Dimarzio Area T

[doveman]

I did a search but still wanted do ask the direct question.

Area Ts have been around for a while now. You see positives and negatives on these but I'd like to ask a question in relation to some pickups I have had experience with ...

Area 58/58/61 Strat Set - My Strat has these currently. Even after a struggle, these became my pickup set of choice ... so I think I will like the Area Ts ... very likely I will try them. Although I did not like them much at first, I discovered that pickup height had much to do with removing the weird "zing" they seem to have when striking the strings more aggressively. Once lowered, I really liked these a lot. I'm assuming the Area Ts will be similar. Dead quiet.

Fender OV Tele Set - These Tele A3 pickups that are standard on 52RI are one of my favorite sets. I like everything about their sound. The downside is that they do hum ... even with a really good shielding job. In fact, they don't even have the noise cancelling center ... they are designed to hum in all three positions. How would the Area Ts compare to these?

Seymour Duncan Noiseless - I've always liked these but wire them up with a switch to split them. When split they are pretty nice but hum ... cancelling in the center pickup choice. When the humbucker coils are in play they lose a little volume and edge, but are quiet. I tend to run them split all the time unless there are some real noise generators around.

[Parma_TeleMon]

I replaced my OV neck pup with an Area T. IMHO they sound identical, just no hum. Happy ears!!

[doveman]

Good to hear ... any others?

[telechaser]

I've got a couple of area Ts waiting to be installed on my Thinline project. Still waiting for the $$$ to finish it. I'm not in a hurry but am interested on other's experience with them.

[doveman]

The Fender OV set that I have in there hums a bit but it sure does sound good. I'm still not sure I'm going to try it ... but I'd like to. I have so many pickups in the drawer now.

More information needed ...

[Steeltoe]

I have two teles with Area T's at both positions.
One has the stock ones, the second one has the Hot Area T
at the bridge.
Areas are very sensitive to height adjustments.
Dead quiet, of course.
The Hot is fabulous! At first it was set too high, and was waaayy hot...I lowered it and it is not so scary now. The middle positions are very useful, and the neck alone is a bit "stratty". Love em.
I wouldn't consider swapping them out.

[doveman]

Originally Posted by Steeltoe

I have two teles with Area T's at both positions.
One has the stock ones, the second one has the Hot Area T at the bridge.

So how would you compare the HOT bridge the the regular bridge. How are they different other than a bit more output?

[Steeltoe]

The hot area T when raised up is really rather P-90ish
meets PAF. It was just kickass like this, and I thought
not really what I was looking for in trying to remain tele-ish.
So I lowered it a bit, and now it is a lot like the stock area t, but punchier. The highs are very sweet. Little adjustments in height change the character quite a bit.
I like the neck area/hot area combo the best for rock.
For country, I would probable stick with the stock areas.

[TG]

The AreaT is very height sensitive. I find that generally speaking it has a very similar tonal quality and response as a Duncan AlnicoIIPro...which I used for several years before this...except that it has a more defined low end. The AlnicoIIPro is a bit notorious for having a woolly bass but otherwise is a great pickup. The AreaT is the same pickup but it has the bass definition which, I suppose, may put it a bit more in the OV ball park, especially if you set it a little bit lower.
Nice cleans and it overdrives a bit like a P90.

Like the other 'Area' strat pickups it's noiseless but without any hint whatsoever of the artificial 'hi-fi' feel many noiseless designs have.

[doveman]

Well ... got a gift certificate that made it an easier decision. So a set on the way for the Tele ... we'll get to see. :)

[Parma_TeleMon]

Good move, man! Update us when you get 'em in.

[telechaser]

I installed the Dimarzio Area Ts in my Thinline and I think I got the tone I'm expecting. It sounds warm on the Thinline which is perfect for what Id like the Tele to be, to play Jazz on.

Definitely not heavy rock on this one but it's sounds really nice with a bit of OD. I'm happy with how it turned up. The 500k pots had a bit more treble than I expected. I think I could have gotten away with 250k but I'll leave it for now.

[doveman]

Originally Posted by telechaser

The 500k pots had a bit more treble than I expected. I think I could have gotten away with 250k but I'll leave it for now.

I'm going to keep the regular pot configuration in the Tele. When I put the Dimarzio Area 58/58/61 setup in my G&L Legacy I did not change any of that and it worked out well. The areas are supposed to be OK with the same pots. So I think you would be OK with 250k ... I'll post how mine work out.

[Parma_TeleMon]

I switched from the stock 1meg volume pot to a 250k to warm things up on mine. Still have the original 1meg tone pot though. Sounds sweet. Very sweet. Playin' it in church tomorrow.

[doveman]

They arrived today ... report soon.

[doveman]

Well ... these dialed in really easy. It's all about pickup height with the Areas ... my struggle with the Area 58/58/61 (that continue to live in my Strat-style G&L Legacy) taught me this lesson.

They sound really good ... dead quiet, as well. I've used a lot of different pickups in the Tele and like most of them. But these have no hum and and I like them too. If it can sound good with no hum ... priceless.

