This guy has the face of the man who designs the electronics of musical instruments and devices, the upper body of the musician that uses them and the legs of the roadie who carries his gear.

@gwEmbassy

4 жыл бұрын

This is actually all true :-D

I think I agree with the older being muddy.I might like the new one better, it sounds slightly cleaner but there's higher stronger attack when you hit the strings and I like that!

@SuperfortressHQ

4 жыл бұрын

For listening I'm using the the AKG Q701 headphones

@gwEmbassy

4 жыл бұрын

Yes, I liked the newer one too. But there is not too much difference like the vintage fans would have us believe. Thanks for watching!

@thomastucker5686

Жыл бұрын

@@gwEmbassy this is old but I agree.

vintage sounded fuzzier and looser. modern a little tighter and clearer... ill take the new one but both are great

@gwEmbassy

4 жыл бұрын

That’s true, they both are! Thanks for watching and take care :)

@Defucto1980

5 ай бұрын

Exactly thats why i prefer the older one

Hi, thanks for posting the video.. I have a question for you.. Is the new one coming with 4-cable instead of two compare with the vintage one? I ask this because I'm gonna take one but I totally want the split or parallel mod, and the Dual Sound model (which is described a Super Distortion with 4 cable on Dimarzio website) for me is difficult to find in f-spaced model, but as mentioned also on Dimarzio website, the DP100 super distortion has 4 cable too! So, I'm quite confused! Can you help me please? Thanks a lot man

@gwEmbassy

3 жыл бұрын

Apparently the only difference with a modern dual sound is you get a switch with it. The modern super distortion I tested here was 4 conductor

@SalvoStrat

3 жыл бұрын

@@gwEmbassy thanks !!! So, it's like I was thinking .. then, I can get a normal modern dp100 ! :D

My favorite pickup because of Iron Maiden and Boston.

@gwEmbassy

3 жыл бұрын

Great bands!

The 70's DeArmond nickel humbucker may have been first, but I digress. I love the SD pickups. My highschool friend who was older than me bought himself a burst LP Deluxe right after he graduated in 77. Two years later he showed up at my gig and handed it to me with double cream SD's freshly installed. At that tender age I was already a guitar snob. Well that went out the window. FANTASTIC pickups. I can hear subtle differences in this video, but nothing significant. The new SD P90 in my LP Special and the full size pair in my 78 Ibanez Musician brought me back to those days easy enough, and it takes a very strong signature tone to do that with four decades having past in between. Thanks for the video.

@gwEmbassy

4 жыл бұрын

Hi Dean, thanks for the anecdotes! I enjoy hearing these stories from back in the day :)

I'd say that they are suprisingly close, sounds like new has a bit more boost in upper mids, it feels like pushing a little bit 2200k slider in Mesa Boogie Mark series. Btw what's the song you play? I remember I had it on my nwobhm tapes, but it's stuck now in my head and I cannot remember the title. It's probably something obvious, but i have black hole in my head now

@gwEmbassy

3 жыл бұрын

It’s ‘Sucking My Love’ from Diamond Head :)

Hi..Whats the year of your vintage Super Distortion pickup ? Thanks

@gwEmbassy

4 ай бұрын

1981

The new ones sound a bit tighter but they are awfully close and in a mix I don't think you'd notice it.

@gwEmbassy

2 жыл бұрын

Agreed!

Which one did you liked better? seems like the new one has more presence, more pronounced mids, more gain

@gwEmbassy

Жыл бұрын

The vintage one is a bit more fun, so I preferred that.

I think the newer one sounds a little brighter. I have a vintage one myself that I bought back in the mid-80s. What do you think about the D Activator ?

@gwEmbassy

3 жыл бұрын

I love the D Activator. I shot a video with one recently. Great pickup.

Just bought a super distortion and a dp103 for my 2020 epiphone Les Paul classic honeyburst.. cant wait to put them in!!

@gwEmbassy

3 жыл бұрын

Classic combination! It will sound great :)

@eldyko

3 жыл бұрын

@@gwEmbassy thanks, only downside is the dp103 is f spaced but going in neck position so... not a perfect fit. Both pickups were hard to find in cream so I settled... mostly excited for the super distortion anyways

Could you profile both pickups with OUT overdrive? And lets hear it clean, then just enough to drive the preamp stage of a amp , then full crunch. Kudos for the idea ...

@gwEmbassy

3 жыл бұрын

That’s a good idea. Next time I have the guitar in bits I will do that!

I am considering installing the new Super Distortion in an all-mahogany explorer type guitar that currently has rather bland pickups. I feel it will transform the instrument in a great way. I used DiMarzios back in the '80's on at least 3 Gibsons and a USA Strat, and this changed them into powerful hair-metal machines!

@gwEmbassy

3 жыл бұрын

I like DiMarzios, they have good solutions to problems players face.

Great job

@gwEmbassy

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks 🙏

The modern pickup is a shade brighter and seems to have a more subtle mids response? This maybe makes it seem brighter.

@gwEmbassy

4 жыл бұрын

That is possible. The two are very close.

Ace Frehley's tone is what brought me to the Super Distortion initially. I didn't realize for a long time what a huge chunk of his sound it is. Later I got into The Donnas, and Donna A's tone had major Ace vibes. I look her up and sure enough, she's listed on the Dimarzio site as a Super Distortion user. :D

@gwEmbassy

3 жыл бұрын

Ace Frehley’s tone is great, probably the classic example of a Super Distortion to be honest.

