Since I read Frank Falbo's insights about the DiMarzio Al DiMeola Bridge back in 2005, I've had a deep fascination with the Al DiMeola (ADM) signature models from DiMarzio. This curiosity stayed alive within me for many years. About a year ago, I satisfied part of this curiosity with the neck version of the pickup and shared my thoughts in this link. To summarize briefly, I described it as a warm-toned yet clear neck pickup. It wasn't until the end of this summer that I managed to budget for the bridge version and found a beautiful double-cream ADM Bridge. However, since I wanted to try this pickup on my Goldie guitar, which I had lent to a friend in another city, it took me quite a while to install it. Finally, two weeks ago, I had the honor of doing so. My detailed impressions are as follows...
The Test Guitar
The ADM Bridge I have still sits on its throne on my hand-made superstrat, Goldie, that has a Turkish alder body, a Q-sawn one-piece maple neck in a chunky Endur-Neck profile, Gotoh 510T-FE1 tremolo, 25.5” scale, steel frets, Bourns 500K volume and Alpha 500K tone pots, and 009-046 D'Addario NYXL0946 strings in E-standard tuning. The guitar has a Dimarzio ADM Neck and custom wound middle (true single with coil tapping 5,5K/6,5K windings, now on 6,5K side is on) pickups. Its primary (unplugged) tone ranges from balanced to medium-bright.
Evaluation
Let’s read the official desciption first, as always;
“Hot; lots of punch with extra midrange & Bass”
“PAF sound with more lows & mids”
My strongest motivation and the expectations I had in mind about the ADM Bridge stemmed from something I previously mentioned: Frank Falbo's note from 2005 on Jemsite. He wrote:
“I thought I'd tell you guys about it because lots of us have the same complaint about the Tone Zone. It's too much; too thick. The ADM bridge pickup is very similar to the TZ in tonality, but it's wound to 10.84 and therefore is lower in output. One known TZ "trick" is to lower the pickup down about 1/8". Well then you reduce the attack a little. That's okay if you like that loose sound. But the ADM has that strong and thick type of sound, but you can raise it up for a more up front and sensitive/responsive feel. It's really a fantastic pickup and a wonderful alternative to the TZ. It's lower in output but like the TZ, it's output is spread over a strong frequency range, so it seems louder than it is. Plus you can run it close to the strings with great results. I love it, and wouldn't use a TZ again. It would match well with any of the typical "Jemsite favorite" neck pickups.”
This note had a significant influence on my decision to explore the ADM Bridge. Let’s find out if happens also for me.
Now, read my measuremens here;
Dimarzio Al DiMeola Bridge DP202
Magnet – Alnico 5
Advertised DCR: 10.84 K Ohm (Series)
Measured DCR: 11.02 K Ohm (Series)
Measured DCR: 5.52 K Ohm (Screw Coil)
Measured DCR: 5.50 K Ohm (Slug Coil)
Inductance @100Hz: 6.59 H (Series)
Inductance @100Hz: 2.80 H (Screw Coil)
Inductance @100Hz: 2.80 H (Slug Coil)
Measured C: -26.2 nF (Series)/ -50.4nF (Screw Coil) / -50.6nF (Slug Coil)
Output: 275 Milivolts (advertised)
EQ (B/M/T) – 8/8/5 (old catalog data)
Gauss: 350G screw, 350G slug (measured at top center of D&G pole pieces)
Patents: None
When we visually examine the pickup, the first thing we notice is that it has two symmetrically wound coils, a detail that measurements also confirm. The pole pieces resemble those on the PAF Pro. Upon inspecting the coils, they didn’t appear skinny to me. This led me to wonder if they might be wound with AWG 42 wire. However, I doubt it’s possible to wind a humbucker exceeding 10K resistance with standard-sized bobbins using AWG 42 wire. Therefore, I assume it’s wound with AWG 43 wire. In terms of magnetic flux density, I measured a lower Gauss value compared to the ADM Neck. It aligns with the standard polished Alnico 5 specification (350G).
Do you remember how DiMarzio describes the ADM above? PAF Sound with more lows and mids. Yes, that’s so right. But it has more.
When we analyze the EQ spectrum audibly, I can say that the lows are tight and plentiful (especially the tight low mids), quite rich in the mids, yet it manages to avoid sounding overly nasal or too hunky. The highs, on the other hand, are notably smooth. The midrange structure honestly surprised me a bit. In the official catalogs, it's rated as "8," and I expected a mid-tone somewhat reminiscent of the JB. However, I was mistaken. I believe that "8" includes a significant contribution from the low mids because the mid mids are not as dominant. For example, I can say those pickups like the Air Norton or a modded Ibanez V7 are much more pronounced in the mid-mids.
