DiMarzio DP213 PAF Joe

The DiMarzio PAF Joe is an evolution of the original PAF Pro that Joe Satriani used throughout most of his career. DiMarzio says it uses some special technology to achieve a new sound, and I’m not exactly sure what they’re doing. Either way, it has all the same features as the PAF Pro does.

Satch was looking for a new tone for his Ibanez guitars. He’s always used the PAF Pro in the neck, but he recently wanting something a bit more vintage sounding. This pickup has a little less output, extended treble and a little less bass than the original PAF Pro. That allows it to be clearer than the PAF Pro and actually a touch bitey.

Because this pickup is modeled after the more vintage sounding PAFs out there, it has this real cool “vowely” quality to it. It has this real cool voicing going on that many of the older PAFs from yesteryear had. It has more note definition than the PAF Pro, and although DiMarzio says the treble is warm, the top end has a crisp bite to it that isn’t too harsh.

Satch uses this in the neck, but you can really use this pickup in any position. The neck and the bridge both yield great tones. Personally, I prefer this pickup in the neck as I find it to be a bit too open in the bridge. Some people love that open quality, but I like a little compression going on to help kick the amp into overdrive easier. The pickup works in all kinds of woods, so there should be no issues there.

If you’re looking for a different take on the PAF Pro, you should check this pickup out. It has some real cool characteristics going on, and it should work in nearly any setup you may have.

From my review on the Jemsite website:
Comments:
Bought to replace a double whammy DP150 in neck position in my 1995 RG550 LTD (basswood body). I installed a split coil + a switch to push-pull coil tap series to parallel. The three sounds, Which are different, are awesome.
The bridge is EVO2 year, and the middle is a virtual two middle DP408.
Liked about it:
The three sounds are awesome, very different one to Another. The tone is sweet, well balanced, Either for chords, sounds clean gold lead, soloing. Cut through the mix, above-the-12th the cargo tone is a pure dream. Just great, with rich harmonics, everything I like!
The split with the middle pickup aussi just gorgeous for clean tones (arpeggios ... Especially chords).
The parallel wiring sounds just like a Strat pickup ... Either clean or with distortion!
Did not like:
Sometimes lacks of output, at least Sometimes a little hot enough not to go Into hard metal soloing.

The above notice date qq days after mounting the microphone.
After about a year of use I can say that this mic is really hell, and is really full of dynamics, smooth and really convey the nuances!
I love his response in the high mids!

[said 21/09/10] I think ultimately what micro innadapt mahogany guitars / stocky, I remont by combining it with the D Sonic (lack of bass) and with the Tone Zone bof by going against a well with joe on a Mo scratch mahogany Air norton is better suited to the condition of relatively low compared to the micro bridge to decrease midrange "cardboard / plastic" than Nortons possdent . (my opinion) [end edit]
I had a first opinion, I just delete it because I went up the Paf Joe neck and I changed my opinion.
Mounted on a mahogany guitar / Saddle with the Tone Zone in bridge, compared to the Paf Paf Pro Joe is less comprss its 30 mv less are welcome too.
Hotter than the PAF Pro, PAF Joe sounds less "artificial", it reminds me of Seymour Duncan 59 model neck.
On paper, the Paf Joe would not have much bass and treble a lot, it did nothing, it is well equilibrated.
Much more "open" that the Paf Pro, there is less "gnreux" that the Air Norton in some frquences but if you can find the couple Tone Zone / Air Norton a bit "too much", the Paf Joe balance everything in the right direction.