[The Dark Wolf]

Originally Posted by scott from _actual time_

n, and in my agathis Squier it has a positively demonic midrange rumble.

As far as I know, some of the Squier 7's seem to be agathis, some alder. That's the only conclusion I can make, since I've seen both descriptions. Info is very sketchy. Got any links?

That being said, I have an agathis/alder Squier, and I DISAGREE! The TZ7 just sounds so-so in it, IMO. Would not call it demonic... maybe impish. It's still bland, flat, and lacking in tightness. It does sound better than in mahogany though, where its only real use I can see is for jazz.

The DS7 in mahogany walks all over that hunkashit.

[Drew]

Originally Posted by scott from _actual time_

but not everybody has a solid-maple neck-thru 7-string sitting around, so the TZ7 gets an undeserved rap from people who've only heard it in mahogany or don't like midrange-heavy tones.

As a guy who's played it in both a basswood 7620 and a mahogany 2027...

I agree, the 2027 was basically painful. No defintion at all.

In basswood? Eh, it was ok. It was, well, we'llsay it was a nice option against a blaze - decent presence, no treble, but good midrange sparkle. It was vaugely EVH-ish. If you wanted a vintage rock tone I'd recommend it. For anythingelse, well, withmy TSL-100 it was decent for heavy rhythms, but for the other amps I ranit with I'd pass. With that caveat, though, it was "sting-y" if you rolled back the volume for cleanish tones while soloing. It just didn't sound good. I love midrange, more than the average guy, but honestly it was this pickups treble response that did it in for me. It was somehow both weak and overbearing, all at once, in basswood...

By the way, I'm a bit buzzed.

[7 Dying Trees]

Originally Posted by zimbloth

I absolutely LOVE how the Evo7 sounds in basswood though, its 100x better than in mahogany IMO.

Stay away from the Tone Zone 7, IMO they are just putrid. The worst pickup DiMarzio has ever made. They sound and react nothing like the wonderful Tone Zone 6, its made differently and has a completely different tone. This is a good thing with the Evo 7, but not the Tone Zone 7.

I couldn't agree more. The TZ7, i never got a sound i liked out of it at all in mahogony. It may be better in different woods, but I'd be cautious.

In basswood I am very very pleased with the Evo7, it sounds gret, cuts through and has defined bass repsonse, as stated above it's waaaaaaaaaay better than the evo6 which is just a shrill boring high gain pick up that lacks character.

If it's a basswood guitar, look into the evo7 or possibly x2n7 for the bridge (although i've never tried the x2n, but if you're looking for high gain...)

Neck wise, well, i do like the blaze neck, but again neck pick up wise i'm limited to that as I haven't tried anything else really!

Mahogony wise i'd look into seymour duncans, the ds7 (as it seems to have a good rep) and the blaze custom for the bridge.

[Korbain]

x2n7 bridge, blaze neck for sure

[scott from _actual time_]

Originally Posted by The Dark Wolf

As far as I know, some of the Squier 7's seem to be agathis, some alder. Info is very sketchy. Got any links?

when i bought mine 3-4 years ago, all the Squier info i read said all the Squiers built in Indonesia were made from agathis. which makes sense, because it's a southeast asian wood. the Chinese-made Squiers could be alder, but the Indonesian ones aren't.
http://www.agathis.info/guitars.php
http://72.14.209.104/search?q=cache:...hp%3Ft%3D42548
http://acapella.harmony-central.com/...ostid=16251885

Originally Posted by The Dark Wolf

I have an agathis/alder Squier, and I DISAGREE! The TZ7 just sounds so-so in it, IMO. Would not call it demonic... maybe impish. It's still bland, flat, and lacking in tightness. It does sound better than in mahogany though,

see, i think a demon roars, with a rumbly midrange sound--not a shriek with high-end sizzle or tightness or cut. more a sludge-rock kinda sound.

and i've gotten great sounds out of the TZ7 in mahogany, in my old 2027. it didn't have the edge of my 540S7 or my LACS RG, but it had a thick middle and a tight low end. maybe i'll dig out some of the tracks from the last _actual time_ EP and solo up the TZ7 in mahogany for yall.

but i'd be the first to admit, it may all be because of my amp. i've used Peavey Rock Master preamps for over 10 years, and i can't get as good a sound out of anything else. so it's quite possible that my amp rig is some strange bermuda triangle of tone where the TZ7 sounds great and the Blaze and Evo7 are painfully shrill.

i have a brand new TZ7 to go in the alder S7 body i'm building....

[The Dark Wolf]

Originally Posted by scott from _actual time_

when i bought mine 3-4 years ago, all the Squier info i read said all the Squiers built in Indonesia were made from agathis. which makes sense, because it's a southeast asian wood. the Chinese-made Squiers could be alder, but the Indonesian ones aren't.

That makes sense. Mine said Made In China, so, it probably is alder.

Originally Posted by scott from _actual time_

see, i think a demon roars, with a rumbly midrange sound--not a shriek with high-end sizzle or tightness or cut. more a sludge-rock kinda sound.

That I agree with. I don't personally see that as demonic, but sludge rock, definitely. More like a troll.

Originally Posted by scott from _actual time_

and i've gotten great sounds out of the TZ7 in mahogany, in my old 2027. it didn't have the edge of my 540S7 or my LACS RG, but it had a thick middle and a tight low end.

Must be your amp. Because that damn pickup always sounds round and loose, IME. Like a JB, but with no treble and upper mid definition.

Not the pickup for tight, articulate metal by any means. But cool for stoner rock I suppose.

Thanks, Scott.

[Emperoff]

I had a TZ7 installed in a alder-bodied guitar with the tone pot disconnected and it sounded awesome. Very harmonic response and awesome screaming leads.

And coil-tapped (or wired in parallel, don't remember) sounded like a Telecaster, awesome cleans and punching rock-like distorion, excellent for single note Low B riffs. I haven't got that kind of sound in any other axe I've owned, I really miss it.