Ibanez Stock Pickups VS DiMarzio (Tone Zone, Air Norton, HS-2)
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- Опубликовано: 11 янв 2021
- UPDATE: I ended up putting the stock pickups back in and here's why: • Why I Kept My Ibanez S...
I promised you this video (on the last video)! And here it is...the ultimate comparison of the Ibanez stock picks V7, S1, and V8 versus the DiMarzio Tone Zone, Air Norton, and HS-2!
If you missed the last video (kinda Part 1 to this video), you can watch it here: • Ibanez Prestige RG wit...
Oh, and all of these clips were recorded with a real amp, no plug-ins! I used my EVH 5150 III EL34 tube amp miked with the Shure SM57 mic.
Content Timelines:
00:56 - 01:19 Ibanez V7 (neck)
01:20 DiMarzio Air Norton (neck)
01:51 Ibanez V7 and S1 (neck and middle)
02:39 DiMarzio Air Norton and HS-2 (neck and middle)
03:41 Ibanez S1 (middle)
04:26 DiMarzio HS-2 (middle)
05:01 Ibanez S1 and V8 (middle and bridge)
06:02 DiMarzio HS-2 and Tone Zone (middle and bridge)
07:00 Ibanez V8 (bridge) - EVH Blue
07:33 DiMarzio Tone Zone (bridge) - EVH Blue
08:08 Ibanez V8 (bridge) - EVH Red
08:55 DiMarzio Tone Zone (bridge) EVH Red
09:47 Ibanez V8 (bridge) EVH Red
10:24 DiMarzio Tone Zone (bridge) EVH Red
11:05 Ibanez V7 (neck) EVH Red
11:29 DiMarzio Air Norton (neck) EVH Red
12:12 Tone Talk and My Personal Thoughts
19:47 Why I got these pickups in the first place!
Don't forget to leave me your comments and let me know which pickups and combinations you liked best!
Keep it Metal,
Jason
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Видеоклипы
UPDATE: I ended up putting the stock pickups back in and here's why: ruclips.net/video/DRBU7IJWTqM/видео.html
Dude, I just enjoy your videos like I'm hanging out with you. Thank you. I'll have to watch again to tell the difference. I got hung up jamming along.
Maybe a little more compression on the DiMarzio's would bring it in a little tighter. I think they have a little more presence. But your pedal settings might need adjustment to benefit. Just spitballing brother.
It is like hanging out!
@@whiskeymike8010 yeah you’re right, it would definitely take some adjusting to the amp EQ and all
Hahahahhahaaa No way! After much videos on comparisons, I've set my mind on the DiMarzio Tone Zone with Air Norton for Bridge/Neck pickups but I wasn't really sure on what I'd want for the single coil pickup and only just started watching comparisons. A lot of the other single coil pickups just sounded way too harsh for my taste and the HS-2 caught my attention but a lot of the demo videos didn't do a very good job of demonstrating it. Thanks so much for showing a great demo on ALL three pickups! You've helped me decide on what I want.
Dude your welcome! BUT I just tell you…about 2 months later I ended up changing the pickups back to the stock! I’ve got a video on that somewhere!
@@jasonstallworth I immediately went to comment from excitement seeing that you had all three pickups I wanted after the demos. I gotta say, Jason, your opinions are spot on. I liked your bridge stock pickup more than the DiMarzio Tone Zone as the Tone Zone sounded very muddy distorted. I just ordered all guitar parts which I will be building myself. The thing is, body type and fret material does make a difference in tone. I just hope the stainless steel frets and Mahogany body will even out the feel of the Tone Zone.
I have a (now fully customized) Yamaha guitar that went from cheap grocery store bought sound quality to a solid serious sounding improvement. Heck I used computer cables (silver wires instead of standard copper wire) and that made a huge difference (silver is more conductive than copper). It is so well grounded that adding shielding was pointless. So yeah all the variables do have impact on sound quality.
And I agree that you can't just dump what you've lived with especially when it's given you that unique feelings that has kind of grown on you. No objections from me at all.
I was SO HAPPY to hear you say, you had problems getting pinch harmonics out of the Tone Zone! When I got my new RG (with Tone Zone/Air Norton) some months ago, I had the same feeling, but thought: "It can't be the guitar. Maybe I just suck..." ^^
I actually went back to the stock pickups and here's why: ruclips.net/video/DRBU7IJWTqM/видео.html
your playing speaks to my very soul dude
Thank you, I appreciate that!
Hey Jason!!!! Finally I have in my hands an Ibanez 1570 ( lefty). I love it so much!!! 😀
Awesome, those are great guitars! I just finished recording the rhythm tracks for my album with this guitar. Got a video on the tone and everything I used here: ruclips.net/video/cchu6O24XmQ/видео.html
Both sounds great 👍😊
Thank you. I ended up putting the stock pickups back in here: ruclips.net/video/DRBU7IJWTqM/видео.html
Those stock pickups sounded great. I actually preferred them over the DiMarzios
It's funny you mention that because after changing them out, I had the stocks put back in a month later here: ruclips.net/video/DRBU7IJWTqM/видео.html
Loved your playing in this video!!!
