I totally agree !!!!! I met him one time at the Portland Oregon airport and he gave me a Paul Gilbert signed pic and asked me all about me. I was like wow !!! Your the rock star I should be asking Paul about Paul !!!! LOL !!!! Super humble guy just wearing a plaid shirt. He was jus sitting there looking like an average guy and all these people walking by didn't even notice him !!!! BUT I DID !!!! I was LIKE MY GUITAR LORD HOW ARE YOU TODAY !!!!! I said I seen you open up for RUSH in the 80s !!!!!
Paul Gilbert is a dope dude, way different from a lot of guitar players out there in terms of his personality and his overall feel if that makes sense. Like he doesn’t have his signature guitar on him, it’s against a wall and he’s walking around with a slight beat RG 750 showing off dinosaurs and movies. Cool dude!
Lol! I just clicked that I was watching in 2020 and then remembered that it's now 2021! (4th Jan'). I noticed the Gary Moore video, what a guitar monster that guy was!
charvelstrat81 So true. Pre- 90's JEM's came with them as well. They can really sing when you want them to and handle high gain pretty well for classic voiced pickups. Then again the "pro" in it's name means it's beefed up for that stuff.
Paul currently favors the Air Classic bridge model, but he has used higher output pickups like the Tone Zone and Super Distortion in the past, depending on the specific sound he was looking for.
Has anyone else noticed that Pauls guitar is tuned down a whole step in this video? No wonder it sounds so damn heavy! Not to mention that Dimarzios kick ass!
This guy was directly created by the humility machine and they broke the machine immediately thereafter. Every time this guy speaks, I am impressed by him.
@xXNeoShredderXx Hi, We (DiMarzio) are releasing one for Christmas this year. It is called the "Injector." Thanks for your comment and your support. All the best, Larry DiMarzio
I don't know what Paul meant around 5:20 that the Tone Zone is "less fuzzy" than the PAF Pro he's using here. My TZ has more fuzz and fur than a 1970's porn star. (Yikes! Sorry about the inappropriate joke) I bought it in '92 around the time they came out and have played them since. I'm also a firm believer in Norton, which I love. But then again, I've yet to play a bad Dimarzio. But the TZ is my favorite. Thick, yet bitey. I don't want to put my axe down. Thanks for the inspiration Larry!
I use the Tone Zone and Norton. Great pickups! I also use the Air Norton in the neck with both of them. Absolutely extraordinary pickups. I always felt like the Tone Zone was meant to be the anti-JB. At the time I started using a Tone Zone I was finding that I was getting rid of the JBs in my Kramers and Charvels and popping on Tone Zones. They just had so much more body, more complex harmonics, better sustain, and clarity, great note separation. Also, the high end really sang in a way I've heard few pickups do. What I love about DiMarzio is they listen to players and what we want. They don't tell us what we have to like. There is no snobbery, no pretension. It's all innovation. I also feel they do a better job of wax potting than Duncan. I find their pickups significantly quieter only adds to punch and attack. DiMarzios are designed to be played. They are just so enjoyable and make playing guitar that much more rewarding. I was part of the L.A. shred scene of the 80s and Duncan had a lot of pull with some of the small independent shops. I suspect this is because they were good at currying relations and had a kind of home court advantage as a company that started in Southern California. Although that may have been the case, DiMarzio still held their own, and the best players prefered them ten to one to Duncans. I got compliments all the time on my tone, and I had a pretty simple rig, usually a Marshall or a Boogie and a couple pedals. I used the MegaDrive, PAF Pro, Fred, Double Whammy, and Tone Zone in those days. I remember the Tone Zone came out around the tail end of the shred craze, about 1991, and I absolutely loved it. The Tone Zone and the MegaDrive became kind of a craze among players I knew. They just delivered the goods.
I’m not a shredder. I’m more of a classic rock and early metal player. I’ve had other players tell me “You can’t shred and get an aggressive tone with PAF Pro’s. Not enough output”. I direct them to this video and any of Paul’s early live solo’s with Mr. Big. So yes, you CAN shred with PAF Pro’s. If YOU can shred that is!
Was surprised to find out how difficult it is to find a demonstration or a sound sample of PAF PROs on youtube! Or internet! Accidentally bump into this video and finally had a good idea of how they're isolated.