@paulsledge9807

2 жыл бұрын

i have 1971 gibson les paul with dimarzio same year i think and sound of ace frehley. i bought epiphone les paul tommy thayer blue and i have sound of tommy thayer ^^

@finishin.my.coffee8780

Жыл бұрын

@@gwEmbassy I was just listening to the new Donnington '96 Soundboard disc they just put out. His tone on that was incredible!

I just pulled one out of a 70’s Ibanez Les Paul. I’ve had the guitar for almost 20 years and always loved this pickup but wasn’t the kind of guy to switch pickups or do really any modding that involves solder. Thanks for the video. I don’t think I’ll be swapping it out but I do think I’ll order or find a neck pup that matches.

@gwEmbassy

4 жыл бұрын

I expect your Ibanez is a lovely guitar. Vintage always feels nice to me :)

@mraycgz

4 жыл бұрын

preromanbritain I have had a ton of guitars over the years. Mostly Les Pauls. The old Ibanez doesn’t leave the rotation anymore. Every one that picks it up says the same thing. “ Man this thing is butter”. it’s also walnut. When I got it I wasn’t crazy about that and even now it’s not near as pretty as my gold top. But it has that feel and sound that we all love. If you pick up 100 guitars all the same make and model 99 are gonna sound ok, or good, or even great. Mine is the 1 out of 100 that’s special. Thanks again man. Good channel with good content.

@gwEmbassy

4 жыл бұрын

You ought to be able to get a proper vintage DiMarzio PAF for it on eBay or Reverb. They come up quite often. Best wishes!

@mraycgz

4 жыл бұрын

preromanbritain I only see one right now. And it’s cream. I need black. But I’m keeping my eyes peeled.

The new one is definitely brighter. You didn't change strings, did you? Also, the difference in DV resistance reading is striking, although it might be the reasonable if the old one is a regular spaced and the new one is an F-spaced: is this the case?

@gwEmbassy

4 жыл бұрын

The old one is regular spaced and the new one is F-spaced.. good insight there! I didn’t change the strings, actually I didn’t even need to loosen them!

You mentioned the impedance of the pickups but did you mean the dc resistance?

@gwEmbassy

6 ай бұрын

that’s exactly what I meant

My Fathers Guitar has a 20 year old super distortion Pickup in it and it sounds great for Metal And im saving up for a modern for my guitar

@gwEmbassy

4 жыл бұрын

Nice! I’m sure it will sound just as good as your Dad’s

the guitar riff, what song is it?

@gwEmbassy

4 жыл бұрын

Diamond Head - Sucking My Love

I looooove my 70s one I put as a bridge in a Les Paul. Sounds great

@gwEmbassy

3 жыл бұрын

It’s a lot of fun using a vintage super distortion! I feel the same.

very useful, and short and to the point! I think the vintage is a bit clearer, and the modern more beefy

@gwEmbassy

Жыл бұрын

Interesting! People usually say the opposite. They are very close

The new one sounded just a touch brighter. That's it.

@gwEmbassy

3 жыл бұрын

Yes, agreed. The difference is very subtle.

I have an 81 Dean. While the pickups are dimarzio's, they are not super distortion's. They were advertised as "specially wound dimarzio's".

@gwEmbassy

3 жыл бұрын

That is interesting. Did you measure the resistance?

@kix5284

3 жыл бұрын

@@gwEmbassy no. Just what I remember from the catalog back then. However I still have them but no meter.

They both sound good, but I like the newer one a little more and I don't know why. But what will happen with older pickups is they will naturally degauss and mellow out. But being that these are ceramic mags the distinction is not as noticeable as with alnico. But one thing you can hear with Super Ds in general is they know how to kick an amp into overdrive and how to handle an already overdriven amp. This is just my experience, but to my ears DiMarzios sound remarkably consistent. I've heard old Super Distortions and PAF Pros and X2Ns next to newer ones and they sound just about the same to me. I notice more of a difference with Duncans. In my experience their newer pups don't sound as good as the old ones. They made their reputation when Duncans were still hand wound. At first, they were more expensive than DiMarzios, because they were hand wound in the early days and by the time Duncan got off the ground around '76 DiMarzio had been machine winding for six years or so. Both brands are very well made. But a JB made today sounds NOTHING like a JB from 1981, and it's not just because of degaussed alnico mags. There's a lot more to it. My issue with Duncan is they sell mystique. The mystique that if you pay a lot extra you too can have a Duncan JB hand wound by MJ so it sounds like a standard JB used to sound forty years ago. No way, Jose! I'll stick with DiMarzio. Duncans are generally too flat anyways, very pinched sounding. Boring. DiMarzio rocks.

@gwEmbassy

3 жыл бұрын

I searched out a vintage MJ wound Jazz neck. It sounds fantastic, very different from the modern ones I tried. Generally I prefer DiMarzios, but I’ll give anything a chance :)

@angusorvid8840

3 жыл бұрын

@@gwEmbassy Hand wound Duncans sound so much better because they are able to maintain a better level of consistency. For some reason DiMarzios sound just fine and are very consistent with production line manufacturing whereas Duncans sort of suffer for it. I don't know exactly why that is. I've never built a pickup, never rewound or swapped magnets. Just my experience in playing guitar for almost forty years and trying a LOT of pickups. They are very different kinds of companies. DiMarzio always wanted to pioneer whereas Duncan wanted to back engineer. I'm not obsessed with the whole "vintage" thing. While it certainly has its place, I care more about sound than how a pickup is made. There's a good video with Larry DiMarzio discussing how they developed their PAF '59. It's a different approach than Duncan. DiMarzio goes for the tone first, then uses modern manufacturing techniques and materials to get there. For me, that's more practical than futzing over whether or not Seth Lover used a particular sewing machine to stitch his first PAF. Another brand that's been making a splash these days is Bareknuckles out of the UK. I've tried a few off the shelf guitars with Bareknuckles and while I think they are good pickups they were just sort of missing something. I want to try the Holy Diver which is their interpretation of a JB or Custom. Sound samples I've heard are good, but a bit processed. I like the sort of demos you do because they make sense to me. Just a guitar right into a small Marshall stack, and it tells you everything you need to know about how a pickup performs. Unfortunately most reviews are just a punch of plug-in tone cloning demonstrations which are not helpful.

