DiMarzio DP416 Area '61

The DiMarzio Area ‘61 is a new evolution of the Virtual Vintage series. It’s a single coil pickup that features an Alnico 2 magnet, staggered pole pieces and four conductor wiring.

The Area ’61 is a noiseless single coil that’s meant to replicate the very old school single coil tones of yesteryear. It does this by utilizing DiMarzio’s Virtual Vintage technology to keep everything quiet but also allowing it to sound fairly natural.

DiMarzio describes this pickup as sounding “woody,” and I agree. If you’ve ever listened to Stevie Ray Vaughan, you know what sound they’re referring to, and this pickup does that tone in spades. The treble is crisp, but not harsh. The midrange is creamy without being obnoxious, and the bass is slightly pushed back to allow for the natural sound of the single coil to really shine. I always describe this tone as “vowely,” but I’m sure you guys who have heard single coils will know what I’m referring to.

The DiMarzio Area ’61 is a low to medium output pickup, so it can really be used in any position of the guitar. I love this pickup in the neck, but it also is a great bridge pickup as well. It all depends on what you’re looking to get out of the guitar. If you put it in the neck, you get that awesome SRV lead tone in spades. If you put it in the bridge, it’s almost like that Hendrix-esque Strat tone. I have a feeling that this was made for alder bodied guitars, but it should be able to be used in nearly any body wood without much of an issue. I’d just be a bit weary when it comes to putting it into solid maple bodies.

If you’re looking for a fairly vintage sounding single coil pickup that is quiet but still sounds natural, I highly recommend checking out the Area ’61. This pickup pairs nicely with the other Area series to help create the ultimate sounding Strat.