Dimarzio X2N

[metalchild138]

I'm looking for a good pickup combination for my '93 Kelly Std. I'm thinking a Dimarzio X2N in the bridge. I know Chuck Shuldiner of Death used this pickup, and his tone was incredible. Does anyone have any experience with the X2N? And if so, what would be a neck position pickup that would compliment it?

[toejam]

The X2N is great. I've always loved a Super 2 paired up with it. For a warmer sound in the neck, a Tone Zone seems to work... at least Mike Romeo from Symphony X seems to think so.

[Chowderboots]

X2N-7s work miracles on 4-string bass guitars. Use one with a split-coil precision pickup and wire them in stereo...it's drooltastic

[JacksonVHT]

I put an X2N in my KV2:



I love the pickup and I too got it because of Chuck Schuldiner.

Somethings to remember, this is a really hot passive pickup so you're gonna want to turn the gain a little bit down on your amp or else you're going to be getting A LOT of fry.

It's without a doubt a great pickup, but like Chuck it definitely sounds better in D tuning than it does in E.

And I completely agree with Toejam, a Tonezone in the neck is the perfect combo.

[metalchild138]

What's that you have in the neck position there? Beautiful guitar.

[JacksonVHT]

Seymour Duncan SH2

[jrnic]

I have an SG that I put an X2N in the bridge. I paired it with a DiMarzio Bluesbucker. I just love that combination. The X2N sounds very "crisp" in there on clean tones. I back down the vol knob a little and get very good AC/DC sounds. I crank it up and I hear Toni Iommi coming out of my amp. (well I wish, anyway....still just me, but I'm happy with it!)

[toejam]

Somethings to remember, this is a really hot passive pickup so you're gonna want to turn the gain a little bit down on your amp or else you're going to be getting A LOT of fry.

I had one in my old Kramer for years, and played it through my 8240 stereo chorus Valvestate combo. I always had the gain cranked on the amp for any guitar I used. When using the X2N, I would roll back the gain, but there wouldn't be any reduction in gain until about the halfway point on the knob!!!

[JacksonVHT]

I had one in my old Kramer for years, and played it through my 8240 stereo chorus Valvestate combo. I always had the gain cranked on the amp for any guitar I used. When using the X2N, I would roll back the gain, but there wouldn't be any reduction in gain until about the halfway point on the knob!!!

Hell yeah! Same experience for me!

I love it though, it's so mid-range focused and dynamic. It almost growls.

[metalchild138]

Anybody ever heard it paired with the Activator X? That's (theoretically) the pickup DiMarzio designed to go with the X2N.

[bibz]

X2N/Super2 here in a dr3, smokes! My jsx is pretty fussy with high output pickups, but the x2n is balanced enough it slams the input nicely. Gain currently on 4.1