Hi, Good question. Most guitars need regular neck adjustments to keep them straight. I don't think that leaning guitars against a wall would make it warp, something that couldn't be easily corrected by adjusting the truss rod. I would feel safer leaving them in their cases. Hope that helps, Larry DiMarzio & Merry Christmas
WOW. I just installed my green PAF Pro in the bridge of my Yamaha Pacifica, and it has an amazing difference. I think this is a great pickup, and if you're not sure whether if to put it in the bridge, I say, DO IT. It gives incredible punch and beautiful screaming sustained harmonics. Its great, and I thought it wouldn't because my guitar is not such a good guitar, but it really is GREAT, I'm in love with it.. Thank You Larry.
This is the year I started learning how to play guitar. Dimarzio's to me are the only aftermarket pickup. Maybe because it's all I knew of back in the 80's but they've always sounded fantastic to me.
@ermonski Yes, they should be able to do that. Both pickups should be F-spaced (DP151F and DP100F). The wiring diagram can be found here on the dimarzio.com site in the SUPPORT section. Hope that helps, Larry DiMarzio
Yeah me to, and he got to have a child to bit late but better late then not at all imp glad he was able to get a nice family in the end for sure, he's a good dude and top 5-10 all time legendary guitar player period, not just speed/technique but all around.
Hi mister DiMarzio, Im a Big Paul Gilbert fan and im just wondering if you would recommend the PAFpro on a basswood body with a 3pc Wizard III Maple neck... I already had my first guitar w/c is an Ibanez Gio installed with with a tonezone on the bridge position and a PAFpro on the neck. The tonezone is really cool but i think the PAFpro sounds too bright... is it because of the wood? what would you recommend for a basswood body?
Larry, what pickups would you recommend to use if you are trying to go for a Paul Gilbertish/ Jimmy Page sound. I want that nice Paul shred tone but also a kind of Since Ive been loving you live tone. Probably the Paul tone in the bridge and Page tone in the neck.. Thanks
Hi Larry, I just got a new Ibanez RG350EX, and I can't decide between getting the Evolution Bridge or the PAF Pro in the bridge. I play pretty hard rock, but not really metal music, which one would you recommend?
Hey Larry what should I get? 2 PAF pros or a PAF pro in the bridge and Humbucker from Hell in the neck? I'm getting an ibanez rg 350 and Im replacing the pickups. I really want the paul gilbert sound and twang to my guitar. Also would I need f-spaced at all?
@D1vid3By0 We need more info to provide useful recommendations. Please email us at tech@dimarzio.com with a description of how you want the sound to be different from the sound of the stock pickups. That will help narrow the choices.
My set is H-S-S in my Yamaha Pacifica Alder body, I changed the humbucker already with a PAF Pro, which im in love with, but I want to change the neck pickup, which is a single coil.. What single coil do you recommend to me if I have a PAF Pro at the bridge? Is the Area 67' fine?
hi mr dimarzio, i just purchased a cream 36th anniversary PAF and looked at the back and didnt see any PAF sticker, i just wondered if all the anniversary PAF's or just some come with the PAF sticker at the back, just making sure the company i bought it from havent sent the wrong pup cheers for reading
@X5SmileX1X Sorry, but this option isn't available. The Breed bridge model has a sound that's pretty similar to a Tone Zone, and it can be ordered with all black hex polpieces.
Hi Larry, I'm thinking of getting the super distortion. I play a ESP eclipse. Do I get the F-spaced or the Non F-spaced version of the pickup? Thank you so much!
Hey Larry I'm a huge fan of your products but i have a question i love Pauls tone what excact pick ups does he use on the neck and bridge position? please get back to me on that thank you you rock cheers!
Mr. Dimarzio what does F-spaced mean? I have a general idea, but don't know for sure. And, what pick up for mid and bridge would compliment a D-Activator in the neck
Hey Larry, Thanks for taking the time to answer all of our questions. Well Larry, I'm torn. I know that i want to go with Dimarzio pick-ups but I can't decide what i want in the neck. I play alot of shred and 80's neo-classical stuff. I like to have alot of sustain and warmth but i also need clarity. I'm stuck between The Evo, Paf Pro, and the Air Norton. I'm using an Ibanez RG550 (maple neck) and Carvin x100b amp. What would you recommend? Thanks again!
@LarryDiMarzio Thanks for the information regarding the new Injector pickup! Another question if you don't mind. Since these pickups are angled differently on Paul's Fireman guitars, how will they sound on a traditional strat-style pickup config? Thanks!
