AX8 : input distorting even with 18dB pad

fractalz

Power User
I've been trying to debug an annoying distortion on my AX8 patches and I've narrowed it down to the input distorting. I have the input pad set to 18dB and I'm using a DiMarzio ToneZone in the bridge position.

I hear the distortion on a straight-through patch (input tied to output, all shunts). The red input light is more than tickling, so I guess it makes sense.

I'm not sure where to go from here...
 
I've been trying to debug an annoying distortion on my AX8 patches and I've narrowed it down to the input distorting. I have the input pad set to 18dB and I'm using a DiMarzio ToneZone in the bridge position.

I hear the distortion on a straight-through patch (input tied to output, all shunts). The red input light is more than tickling, so I guess it makes sense.

I'm not sure where to go from here...
Lower pickup height maybe ..
 
The output of the tonezone is your problem. Those pickups do that.

It's a very high output pickup. Try with a different guitar with low output pickups and see if it happens. Try a strat for eg.

You can lower your pickup height or put the pickup into split or parallel mode for less output
You can adjust the input trim as well
 
Last edited:
Lower pickup height maybe ..

The output of the tonezone is your problem. Those pickups do that.

It's a very high output pickup. Try with a different guitar with low output pickups and see if it happens. Try a strat for eg.

You can lower your pickup height or put the pickup into split or parallel mode for less output
You can adjust the input trim as well

Thanks guys! That was it.
 
The Tone Zone has an output of 375 mV. I don't know exactly how Dimarzio comes up with that number but it means something. There are plenty of Dimarzios with greater output than that too.

All that said, I was a Tone Zone users for many, many years but after getting an Axe FX (Ultra then II XL+) and AX-8 I switch to PAFs because with Fractal products you don't need high output pickups to "drive" your rig. The Fractal products have more than enough tools to boost level and tweak pre-distortion EQ and a lower output "flatter" pickup actually works better and is more versatile. YMMV of course.
 
THIS! I think DiMarzio is very keyed in to this. The future is bright.
Even without getting into the rabbit hole of pickup modeling, just having a low to medium output pickups that's relatively flat would be awesome. The 36th PAF fits that bill pretty well as does the Bluesbucker and to a lesser degree the EJ Custom pickups. I have all of these pickups and they work great.
 
Even without getting into the rabbit hole of pickup modeling, just having a low to medium output pickups that's relatively flat would be awesome. The 36th PAF fits that bill pretty well as does the Bluesbucker and to a lesser degree the EJ Custom pickups. I have all of these pickups and they work great.

This is a new (to me) guitar and I didn’t even think of looking at the pickup height. Other than dropping the middle single coil to get it out of my way!

Agree the PAF anniversary is really nice.
 
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