@gwEmbassy

3 жыл бұрын

I do have a lot of Bareknuckle pickups and I like them a lot. Now I am back with DiMarzio though, partly due to cost, and also consistency as you say. With magnet swaps, I have done a few. I’ve found Duncan’s respond extremely well to them and the difference is audible. If I have a Duncan I don’t like the sound of, I run a few different magnets through it and normally find a tone I do like.

@angusorvid8840

2 жыл бұрын

@@gwEmbassy You can get more clarity out of a Super D if you have a good amp with a good speaker. But a Super D was not designed for clarity, but rather to push amps into distortion and in the early 70s it was revolutionary. The newer Super 3 has tighter low end and more focused mids with a lot of tight crunch and more clarity. Another pickup I recomend for a good crunch is the original ceramic Duncan Custom SH-5. Not the SH-11 Custom Custom with the Alnico 2 mag or the Custom-5 with an Alnico 5. The original Custom is still the best of this line and sounds incredible with distortion. It also has lot of clarity with high gain and a sweet harmonic overtones, low end tightness and punch without being thuddy or wooffy, and a singing high end. It really is like a hot rodded PAF. This is the pickup Vivian Campbell used for most of his Dio Years, from Last in Line through Sacred Heart, before switching to the Duncan Dull Shred, another pickup I like.

@gwEmbassy

2 жыл бұрын

I had a SH-5 for a short period, quite liked it. Wouldn’t mind another.

best dist for the tb 303 what you think?

@gwEmbassy

2 жыл бұрын

The Proco Rat or the Boss OS-2

@user-xq2im6ve4s

2 жыл бұрын

@@gwEmbassy Thanks!

Jerry Garcia used to replace his every couple years because he felt they would wear out.

@gwEmbassy

2 ай бұрын

I read the same. Seems a little too often to me, but if it worked for him then fair enough :)

@ChrisPuckett

Ай бұрын

Playing 100s of shows they would get full of sweat and dirt, so this makes sense, not because the actual pick up would wear out because the pick up itself would be trashed from touring

Hmm I've got a very old one, from the late 70s, I'd say it's one of the most clear and articulate humbuckers I ever tried, muddy and fuzzy is quite the opposite of how I'd describe it. I paired it with a new DM PAF Pro, and they blend really well. Never tried a new Super Distortion, but if it's any more "bright" or "clear" I'd probably hate it because the one I've got hit the sweetspot between beefiness and clarity. Maybe it matters if it was constantly used/played on?

@gwEmbassy

17 күн бұрын

I suppose they all age differently. I think the amount of use probably is a factor.

Which do you prefer?

@gwEmbassy

2 жыл бұрын

The vintage is more fun

Slightly more upper mids with the modern one?

@gwEmbassy

3 жыл бұрын

Could be.. sounds a little clearer

I remember getting the SD in the 80s on my no name guitar. I moved it to my Peavey mahogany body guitar later on and get such a fat sound out of it. I've since put super distortions in a couple other guitars (including a super distortion T into a tele). I just love that crunch of this pickup. Trying to decide if it's what I want in my new Les Paul type guitar.

@gwEmbassy

2 жыл бұрын

Hey Lola! It’s a very fun and “instant grin” pickup. The first aftermarket pickup I got was a Super D and it was a special moment when I plugged in!

Highly underrated channel tbh

@gwEmbassy

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks Matthew! I don’t care about having too many subscribers to be honest. But of course I won’t deny a bigger audience would be nice :)

They sound very close. I think the vintage pickup has slightly less body and note articulation to it. It sounds "wispy" in a way with less fundamental note. I'd use the vintage one I think, it has more mojo and is coloring the sound. Someone mentioned aging magnets as the cause and that feels like it were responsible for the difference. Thanks for making this video.

@gwEmbassy

2 жыл бұрын

Happy you found it useful Perversia!

EXCELLENT VIDEO. The new seems a pinch brighter. I use it.

@gwEmbassy

9 ай бұрын

thanks! you can’t go wrong with either.

I like the Vintage 1981, feel it's less edgy, have used a '78 version in a Teak body guitar in the bridge pos. & got the same results......just my 2 bits . Stay Safe !

@gwEmbassy

4 жыл бұрын

Thanks alot for the thoughts Jalraj

New ones sound better. The aging magnets is probably why there’s a difference. If you’re trying to copy someone’s sound, remember the SD would’ve been new when they got it.

@gwEmbassy

3 жыл бұрын

That’s a very good point

The zebra colored DiMarzio SD is the SD tone my ears were expecting... Other one sounded thinner and cleaner, they sounded like different pickups to my ears. Assuming zebra is vintage, I definitely prefer the vintage one... When the magnets age that has some impact on the tone, no? I've heard pickup magnets tend to loose just a little strength over time which gives them a little less bite, that might account for the vintage one sounding different but... That vintage DiMarzio tone in everything from Maiden to Def Leppard, that's what the zebra sounds like.

