Name: DP223 PAF 36th Anniversary Bridge
Brand: DiMarzio
SKU: 169947
Rating: 5.0 (4 reviews)

Hatsubai

Boutique sound at a budget price

Published on 03/23/11 at 04:34

DiMarizo released these pickups awhile back, and for some reason, they still fly under the radar. Aimed at the boutique pickup builders’ PAF variants, DiMarzio set out to build a pickup that was open, had note clarity and sounded like so many of the good vintage PAF clones out there. Like all DiMarzio pickups, it comes standard with four conductor wiring, so you can wire it in any way you’d like. The pickup also has adjustable screw pieces on one coil with slugs on the other.

DiMarzio totally outdid themselves with this pickup. It is ridiculously good. This is one of those PAFs that just sounds amazing in nearly any guitar you put it in. The bridge sounds similar to the Vintage...…

DiMarizo released these pickups awhile back, and for some reason, they still fly under the radar. Aimed at the boutique pickup builders’ PAF variants, DiMarzio set out to build a pickup that was open, had note clarity and sounded like so many of the good vintage PAF clones out there. Like all DiMarzio pickups, it comes standard with four conductor wiring, so you can wire it in any way you’d like. The pickup also has adjustable screw pieces on one coil with slugs on the other.

DiMarzio totally outdid themselves with this pickup. It is ridiculously good. This is one of those PAFs that just sounds amazing in nearly any guitar you put it in. The bridge sounds similar to the Vintage PAF and Vintage Hot mixed together. If you’ve never used those pickups, it has a wonderful “vowely” quality that so many good PAFs have. The bottom end is vintage, but not flubby; the high end is smooth, but not dull. The midrange is pure heaven in this pickup, too.

As expected, this is aimed towards the low output pickup crowd. If you’re looking for a pickup that’s high output for heavy metal, you most likely won’t be checking this pickup out. However, this pickup can get a great 80s rock/metal tone with the right guitar. After all, a lot of those famous guitarists in that day used actual PAFs designed by Seth Lover in their Gibsons.

If you’re looking for a low to medium output bridge pickup that sounds like a vintage PAF, has tons of note clarity and sounds open, I highly recommend checking this pickup out. It’ll fit with nearly any tone wood, and it’ll work great with both Strats and Les Pauls alike. The best thing is that it doesn’t cost a ton of money like so many other boutique pickup manufacturers out there.

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Audiofanzine FR

Published on 03/14/09 at 15:52

(Originally written by Dima__67/translated from Audiofanzine FR)
I installed the PAF DP223 36th Anniversary on a Les Paul type guitar two weeks ago.

I love its sound balance, vintage character, versatility and the way it captures every nuance of my playing.

Before installing it I tested a Seymour Duncan SH2b JAZZ, a SH4 Jeff Beck and a DIMARZIO Steve Stevens with this guitar. They all sound very well but not as good as the DP223 for my needs. The Jazz has a nice sound character, a vintage distortion sound and a large dynamic range. But just like the neck version it emphasizes the attack too much and doesn't have enough lows. The Jeff Beck saturates too much and sounds too...…

(Originally written by Dima__67/translated from Audiofanzine FR)
I installed the PAF DP223 36th Anniversary on a Les Paul type guitar two weeks ago.

I love its sound balance, vintage character, versatility and the way it captures every nuance of my playing.

Before installing it I tested a Seymour Duncan SH2b JAZZ, a SH4 Jeff Beck and a DIMARZIO Steve Stevens with this guitar. They all sound very well but not as good as the DP223 for my needs. The Jazz has a nice sound character, a vintage distortion sound and a large dynamic range. But just like the neck version it emphasizes the attack too much and doesn't have enough lows. The Jeff Beck saturates too much and sounds too modern for me (I use it on an alder guitar to get a modern sound). The DP161 is great for one hour. The response is well-balanced and punchy with many overtones, and it reproduces the wood vibrations better than the other two. But it's boring after an hour. The sound is too polished and easy, and it's frustrating when you plug your guitar directly into your amp...

The DP223 fits my needs much better. It has a vintage sound. It reproduces every nuance of my playing, it's very responsive and easy to control using the volume knob of the guitar (like the DP103). It saturates pretty easily, but not too much. The sound is tight, dynamic, mellow or sharp depending on your playing. Hard attacks produce an intense distortion on the amp where soft attacks only produce a crunch sound. This pickup has an open sound and a wide dynamic range. It's very responsive. If you are like me and think that Angus is the best at enhancing a solo just by changing his attack (even though his not the most virtuoso) you'll understand the value of a pickup like the DP223.

No comments about clean sounds because I use the neck or center positions for that. When split it's only interesting combined with the split neck humbucker. That way you get a perfectly well-defined sound to play funky parts. It obviously doesn't sound like a real Strat. But it provides an authentic out-of-phase single-coil sound.

The guitar has more sustain with the DP103 and DP223 than with the SH2 and SH2B/SH4/Steve Stevens combination.

I bought the worn nickel version secondhand on the web. Very good value for money.

I would buy it again because it's the perfect counterpart to the DP103 and it fulfills my expectations regarding an authentic and responsive sound.

You can do almost anything with this humbucker (except maybe for apocalyptic riffs) if you have a good amp and you're a good guitarist. However, you have plenty of choices for open-sounding vintage humbuckers on the market...

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poundcake

The best pickups I played Bridge.

