« The samurai sword of pickups »

Steve Vai hooked up with Dimarzio a few years ago to create Steves ultimate pickup. Two years later they unveiled the Dimarzio Evolution pickup or EVO for short. The EVO features a 4 conductor wiring setup connected to a pickup with ceramic magnets. It has Dimarzios dual-resonance configuration which they claim produces more harmonic overtones than the conventional pickup. Vai wanted a particular sound from the pickup and the proof is in the results. The EVO produces a tone that is uniquely Steve Vai, but this may not mean its a good tone for you. The pickup is voiced to exaggerate the high end and mids. If you are having trouble cutting through your bands mix this pickup will cut through like a samurai sword but cutting through the mix and actually sounding good may be two different things. With the pickup itself balanced so far towards the high end it make make some guitars unsuitable for it. Putting this pickup in any guitar made of bright wood may result in some unpleasant tones. Even if you put it in a guitar with the right kind of wood that balances out the tone your amp may not be suitable for it. The modern high end sound may not work with some amps such as Marshalls or older style amps. When these amps were designed the guitar pickups at the time were low output and not voiced for the frequencies the Evolution is voiced for. The pick up may not even work with some players. Because it is so clear and defined mistakes that you can get away with on other guitars may come through loud and clear with the EVO. So if you just got to have the sharpest, most precise pickup on the market and have the skills and gear to support it, the EVO pickup may be the one for you.