Hi Larry. Would it be a bad idea to put an Air Norton in the bridge and a Fred in the neck? Wouldn't the difference in pickup height make up for the Fred having slightly more output than the Air Norton? Thanks.
i love his decor, pterodactyls hanging from the ceiling, frank zappa book, and his guitar setup is similar to Ynwie's where he just stacks a bunch up on each other against the wall, but unlike Yngwie, Paul actually has more than 2 different guitars
@6stringerman It is impossible to be certain if it is a matter of the sound of the guitar itself, or if a PAF Pro is too bright to suit your taste. Paul himself has never found the PAF Pro to be too bright in any guitar, but you might prefer an Air Norton or a Breed neck model.
paul gilbert is such a great guy, I aspire to be as him one day, not even necessarily a profesional musician (would be nice) but jsut to be as great of a guy
@parlancex It has a lot to do with the specific amp you play, how much gain you use and how the controls are adjusted. Too much gain will usually cause the notes to fade to a different sound than what you want. You might also try not using a lot of treble on the amp.
@themaggot8 It depends on which time period you're talking about, since Racer X still exists, and Paul doesn't use the same pickups now as he did when the band was first formed. In the earlyversion of the band, he sometimes used Super distortions with the coils wired in parallel.
@Scaryfied They work equally well in a traditional Strat configuration. We took that into consideration when the pickups were designed, and we've had them in Strats with excellent results.
LOL Like a kid with money!! Not sure if it's because I grew up in the 70's and 80's but Dimarzio is what I automatically associated and prefer with upgraded aftermarket pickups. I've tried all the rest but always come back to the Super Distortion or the TZ. And in 2020 when I buy a Dimarzio, I have a tendency to buy and older 80's model. I feel like it has transported the sound of my youth.
I need some help. I have a Les Paul and need to know what kind of pickups to put in it. I want the bridge to be a hot, harmonic rich pickup, yet clean up if I back off the volume. I want the neck to be warm and buttery but have some beefy balls to it. I want both to have GOLD caps on them...what kind should I get? I have the LiquiFire, Crunch Lab and area 67 in my Prestige. I am very happy with them....so you know. Sincerely, TR
@LarryDiMarzio Thanks! I'll give that a shot. I've tried a whole bunch of Dimarzio pickups now and they'll all great, but my favorite by far is the Air Classic DP191 and DP190s. It's almost hard to believe an inanimate object could generate such a perfectly crafted sound.
Paul Gilbert has the largest collection of very cheap oddly shaped guitars that is expertly set up with rewounded pickups by Dimarzio pros called Oinkers he should do a video on that
Tone zone and PAF pro's are both incredible pu's! love em! best way to describe the tone zone is it is a lot like a PAF pro on roids! has that singing wha in the middle tone for leads with excellent harmonics and great low end for thump
Hey Larry, first of all your pickups destroy all others--I'm building a basswood super strat--what would you rec for a late 70's/80's brown sound/shred? Thanks dude
God I love the tone in this video, especially how sustained notes tend to fade into the 'aw' sound as they decay. I have a set of PAF-Pros myself that I bought after watching this video, and I put them into a basswood Ibanez RG, but I can't seem to get the aw sound at all really. Larry can you think of any adjustments that might help me get that "fade to 'aw'" sound? :)
More than likely it was a laney gh100 or 50l. I may be wrong, but that was his favorite rig at that time. Honestly paf pros through any tube amp with PG at the helm is going to sound crazy!
I went back to a PAF pro in the bridge as well as the neck spot. I was after a more "cutting" lead tone with more clariy, kind of like a strat tone where it slices through the mix and effects Great pickup!
That looks like the guitar he used in the guitar wars dvd (2003). I like paul gilbert coz he uses Ibanez RG's and Dimarzio pickups. Very ideal for pickup change people.
@themaggot8 Paul has been using Air Classic neck and bridge pickups a lot for the past several years, and I've seen him do these songs live with this set of pickups. I don't know what he used for the studio versions.
It might, but it might also be better to put a Norton in the bridge instead. The sound is very similar to the Air Norton & it has more output than a Fred.
It's a good choice for a medium-output LP bridge pickup. The neck pickup could be a PAF 36th Anniversary, an Air Classic bridge model or a PAF Joe, depending on your personal taste.
@frednintendomusic It's impossible to recommend a pickup without knowing what type of guitar you have and what kind of sound you are looking for. Please email this information to tech@dimarzio.com, and we will ofer good suggestions.
Hi Larry Is there any footage floating around of Paul's other odd-ball old guitar collection? I dig that he was already collecting up these old beasties & upgrading pickups on them. I got into a bit of that over the years, just starting a bit later in the 90's. Love your work!
