Buzz Bin: DiMarzio Paul Gilbert Signature Injector Pickups

Paul Gilbert combines technical proficiency with incredible musicianship and a deep knowledge of theory. Because he derives most of his tone from his hands and highly refined approach, he requires superbly balanced and quiet pickups that won’t present any barriers to his musical expression.

Those pickups are the new DiMarzio Injectors. Their output is among the hottest of DiMarzio’s stacked humbuckers, yet their advanced design and Alnico 2 magnets also help them to be supremely nuanced and defined.

Highs are never brittle or harsh but exceptionally articulate and pleasantly edgy when picked hard. Mildly pronounced mids add depth and body to the aggressive bridge pickup, while the lows are defined and deep. Even on downtuned strings, the Injector models never sounded muddy or washed out.

The neck model is warm, loud and tracks just as perfectly, with a bold-to-buttery ratio that varies based on your guitar and style. While most players will likely use them in high-gain applications, the Injectors’ immediate response, robust output and rich demeanor are just as inspiring in clean and crunchy applications.

LIST PRICES DP422 (neck), $109; DP423 (bridge), $109
MANUFACTURER DiMarzio Inc., dimarzio.com