\m/ \m/
Thank you! I wanted to give a solid demonstration of the clean tones these pickups can give you (that’s often left out)
Gracias! Excelente Dimarzio tone zone 👍🤝
🤘
Glad to hear your honest opinions on the DiMarzios. I have a DiMarzio Evolution which is high output, but I found it flat overall and also had issues getting pinched harmonics out of it. Tried it in differnt guitars but can't seem to get it to work for me. I'm finding DiMarzio pickups are generally good for a specific sweet spot but less for all round use. It's important to know what sound you are looking for and get the right one for the job. I have a MoJoe which is a notable exception, great all-round PAF sound.
You mentioned being unhappy with the single coil. I changed out the stock INF pickups in an RG 270. Since I usually didn't use the single coil alone, the middle is a DiMarzio ProTrack humbucker. This seems to work really well in beefing up and emphasising the warmth from the strat tones when combined with the neck pickup. For anyone doing this kind of experimentation, a single coil sized humbucker in the middle is something worth trying.
Yeah I actually ended up getting the stock pickups put back in!!
Thanks dude. My 90’s rg450 was stolen, so I replaced it with a reissue. Not crazy about the Quantum pickups. I was going to do the tone zone and air Norton, but thanks to you I’m going to try the v7, v8, and s1. Super cheap used.
I'm sorry to hear that...nothing worse than a thief! Karma always wins, though. I actually ended up keeping my V7/V8s and share more details in this video: ruclips.net/video/DRBU7IJWTqM/видео.html
Air Norton is my favorite neck pickup. Just a badass pickup
Hopefully you won't be too disappointed in the video I put out this week regarding this same guitar and what I just did!
You can make any pickup sound great cuz your AWSOME!! Sweet guitar too
Thank you 🙏🏻
I also love the stock Ibanez pickups V7/v8, I've bought them aftermarket with swapped magnets, V7 start sounds even more harmonically rich, just killer tone for bluesy/hard rock ballad solos
I actually had the stock pickups put back in!!! Here's the video: ruclips.net/video/DRBU7IJWTqM/видео.html
Hearing the samples, I liked the Air nortons in the front and the stock V8 in the bridge.
I was disappointed by the Tone Zone, and turns out you had a similar feeling towards it.
Awesome demo, BTW.
I ended up putting all of the stock pickups back in shortly after and here's why: ruclips.net/video/DRBU7IJWTqM/видео.html
Great comparison. I have the same amp, and a mahogany Ibanez RGAT62 with the TZ and the Air Norton. It's a good pairing since the evh is a very bright amp, and the tone zone a bassy and dark pickup. I'd say the trick is, on the red channel, to keep the bass below 1 o clock and keep presence around 2 o clock. Oh and the resonance in the back at about 10 o'clock. The mud and darkness of the TZ disappears, and the harshness of the evh, when presence is increased, also doesn't strike as much. It becomes a beefy rhythm tone, at least for what I play (Metallica, Lamb of God, Chimaira, no 7 string stuff or djent), and also pretty cutting for lead. I'm actually 99% of the time playing the bridge pickup, it works for everything.
I actually had my stock pickups put back in!
I'm using an Evo 7 and a modded Air Norton in my LTD 7 string and I'm very happy with that combo.
I ended up putting the stock pickups back in the Ibanez. Just wasn't happy with what I was hearing
I will arm wrestle you for that amp!.... Great comparison and review. Maybe I'll look at a set of Evolutions? Great video and Thanks
It is a nice amp dude! But the pickups...I actually ended up going back to the stocks, as crazy as that sounds: ruclips.net/video/DRBU7IJWTqM/видео.html
interesting video man . ✌️
I have another video showing where I went back to the stock pickups. Just didn’t care for the way these sounded.
I have DiMarzio Air Nortons and tone zone in my RGAT621 and love it over the stock of the other ibanez models I own. (RG320, GRG121, GRX45 and RG2EX2)
Dude, I'm on the edge of getting the stocks put back in!
Very interesting comparison! This goes to show that the stock Ibanez pickups aren't as bad as everyone says. Don't believe everything you read on the internet. I'm still undecided on if i want to swap mine out or not though 😅
I think you saw my video and I put the stick pickups back in. It was weird…didn’t care for them at first but then over time kinda fell in love with them
But I think that comment against V8 or V7 comes from the early 2000s. I wonder if the V7 and V8 humbuckers from 2003 were as good as in 2021. I have the old ones and I can’t decide on swapping them yet.
Wow, that Ibanez S1 sounded killer. Was thinking about getting TZ and AN, but not so sure anymore. Those stock pickups are very good.
I ended up putting the stock pickups back in: ruclips.net/video/DRBU7IJWTqM/видео.html
I had gotten my first V8 a couple weeks back in my new 2021 RG565. I hated it at first for reasons you stayed with to much low end. It was weird so instantly I’m looking at new pickups. I’ve been a fan of the classic V2/S1/V1 set up as it works pretty decently for most styles but after playing it for sometime now I’ve actually grown to this pickup. I honestly would like this pickup but with a little more output.
