« I really enjoy this pickup »

Being the big John Petrucci fan that I am, I decided to give this pickup a whirl. Actually, it came stock in the Ibanez Petrucci signature model that I used to own, along with the Steve’s Special. The Air Norton is very famous in the shred world. While I’m not exactly a big shred player, I really enjoy that smooth lead tone that a lot of shredders get. I was quite surprised when I discovered this pickup delivered in every way I could have possibly imagined. The output is nearly perfect for the neck position, and it also has the right amount of every frequency for that dark, smooth and creamy lead tone. It’s not so hot that it becomes undefined, but it’s not so weak that it’s hard to play leads. Keep in mind that this is a dark sounding pickup. It is not for those who like brighter neck pickup tones, and I know that a lot of people have complained about that. If you want something brighter, look into the PAF Pro or something else like that. Instead, this’ll deliver some of the fattest and warmest tones you’ve ever heard in your life, but it’s not so muddy that you can’t tell what notes are being played. If you’ve ever heard John Petrucci’s lead tone, then you’ll know exactly what I’m referring to. This is generally my “go to” pickup when it comes to DiMarzios. I’ve since been using the Liquifire more, but that’s for another review. This is still one of the top DiMarzio pickups I’ve ever used, and it remains in the top three at all times. Don’t forget to pair this with a high output bridge pickup to truly get the most out of this pickup. Some people actually recommend using this in the bridge, but I can’t imagine that would sound that great. Who knows, though? Maybe I’ll give it a whirl in the future for something totally different.