[Fender Doll]

Hi there guys, it's been a while since I've been on. Was exceptionally busy with my band but now hit a quiet patch and changing jobs so has been manic. Anyway I have always found this site helpful and you guys informative over gear which I value hence why I'm here.

As the title suggests I have questions with regards the Dimarzio Virtual Solo. I realise this pickup has been spoken about before but I'm struggling to find examples or experiences of people's use of them.

I have an American Pro Series maple neck strat with three single coils. I'm not happy with the output and frankly not digging the sound of the current Tim Shaw singles any more! I'm not bothered about the traditional strat tones the quack etc so something a bit more modern I'm fine with. Would prefer if possible to avoid rails purely from an aesthetic point of view but may consider one in the bridge.

I'm interested in the Virtual Solo in both neck and bridge with a Heavy Blues 2 in the middle. What are people's experiences of using the Solo in either or both of those positions and being the same output would they balance ok? I'm after a more powerful rock based sound which can handle sustain and in the neck position can handle sustainy kind of lead solos. I already have a HSS strat with a Heavy Blues 2 in the neck so I was after this to be different hence why I'm looking at the Virtual Solo as I don't want my strats to be the same.

Any thoughts and opinions would be most helpful, thank you very much guys.

[Mew]

Injectors maybe?
That would be my first option to explore.
But if you are happy with current HSS Strat, I guess Solo would be okey option.

Edit:

If it helps you, I've heard somewhere that Injector Bridge is like DiMarzio Chopper, somewhere around that sound.
And I've heard Chopper in all 3 positions, on different Strats ofc. It was a really cool pickup.
So I guess .... 3x Injector Bridge would be okey also.

Edit2:

It would be cool to hear Chopper vs Injector Bridge comparation.
But if they are similar in sound, as that person claimed they are ... I would be all over it.

I guess 3x Solo or 3x Injector Bridge is okey option to explore.

Ofc don't buy them just cause I said something. But if you menage to try them for free, do it instantly.

But 3x Chopper Strat would be amazing, for sure I can confirm you that.
And if Injector bridge is anything close to Chopper, it would be cool also.

It's standard bridge pickup, and it sounds cool, in middle is usable. On neck is okey for gainy lead sound.

But it's a rail, and if Injector bridge is anything close to it, it would be cool Strat.

I've really heard somewhere that Injector Bridge is like Chopper alike ... so ... I didn't heard Injector bridge in person.
But Chopper is very cool pickup.

[RayBarbeeMusic]

Solo neck very dark.  Are you looking for very dark?  Hb2 middle might be dark depending on the guitar.  What pots and caps are you using? 

Solo bridge fine. I prefer injector bridge but that's personal taste and the way It reacts to tone controls and way it sounds in series with mid or neck ,(yes I said series and that's what I meant)

[Fender Doll]

Hi there thanks for the replies guys.

In the neck I want something that's smoother and mellower than a regular single coil. I have a Heavy Blues 2 in my other HSS strat which I love but in my other SSS strat (which is the one I'm modding) I'd like to try and get an even mellower sound than the HB2 but with the out put to sustain notes. Also i simply want my SSS strat to be totally different to my HSS to. I don't mind dark in the neck, I'm fine with dark as long as it's not flubby. I don't like that.

The injectors I've looked at but the clips I've heard tend to be very bright with a lot of top end which I don't like, that being said I do think they sound absolutely awesome with gain but clean they sound really bright, that being said, the people I've seen demo them may not be using their tone controls and I live on my tone control!

I prefer my Pickups to be on the slightly hotter side also as I like something that drives and helps my amp fold over a bit more.

Would a combination of injector in the neck work with Solo in the bridge maybe? I want them to both kind of match is all.

Cheers again guys I really value your input.

[mystique1]

I've used the Virtual Solo on and off in the bridge position for many years. More bass and mids than a vintage output pup, but still retains the high end of a single coil, lots more output and of course no hum. I just prefer the Chopper in the bridge position for its more humbucker tone. It's just that I don't particularly like how it looks. I would add that I've tried the Injector bridge too, and neither the VS or Injector sound anything like The Chopper. They're both hot single coil alikes, whereas the Chopper sounds more PAF to my ears.

[darkbluemurder]

I second mystique's description of the Virtual Solo and the Chopper, having had both in strats in the bridge position.

Cheers Stephan

[Mew]

I did only hear that Chopper is most versatile of the 3, in Chopper, Injector Bridge, Virtual Solo group ...

[darkbluemurder]

Yes, because you can split it or put the coils in parallel, which may not be very useful with the others.

[BluesJam]

There is something sonically special about true single coils.  Stacked humbuckers are getting better but they don’t have the sonic complexity as a single coil.  FS1 for a fat single coil or and SDS1 for a P90 sounding  single coil.  YMMV.