Dude, I actually had my stocks put back in a few weeks later!! Here's the vid for that: ruclips.net/video/DRBU7IJWTqM/видео.html
I'm a longtime DiMarzio user. I've also owned a lot of Duncans, EMGs, etc. I just prefer DiMarzio. The DiMarzio I've used the most is the Tone Zone, usually paired with an Air Norton. The reason I dig the Tone Zone is I like getting a big tone out of lighter weight guitars, usually 25 scale bolt-ons. They just make a lot of sense to me. I find too many guitars are too thin sounding and lacking in low end and harshly bright. The Tone Zone really does its job on a guitar like my ash strat with a maple fretboard, which is a very bright guitar. The Tone Zone brings it down to earth. In a basswood or mahogany ax I'd use something brighter like a Norton or X2N.
I actually had the stock pickups put back in…lol
@@jasonstallworth Sometimes stock pups are just fine. Regarding the Tone Zone, although I love it, I can understand how it's not a good fit for every player and every guitar. I have guitars they work great in and guitars they would not work in at all. When Ibanez first released the Jem, which was really a souped-up RG with a monkey grip back in '87, I tried one and was blown away by the DiMarzio PAF Pros that came with it. I bought some and put them in various guitars. But the original Jem, like most RGs, was basswood, and as a wood it can be very rewarding if you use the right pickups, but quite unforgiving if you use the wrong pickup. It tends to lack bottom end, but work well for the high end. In the case of your guitar, Ibanez used worthy stock pups. I have a PRS SE Allender which I love, but I didn't love the EMGs that came with it. They just didn't bring out the best in that guitar. I tried a DiMarzio Norton/Air Norton set, and I used that for a year, but it lacked bottom end. Otherwise, a great set. Then I tried a Duncan Custom 5/Jazz set. Good, but not cigar. I wanted some bottom end. Now I have a D Activator X/Super 2 set, and it's the goldilocks zone of metal tone. But, if this guitar came with standard PRS passives, I likely would have left them because I dig PRS passives. I think they're some of the best pickups ever produced. What works is what works. Keep on rocking.
Interesting results, not sure which ones I preferred. I just feel bad you have to go through the trouble/money of switching them back out! Kind of a good lesson though in the end 🤘
Definitely a good lesson...and it makes for good content on RUclips! You guys can learn from my experiments!
Tone Zone tends to be very precise at height adjustment. I tuned mine for several days until i found the sweet spot.
Dude, I actually went back and had my stock pickups put back in. Here's the video explaining why: ruclips.net/video/DRBU7IJWTqM/видео.html
Jason you nailed the comparison. Everything you described was what I heard also. Only thing I would comment more on was how beautiful and clear the stock single coil was! That was the stand out to me. Lastly the Tone Zone was very brittle sounding when played clean. Do you know if Ibanez still uses these pickups?
Thanks for sharing, it was very informative.
Yeah that S1 stock pickup really does have a nice tone and also compliments the other pickups when used in the 2nd and 4th positions.
I’m not sure of Ibanez still makes these. I’m very close to having them switched back to the stock though
They still have them in the RG550 Genesis.
it all depends on your sound preferences and also on the ¨acoustic¨ sound of you guitar and the sound you are trying to get . I have some Dimarzio pickups and i love them but in this case i prefered the stock pickups , they sounded great , good choice 🙂👍👍
I went back to the stock pickups shortly after this video, and here's why: ruclips.net/video/DRBU7IJWTqM/видео.html
Your stock pickups just rocked! I think the “V7 V8 not good” comment comes from the early 2000s. I have V7 S1 V8 from 2003 from a Prestige RG of that time, and now I wonder if they actually suck compared to your newer ones.
I actually went back to the old pickups and love them now (I think you may have seen that video)
I put a DiMarzio X2N bridge and Super 3 neck. I love it. RG550
Dude I actually had the stocks put back in!
You are right, you should go with what you like and what feels good to you. I liked a few sounds of the Dimarzios on combinations, but singly they didn't sound right. I was thinking about changing to these same pickups myself, but not to sure now. Might find a guitar at guitar shop that has them in them before I spend the money and end up not liking them.
Yeah that’s the best way...if you can play through them first. Had it not been for my friend sending me the Tone Zone, I probably would not have chosen these pickups.
Nothing wrong with stock pickups here! Both sets sounds great. I even slightly preferred stock pickups.
I actually went back to the stocks here: ruclips.net/video/DRBU7IJWTqM/видео.html
@@jasonstallworth I know! I watched both videos! Thank you for this comparison! You just confirmed once again that I always thought. That Ibanez knows very well what they are doing. Their stock pickups suits their guitars very well, even in cheaper models. Most people replace them just because it is a popular opinion on forums. I was also like this in the past. But now I change pickups only if I feel that I really want to change something in the tone of particular guitar.
@@SergeiVlassov you nailed it with why most people change them 🤘
I’ve found I really like the PAF Pro as a bridge and neck pickup. It’s a great all around pickup. I think it sounds amazing with high gain amps because it’s not super hot, and maintains great articulation and clarity with lots of gain. I’ve got a set in an RG 550 and I love that setup.
I actually went back to the stock pickups and here's a video explaining why: ruclips.net/video/DRBU7IJWTqM/видео.html
Hi buddy I plan to change them to fred on the bridge and paf pro on the neck respetively. Thoughts?
