7 string clean bridge pickup comparison - EMG vs Dimarzio Seymour Duncan

Running order:
A - Bridge only
00:13 Dimarzio Crunch Lab - basswood
00:48 Dimarzio Tone Zone - light mahogany/maple top
01:23 Seymour Duncan JB7 - light mahogany/maple top
01:58 Dimarzio New 7 (a.k.a. Custom 7) - light mahogany/maple top
02:33 Dimarzio PAF 7 - light mahogany/maple top
03:08 Seymour Duncan Distortion - medium mahogany/maple top
03:42 EMG 707 - alder
04:19 EMG 81-7 - alder
04:54 Dimarzio New 7 (a.k.a Custom 7) - heavy mahogany/maple top
05:28 Dimarzio D-Activator - light mahogany/maple top
B) Bridge & Neck:
06:05 Dimarzio Crunch Lab split w/ Air Norton neck - basswood
06:39 Dimarzio Tone Zone split w/ New 7 neck - light mahogany/maple top
07:14 Seymour Duncan JB7 split w/ New7 neck- light mahogany/maple top
07:49 Dimarzio New 7 bridge split w/ New 7 neck - light mahogany/maple top
08:26 Dimarzio PAF 7 split w/ New7 neck - light mahogany/maple top
08:59 Seymour Duncan Distortion split w/ New7 neck - medium mahogany/maple top
09:33 EMG 707 bridge w/ EMG 707 neck - alder
10:10 EMG 81-7 w/ EMG 707 neck - alder
10:45 Dimarzio New 7 w/ New 7 neck - heavy mahogany/maple top
11:19 Dimarzio D-Activator w/ Liquifire neck - light mahogany/maple top

Recording notes/methodology:
1. For consistency,all tracks were recorded through the same Axe FX II preset into Pro Tools.
2. An ideal pickup test would have the same guitar used for everything. Where practical I've used the lightweight mahogany/maple top Ibanez for demoing passive pickups, but have added a couple of bonuses from similar guitars so you can compare:
- the New7 pickup in a heavier guitar.
- Passives vs Actives - the actives are in a different alder RG due to their size being incompatible with my main test guitar.

Guitars used: all Ibanez RGs with bolt on maple necks & locking trems. The weight and wood of each is listed in the video.

RG7620 (black) - basswood

[stratboy]

I appreciate the fact that you also wrote the woods. Thank you.

[taylordiclemente]

I wish there was no chorus. Still helpful. Thank you.

[immortalx]

duncan distortion's a ceramic magnet pickup "for agressive styles", but somehow its cleans seem to be the sweetest

[alexlotta]

simple and nice. I noticed you were trying the new7 ( came from your rg7620 almost for sure) in mahogany as is possible to find many discussions about the bridge pu sounding better there .guess you found it true. I actually thing neck one is really nice as it is even in basswood

[AlejoViard]

EMG 81-7 is a bit out of tune on the low B string. Nice vid though!

[FirstNameLastName-ktzn]

The d activators do sound Iike EMGs. Surprising.

[orryfishburne]

Great video! Super helpful. I have a Schecter Diamond series Banshee 7-A in Trans Purple with EMG 81-7 (neck) and a EMG 85-7 (bridge) and I really like the look, and how it plays and feels, but I hate the tone. trying to find the right pickups to replace the EMGs that are in it. A couple months ago I bought a G&L Tribute S-500 which was my first single coil guitar and I fell in love with that tone. I really want to find a 7 string humbucker with a coil tap to get that single coil tone but also have the full humbucker tone as well if I need something more beefy. I rarely play with any dirt, just mostly modulation, delay, and reverb all through clean amps. I’m running an Egnater Tweaker 40 combo and a Roland JC40 in stereo. If anyone has any suggestions on replacing my EMGs on my 7 string then I’m all ears.

[flips]

Hmmm... I have problems with these pickups videos when they don't use the exact same guitar for all the comparisons. I appreciate the effort, but there's a lot more going on here than just different pickups. I see in the description this is acknowledged, so that's good... but still... :P

[silverdragon]

I have EMG Hz pickups from 2006 and they are the worst pickups ever! I mean ever! They sound like ass clapping whenever you play 0-0-0-0-0-1-1-1-0-0-1-1-0-0 absolute fucking garbage! I wish I could upload a video and show you! Any of these pickups sound way better than EMG Hz pickups! Good video tho!