DiMarzio Virtual Vintage Heavy Blues 2 Strat Pickup, DP409

From the manufacturer:

If you’ve heard the cliché that Alnico 2 means warm, soft sound, prepare to be surprised. This is not a polite pickup, and the closer it’s adjusted to the strings, the more raw it gets. In particular, the Alnico 2 magnetic field opens up all of the attack and definition of the low strings. It’s a hot pickup with a strong attack in the bridge position, and its Alnico 2 magnets allow it to work very well in the neck position as well, for players who want a very warm, round sound. If you want an in-your-face-and-proud-of-it sound, the Virtual Vintage® Heavy Blues 2 is the top pick.

The same technology that allowed us to create the pure vintage Strat® sound of the Area 58™ can also be used to design a much heavier pickup. The Virtual Vintage® Heavy Blues 2 has more mids and lows while still possessing outstanding pick attack. This also makes it an excellent pickup for the arpeggios and sweep picking classical metal players prefer, because it does not become muddy even with high gain.

Recommended as a bridge, but can be used in the neck or middle position.

Ethan's picks for best videos/sound-clips:

This clip showcases the DiMarzio Virtual Vintage Heavy Blues 2 pickup in the neck position. Listen from 0:00 – 0:30 to hear this pup in action with a percussive rhythm blues lick. You can also listen from 1:40 – 3:26 for some lead blues tones. This pickup is nice and heavy, giving you an in-your-face sound that is rough and raw. In the neck position, you get a warmth and roundness, but you also get sharp pick attack and fantastic string definition (especially on lower strings). And with a bit of gain, you don’t have to worry about this pup muddying up -- the mids are powerful and present while the lows and highs are clear and crisp. The DiMarzio Virtual Vintage Heavy Blues 2 really does live up to its name, offering a killer pickup for heavy blues players and more!

The player is David Macara Brown and he is using a Fender Strat.

In this video, Kenny Shipman shreds away using a DiMarzio Heavy Blues 2 in the neck position of his strat. The result is a lead tone that is extremely melodic and musical. In the neck position, this pickup gives you that traditional neck warmth and all the lush, bell-like tones you could ever need. The tone is incredibly smooth and the pick attack is strong, giving you this cutting sound that bites and gently compresses in a beautiful way. Each note is extremely defined and there is a clarity to the tone that is simply unbeatable. These pups are also noiseless, thanks to DiMarzio’s patented design, so you never have to worry about that annoying 60-cycle hum.

The player is Kenny Shipman and he is using a Fender Strat into a Hughes and Kettner Tube Meister 36 amp.

Here we have a pretty fair demo of the DiMarzio Virtual Vintage Heavy Blues 2 pickups in the neck and middle positions. The player in this video demonstrates using position two (neck/middle), playing some improvised chord progressions on a clean setting. In using this particular amp, the pickups tend to sound a bit dark for single coils; however, there is no doubt that you still get tons of clarity and glassy chime. In position two you can hear that classic single coil quack, and there is a bit of a rough quality to the sound that gives the tone sweet vintage charm. These pups are also extremely quiet, boasting a special design that completely eliminates hum without sacrificing the tone. The result is a very articulate pickup that highlights all the nuances in your playing technique with ease.

The player is Drew Peterson and he is using a Fender American Standard Strat into a Mesa Roadster head and a Recto 4x12 cab loaded with V30s.

Here’s another clip of Kenny Shipman jamming some blues riffs with a DiMarzio Heavy Blues 2 in the neck position of his strat. If you’re looking for a mean sounding single coil with a lot of output, this pup make be your top choice. The tone has this rough quality to it that makes it perfect for those dirty Texas blues tones. In the neck, this pickup sounds nice and warm, yet still has plenty of bite and chime for those glassy strat sounds. String definition is killer and even the lower strings translate with amazing articulation. A lot of single coil pickups tend to sound too bright and harsh, but the DiMarzio Heavy Blues 2 pups are right where you need them to be. Check them out!

The player is Kenny Shipman and he is using a Fender Strat through a Marshall DSL 100 into a 1960AX 4x12 cab with Greenbacks.

This video compares a DiMarzio Heavy Blues 2 pickup to an Area 61 in the neck position. The Heavy Blues 2 can be heard from 0:00 – 0:36, and the Area 61 kicks in at 0:37. These pups are similar in nature, but slightly different in their execution. The Heavy Blues 2 is definitely a hotter sounding pickup with more mids, similar to a low-output humbucker. It has a very responsive tone that tends to jump right out the amp, and is very sensitive to pick attack. Overall, it has a throatier sound and a rougher character than the Area 61. The Area pup sounds more like a traditional single coil. It is definitely a brighter sounding pickup with more of a scooped EQ and sparkle. It also has a more fluid response and a smoother quality than the Heavy Blues 2. If you’re looking for something a little more orthodox, stick with the Area 61. Otherwise, the Heavy Blues 2 will not disappoint.

The player is Drew Peterson and he is using a Fender American Standard Strat into a Mesa Roadster head and a Recto 4x12 cab loaded with V30s.