DiMarzio Super 3 Opinions?

[Butch Snyder]

I got home yesterday and saw that Benjy's Super 3 had arrived via USPS. I will install this maybe tonight and give it a go and see what we get. Again, many thanks Benjy!

[Benjy_26]

No problem, bro. Can't wait to read what you think of it.

[Butch Snyder]

No problem, bro. Can't wait to read what you think of it.

I will install one of my push/pull pots for splitting too...

[pinto79]

I have one in my Hello Kitty Strat.

I have it tuned like a 7 string minus the high E, and a half a step down. The sound is thick and mean.

[Butch Snyder]

I have one in my Hello Kitty Strat.

I have it tuned like a 7 string minus the high E, and a half a step down. The sound is thick and mean.

That guitar sounds like an actual physical representation of an oxymoron.

[JB_From_Hell]

I had one awhile back, liked it, replaced it with an Air Zone, and was happier. I could've lived with the Super 3 and been very satisfied, though. It was in the midst of a crapload of pickup swaps, but I remember it being versatile.

[Butch Snyder]

Okay, I tried the Super 3 in my EBMM Morse and here's my review. First let me give you the specs on the guitar itself.

Poplar body
25.5" scale maple neck w/hand-rubbed oil/wax finish
22-fret rosewood fretboard
2-piece bridge with stop tail-piece
3 other pickups on the guitar

The stock Morse bridge pickup has a reading and EQ similar to the Super 3. The Morse bridge pickup is higher output with a ceramic magnet. It's middy and accepts gain well. It also cleans up well when needed. It wasn't that the Morse pickups were bad, it's that I thought the Super 3 sounded interesting.

After I installed the Super 3, I noticed the overall output was about the same. The EQ was about the same. There were slightly more mids and bass with the Super 3. One thing that did stand out was the highs. The Super 3 had significantly less highs than the Morse bridge pickup; even after replacing the stock 250k volume pot with a 500k pot. Overall, I like the Morse bridge pickup better than the Super 3.

Okay, having said all that, I went ahead and threw my Air Zone in the bridge position. I kept the 500k in and tried it out. The difference, this time, was tremendous. This pickup had so much more soul to it. The highs sang. the mids were nice and warm; with a thickness that was very comfortable. The bass was tight but not harsh. the output from the Air Zone was higher and the tone had this cool crunch, under gain, that the other two didn't.

Bottom line? Benjy, I'm sending your Super 3 back to you with many thanks of allowing me to try it out. The Air Zone is staying. and I even took out the Morse neck pickup and replaced it with an Air Norton. The tone pot is a 250k push/pot for splitting both pickups. I like this setup...

Now, for the single coils.....

[Yngwiestein]

They come stock in Jackson Phil Collin guitars. Sound very good. Too high output though. I prefer vintage pickups. Nothing you can complain about that pickup though. Good lows, tight, sounds good clean. Some jazz players use it.

[JB_From_Hell]

That Air Zone is a fantastic pickup, isn't it? That's been my favorite since I tried one a few years ago, and I'm even thinking about tossing one in the neck spot, too.

Glad it's working! Do you have it wired in a manner to get the AZ split by itself? It's the best sounding split-bucker ever.... kinda like a really funky, hot Tele.

[Benjy_26]

Cool review, Butch.

Pretty much what I thought when comparing the AZ to the S3.

The Super 3 isn't a horrible pickup, but there's better pickups out there to do the same thing. Glad you got to try 'em.

[Butch Snyder]

That Air Zone is a fantastic pickup, isn't it? That's been my favorite since I tried one a few years ago, and I'm even thinking about tossing one in the neck spot, too.

Glad it's working! Do you have it wired in a manner to get the AZ split by itself? It's the best sounding split-bucker ever.... kinda like a really funky, hot Tele.

Yes, the Air Zone is the hot rodded PAF. Huge tone!! I don't have it split by itself. I have the tone pot wired to split both humbuckers. Heck, I got enough pickup combo choices to deal with already.

Cool review, Butch.

Pretty much what I thought when comparing the AZ to the S3.

The Super 3 isn't a horrible pickup, but there's better pickups out there to do the same thing. Glad you got to try 'em.

I'm glad I was able to try it out too. Thanks man...

[pinto79]

That guitar sounds like an actual physical representation of an oxymoron.

Yup.

Unfortunately due to the slightly thinner body, it can be a bit of a feedback issue...