@@mettlecrusader29 The Fred is pretty much a PAF Pro with more midrange and output. The high end can also get a little piercing in some guitars. I’d also say it’s less of an all purpose pickup than than the PAF Pro, and suited to lead playing over rhythm playing. I play mostly thrash and heavier styles so I like the tight bass response the PAF Pro has, whereas the Fred is a little fatter and looser. It’s not a bad pickup at all, just different. If you’re going for a great 80s rock lead tone where you don’t need super tight low end you’ll definitely like the Fred!
@@bucknasty69 thanks for your input. Actually I can't find a new or used js 1000 or 1200 in my part of the land but really like the satch sound from the 80s 90s era which seem to be ideal with these pups (fred and paf pro). I end up playing more of the emg 81s and now definitely want the fishman fluence modern sets since the clarity and punch on these for modern metal music/ high gain is top notch but that's another story. I did look at the new js models with moe Joe or even the satchur8 pickups but from what all I've heard they don't seem that appealing. I don't like muddy pickups now and am ok with medium output pickups that sing & have good clarity probably that's why am staying a little away from the air norton and tone zones of the world (which are great pickups in their own right I'm sure). Hope I'm making sense.
You can hear the characteristics of the strings much better with the DiMarzios in the low gain setting. Their articulation is miles above the stock pickups. Of course that tends to get blended away with high gain playing as we all know.
Dude I actually went back to the stock pickups, as crazy as that sounds and here's why: ruclips.net/video/DRBU7IJWTqM/видео.html
So my take from all this is that I need that amp :)
Lol...man, that EVH will make any guitar sound awesome!
I have the same guitar and went through almost the exact same scenario as you. I swapped the stock V8 bridge and V7 neck pickups for the Tone Zone and Air Norton, but kept the S1. I did the swap because I've heard a lot of praise for DiMarzios in Ibanez guitars and wanted to hear the difference.
I felt that the TZ was too honky sounding, (too much mids), and was oddly difficult to do pinch harmonics on. I tried hard to like it, adjusting its height and polepiece heights but was unable to dial in a tone that worked for me. I ended up putting the V8 back after struggling with the TZ for several months. I definitely like the V8 better.
The AN was okay but lacking some presence. I swapped it for a DiMarzio PAF Pro in the neck, which I like better in this guitar. To be honest, the V7 was quite good to begin with. The PAF Pro is just a little warmer than V7.
When I put the V8 back and changed the neck pickup to PAF Pro, I also upgraded the 5-way switch to a Fender 4-pole type. This allowed me to keep the stock switching configuration for position 1,2,4,5, and change the middle position from the single coil to bridge + neck humbuckers. The sound of both humbuckers together is much more useful to me than the single coil alone.
Dude, I actually ended up putting the stocks back in this thing!
@@jasonstallworth Great! The stock pickups are very good. I have the stocks back in mine, except I replaced the V7 neck with a DiMarzio PAF Pro. The V7 is good. The PAF Pro is warmer and more open sounding. Air Norton was too dark/dull in the highs for me.
That was a good comparison thank you Jason.
I will be `doing up` 4 average Ibanez guitars. I`m no longer in bands so cannot justify Dimarzio`s on all.
The stock pickups were decent on 3. On the V7 and V8 I`ll be doing the magnet swap I heard about.
For rock and metal you should try the INF3 and INF4 they really surprised me.
I`m curious on the IBZ pickups. There used to be a chart that compared them to various Dimarzios.
Yeah dude, I kinda miss my stock pickups now! Not really a huge fan of these particular DiMarzios for this guitar (I've played through other DiMarzios and liked them)
@@jasonstallworth - Maybe they`d suit one of your other guitars :D
@@skorpian34 My other guitars have active pickups.
Danke!
🤘
I pretty much did the same swap as you, V7 V8 and S1 Ibanez to AN TZ and Blue Velvet Dimarzio. And I pretty much came to the same conclusion. If I have to describe the effect of swapping the humbuckers I would compare it to swapping from Vinyl to a CD for the TZ and the AN. (The TZ is also a bit of a like or dislike thing). However, the strength of the Ibanez RG lies for a large part in the middle pickup; the S1. This is a fantastic pickup for combinations with split humbuckers, as it has a high - as well as a bit more dark output than regular single coils like the HS-1. So what happens is with the split V8 and V7 in positions 2 and 4, and because the V7+8 have a slightly less output than the TZ and AN, the V8 and V7 mix beautifully with the S1 in parallel (I am sure Ibanez made it on purpose this way). Now especially the TZ split by it self is pretty "shrill" and loud and overpowers the middle, the AN sounds actually pretty good in split mode. If you combine TZ and AN in parallel with the middle Dimarzio pickup they are causing a way more "trebly shrill" sound in positions 2 and 4. Thus you are loosing this beautiful sounding 2+4 positions as you noticed. In the end I actually liked the TZ, so I wired the Ibanez S1 in combination with the TZ and AN. This sort of gave the guitar it's sound back with the TZ an AN. The V7 and V8 are still lying around, so maybe I should put them back in too :) . Choices...
Dude I actually went back to the stock pickups, believe it or not! ruclips.net/video/DRBU7IJWTqM/видео.html
@@jasonstallworth Yes I saw that! I am really happy I am not the only one whom thought of this. It fits your playing and guitar rig very well and it sounds great.
I bought a used 1570 in blue, and it came with a full set of Evolution pickups installed that I have been struggling to love. I really like the humbuckers by themselves, but the middle three positions are very sterile and thin sounding... To the point that I can't even use them. Luckily it also came with the stock pickups and after watching this I'm going to reinstall them and see how they sound.