I continue to like the Area 58/58/61 set. I'll occasionally pull them out only to put them back in the next day. It's just hard to go back ... they sound pretty good.

[Parma_TeleMon]

Glad you're delighted, Doveman! Which model did you choose for your bridge pup?

[doveman]

I went with the 418 (regular output) rather than the overwound version.

[Parma_TeleMon]

Schweet!

[TG]

Doveman, I don't know if you go out gigging or not, but I have the same regular output one as you got and it not only works at home, it sounds and 'feels' right on stage in a band situation. I tried a number of noiseless bridge pickups and these are the only ones that don't have 'something not-quite-right' when I'm playing in a band.
And picking up a tele with a decent regular pickup (Broadcaster, etc) doesn't suddenly feel better now. That's what used to happen when I had other types of noiseless designs.

Enjoy.

[doveman]

I should have a chance to try it out in a live situation next week. I can say the same thing though already about the Strat-type 58/58/61 set. I have played live with those and that works for me. The bridge pickup in that set is fairly low output and it works really well.

[tpaul]

I have the regular set in one tele and the neck in combo with another bridge PU in another tele. What I like about the regular Area T bridge PU is that when you turn the tone down, it gives you a very useable darker sound (rather than mud). I haven't tried the "hot" version yet but probably will eventually.

The Area T neck has a bit of a growl to it, which I like as well.

[doveman]

Played the Dimarzio Area-Ts with a band today ... very nice ... had everything I want and felt nothing missing ... except the noise. Felt they were great.

[Parma_TeleMon]

Been playin' mine for months - and I still get amazed by the tone.

[Chrismo]

I've been debating on a set for my Tele. Sounds like they're a great set! Did you go for the Hot bridge?

[doveman]

Originally Posted by Chrismo

I've been debating on a set for my Tele. Sounds like they're a great set! Did you go for the Hot bridge?

I got the standard bridge and think it is better for me. You can still get nasty but most of the Tele bridges tend to be a little hotter than I need. This one is about right. Of course, if the amp is hot low output pups can sound good paired up with them ... PAFs etc.

[Webfoot]

Actually curious about the area t neck. Is it non-muddy sounding... clean and bell tones?

[doveman]

I don't think it's muddy at all. Cleans are really nice and I like to back off the tone a bit when I would generally run the OV with more treble. I've put a lot of Tele neck pickups in and I usually think they are muddy ... I liked the OV neck the best so far. I think the Area is comparable and works really well.

[Parma_TeleMon]

I mounted mine fairly low and it's sweet and woody. Absolutely luscious!

[Chrismo]

Just had a set installed in my Tele - A.MA.ZING.

Completely noiseless with all the vintage tone. I love the clarity and warmth of the neck pickup clean, and the overdriven rock tones of the bridge pickup.

*thumbs up*

[doveman]

Originally Posted by Chrismo

Just had a set installed in my Tele - A.MA.ZING.

Completely noiseless with all the vintage tone. I love the clarity and warmth of the neck pickup clean, and the overdriven rock tones of the bridge pickup.

*thumbs up*

Did you go with the overwound bridge ... or like me the regular bridge?

[Parma_TeleMon]

I was gonna ask that question too! 'fess up, Chrismo!

[Chrismo]

Haha! The tech guy suggested I go with the hot bridge, as he claimed it kept the same twang but had a bit more gain when overdriven. I wasn't convinced - the Dimarzio site made it sound like the hot bridge was heading for humbucker/P-90 area, and I didn't want anything that hot for a Telecaster (yet...).

I went with the vintage wind - I've got a fat boost on my Vibro-King to bump things up if I need 'em

[doveman]

Roll off the tone a bit and dig in ... amp gives me the rest. I for one think you made the right choice.

[Chrismo]

Originally Posted by doveman

Roll off the tone a bit and dig in ... amp gives me the rest. I for one think you made the right choice.

I think so too my friend.

[TG]

Early Clapton, Beck, Page, Hendrix, Iommi, Blackmore, etc, etc. Great overdrive sounds on regular old vintage normal wound pickups.

I've always found 'hot' pickups not quite as good played clean, and they don't necessarily overdrive better...just sooner.

[doveman]

I think one of the reasons that these work well is that they are not heavy winds ... regular output on both sets. I know my noiseless Seymour Duncan Tele stack set is much higher DC resistance wind. I know that's not the end all indicator but I think that does make a difference.

[Funkybot]

I just put in a stock set of the Area T's and love em so far. I have a Dimarzio Area pre-wired pickguard in my Strat, and I love how those still sound like strat pickups only dead-quiet and these don't disappoint on the Tele front.

My one question/issue: the neck is dead silent. Can't hear a hum at all. However, the bridge pickup has some very quiet humming (much quieter than a stock single coil, but it's still audible once you add gain). Is this normal?

I went for the stock bridge pickup, not the hot one.

[doveman]

My bridge seems dead quiet too. I actually run my bridge with a bit of tone rolled off ... so maybe that's it. But I have no complaints on the noise ... it's night and day. The only way it will make noise is if you touch the magnets on the bridge pickup with your finger ... but that's not likely anyway.