[electricbhakti]

I currently own every Dimarzio single coil that is sold today.   So I can give you a little perspective on the various sounds.   If you are committed to the Virtual Solo in the bridge, I would highly suggest the injectors in neck and middle.    They are not too bright (A2 magnets)    They take gain incredibly well.   If you are willing to try something completely different, I would suggest the Sugar Chakra in the bridge, and a fast track 1 or chopper in the neck.    I'm not the biggest Chopper fan, it's an outstanding pickup, but I have it in 5 of my guitars, so I guess I am interested in other things these days.

One of my favorite current combos, is the Sugar Chakra in the bridge and Fast Track 1 in the neck.   I put this combo in a Fender Duo Sonic and it's incredible.   

One more combo I just thought of - Sugar Chakra or Virtual Solo bridge, Satch Track (neck awesome), Heavy Blues or Fast Track middle.   The Satch Track is in my opinion very underrated.   

Tone is so subjective, so maybe discussing your amp set up and style of music played will help the discussion as well.   

[BluesJam]

^not single coils.... those are humbuckers in a single coil footprint.

[Fender Doll]

Thanks for all the responses guys, as electricbhakti my amp and style of music or sound may help the discussion.
I play through a 50 watt Marshall Origin tube head paired with a 2X12 cab, it's a very simple and relatively bright amp, single channel so no separate overdrive which is my preference. I'm not into multi channel amps. My basic crunch comes the old school way of cranking the amp till break up, I never really ever use a pure clean sound. I find turning the volume down on my guitar puts me in that sonic space adequately. I prefer Pickups with a fair bit of out put to them so medium output at least to high, as I like the saturation they provide, and I like the fact that the amp gets a little kick in the guts so to speak.
I prefer more modern saturated sounds and I like the neck pickup sounds Jake e lee gets with the SDS 1 in the neck hence why I was thinking Virtual Solo in the neck of my guitar, VS also because it's noiseless. Also would the Virtual Solo balance well with the AT1 in the bridge?
I tend to like sounds with enhanced bass response and mid response to and I've played the HB2 in the neck position and even that I find turning the treble down with my tone control! I don't play metal, my style being firmly Blues based but I really love the low end bass response and clarity some of the metal guys get, which sonically is more my thing than the Texas blues thing (it's great! Just not my preference is all)
Apologies for going on a bit but if that helps shed any more light into where I'm headed then great

[mystique1]

The Virtual Solo and the Injector bridge sound nothing like The Chopper. They're both Hot single coil sounding stacks, whereas the Chopper has more of a humbucker sound , as do all the Rails apart from the Cruiser and Fast Track 1. I tried the Injector bridge, but prefer the Virtual Solo as it has a slightly more aggressive sound to my ears. This is all bridge position, as I like more vintage sounding pups middle and neck, 2 Area 58s in my Am Std, and Area 61s in my MIM.

[SUPERPOWERS3]

Solo neck very dark.  Are you looking for very dark?  Hb2 middle might be dark depending on the guitar.  What pots and caps are you using? 

Solo bridge fine. I prefer injector bridge but that's personal taste and the way It reacts to tone controls and way it sounds in series with mid or neck ,(yes I said series and that's what I meant)

I agree. In the neck position it is really dark. I have the Paul Gilbert set (area 67 in middle) in a maple body (custom made) , hard tail with a maple neck guitar. That guitar is really bright, so the Injectors sound great. They sound ok clean and kinda stratty. They really sound much better dirty. Really mid rangy and articulate. They aren't very forgiving if you are sloppy.

I have used the Heavy blues 2 and Virtual solo. They are very modern sounding. Don't have much chime and quack. Which is what you are looking for.

[RayBarbeeMusic]

Solo neck very dark.  Are you looking for very dark?  Hb2 middle might be dark depending on the guitar.  What pots and caps are you using? 

Solo bridge fine. I prefer injector bridge but that's personal taste and the way It reacts to tone controls and way it sounds in series with mid or neck ,(yes I said series and that's what I meant)

I agree. In the neck position it is really dark. I have the Paul Gilbert set (area 67 in middle) in a maple body (custom made) , hard tail with a maple neck guitar. That guitar is really bright, so the Injectors sound great. They sound ok clean and kinda stratty. They really sound much better dirty. Really mid rangy and articulate. They aren't very forgiving if you are sloppy.

I have used the Heavy blues 2 and Virtual solo. They are very modern sounding. Don't have much chime and quack. Which is what you are looking for.

Depends on pot value and what u want.  With 500k pots and a guitar that isn't dark by nature, injector neck in neck/middle is very strat and glassy.  With 250k, they are fairly dark. 

I switched from the solo to injector bridge.  Solo is indeed hotter and darker, but 1) I roll a .0015uf tone control down on the bridge for a blackmore type tone, solo got rather muffled but injector responds perfectly, and 2) I have a switching system that can run bridge in series with the other pickups or a combination, which is a darker tone anyway, and solo was just too dark for that.