I actually have another video shortly after this one as to why I ended up changing these back to the stock pickups! ruclips.net/video/DRBU7IJWTqM/видео.html
The middle evolution pickup is an anomally it actually has less output than most fender single coils intentionally. Vai's logic was there would not be a volume spike when blending in the 2 & 4 positions so it does have utility with that in mind - definitely not for everyone. The Red Velvet or even Injection is a good substitute if you want to go a completely different direction.
I really didn't hear a big difference, but the single coil didn't like it sounded Way better stock thanks you just saved me some money! I'm going to leave mine alone!
I actually went back to the stock pickups and here's why: ruclips.net/video/DRBU7IJWTqM/видео.html
The Tone Zone has been my favorite pickups for years now mainly because it cuts through the mix better for blues and rock but it's a polarizing set of pickups coz people might not like the half cocked wah sound and not harmonics friendly. It also amplifies imperfections like string slides and unwanted noise, it's night and day compared to my EMG 81! I absolutely despise stock INF and V8s I dunno why, they sound good but I think it's the branding lol
Those EMG 81s are nice...I have a set on my LRD M1000 Deluxe!
Do most hot pickups amplify imperfections or is the TZ worse than most?
I'm a new player and I noticed the TZ really made me sound even worse. I could hear my fingers sliding over the strings considerably more than with other guitars, and muting was difficult because i'd usually get harmonics ringing out of the TZ. I may need to go to weaker pickups because I hate having all my mistakes made much worse.
Tone zone ..true velvet and air norton are awesome in my opinion
I'm not the biggest fan of actives, but EMGs can sound great in basswood. I've heard them in a lot of RGs and they sounded terrific. They balance out, retain clarity with high gain, and have a tight bottom and cutting lead tone. There's a reason they're so popular for metal.
Yeah the EMGs are tough to beat
This comment is so underrated. Absolutely true, my emgs sound way better in my RG than my ESP or Jackson
That's because EMGs have extremely concentrated mids. They work best, in my experience, in midwoods. Zakk Wylde has used them since the 80s in his Les Pauls which are mahogany. I've used EMGs in alder and they sound good but not as good as basswood, mahogany and poplar. I had a Kramer made of poplar with an 81 in it around 1987 and it sounded amazing.@@akshayseller73
If I were you, I think I would choose "The Tone Zone, Stock Middle and Stock Neck Pickup". (Of course, this is my opinion.) BTW thank you for the video. \m/
I actually went back to the stocks and here’s why: ruclips.net/video/DRBU7IJWTqM/видео.htmlsi=sWHteaLSEgvge1zS
I love you admitted your OCD over thing's needing to match. It would bother me too lol
Yeah it’s kinda hindering at times!!
I have an old Bill Lawrence/Bill and Becky L500xl with Bills signature on it. I’m having it put in the bridge of my new Jackson.
It’s black. I need a neck pickup and I want a blue, red or white one. I am obsessed with how it will all look together. I really want a purple one but I am not sure the motif will be appealing to the eye.
First world problems. Lol😂😂😂😂
Whatever pickup I choose, I will proclaim it is the best thing ever and all other pickups are a muddy mess and anyone who doesn’t have the same setup as me is “unserious.” 😂😂😂😂
I have an RG470 with the exact same stock pickups. After having this guitar for years, I'm finally going to change all of the pickups out. I have been researching all of the pickup companies and their options. DiMarzio really seems to be the way to go as for tone. I'm torn between the Titans, Dark Matter, and the Evo's. My issue with the stock pickups is that they are just underwhelming in tone/sound. The Neck seems to perform better than the bridge. The bridge (V8) is just really thin, even when hitting a full sounding chord. The notes are also extremely thin sounding also. I want to get a pickup set that will help give me a fuller sound. All three of the series I mention seems to be good options. I write kind of Progressive Metal/Ambient type stuff.
I ended up going back to the stock pickups and here's why: ruclips.net/video/DRBU7IJWTqM/видео.html
Nice demo Bro
I never put high output pickups on Ibanez guitars. I don't think they can handle high output pickups like Tone Zone. Maybe it's due to the nature of guitar
I always prefer PAF style low output pickups. PAF Pro, Air Classic and now PAF Master.
And for the neck position, Humbucker from Hell is the one for me. It doesn't get muddy and maintains clarity even in high gain setting
I actually put the stock pickups back in and here's why: ruclips.net/video/DRBU7IJWTqM/видео.html
I have a J Custom (bought it because i think it's a nice shredder, and never had a mahogany + maple body guitar). But absolutely hate the TZ/AN combination (and my tone is very creammy and thick...but the high mids are annoying). Will be swapping them for some Seymour Duncans either JB/59 or Distortion/Jazz. In my RG550 I kept my V8/V7 combo...they sound amazing!
I actually ended up putting the stock pickups back in and here’s the story behind it: ruclips.net/video/DRBU7IJWTqM/видео.html
11:29 there’s alil typo where the neck was labeled as a tone zone, either way very impressive playing!
Thank you dude...yeah, I tend to screw those things up sometimes! lol
Ibanez nailed it with their pup configurations.
