• Guys, we've spent considerable money converting the Les Paul Forum to this new XenForo platform, and we have ongoing monthly operating expenses. THE "DONATIONS" TAB IS NOW WORKING, AND WE WOULD APPRECIATE ANY DONATIONS YOU CAN MAKE TO KEEP THE LES PAUL FORUM GOING! Thank you!

Dimarzio 36th Anniversarys vs Seth Lovers in Les Paul??

JimFog

Member
Joined
Aug 9, 2001
Messages
182
I have a set of Dimarzio 36th Anniversarys in my 2013 Les Paul Traditional. I like them.......but I don't LOVE them, as I did in other guitars (Flying V, SG). They're a tiny bit flat and even and don't have that PAF "honk" that my ear wants to hear when I play humbuckers.

Thinking of putting a set of Seth Lovers in. I've had those in a 335 and other guitars and really dug them.

Has anyone had both in the same (or similar) Les Paul and can compare?

It'll be used with Fender BF reverb amps on the edge of breakup for blues, classic rock and alt.country gigs.

Thoughts?

Thanks!
 

alnico59

New member
Joined
Nov 4, 2014
Messages
150
I have a set of Dimarzio 36th Anniversarys in my 2013 Les Paul Traditional. I like them.......but I don't LOVE them, as I did in other guitars (Flying V, SG). They're a tiny bit flat and even and don't have that PAF "honk" that my ear wants to hear when I play humbuckers.

Thinking of putting a set of Seth Lovers in. I've had those in a 335 and other guitars and really dug them.

Has anyone had both in the same (or similar) Les Paul and can compare?

It'll be used with Fender BF reverb amps on the edge of breakup for blues, classic rock and alt.country gigs.

Thoughts?

Thanks!

It's been a long time since I had Dimarzio PAF's in a guitar and I think they were pre-36th Anniversary so they were the original version. But I do remember them being sort of lifeless and "flat" as you described. I also thought they were a tad too glassy sounding.

Recently I aquirred a used LP that came with a covered set of Seth's. I thought the bridge was pretty good, organic and complex sounding. Great for classic rock. But I found the neck too dark for my taste so I pulled them.

I then tried some T-top clones in that same LP and didn't care for those that much either. Now I have a hand wound poly wire set in there from a ultra boutique winder up in CT. He told me that wind mimics the old Shaw's. In any case it was a Bingo for that particular guitar.
 

renderit

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 19, 2009
Messages
10,951
I have several sets of 36th annivs. I think they are VERY hard sounding. They just hit you in the solar plexus. I am taking them out of my Lemonburst (they came in it from Gibson) and going to something else. In the right guitar I am sure they are great. I have not found that guitar.
36333228881_8bf65d24e7_k.jpg
 

Holgar

Member
Joined
May 11, 2003
Messages
222
Had both in my SG and prefere the Seth Lovers a lot, because they sound more open and direct. Like going a small step to a single coil sound.
 

Classicplayer

Member
Joined
Feb 6, 2002
Messages
229
I've had Seths in my 2000 Classicand prefer them over the Duncan ‘59 set before that and
those over the original ceramic 496R/500T.

If you lower the neck Seth it helps with any muddy booming tone quite a bit. My neck Seth
is just below it’s surround by a hair and the treble side is above the surround......bridge pup to
taste. If the bridge Seth is the correct height, I get a very chirpy middle tone.


Classicplayer
 

deytookerjaabs

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 6, 2016
Messages
1,592
I don't have the 36th anniversary but I do have the (similar?) "PAF master" set. The local long time rock'n'roller dude at corner music just kept insisting on how great it was compared to everything else they had on the shelf. I figure he'd be the one to know. The PAF masters do have a very articulate/dynamic/clear tone to them, nice and transparent. But, IMO, they're articulate to a fault for my preference. Not bad, but just not even a hair of notch/compression across the range. Whereas, the Seth's I've played are pretty clear/dry on their own but warm up a bit when you attack harder and turn the amp up etc.

So, I prefer the Seth's to the PAF Master, unless it's like a really warm/fat/mellow sounding guitar perhaps.
 

cincyguitar

Active member
Joined
Jul 30, 2015
Messages
431
Get the Seth Lovers....have a bridge in my SG....it Improved the sound greatly...:dude:
 

Zoso

New member
Joined
May 4, 2002
Messages
275
I bought an R9 several years ago, intending to take out the 36th Anniversary pickups that were in it.

They are still in that guitar.

I think those pickups sound amazing and are on par with boutique PAFs. JMO.
 
Top