@gwEmbassy

3 жыл бұрын

The zebra was the vintage one, that’s right!

listening to them...the modern seems to have a little more articulation/clarity by being slightly brighter but it's not a very noticeable difference. very subtle and not enough for people to really clamour over one or the other.

@gwEmbassy

7 ай бұрын

that’s exactly what I think too!

Ian Mackaye from fugazi made me want a super distortion. I'm gonna put it in the bridge of my epiphone sg, just like how he put one in his 1970 white gibson sg.

@gwEmbassy

3 жыл бұрын

It’s hard to go wrong with a Super Distortion :)

I found the modern to sound more responsive and cruchier in a cleaner way. I agree with the aging magnets thing someone mentioned.

@gwEmbassy

3 жыл бұрын

The high end is definitely crisper on the new pickup. Thanks for commenting!

@bigstick5278

8 ай бұрын

Ceramic magnets don't age, never lose their magnetism AKA Gauss.. Metal /Alnico loose their Gauss over time. Which brings me to a perplexing thought I've had for sometime now. Why people chase the original late 50's early 60's insanely expensive holy grail vintage Gibson PAF Humbucker, for their so called magical tone. When in truth the songs we hear producing that magical tone Eric Clapton, Peter Green, Jeff Beck, Gery Moor, Paul Kossoff and Jimmy Page were on a set of PAF's that were about six to fifteen years old in the mid 60's to late 70's? The old PAF's are pretty much lost a lot of their guts, not to mention most were not wax potted so the frequency resonating through them coils are bound to create a short in the winding eventually.

Thank you for the comparison video, I can’t tell a lot of difference but agree the older version may be a tiny bit less bright. The greatest example of the Dimarzio Super Distortions real fatness throughout the tone range can be heard on Bowie’s David Live album where every track features Earl Slick’s searing guitar - originally an SG junior routed out & retrofitted with a Dimarzio Super Distortion and a never used Dimarzio PAF in the neck into an MXR Phase 90 (even more extra fatness added) straight into a fully cranked Plexi...

@gwEmbassy

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the comment Lance, I should check that album out myself!

@lancejordan2536

3 жыл бұрын

@@gwEmbassy - yes I highly recommend it...

@lancejordan2536

3 жыл бұрын

If nothing else have a listen to the Moonage Daydream solo and the Jean Genie solo

@gwEmbassy

3 жыл бұрын

Fantastic tone!!

@lancejordan2536

3 жыл бұрын

@@gwEmbassy really pleased you had a listen... it is incredible tone for sure...

old dp100 with ghs strings. the best sound ever! for 80's lover

@gwEmbassy

3 жыл бұрын

🤘🤘🤘

really good demo.. both pickups actually in the same guitar for once ! The modern sounds slightly clearer to me.. a little more high end and the riffs sounded a little clearer IMO

@gwEmbassy

3 жыл бұрын

Happy you like the demo Aris. This has turned out to be the most popular video on my channel, but also the most disliked! I guess pickup demos can be controversial.

I put a treble one in my Les Paul back in 2015. Haven't looked back since.

@gwEmbassy

3 жыл бұрын

Great choice!!

This pickup was how Al Dimeola got his fusion sound. Not just in the bridge either but also used it in his neck position.

@gwEmbassy

3 жыл бұрын

Interesting. I would be worried about it being too bass heavy in the neck position.

@theirritatedirishman5440

3 жыл бұрын

gwEm’s gwEmbassy : True which I would think also being a Super Distortion’s characteristics but I noticed when I seen him play on a few occasions that he had the neck pickup sunk and pole pieces raised. Then I noticed the Marshall head had the treble almost on full, midrange just past 1/2 and Bass way down like 9 O’Clock? I think that in combination with the maple neck and maple top on the Les Paul composited for the Bass heaviness of that pickup.

Please make a video comparing a stock pickup v a super distortion.

@gwEmbassy

Жыл бұрын

That could be a nice idea to be honest, comparing against a PAF type

Excelente vídeo.

@gwEmbassy

4 жыл бұрын

Thankyou Rogério!

I had a replacement for my bridge pickup in my Ibanez in the mid-'90s and it put me off from playing for nearly 2 years because it was too damn hot and thin sounding. I prefer the clarity of the modern but that would depend on the music I am playing or trying to record.

@gwEmbassy

4 жыл бұрын

Thanks for tuning in Taewan! A few people are preferring the modern. Interesting!!

The newer one definitely cleans up that fuzz which I prefer.

@gwEmbassy

4 жыл бұрын

Agreed, it’s a little bit of a different flavour. I like the fuzz sometimes, but it’s hard to make it work in a track.

@1analist

3 жыл бұрын

Yeah that´s why I like the old ones also they have more growl.

Modern ftw! Sounds great and looks awesome to! 🤘

@gwEmbassy

Жыл бұрын

Yeah, the cream is a great look :)

I kinda hate my super distortion in my bridge. It sounds generic and squished together to me. kinda like im playing with strings that are way to heavy. I just leave it in my les paul because Im not sure which pickup to replace it with. . I love the 57 classics, theyre just not hot enough. I wish there was something with the 57 classic tone that rocked harder.

@gwEmbassy

3 жыл бұрын

Hot pickups aren’t for everyone, and the super distortion can sound like that. Maybe you would like a Seymour Duncan SH-5 ‘Custom’

it would be difficult to make me switch from the duncan distortion

@gwEmbassy

10 ай бұрын

good pickup

The second clip sounded better wasn't sure which one that was until after and I read in your description. Did you mention the order in the video. I thought they both sounded kind of shitty but the second one not quite as shitty. Maybe its the amp?