Yeah, I do love (and prefer) the H-S-H configuration. That gives you so many tone options!
@@jasonstallworth great comparison J. 👍🏻
Hey man, great video, hope you see this, I wanted to know your opinion of the RG1570 vs your EII I saw in another video, in terms of quality, feel, sound etc. Sorry if you’ve already answered this!
This is an interesting question and a bit difficult to answer. One is that the E-II is a 7 string (I’ve actually never played a 6 string E-II). I do have the ESP LTD M-1000 and that plays and feels similar to my E-II. So that’s probably a more fair comparison as the LTD and RG here are in the same price range (the E-II was about $800 more).
Also, both of my ESP guitars have active EMG pickups where as the Ibanez has passive.
Now, to answer your question...
I really love the Ibanez RG wizard necks! They fit my hands just right.
But both of my ESP guitars have a smoother neck and play slightly more effortlessly.
So it’s really tough. If I were forced to get rid of any 3 of these guitars, I would probably get rod of my E-II. For one, I still fight with my 7 string and often feel I should just stick with 6. That’s a very personal battle!!
Now, between the LTD and RG...ah, that’s a really tough decision and my answer today may be different from tomorrow.
Lastly, back to the E-II, it’s a solid well-built and awesome guitar. However I’m not convinced that the price of an E-II over something like the LTD M-1000 Deluxe is worth it. My LTD plays and sounds just as good as my E-II
@@jasonstallworth Thanks a lot for the reply! Ahh I see, so it sounds like it compares really well to your other guitars in terms of like value for money and feel! I’m only asking as I’m close to buying a used one I’ve seen, and I have a KH602 already so just wanted to compare it to something similar, and it sounds like they’re in the same ball park! Thanks again!
The Dimarzio sound a little thin on clean channel, but sound better distorted. They seem to have more clarity..
Dude, the funny thing is shortly after this, I had the stock V7/S1/V8's put back in: ruclips.net/video/DRBU7IJWTqM/видео.html
V7 , S1 and V8 sounds way better in my opinion ;) btw. killer 570 man I love it .
I actually put the stocks back in here: ruclips.net/video/DRBU7IJWTqM/видео.html
Maybe the DiMarzios have a lower output then the stock ones, this is not the upgrade that was expected, this says alot about the dimarzios. I remember having an ibanez RG570 and put active emg’s in there (full set) also was a bit dissapointed with them, they just match with that guitar. Didnt take them out because they kicked the stock ones out of the water and that is exactly the what you want when changing pick ups.
Theres just too damm many pickups out there . My favourite set so far has to be sentient/nazgul from seymour, they cover every base...
But long story short, these dimarzios didnt bring what was hoped for, so its abit of money wasted, now you now......
Dude, I will take a look at those Duncans. Yeah, there's so many pickups out there! And had it not been for my friend sending me the Tone Zone, I probably wouldn't have changed these out (or would have replaced them with something else). It was a great learning experience and heck, it made for some cool content, hopefully!
Is it possible your middle pickup was wired out of phase? It sounded so bad when put together with the humbuckers.
Dude, I'm not sure, I guess that's possible. But I ended up putting the stock pickups back in and very happy with that!
Have you tried the Duncan Alternative 8? because i'm thorn between buy that or the Dimarzio Tone Zone
Never tried those. And honestly, I doubt I try anymore unless the guitar comes with them. It's just a pain to change them out.
I did end up getting the Ibanez stock pickups put back in, and here's why: ruclips.net/video/DRBU7IJWTqM/видео.html
DiMarzio!!
I definitely don’t dislike them but there are things about the stock pickups that I miss
The DiMarzio's sound a bit more compressed, less dynamic feel to them, the V-series pickups sound a bit more lush, but become a bit muddy on a lower tuning. I guess there's pro's and con's to each. I have a ToneZone in my Ibanez SZ, which is a 24.75"scale and it serves me well for high gain definition, as it becomes a bit sloppy in the lows on lower than standard E tuning. They don't blow out in the low's as much and have a nice mid definition but they're not the fullest and lush sounding, but they do pop out in a live mix. I think I might swap it for a Seymour one later though, they're just a bit too compressed to my ear, which I don't need with an overdrive in front of a hi-gain ENGL amp. Nice in depth shootout you did, I enjoyed it a lot. Thanks.
Dude, funny thing is I later went back and had the stocks put back in!! (got a video on that on my channel)! And I'd love to have an ENGL amp!!
pfffff, i just got an s series with the tone zone air norton and true velvet configuration, i dont feel theyre any better or worse than the hyperions in my AZ, but im not really bothered, once they get me in the ball park im fine, tell you what though i will be using the middle sc pickup a lot live, i really like it
I actually ended up putting the stock V7/8s back in and here's why: ruclips.net/video/DRBU7IJWTqM/видео.html
The tone zone and the HS2 were wired out of phase with each other.
That's possible. I see that you already saw where I went back to the original stock pickups. Still have those
To me the TZ has waaay too much low end. It's not a great pickup for rhythm. But it can sound good in guitars with thin necks + floyds, just to beef up the sound. The AN is ok for lead playing, but it has that same mushy sound the TZ has. U might want to check out the Dimarzio D activator (EMG tone) or EVO2. Or a Duncan Distortion or a Duncan SH5. Just my 2 cents! For the middle pup, maybe try the the Dimarzio True Velvet or area 58.
