(see rating details)

It took me the better part of my 32 years in lutherie to finally settle for a DiMarzio pickup. The guitar is a Hamer style instrument with a 25" scale build from really old mahogany (swietana +30years) and Western Big Leaf maple. It produces a very clear and sweet, yet balanced sound with loads of sustain. Classic 1959! The Dp103 And the Dp223f pick it up very nicely. With all the clarity you want from a vintage pickup. Keep in mind how all the stuff sounded back in the 1950s when it was invented. Clanky Country sounds were all the rage. Later that clear sound helped the high distortion levels to shine. I have mainly used the other big US brand for replacement pickups and occasionally some boutique stuff. As long as the customer does not care for anything fancier (does not equal better imho) I will stay with the 36th DiMarzios for this kind of purpose. The wires could be a bit more substantial, though.

(see rating details)

Verified Customer zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.

I have been playing guitar for 45 years professionally. I have owned many quality guitars and occasionally done my own repairs and upgrades to my instruments. But generally leave it to the real pros for my guitar work. This is just to let you know I am not an amateur, that my experience and expertise is extensive. I recently purchased a PRS Single cut SE for playing live. Not the quality of my Gibson Les Paul Custom, but a less expensive quality guitar that could take the rigors of live performance and still sound good. I decided to upgrade the stock pickups to get a better quality sound. I heard the Gibson 57' Classic, Dimarzio and Seymour Duncan were all about the same. (NOT! Read on.) I looked at the price of all 3 brands and decided on the Dimarzio DP103 and DP223. The Gibson's were twice price. I then had the best guitar work guy in the state install the new Dimarzio pickups. I soon discovered why there was such a price difference between Gibson and Dimarzio. And it is NOT just the name brand thing. The Dimarzio DP 103 and DP 223 pickups are poor at best. And that's being way to kind. The pickups are very thin sounding, no warmth, no bottom end, no roundness! They were so trebly and "twangy" sounding that the guitar sounded more like a really cheap single coil Squire Stratocaster than a PRS with Humbucker's. Frankly, Dimarzio pickups do not rate the one star. But it gets worse. Read on. One of the reasons I chose the Dimazio was they have an "exchange" program. Supposedly if you are unhappy with the product they will exchange for a different pickup. Yeah right! So I called Dimarzio and spoke to their "tech support" guy. I politely explained the pickups were just not the sound I expected and would like to exchange them for one of their other pickup models. From the start, he was extremely rude. I was told there was nothing wrong with the pickups and there was no way Dimarzio would exchange them. Period! I politely asked again, saying that I really needed to exchange them and was there someone in management that I could appeal to for an exchange. The Dimarzio "tech support" guy replied NO! “Not going to happen”. Period! Without a doubt this was the rudest and worse support I have ever encountered in my musical career. (I suspect they only have one "support guy" too. I finally advised him, I would probably have to return them to the retailer then. He said "You do what you have to do", And then he hung up on me. So that's just what I did. I returned them. The retailer was awesome. I had no such problems with them and an exchange. They happily exchanged them for the Gibson 57' Classic and Classic plus no problem. And WOW! What a Difference. Pay the extra amount for the Gibson 57' Classic's. They have an incredible sounding pickup that just keeps giving. Worth every penney. Just go read the reviews on the Gibson 57's. They are all true. Avoid Dimarzio products like the plague. Trust me. This is THE review to read if you are considering Dimarzio pickups. Buyer beware, you get what you pay for.

Musical Background:

Musical Style: