVH Wolfgang pickup and even the AT-1 are in the ballpark. I'd be happy with any of these for my style. I also like the Suhr SSH+ which is basically a less snotty JB. Anyway, I digress, google the half air mod, you won't be disappointed.

[Marshall SL12301]

In my opinion all these pickups are variations on a theme. The EVH Wolfgang pickup and even the AT-1 are in the ballpark. I'd be happy with any of these for my style. I also like the Suhr SSH+ which is basically a less snotty JB. Anyway, I digress, google the half air mod, you won't be disappointed.

I would agree most pu's are varitions of a theme and are very similar when they have real similar spec's
like a Duncan JB vs a EBMM axis in which both use the A5 magnet and are wound with the same wire to 17K
What i found that separates the Axis from a JB is the axis is tighter, more focused, has a less modern tone
without that pronounced upper mid spike the JB has.
The wolfgangs (PV and fenders) are similar as well.

[Marshall SL12301]

If EVH did ever use a 9K alnico II duncan 78 it was not until VH II, because i really do not hear A2 on VH I at all.
VH I to me has a very sharp biting tone that is very in your face which is what ceramic will do to the tone of a pu.
IF he used what is pictured on the album cover then i can believe that is a very early Duncan custom,13K ceramic pickup.

[hammered]

[garbeaj]

If EVH did ever use a 9K alnico II duncan 78 it was not until VH II, because i really do not hear A2 on VH I at all.
VH I to me has a very sharp biting tone that is very in your face which is what ceramic will do to the tone of a pu.
IF he used what is pictured on the album cover then i can believe that is a very early Duncan custom,13K ceramic pickup.

I don't think he even encountered Seymour at that time. If there is a hot ceramic pickup on the album, I think it would have been a Mighty Mite copy of the Super Distortion.

But this is a debate that will never end.

[OBXA8voice]

Hey gang noob here I dont meant hi jack your thread. I'm on a super low budget anyways I picked up a Kramer pacer classic can you all suggest a pickup please? Mahagony body and yes I stripped the the back of neck and fretboard. I believe Gibson makes these now. Not a bad axe for low cash. I want a decent pup to match wood and when I roll back cleans up.
Thank you and I hope I didn't high jack this thread I'm new so forgive me...

[Megaro]

I think that Ed did use a stock, vintage PAF on Hot for Teacher when he used the 58 Flying V. The tone of that song on both the album and especially the guitar hero iso clip leads me to believe that. The other Dave era songs sound hotter, but it is hard to say how much of that can be attributed to a choice of pickups as opposed to everything else in the signal chain and the studio recording process which is information that we will never know with precision.

[garbeaj]

Hey gang noob here I dont meant hi jack your thread. I'm on a super low budget anyways I picked up a Kramer pacer classic can you all suggest a pickup please? Mahagony body and yes I stripped the the back of neck and fretboard. I believe Gibson makes these now. Not a bad axe for low cash. I want a decent pup to match wood and when I roll back cleans up.
Thank you and I hope I didn't high jack this thread I'm new so forgive me...

I would suggest responding to a few more threads until you can post your own thread where you ask this specific question. You will get a lot of opinions. I would also say that you should take the time to read through as much of the previous threads about pickups on this site. There is a lot to read and learn here!

Welcome to the site! You'll get lots of help here...One thing to remember about pickups is that all recommendations are completely useless unless the person giving you advice on pickup selection actually has the identical guitar and amplifier that you do. Unfortunately, the only real way to determine what pickup to use in your guitar is to try several different pickups.

[jnew]

I just bought and Iceman and it has Tone Zone and Air Norton PU's. It should be delivered tomorrow so it will be very interesting. I do have at least one Super 70 that I'm ready to drop in it, if I don't like the Tone Zone.

I'm all in on the ceramic, Duncan Custom type for VH I tone. I use that PU and to me, and in my gear, it's the closest I've come. But I wouldn't count out the possibilities of it not being that type of pickup. At least half of the songs on VH I are with the Destroyer, which we know used Super 70's. And knowing how much he liked that guitar, I wouldn't be too surprised if one didn't end up in the strat for some tracks. They are bright PU's and that that album is hairy bright.

[Megaro]

I recently hooked up an umolested Super 70 into one of my partcaster guitars. It really lowered the gain and oomph compared to my other VH type PUPs that I have had in that guitar (a Wolfgang, EVH Frankestein, and a SD 78.)

Lots of photos back in the early days of Ed with Les Pauls. No shortage of stories about him loving on those old PAFs. But the output of the PAF clones and Super 70 PUPs that I have tried just do not produce the amount of gain going straight up into a tube amp that a hotter PUP has. So much so that I am starting to wonder if Ed's Ibanez Destroyer really had a stock Super 70 pickup in it when he recorded VH1.

Those Super 70s were also pretty microphonic. There are ways around this obviously, such as wax potting. I have read some people get relief by removing the cover from those Super 70s. Ed was no stranger to wax potting, but this is another thing that makes me question him using a stock Super 70. As an aside, those are awesome humbuckers for the neck pickup. Just beautiful to play. But people were yanking out those Super 70s from the bridge and replacing them a lot back in the day. There was probably a reason for this.

The photos of the Shark / Destroyer before he put in the Mighty Mite sure look like a stock Super 70 with a chrome cover. But the Super 70 had its chrome cover soldered on. So, if Ed really did not use a stock Super 70 in there, he would have had to desolder the cover, switched in a hotter PUP, and put back on the chrome cover. That would be an unusual way for him to tinker. Maybe he had a really hot Super 70 PUP or maybe he had another PAF with a chrome cover that he put into the Destroyer before the Mighty Mite.

Dunno. It is really hard to say. There are lots of photos of Ed back in the day with higher output Mighty Mites, maybe Dimarzio Super Distortions, but also lots of what look like PAF pickups with chrome covers.

[jnew]

Well we know we are likely to never get a true story about it all but it sure is a fun ride anyway.

So the guitar with the Tone Zone came today. I'll do another bit on the guitar but the Tone Zone isn't for me. It's a good PU for sure. Good drive, good clarity and note separation but not EQ'd to my liking. Has no shine or clarity in the tops. Or should I say not enough anyway. It does have some.