Published on 08/26/14 at 00:18

(This content has been automatically translated from French)

Mounted on an Ibanez Rg721FM in the bridge position for two weeks.
I tried a lot of pickups, among other Dimarzio range of those I loved most: Super Distortion, Paf Pro, in short I'm not listed Tone Zone / EMG / Seymour of force

For this guitar I wanted something that respects the violin and the classy side of design. This mic has patents Dimarzio: Virtual Vintage and Air Bucker.
Well, I'm thrilled. Do not get "discouraged" by the indication of the output level of the microphone. The equalization plays in the perception some have of the performance of a microphone. For example, the D Activator 'sounds' as strong as Super Disto while over level.
The clear and beautiful sound, one...…

Mounted on an Ibanez Rg721FM in the bridge position for two weeks.
I tried a lot of pickups, among other Dimarzio range of those I loved most: Super Distortion, Paf Pro, in short I'm not listed Tone Zone / EMG / Seymour of force

For this guitar I wanted something that respects the violin and the classy side of design. This mic has patents Dimarzio: Virtual Vintage and Air Bucker.
Well, I'm thrilled. Do not get "discouraged" by the indication of the output level of the microphone. The equalization plays in the perception some have of the performance of a microphone. For example, the D Activator 'sounds' as strong as Super Disto while over level.
The clear and beautiful sound, one feels no frequency is forgotten, it's open, very dynamic and warm. Crunch, one feels the inspiration PAF, it sounds the Gibson. Harmonics are present, it is clear, mids forward gives a heartfelt Old School side. Saturation is the total distance (for me), no drool, warm aggressive at the same time, there is little push to the maximum saturax without problems. Still waterlogged harmonic singing, solo there is a vocal listed on the lead that sustains the notes, it's fun. Of course this is typical 80's more modern. If you like Van Halen first period, Dio, Sabbath and all others that we used PAF to these sounds that remain etched in the memories, go for it! In addition it is not limited to any style, it sustains the notes and allowed to express the violin of the instrument and what ... sustain.
Split and intermediate positions are good, there is a simple side warm vintage pickups.
Those who find the SH4 too aggressive or Tone Zone, can throw an ear PAF 36th, it might be of interest.
This mic is simply the best I've played so far.

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DIMA2B

Published on 03/14/09 at 14:52

(This content has been automatically translated from French)

I installed the DP223 PAF 36th Anniversary weeks ago on a Les Paul type guitar. See opinion on the DP103.
What I like most about him is his balance, its capacity to recreate every nuance of the game, its characters vintage, and versatility.

Before installing, I tried this guitar on a SH2b SEYMOUR DUNCAN JAZZ, an SH4 Jeff Beck and Steve Stevens DIMARZIO. Trs are all well but are not as good as DP223 for my use. The Jazz has a nice grain, a little roots in saturation and dynamics. But, as his version Neck, I think it still provides a "peak" the attack is boring and less possde low (and more acute). The Jeff Beck too saturated and does not sound quite got my vintage (I'm on an alder...…

I installed the DP223 PAF 36th Anniversary weeks ago on a Les Paul type guitar. See opinion on the DP103.
What I like most about him is his balance, its capacity to recreate every nuance of the game, its characters vintage, and versatility.

Before installing, I tried this guitar on a SH2b SEYMOUR DUNCAN JAZZ, an SH4 Jeff Beck and Steve Stevens DIMARZIO. Trs are all well but are not as good as DP223 for my use. The Jazz has a nice grain, a little roots in saturation and dynamics. But, as his version Neck, I think it still provides a "peak" the attack is boring and less possde low (and more acute). The Jeff Beck too saturated and does not sound quite got my vintage (I'm on an alder guitar suits me well for the TRS-art). The DP161 is gnial for one hour. It is a super equilibrated potato, harmonics, sounds the wood better than the two previous ones. But then you get bored with. It is too smooth, too easy and frustrating when you quickly plugs directly into the amp with a little rverb for an explanation ...

The DP223 suits me much better. It sounds vintage. He transcribed all the nuances of the game, helping to ragissant mdiator and letting trs grate well with the volume like the DP103 (see review DP103). It saturates easily but not too much more than the DP103, however. It is dense, dynamic, smooth or sharp as the attack. Him in returning really gives a total saturation of the amplifier, then you can return a crunch sustained relchant a little wrist. In fact, the sound is open and offers a rev range of important dynamic. It is expressive and trs MRIT it. Those who, like me, think that certainly, Angus is not the greatest virtuosos (in size, (wharf!)), But he can make a solo sound like no other, just by playing on attack, intrt will include a microphone as the DP223.

By clean, I will not comment, I always play to the serious or intermdiaire. In split, it has no useful according to my usage, in the middle position with the serious Splitt too. This gives a well Tees nickel to make casseroles. This does not apply to simple strat. Srement, but it helps get a simple sound pickups out of phase crdible.
The sustain of the guitar is better with the DP103 and DP223, with the duo and SH2n SH2B/SH4/Steve Stevens.
I bought it on the net to OCCAZ version states "worn nickel" (wholesale antique nickel cover) for 60USD. So I think the report is qualitprix trs good.
I would do this choice because it marries perfectly with the DP103 and that rpond my expectations by sounding authentic and by promoting the expression.
Apart from the riffs of the Apocalypse, the humbucker can do anything to APRS me if you have the gear and technology. Nanmoins in terms of double open-sounding vintage, the choice is on the march plthorique

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