[tiagoramalhais]

Hello,

I'm looking for a Dimarzio bridge pickup to replace a Dimarzio Fusion Edge, it's for an Ibanez with direct mount pickups so only a Dimarzio will fit.

I'm looking for something mid/high output that has a tight bass and doesnt have a cocked Wah sound when doing solos, for reference I really like the custom 5 from Seymour Duncan, I've tried the following pickups but they all have a cocked Wah sound when doing solos:

Tone zone
Air Norton
36th bridge
Megadrive

Maybe a Steve special is what I am looking for?

Thank you for your help!

[greenlion]

Yeah, sounds like you want a Steve's Special. You might want to check out the Crunch Lab too.

[darkbluemurder]

I never played the Steve's Special but I have the DLX Plus which has the same specs. It is nowhere near as scooped in the mids as the published specs would let you believe. I have not noticed a cocked wah tone with the guitar it is in but I don't notice that with e.g. a Mo' Joe either. I am probably not sensitive to that. 

You also mentioned the Duncan Custom 5 - I have several of those and use(d) them in different guitars. I also don't think it is midscooped. What it does not have is the center/high mid peak of a JB - the midrange it has is more in the low mids. It definitely does not have a cocked wah tone but if the guitar also has little center/high mids the Custom 5 can be too dark. Ibanez guitars are not known for being dark so that should not be an issue.

So yes, a Steve's Special could be a good choice.

Cheers Stephan

[tiagoramalhais]

The guitar is fairly bright, i do have some guitars with JB and Custom 5 and agree with what you are saying.

Thank you both for your help!

[buddroyce]

Welcome to the forum! I'm a bit late but the Steve's Special would be good although another option to consider is the Gravity Storm. Really hard to say for certain as it really depends on your guitar/amp combination but if you're in the US, DiMarzio allows you to exchange the pickup for another one if you find that the Steve's Special isn't cutting it for you.

[Speeddemon]

Have you considered the AT-1?

I have experience with the Custom 5 myself and I agree it's a slightly more balanced and even bigger sounding version of the JB. Now, in a lot of cases I find the Norton to be DiMarzio's 'improved JB', although a Norton has leaner and tighter lows, but like the JB, harmonics jump from it.
And the AT-1 builds on that; bigger lows, still medium/high output, good harmonics, just more balanced/easy sounding, without becoming dull. I don't agree with the 'Treble 3.5' rating on the Dimarzio website. Treble is less than the Norton, sure, but not 1.5 points.
Either way, if the guitar can use some added body and warmth (like what a Custom 5 gives), the AT-1 will do this too.
And just like the Norton (and to a lesser extent the Custom 5), it splits beautifully as well.

[darkbluemurder]

To my ears, the JB and Custom 5 are totally different. JB is very midrangey whereas the Custom 5 is more "bigger PAF". Norton is closer to the Custom 5 than it is to the JB but more aggressive. AT-1 is closer to the JB. If "cocked wah" is to be avoided I would prefer the Custom 5/Norton to JB/AT-1.

Cheers Stephan