Anyone using a DiMarzio Humbucker from Hell (neck)?

[Inazone]

I've only used a few DiMarzio pickups over the years - PAF Pro, Steve's Special and Blaze Custom - and only in the bridge position. I normally only use neck pickups for clean tones, single coils more often than not, but the Humbucker from Hell is one of those pickups that I always consider but never end up buying. The only bridge humbucker with a clean tone that has ever impressed me is a Kent Armstrong JVA-1 that was only available as a stock OEM pickup back in the `90s. Some of my Jacksons have Duncan Jazz humbuckers, and while they are acceptable, I'd never spend money on one as an upgrade.

Is the HFH a good choice for "sparkling" clean tones, or is it warmer along the lines of a PAF-style humbucker? Does it get muddy with lower tunings? I'm open to other suggestions (passive only), but would prefer to stick with the readily available Duncan/DiMarzio types.

 

[Jessy]

The Humbucker from Hell is not as single-coily as described, but you can't really expect it to be; there's no way that you get the same top end out of a humbucker, because of the phase cancellations that occur due to the wide aperture. I never tried it in parallel, but I have to assume it sounds "sparkly" that way. If I were still playing 6-strings, I'd be using it.

 

[Racerdeth]

I have one in my 30" OLP tuned reet down and I think it sounds great. Doubly amazing in the "Petrucci" middle position with a D Sonic. With the heavier strings tuned down it sounds really jazzy yet defined.

 

[snowblind56]

I had one in my RG2550 and hated it. I got it because Paul Gilbert was using them. Well, I can't play like Paul Gilbert. It might have been good for the super fast alternate picking, but it was awful(for me) for sweeps and legato.

 

[JCD]

Yeah I would think it's much better suited for fast picking than liquid sounding sweeps and such. Just pop on some old Racer X records to get a really good idea of that pickup sound in a rock/metal sound. HFH is all over that stuff.

 

[Inazone]

Just to reiterate, I'm mainly interested in clean tones.

 

[JCD]

Just to reiterate, I'm mainly interested in clean tones.

Oh gotcha. Yeah I would imagine the HFH would do fantastic in that area. It's a rather low output (vintage power) pickup with a lot of highs and rather mild bass and mids. Probably can get really cool glassy clean tones out of the neck pickup with it. Might sound a little high or brittle in the bridge position but the neck should sound great for what you're looking for.