Catalogs state its output is 275 milivolts. On the other hand, somehow it is heard slightly more than that. I had Virtual Hot PAF on the same position on the same guitar that’s output is 265 milivolts so 265 and 275 should be heard or reacted almost the same but ADM Bridge somewhat louder.
If I had to describe this pickup using only two words, my choice would be "Fat PAF". The ADM Bridge is less "hot" and more "fat," behaving sonically like an overwound PAF. In fact, the term "PAF on steroids," often generously used in some manufacturers' catalogs, seems most fitting for the ADM Bridge. On the other hand, as its output rating of 275–300mV suggests, the DP202 is not a fire-breathing monster or an amp destroyer. For this reason, I’d tweak DiMarzio's catalog description, which says, "Hot; lots of punch with extra midrange & bass," by revising the "hot" part to "relatively hot." Yes, it is significantly hotter compared to its neck counterpart or the DiMarzio PAF (DP103), but it’s far from being a Super Distortion-like pickup.
When evaluating the DP202 in terms of dynamic range, I must say it perfectly aligns with my preferences. Yes, it has a natural compression when all the knobs are full, but as you manipulate the volume pot, you can transition from intense overdrive levels to distinct cleans. This level of sonic clarity and control wasn’t as achievable with the Tone Zone, to which it’s often compared. Moreover, even with the knobs fully open, if the amp’s compression or saturation isn’t overly high, the DP202 proves to be a “relatively “sensitive humbucker that doesn’t feel dull (or deaf) in terms of picking phrasing.
Now, let’s address Frank Falbo’s opinion about the ADM Bridge being a “Tone Zone Jr.” The Tone Zone has a somewhat exaggerated and full-bodied tone, boosting all frequencies, with a particularly noticeable emphasis on the low mids. Considering the similarity in EQ curves and, I suspect, resonance frequencies, it wouldn’t be far-fetched to draw a connection between the two. So yes, I can’t deny that the ADM Bridge reminds me of the Tone Zone in terms of tonal color. However, if we acknowledge that tone shaping isn’t determined solely by the EQ curve, I believe it would be limiting to define the ADM Bridge narrowly as just a “Tone Zone Jr.” It deserves recognition as a unique character in its own right. Still, if you’re entirely unfamiliar with the ADM Bridge and find reading all of this too much of a hassle, you can imagine it as a “300mV-powered, relatively more dynamic Tone Zone.” This should give you a pretty good idea of what the ADM Bridge is all about.
The ADM Bridge pairs exceptionally well with the ADM Neck—they complement each other like cream and coffee, boobies and hips, Weissbier and Bratwurst, or even Anakin and Obi-Wan. :) As for alternative companions in the neck position, I think the ADM Bridge could also form a tight partnership with the Air Norton (though some fine-tuning of the Air Norton's height might be necessary). A DiMarzio PAF, like the vintage DP103 I own, would likely create a perfect combo. A Seymour Duncan ’59 could work well, and perhaps even a Pearly Gates. Additionally, Alnico 2 PAF clones that are not overly bright, might be a great match. Of course, the guitar’s essence tonal character plays a significant role in these combinations, so results may vary depending on the instrument.
You say ‘How ‘bout cleans?’ While i can’t imagine myself playing clean parts with a Tone Zone in the bridge, DP202 has a character and playability. When split it is not too twangy, definitely not too bright but still very usable.
I haven’t used it on lower tunings yet. Keep an eye on that review for updates ;)
Conclusion
On the Jemsite forum, it was mentioned that Larry DiMarzio once described the ADM(b) as "That's the most misunderstood pickup we ever built." That got me thinking about many possible scenarios, but I’m not entirely sure I fully grasp what he meant. If I were to answer this question myself, I’d probably say, “It’s the most overlooked pickup we’ve made.” Here’s why: I see a lot of players out there who find their bridge humbuckers too bright/trebly but don’t want something as high-output and boosted/hyped as the Tone Zone and searching for a medium-output pickup. They want something with more output than the 36th Anniversary PAFs but without their brightness. Air Norton might be too weak for them or might come off as too honky. On the other hand, the Tone Zone feels “too much” in every way.
This narrows down the options, and ADM(b) becomes an ideal alternative for that specific sweet spot. The DP202 has the potential to fit a variety of applications. For instance, fat Strat owners might love ADM(b). It’s neither too powerful nor too weak. It adds enough body to give an ash-bodied Strat some fatness but still retains enough headroom in its tonal structure to avoid sounding muddy or too dark.
If your style goes around rock, power rock, progressive rock, heavy metal etc., i don’t believe you’ll regret on it. It will proudly suits to your versatility needs.
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