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I have a modern Mim duosonic that I would like to put single coil sized humbuckers into. My research has led me to the DiMarzio offerings. On paper it would seem like the chopper would be a good choice for the bridge. What would be the best match for it in the neck position?

I don't want high output or anything muddy sounding. I'm looking for a beefier single coil tone, but not an ultra bright/vintage Strat sounding pickup.

Dimarzio suggests pairing the bridge Chopper with either a Cruiser Neck or Fast Track 1.

I tried all of the above and settled on FastTrack1 in the bridge and a Lace Sensor Gold in the Neck of my Mustang

The Chopper is great in the bridge but has more output and more mids than the FT1 ... they sound very similar eq wise and make a good pair.. but for my taste the chopper was too punchy in the bridge, bit too much "rock" ... I prefer the FT1 in the bridge, while being more modern than vintage single coil, it still sounds more neutral and not so much in your face like the chopper

The Cruiser neck and bridge very sound different to the FT1 & Chopper eq wise.. more like a noiseless single coil sound (scooped) - I didn't like how different they sounded in the neck with the chopper or FastTrack1 in the bridge.. like switching from a strat singlecoil to a humbucker...

I then tried Lace Sensor Golds and in the neck they sound close to a Fast Track one just a touch more single coil (brighter).. but too thin and trebly in the bridge.. so I went with Lace Gold neck + Fast Track1 bridge in the end and I love that combo


I'd also strongly recommend looking into Wilde pickups (Bill Lawrence's Wife&daughter)- their noiseless strat pickups are very reasonably priced & sound fantastic

I have a pair of L200/L280 noiseless strat and a set of Microcoil Alnico strat - both in Mustangs - and I love them...

Haven't tried their blade variant L45S yet but if you live in the US the value for money for wilde pickups is crazy - I'd definately gove them a try over the Dimarzios

This is really helpful, thank you.

If you find yourself wanting to go the Lace direction, I have one of the originals (that say Fender-Lace Sensor on them) that has been in my parts drawer for a while. Three of them actually; a gold, a silver, and a blue.

Jack

I have Choppers in bridge and neck of a 25.5” scale guitar, and really like them. They don’t sound like single coils or traditional humbuckers - they are somewhere in between with a solid, muscular sound. Prior to this, i tried a Fast Track in the neck but found it thin and lifeless.

In a Duo Sonic, the shorter scaled might make a Chopper a bit muddy in the neck, I’m not sure. I have a Satch Track in the neck of a Mustang, and that is pretty good - like a beefy high output single coil, yet still a bit different.