X2N or DSonic + Air Norton?

[InTheRavensName]

Will this give me a decent Symphony X/Sonata Arctica ish guitar sound in a mahogany sixer? I need a pretty tight, articulate rhythm tone and a fluid, warm lead sound. Playing through a Line 6 HD147, which I will obviously tweak a bit once I upgrade my pickups, but are the named options a step in the right direction? And which one better fulfills what I'm after, DS or X2N?

Thanks

 

[MF_Kitten]

Evolution 7

 

[InTheRavensName]

they're sixers, and I never got on well with evo's in my ESP...although that was through a Laney...

...I may try them if the opportunity arises

 

[DeL07]

they're sixers, and I never got on well with evo's in my ESP...although that was through a Laney...

...I may try them if the opportunity arises

No... never...

Stay away from 6 string Evos....

I'd recommend the X2N, it's what the guitarist in Symphony X uses... And sounds mean as fuck + really thick!

 

[ibznorange]

in mahogany, the evo is ok. if its too bright, try the evo 2. much warmer

 

[HamBungler]

Jani from Sonata uses the old Petrucci custom (pre D-sonic) bridge pickup in his guitar, and I'm pretty sure you can order them from DiMarzio with no problem.

Either of your other choices would work really well though.

 

[ibznorange]

nah those are the ones you cant order. you can order DiMeola's and other sig pickups, but for some unknown reason, you cant order the petrucci ones

 

[InTheRavensName]

Wicked, thanks for the advice guys!

oh, as an afterthought...

what would be a decent middle singlecoil to match this set? My ESP is a HSH config. and I want to stick the same set in that, but I fancy a chimey, fenderish sound from the singlecoil? Any ideas?

 

[The Dark Wolf]

Blue Velvet neck, or Red Velvet possibly.

If you want the single to be hum cancelling, the Area 58 or the Virtual Vintage 54 Pro have a real Strat-like sound. So too the YJM pickup (and it's hum cancelling).


We need some hum cancelling 7-string singles.

 

[ibznorange]

Pickups for Strat® - 7-String Stack for Stratocaster® - Seymour Duncan/Basslines

 

[InTheRavensName]

thanks guys,

by the way, how would diactivators stack up against these...I have an 81-7/707 set in the 7 and would like to avoid too much of a tonal change between that and my sixers, but I don't fancy actives for them.

 

[The Dark Wolf]

Pickups for Strat® - 7-String Stack for Stratocaster® - Seymour Duncan/Basslines

You fuckin' rock.


Oh Ohio EEERIC...

 

[The Dark Wolf]

But wait... you see the DC resistance on that bitch? Sounds like another Blaze SC possibly...

 

[InTheRavensName]

*remember its a sixer though*

 

[The Dark Wolf]

*remember its a sixer though*

I realize that. But I already gave you the best Dimarzio advice you're going to get.

 

[InTheRavensName]

...cheers, but what are your thoughts on the DA vs X2N debate, I was referred to you!

 

[The Dark Wolf]

I actually haven't played the X2N, so I can't really comment on that one. The D-Activators are odd...

Tonally, they are more like a passive... sorta. Very balanced, but with a mid range 'oomph' like a distortion pickup. but in terms of "feel" and response, much, much more like an EMG. (Whereas, to contrast, the D Sonic sounds more like an EMG, but "feels" like a traditional passive.)


You could always shoot Dimarzio an e-mail. Ask for Steve Blucher's opinion, as he's the main pickup guy (and super cool, too).

 

[InTheRavensName]

wicked, I may try that