@gwEmbassy

2 жыл бұрын

Yeah, I’m not delighted with the audio quality on this video. It’s an early one and I have changed the setup a little now. Still I think it shows my point that they sound extremely similar.

Without looking at description and listening first, I had a distinct preference for the first one, the vintage. It was fuller and thicker sounding. I thought the new one sounded harsher with more upper end and harder attack.

@gwEmbassy

3 жыл бұрын

The vintage one is definitely a bit warmer. Thanks for watching!

@lifebreath77

3 жыл бұрын

@@gwEmbassy Like most of this stuff, either might work better than the other, depending on playing style, type of music, etc. Thanks for the comparison. I replaced my ‘78 Custom pickups with Super Distortions in the early 80’s. That sound has always stuck in my head as a good one. I’m about to put some in an R8 I haven’t quite gotten how I’d like it. I have other custom shop LPs with custom buckers I like, but this guitar is not doing it. I put in some Duncan Antiqities, but still not happy. I’m hoping the Dimarzios might be good, moving to a little different fundamental vibe. SD in bridge and Super 2 in neck.

@gwEmbassy

3 жыл бұрын

Recently my favourite neck pickup has become the D-activator neck. It’s good and clear and keeps up with a Super D bridge. Sometimes these fussy guitars are a problem. Other times any pickup combination seems to work in a guitar.

For the van halen tone there is the vhii from bare knuckle pickup and then the superdistortion. I have a nailbomb pickup from bkp sounds muddy

@gwEmbassy

2 жыл бұрын

I have the VH2 and like it. Never tried the Nailbomb.

@realguitarshredder

2 жыл бұрын

@@gwEmbassy would you do a video on that. And what do you think about it? Compared to the superdistortion

@gwEmbassy

2 жыл бұрын

I have been thinking I should do some Bare Knuckle Pickup comparisons. I have a lot of their range now.

@realguitarshredder

2 жыл бұрын

@@gwEmbassy yea. The only reason is that they do a custom cover on the pickups with my design so am thinking of getting another one. The nailbomb I is sort of in a weird situation. Its resistance shows 1 but it does have an output. However, its way lesser than what it was or should be. Bkp has asked ke to send it to england but this is more like a van halen moment for me, since his pickup had/had the same problem on his original frankenstrat

There are differences but they are very,, very subtle. The older SD has a bit more low end, a tiny bit. A little 'chuggier' I guess. The newer end sounds brighter. But barely so. If I wasn't listening carefully I wouldn't even be able to notice the difference. I like both, I like the way your e string palm-mutes sounded on the older super distortion. But that bright, raspy, almost buzz-saw attack on the new one makes my heart smile. Passing thought: why not put the old ones in the bridge position for rhythm, and the new ones in the neck position for leads?

@gwEmbassy

3 жыл бұрын

That’s a really good thought :) They are both fun pickups. I enjoy playing a Super Distortion.

Personally I prefer the vintage. It definitely had a bit more character about it and more of the 80s rock/metal vibes going on.

@gwEmbassy

3 жыл бұрын

I don’t know if it’s just a placebo effect, but it definitely feels a little more fun to play.

@XChristianNoirX

Жыл бұрын

@@gwEmbassy it's like that with a lot of old gear though. New feels stiff, while old, if not noisy, feels like it has more dynamic punch in the low end and sweeter highs. It could be aging components.. But I don't think it jsut that. I think it has to do with changes in materials used over time too. In fact, the super tight tolerances of today kind of make everything more consistent, but seem to zap out some of the magical character of things too. It could be that magnets are cut differently.. The composition of the copper wire has changes.. Materials sources changed... All sorts of stuff. I'm not sure I buy the argument of aging magnets, as they don't lose magnetism unless they've been damaged or de-magnetized in some way. I don't think these magnets noticeably lose their charge noticeably. Just yesterday I was in the boat of either going vintage or new PAF Pro... I ordered new because I found a deal on a set with the cosmetic configuration I wanted... But if I decide that I need more character, I'll probably order the vintage one.

Also people tend to say all overwound pickups are muddy - it's a conventional "wisdom" - before they even try them.

@gwEmbassy

4 жыл бұрын

Agree, very much depends on the particular guitar and type of pickup.

A magnet slightly loses strength over time. This is desirable in single coils. Not humbuckers. That’s why the older “vintage” super Distortion needs to be replaced.

@gwEmbassy

3 жыл бұрын

I’m pleased you brought this up. I’ve seen conflicting information about this over the years. Jerry Garcia, for example, was a great believer in refreshing his pickups for this reason. Others say it would take 100s of years for the loss in strength to be audible. Can you describe the difference you hear between the two pickups that you think is due to loss of magnet strength?