Yeah dude, had my friend not sent me to the TZ I probably would have gone with something else. Or perhaps I would have left it alone. I actually like the stock pickups and have gotten used to them over the years
After I was kind of critical of the ToneZone I felt a bit bad for mentioning it, glad to see someone was isn't a fan; at least for this comparison... I think the only reason the Air Norton/Tone Zone set is so popular is because decades ago DiMarzio started recommending this set as "closest thing we sell retail" for people chasing the tone of their exclusive-to-Music Man Axis pickups that were co-designed with Eddie Van Halen for his signature model.... Following EVH's passing, a few weeks back Larry DiMarzio finally released their spec on that illusive Axis bridge pickup that you can't buy and it turns out the ToneZone is just one of a handful of pickups that they make that get you pretty close, in fact, they haven't bothered to update their FAQ suggesting the Air Norton/TZ combo, but for years now if you write DiMarzio and ask which pickup is closest, they ask you scale length and body wood and depending on answer could recommend the (Steve Vai) Breed, the (non Air) Norton, AT-1 or ToneZone or bridge, the AT-1 (Andy Timmons) actually a bit closer to the EVH/Axis bridge pickup in spec and the one they recommend for basswood bodies with maple caps.
@@rmzzz76 It all depends on the guitar I would say. I bought a used 3120 and the TZ sounds great in that one, but way too boomy in guitars with fatter necks. If it was up to me i would make the Air classic bridge and PAF pro neck the standard in Ibanez guitars. But again that's personal preference.
There is a big user error generated from the configuration that Ibanez uses in its series that come equipped with Dimarzio (HsH) and that is that they greatly unbalance the sound with the pickup in the middle position, considering that the HS2 is a single that The only thing it has is the hum cancellation of a traditional single, this does not add anything, on the contrary it subtracts from the tone of the Humbuckers, the replacement could be many but I would have to know what you are looking for in your sound or if you want to maintain the Strat character in your Guitar, if so an Area 61 (it could also be the 58 or 67, the latter being used by Pauil Gilbert in one of his configurations) would be a recommended pickup for the middle position, you will gain more body by doing the combination of pickups in positions 2 and 4 and you will not have such a decrease in volume when using the middle position, I hope my point of view is useful, greetings 👊
In fact, the DiMarzio's define better than the stock pickups, but there are factors to consider when combined for better performance.
I actually (and quickly) went back to the stock pickups and here's why: ruclips.net/video/DRBU7IJWTqM/видео.html
I noticed at 11:31 it said that you were using the DiMarzio Tone Zone on the neck pickup. This makes me wonder if you could have meant the DiMarzio Air Norton or if you did try the Tone Zone in the neck placement.
I honestly don't recall but it wasn't long before I ended up switching everything back to the stock pickups, and here's why: ruclips.net/video/DRBU7IJWTqM/видео.html
It definitely sounds way too satisfying to abandon the tones they provide.
The Tone zone always sounded to unrefined due to it narrow wire gauge coils-fact!!!!! alnico needs gauge 42 to sing or it gets mushy! Tried the rg3120 great sound acoustically until plugged in ( tonezone bridge )and it sounded like mush! I heard the same model with Paf pro and sounded killer!
I actually (and quickly) went back to my old stock pickups, and here's the video explaining why: ruclips.net/video/DRBU7IJWTqM/видео.html
@@jasonstallworth I saw the vid the RG sounds better with the stock humbuckers indeed. I think the v8 bridge humbucker is ceramic with narrow gauge but ceramic sounds okay with 43 gauge.. The v8 and V7 are underrated due to bedroom players following the aftermarket hype. The quantums are great humbuckers as well for heavy metal on the RG670.
I have using some dimarzio pu..
My best experience is the crunchlab liquifire and the illuminator set..
I think i love the illuminator set more 😊
Those both sound interesting!!
@@jasonstallworth yeah you must check them someday.. 😊
I have the Illuminator set in one of my 7 strings. Great pickups. You can also pair it with a Liqifire if you want. I did that in a different 7 string, Illuminator in bridge and Liquifire in neck. But the Illuminator set is great by themselves
They have auto split in position 2 and 4, don't they?
I prefer not to have auto split and opt for coil split with push/pull pots or with switches
But the DiMarizos do sound brighter, I like that
I actually went back to the stock pickups and here's why: ruclips.net/video/DRBU7IJWTqM/видео.html
Struggling to dial a metal chuggy sound with the tone zone with a mahogany body and roasted maple neck. I'm using the revv g3 and in a C standard tuning, sometimes its sounding muddy with that low tuning
I actually had the original pickups install and here's why: ruclips.net/video/DRBU7IJWTqM/видео.html
No DiMarzio velvet single in the middle?
I actually ended up putting the stock pickups back in and here's why: ruclips.net/video/SwZdmPxYw-U/видео.html
I have an ‘01 MIJ rg 470 with the V7, S1, and V8 which I swapped out for a TZ and Air Norton. I play a little cleaner than you so I prefer the clarity of the Dimarzio’s. The stock pups are hotter and better suited for Metal, I agree. The V8 reminds me of a JB. The TZ has more of a hard Rock tone than Metal. At least now you know and can enjoy your guitar more than wondering this and that.
