DiMarzio Evolution

I just got me a Evo. for $ 20. I am considering putting it in my Strat. I have been to DiMarzio's site and checked out the specs, and it seems like an interesting pup.

Have anyone tried it? What would you compare it to from SD's line?

very bright. not my favorite but thru the right rig people love it. 250k pots will tame down some of the high end

It's pretty unforgiving too, it lets all the nuances (good and bad ) of your playing show.

Great pickup in a heavier guitar. In a light guitar the boosted upper mids and treble may spike your ears.

I think it would be a great fit for metal in an LP, or heavier guitar with a decent body mass.

I am not aware of anything from Duncan that would be all that close. The Distortion may be the closest.


Originally Posted by StringmachineI just got me a Evo. for $ 20. I am considering putting it in my Strat. I have been to DiMarzio's site and checked out the specs, and it seems like an interesting pup.

Have anyone tried it? What would you compare it to from SD's line?

Thats a cracking buy there. Evil bay?


Originally Posted by KevThats a cracking buy there. Evil bay?

Got it from a music forum here in Norway. Didnt really need it but it was cheap so why not. I'll give it a try and see what happens.

Sounds good in Vai's Jems but it didn't sound too good in my s -series. Wixedmords is right, in a light-bodied FR equipped guitar it sounded very bright and crisp, bass was very very tight, great for chugga-chugga riffs but not spongy enough. Definitely not a classic sounding pickup, but yet still very distinctive.

Can it handle 80's metal?

There was a thread almost identical to this a few days ago. I'll repeat my thoughts, nonetheless:

I think Vai has terrible tone, and I felt my tone was terrible when I bought an Evo and put it in my floating-whammy Ibanez.

I put it in my hardtail Charvel a year later, and was nothing short of stunned at the difference (this was about 8 years ago, when I was an idiot).

I love the pickup now.....it's not too overwound (around 13k?), so there is still quot;fairly' good definition across the strings when playing chords through heavy gain. It's tight, tight, TIGHT.

The bottom 'E' string is just.....*TIGHT*.

Having it in a hardtail really helps smooth-out the upper midrange, as well. I love the pickup in my quot;stuntquot; guitar. It's not in my main axe, of course.

If I put an Evo in an Ibanez RG550, could I get a tone similar to Vai's with the right setup? (I like his tone)

what abaout the breed,will it pass as a good overall vai tone for most his songs?
in the bridge that is


Originally Posted by MajesticThere was a thread almost identical to this a few days ago. I'll repeat my thoughts, nonetheless:

I think Vai has terrible tone, and I felt my tone was terrible when I bought an Evo and put it in my floating-whammy Ibanez.

I put it in my hardtail Charvel a year later, and was nothing short of stunned at the difference (this was about 8 years ago, when I was an idiot).

I love the pickup now.....it's not too overwound (around 13k?), so there is still quot;fairly' good definition across the strings when playing chords through heavy gain. It's tight, tight, TIGHT.

The bottom 'E' string is just.....*TIGHT*.

Having it in a hardtail really helps smooth-out the upper midrange, as well. I love the pickup in my quot;stuntquot; guitar. It's not in my main axe, of course.
I pretty much agree with most of this. Very tight....focus seems to be on the upper mids as well...it's a fairly bright pickup.

Very clear too.

think it would sound nice on a prs type guitar as well?

I have owned two Jems, both with Evos. I sold my 7VWH and replaced the pickups in my 7VSBL. Personally, I think it is a harsh and very bright pickup. I like it OK in the neck but it isn't my cup up tea in the bridge. I still have the middle single coil in my 7VSBL which I don't use much. For a Dimarzio I like the TOne Zone better! It is a very unique PU to my ears.


Originally Posted by madguitar26think it would sound nice on a prs type guitar as well?

It would OWN harder than it's competition (a Duncan Custom) would, I can tell you that. It kills in a hardtail. Not quot;harshquot; at all. Just flat-out aggressive. The difference is in the dual-resonance, and the pole-pieces.

In a floating-whammy setup, forget it.....

quot;In a floating-whammy setup, forget it.....quot;

would a wilkinson bridge be considered as such?
thinkin of puting an evo on my cort prs type.


Originally Posted by MajesticIn a floating-whammy setup, forget it.....

That seems a bit strange, since it was designed for a JEM.

im debating also in to putting either the air norton or the evo in the neck position for nice clean tones and smoove solo leads.


Originally Posted by StringmachineThat seems a bit strange, since it was designed for a JEM.
Don't forget that the JEM went into a Legacy which is a dark amp.....


Originally Posted by madguitar26what abaout the breed,will it pass as a good overall vai tone for most his songs?
in the bridge that isYes. But it is like a dark PAF. The treble frequencies are darker, but the actual sound is very PAF like. I put one in one of my Jackson's, a DK2, and it tamed the treble issue I had. It is very smooth, kinda reminds me of an Invader that was smoothed a bit.

Don't let the output of the Breed bother you, it is hot, just not as hot as the Tone Zone or EVO. On that note, the EVO II is said to take off a little of that upper mid spike of the original EVO.