@professorstein5855

3 жыл бұрын

@@gwEmbassy I find this subject somewhat fascinating. We put so much effort in to everything between your fingers and the speaker that those details can really add up to some amazing tone. When studying magnets using science and physics online we can draw a few conclusions. 1. Force generated by aligned atoms creates a magnetic field. 2. No "permanent magnet" is completely permanent. "Heat, sharp impacts, stray magnetic fields, and age all conspire to rob a magnet of its field.(a)" This said, I believe only extreme temperature changes would have a permanent impact on pickups but by the data I've reviewed, a magnet will have a different strengths at different temperatures but falls under the category of "reversible loss" and the definition of reversible loss: "Reversible loss occurs for every degree rise in temperature the magnet experiences above ambient, up to its maximum operating temperature. As the magnet cools, the performance returns to the previous level." Now we know also, by your research, the vintage pickup has an impedance of 13.4k vs the new one, which is 14.8k. This may contribute to the differences in what we hear between the two pickups but I don't believe has anything to do with the magnets themselves. But I'll answer your question, "Can I describe the difference I hear - but based on what is due to loss of magnet strength?" That's a tough question to answer, but here's what I think: We don't have a reference of what they sounded like brand new compared to now. It may be similar to the difference we hear when we just slightly change the distance between the string and the pickup which can have a quite noticeable difference but since we aren't just moving the magnets further away or closer, it wouldn't be exactly the same. What we need is a video where someone records the tone through the same process and equipment every 5 years. So, therefore, quite honestly, I can't describe what the difference is, exactly, due to loss of magnet strength. (a) sciencing.com/causes-magnet-lose-its-magnetism-8229455.html

@professorstein5855

3 жыл бұрын

@@gwEmbassy I found this website possibly answered our question. The difference in brightness that everyone seems to agree on could be caused by loss of magnetic strength: "Magnets: It is often said that ceramic magnets are brighter than alnico, but that isn't entirely correct. What makes a magnet "brighter" than another is it's strength. A stronger magnet will be brighter." Reference: www.skguitar.com/SKGS/sk/pickup_factors.htm

@professorstein5855

3 жыл бұрын

@@gwEmbassy aha and even more interesting info: "Much of the characteristics which are attributed to the aging of the magnets may actually be due to the aging of the coil wire. This makes more sense based upon tests and experience, and what is known about magnet aging. The older insulation (formvar and enamel) will get hard and brittle with age, this would also "stiffen" the coil windings, changing their characteristics slightly. Also note that the older "Lacquer potting" on some pickups tends to break down significantly with age. This will have a definite effect."

@gwEmbassy

3 жыл бұрын

That is really interesting stuff professorstein. I love reading about such things, many factors at work! Thanks for the links :)

The newer one sounded thinner than the first. I wouldn't say a SD sounded muddy ever, whilst using amp gain/distortion pedal. Playing clean, you'll definitely get mud. 👍

@gwEmbassy

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the thoughts Baba!

Personality is the same ,sweet midrange with perfect impedance transparency for tube preamp , but the Vintage DiMarzio Super Distortion sounds like the magnets are slightly weaker...slightly muddier warmer ...you pick.

@gwEmbassy

3 жыл бұрын

That’s very well explained. Thanks for the comment!

can't tell by the audio of this clip but the old ones are way better sounding. Have 1978 Dual Sound i bought new then picked up a current one... went strait back. i use mid-gain amp and you can really tell the difference w/o gobs of distortion.

@gwEmbassy

3 күн бұрын

it has more character

Very much the same but the new one surprisingly, sounds just a bit better. A bit less muddy. I don't know if it's because the other several years old or was the height of both pickups the same. Or do think the impedance is a bit higher on the old 1 than the new 1 should sound slightly louder(less ohms, more powerful.

@gwEmbassy

3 жыл бұрын

It is amazing how similar they do sound. I set the height so the output of each pickup was the same.

@michaelsabatino102

3 жыл бұрын

Which did you like better.

@gwEmbassy

3 жыл бұрын

The vintage is one is kinda fun :)

I prefer the vintage but I'm biased as I have a 1980 Vox standard model 24 with a pair of them in it. It's killer! Unless you want clean! They don't do clean very well. LOL ( but I've got a Tele for that) 🤣

@gwEmbassy

4 жыл бұрын

True, they aren’t the best clean! Your Vox sounds great though :)

Take the bottom left 3 screws out leave in the top, next take the top 3 out on the right where you make a stagger noise free single coil and instant ANGUS YOUNG TONE!!!

@gwEmbassy

Жыл бұрын

Great tip 👍👍

i like the muddier sound i think, though im sure you could just get the same effect with an EQ and cut off some of the treble of the new'ens

@gwEmbassy

2 жыл бұрын

The slightly muddier sound is more fun I think :)

Hey Man; The S.D. also has beautiful cleans. Put two in the guitar and play some Credence. Also I think the muddiness is from people who scoop out their tone, and the mids are where the SD's magic lies. Actually the mid bump is kind of high to my ears and keeps things clear if you use normal distortion instead of scooped. Just my experience.

@gwEmbassy

4 жыл бұрын

I agree the Super D is all about that mid range. If you scoop them it makes that low end even more prominent!

@endridchill5697

3 жыл бұрын

Al Dimeola uses 2 of them!

Love them both life long user - the older one has the muscular fatness - that brash power you can get pushing a hard rhythm or searing lead. It's always there. The newer one is a tad brighter but I've recently found an early 80s w/ 14.7 resistance and it screams nothing that a newer one provides is missed. (Plus original mojo vibe.) I've owned and own a ton of different pickups custom and boutique but if I had to pick one it would be an old pulled Dimarzio Super Distortion from the late seventies or eighties. Nice vid enjoyed! Dimarzio 💪👊👊💪💖

@gwEmbassy

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the cool comment. Yes, the old one has that typical DiMarzio tone. I love it :) but the new one is fine too. In their newer range, I like the D-Activator set (the normal one, not X) very much.