Funny thing is I just had the pickups switched back to stock!! I'll be making an in-depth video on that this week and why I did it.
Air Norton really blows away that stock Ibanez neck pickup... Just an opinion here, but I actually was suprisied to prefer the stock Ibanez bridge over the ToneZone. Interesting...
Yeah dude, I wasn't overly impressed with any of these pickups but the Norton would be my favorite of the DiMArzios
Slapped the Air Norton in my Les Paul and I honestly love the sound of it in comparison to the Burstbucker 61. Makes the guitar come alive, pushes the amp when needed and can be soft after rolling back on the volume.
I actually ended up putting the stock pickups back in my Ibanez: ruclips.net/video/DRBU7IJWTqM/видео.html
Hey the air Norton and tone zone are good enough for Angel Vivaldi there good enough for me lol.
They’re definitely good pickups but dude, I’m getting ready to have the stock pickups put back in
@@jasonstallworth why do you prefer them over the dimarzios
@@InfamouslyCantankerous There's a unique tone that those stock pickups gave me. I fought with them for years but over time, I grew to really appreciate them.
The Air Norton and specifically the Tone Zone just aren't doing it for me. They're not bad by any means, but I'm missing the tones and feel that I got out of the Ibanez stock pickups.
@@jasonstallworth I wanted a set of bareknuckle nailbomb bridge and coldsweat neck. But didnt quite have the money so I installed a set of seymour duncan nazgul sentient set in my 6 string schecter apocalypse. And man I'm in love with it. I took the stock schecter pickups and put them into.my cheap yamaha Pacifica which is my guitar to learn how to do set up work and what not and now i fell in love with the that guitar all over again. Do you have any experience with bareknuckle pickups.
@@InfamouslyCantankerous Never tried them dude
Aren't Ibanez pickups made by DiMarzio? I think they have been for a long time.
I'm not certain but I ended up putting the stock ones back in and here's why: ruclips.net/video/DRBU7IJWTqM/видео.htmlsi=XHCMC4Z8fbFR6yN0
The tone zone sounds way better than the stock in terms of the distortion and clarity
Dude, strange but I actually went back and had the stocks reinstalled: ruclips.net/video/DRBU7IJWTqM/видео.html
@@jasonstallworth I can dig it, the tone zones “cocked way” sound can be a big turn off for some
I swapped the a5 out of my stock tone zone for a ceramic in my rg652 not good for metal wich i play mostly . Im gonna pull it out and get my go to pickup duncan parallel axis set. Been using them in my peavey vandenburg since 1989. Gonn try the dist ver patb2 bridge this time. Seems like you want that rhythm pickup articulation and harmonics palm muting. Those duncans cant be beat and no one uses them
I actually ended up putting the stock pickups back in here: ruclips.net/video/DRBU7IJWTqM/видео.html
@@jasonstallworth prob better for some clean less distortion work. Im not a fan of the tone zone it came in my rg652 i play mainly metal and its not hot enough for the rhythm palm muting or harmonics im after. Had a invader in a s540 yrs ago it was to flat even with treble dimed . if u get chance ever check out the Duncan parallel axis they are really hot but dynamic prob best pickup ive ever used for metal and i have the patb1 not the distortion verison. Mines super old it doesnt even say Seymour Duncan on the bobbin its a 1988 or 89
@@graygunter698 the originals in mine (that I changed back to) are the Ibanez V7, S1, and V8 (you’ll hear it more in that video link in my last response).
I actually just finished recording the rhythms for a new album with that guitar.
I know I’m probably in the minority here, but I preferred the stock pickups to the DiMarzio’s in every position. The Air Norton and HS-2 didn’t sound bad, but I wasn’t a fan of the Tone Zone at all. I know a lot of people bash the stock Ibanez pickups..but to my ears I don’t see where they sound all that bad.
Well, I’m the minority with you! I’m actually looking to change them back to the stock in a couple of weeks!
I agree, I preferred the stock pickups as well. I think people are sometimes hearing with their eyes so to speak.
@@bohdilama that’s a great point! We all have our hidden biases
Even if the dimarzios sounded better than stock ibby ( which they don’t), it wouldn’t justify the extra cash. Why pay more when stock pups sound just fine?.
I don't know if you caught the end of the video but a close friend actually sent me the Tone Zone. So I figured I'd get the matching pickups and give it a try. Otherwise, I probably would not have bothered because I was getting used to the stock ones and the longer I've had this guitar, the more I've come to like them.
@@jasonstallworth Yeah I commented somewhere halfway. Good review man. Stock pups sound great. Gotta get me an Ibanez sometime. Can't afford a prestige sadly but maybe a lower tier model.
@@myoriginalname you can probably find a Prestige used for a decent price, especially if you’re going for an older model like this one. I’d much rather see someone buy a quality used guitar than a cheaper new one.
80’s, 90’s and even early 00’s mij rg’s are killer and relatively inexpensive.
😜👻
And you know, I ended up changing them back!! lol
@@jasonstallworth Oh I remember lol! I am looking to mess with this RGS 121 and this video came to mind. Actually, I searched Dimarzio pickups and your video was one of the first to pop up as a recommendation to watch.
Honestly .... I don't hear much difference ....
Yeah they’re very similar!