@lfader

3 жыл бұрын

@@gwEmbassy Ya there's no bad Dimarzios you can get attached/ partial to many pkup's and that's still great! Your breakdown was perfect your all in ---so it's cool having all these great pickups to choose from then you wake up one day with 20+ guitars and no room ? 😨😨😨🤣 (Still must get an X2N!) I remember being a kid invited to watch a band jam in a rehearsal studio and walking down the hallway a different band I could just hear the sound THAT SOUND and I poked my head in to see what the guy was running and it was a Les Paul loaded w/ a Dimarzio SD plus a TS8 TUBE screamer / half Marshall stk. and THAT WAS IT⚡⚡ that's thee one sound (pickup) if I had to choose there'd be no choosing it's automatic! No matter how many times you thin The Herd I've got every logical reason to bring the numbers back up so that's just what it is🤸😉🤸 -you take care! 👍👍

The vintage one has a little more beef in it. It sounds very nice. I would probably use The modern one for neck leads

@gwEmbassy

3 жыл бұрын

I’ve never tried a super distortion 1 in the neck. Maybe that’s something I should give a go some day!

I prefer the latter (modern), it sounds tighter, clearer.

@gwEmbassy

Жыл бұрын

I agree with that!

I'm listening on a pair of JBL studio monitors. I hear a slightly crisper top end on the modern superD. But really it's not much of a difference.

@gwEmbassy

4 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the comment - agreed there’s not much in it!

@the_grube5782

4 жыл бұрын

@@gwEmbassyYour X2N video is a different story.

They both sounded fine to me the first one I may of like better. The thing is apparently were supposed don't designed for a cranked tube marshal to push it into overdrive. I got a believe if there's any difference that's where you're really going to hear it because that's what it was designed to do. I live in BFE on a farm where I can crank a stack full blast I believe if you could crank your to tube amp on full blast and cut the speakers back with a master volume that is probably where the super distortion shines. These were the hot ticket back around 1980 and everybody was playing Plexes back then they were loud but you could sustain forever with a LP if you had it cranked. Guys were also getting good toner with master volumes so they didn't get kicked out of the bar from blowing the walls off the place lol we used to turn one cabin around backwards it was so loud LOL that was on 3 I don't know if the new ones any different but my theory is if you have old stuff and it lasted it was probably built with higher quality materials because of the pre-China years not everything's like that but a lot of stuff is

@gwEmbassy

3 жыл бұрын

That’s a good perspective. I only have Marshall amps with master volume controls, never even tried a Plexi or a non-master volume type Marshall, though I do have a Tweed Deluxe. The compression and thickness of the super distortion you can appreciate even without a master volume amp though. Thanks for the comment, the stories from ‘back in the day’ are the ones I appreciate the most :)

the only difference between old and new was that the old one not wax potted while the the new one had wax potted. the dc resistance reading difference wasn't quite significant. I even have much older super D without the made in usa stamped from early production that read out around 12.6k.

@gwEmbassy

4 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the feedback. It’s good to put these myths to the test!

Which model did Kurt Cobain use? vintage one?

@gwEmbassy

Жыл бұрын

as I recall the Super Distortion was installed in the Jaguar when he got it. I expect it was a vintage one as it was installed by the previous owner, Martin Jenner.

@nc8453

Жыл бұрын

@@gwEmbassy Thank you very much for your information. Can I ask you one more question? When did DP100 switch to the new model? I own a sonic blue Mustang, I'm considering a bridge PU which model should I install. I have a SH-4 JBJ black bobbin and a double whites DP100.

@gwEmbassy

Жыл бұрын

@nc8453 they just slowly changed the designs a little over time. the old and new sound very very close

@nc8453

Жыл бұрын

@@gwEmbassy Thanks a lot.

I am mostly hearing what I think is a small output difference. If my ears are not fooling me, the vintage was just a touch more flubby, but I thought the bass sounded flubby on both. Not my favorite tone really. I am a huge Viv fan!

@gwEmbassy

Жыл бұрын

Viv is great :) :)

I think we're losing the plot when we start paying over the odds for 30 or 40-year-old pickups and vintage pedals etc. Re. the difference between these two, it's so small it's really not worth worrying about, for me at least.

@gwEmbassy

Жыл бұрын

I agree. Vintage Super Distortions are getting very expensive secondhand these days.

They sounded very similar, but the modern one had slightly more upper mids/highs. I liked the older one a bit more, but again, they do sound very similar and you can always turn the tone knob down a bit.

@gwEmbassy

Жыл бұрын

I agree Tom!

@captainkirk70

8 ай бұрын

Would a 250 or 300K pot help? I believe it was about the time Gibson started putting 300K pots in their LPs?

@gwEmbassy

8 ай бұрын

it might help, but I think they might take things too much in the other direction

Seemed the new one was cleaner, but only slightly. Maybe wire size is smaller on the new one eh.

@gwEmbassy

Жыл бұрын

Possibly, more maybe the magnet is a little stronger. Real close anyway

My immediate impression was that the Zebra was muddier, and the 2020 was a bit crisper and cleaner. Personally, I preferred the 2020.

@gwEmbassy

5 ай бұрын

I think the zebra is a touch muddier yes

To me the newer sounded a bit brighter but not by much. And the actual distortion quality seemed the same.

@gwEmbassy

2 жыл бұрын

I think you’re right D

I can understand why something with an alnico magnet will change over time (that probably explains a lot of the difference in this example), but people swear the Duncan Distortion I bought in 1988 sounds "better" than the current ones. The DD has a ceramic magnet, which theoretically shouldn't age. The new SD in this video definitely sounds better, tighter and cleaner.

@gwEmbassy

3 жыл бұрын

I have an open mind about magnet ageing, I have seen studies saying they age and others saying they don’t appreciably age. I don’t hear much of a difference here though.

Long time I have seen one of your videos. You've really upped your video quality, that's great! I think the vintage one sounds a bit better, but I love the crunchyness of both of them! I feel like the old one has bit of a nicer low-end. Since obviously you're the expert, I'd love to hear your opinion

@gwEmbassy

4 жыл бұрын

Thanks Jochen! I invested in a new (secondhand) camera and a couple of lenses :) I prefer the modern one as it has a bit less bass - it will sit in the mix better. It’s all personal preference, and I think in this case there’s not much different you couldn’t compensate for on the amp itself. The danger with guitar tones is that you can fall down a massive gear rabbit hole and start worrying about the subtleties :) Of course - that could never happen to techno producers like ourselves :-D

The vintage had a better "chug". But the modern had a brighter upper end.

@gwEmbassy

4 жыл бұрын

That’s true. The more I reflect on this clip the less clear the choice becomes to me!

I think the Vintage sounded better to me, I think they both sound fairly comparable yet slightly different, But I do prefer the Modern Double Cream Humbucker VISUALLY VS The Vintage Zebra, I think slightly the Modern sounds a little more Louder more presence but the Tone Isn't to the same favourence for me, I do think either would be a Upgrade from Standard Stock Alnico PRO Humbucker or especially Pro Bucker Bridge

@gwEmbassy

3 жыл бұрын

Yes, no doubt they would be an upgrade from Alnico Pros. Thanks for watching and giving your thoughts!

Check out the Dean Time Capsule - modeled after the original super distortion. Check out the Darth Phineus review on it.

@gwEmbassy

20 күн бұрын

I will!!

I like the newer one myself.

@gwEmbassy

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the comment! I like them both, but I can see why you’d prefer the newer.

6 years ago I bought a SD. Curlee by Global, sold in the early 1980's by J.C. Penney's catalog. It came with DiMarzio SD pups, standard. I still have the guitar. It probably could be fixed up. Currently it's subpar to me. A collector might disagree. What I'm considering doing is pulling those OG SD pups out and using them for another project. Not sure yet. I'll play old Punk Rock, Ramones, Sex Pistols, Clash and for that style it's ok. Guitar is a great Lil beater. Can't shred on it but punk or garage rock, ok. I do like the sound of the original pickups, Super Distortion from DiMarzio, 40 years old and still got that bite/crunch. With a fuzz or OD pedal, great. Ibanez tube screamer 👍🎸

@gwEmbassy

2 жыл бұрын

Maybe you could put the pickups in a Les Paul Special or something like that, for the punk flavour :)

@jiverdude2775

2 жыл бұрын

@@gwEmbassy Great Idea! Was thinking about getting a Epiphone Les Paul, used, $250-$400, and swapping out the stock pickups for the OG SD DiMarzio ones. I own a Ibanez UE 300 multi FX. TS, Compressor and Stereo Chorus. Pristine sounding. These Super Distortion will be great!!

@gwEmbassy

2 жыл бұрын

That’s also a good idea!

70s SD pickups at around 13.6. Are my favs

@gwEmbassy

2 жыл бұрын

Good choice!

Wasn't expecting to hear a difference but even through computer speakers it was immediately apparent that the vintage one is thicker and fuzzier. The new one is tighter with a more focused EQ.

@gwEmbassy

3 жыл бұрын

It’s an interesting test isn’t it? You can also tell that it’s very much the same model pickup.

@pigxstix

3 жыл бұрын

@@gwEmbassy - Yes, they were the same voicing but slightly different EQ in the way I mentioned.

Older sounds thicker and warmer. The new one sounds modern...well very correct and a little boring . the old sounds a little fuzzier and that's how these sound on old records and they shine at high volume

@gwEmbassy

3 жыл бұрын

I agree, there is something exciting about the old one

I heard no difference as I listened on my studio speakers... it could be your mic, amp settings, or my ears. Still, nice comparison, and good info!

@gwEmbassy

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for checking it out Dramius!

Hmm the new one is improved, and it has a better tone, you can hear the “electric hug” at the end of every stroke 10% intensified that makes it more aggressive. The older one has it too but not as good.I like the new one. Its improved.

@gwEmbassy

4 жыл бұрын

I like “electric hug” :)

@BoltieBolt

4 жыл бұрын

preromanbritain yup, that with a good eq setting can sound insanely awesome

@BoltieBolt

4 жыл бұрын

I’m getting the new one.

@gwEmbassy

4 жыл бұрын

Hope you enjoy it! Sounds like you will :)

@BoltieBolt

4 жыл бұрын

preromanbritain I currently have Alnico classic open coil humbuckers original on my epiphone les paul studio. Would this make a big difference?

It's not like a big difference but in that comparison I'd slightly prefer the new one.

@gwEmbassy

3 жыл бұрын

Should be more reliable and less microphonic too!

Diamond head is sick

@gwEmbassy

7 ай бұрын

yeah! love their riffs!!

temperature can change resistance alot.

@gwEmbassy

4 жыл бұрын

Definitely, and also the tolerance of the thickness of the wire.

They sound exactly the same to me. The differences I’d expect from any two pickups of the same model.🤷🏻‍♂️

@gwEmbassy

4 жыл бұрын

It’s a fair comment. There are some subtle differences. But I think these ‘vintage is best’ comments one usually hears are not true in this case.

Hi, if you’d be interested in selling the ‘81 zebra I’d be interested. Thanks

@gwEmbassy

3 ай бұрын

thanks gb73. no plans to sell the 81 zebra just yet