By Fletch Whipp

I manage a large complex of music studios called RockStarzUSA here in Colorado. From working with hundreds of guitarists monthly, I regularly get exposure to many many pickups. Additionally I have been retrofitting pickups to my guitars for 20 years now. The  Dimarzio Liquifire pickup offers the contemporary musician a pickup that shines through while being placed in a position more regarded for undefined bass, and overly muddy tones.

My first retrofit was the Dimarzio Tone Zone, and my previous installation was a set of 60′s pickups retrofitted into my Custom Shop Suhr guitar. From working in my recording studio I listen critically to tone day in day out. My ears have been honed to differentiate frequency specific material. Being a professional guitarist, and one who has serviced thousands of guitars doing all manner of luthier work also assist in being able to correctly quantify the merits, or lack thereof with certain aspects of guitar.

I’ve generally held that guitar pickups are less significant to the entire guitar tone signal (including amps effects etc) than probably 90% of players, make out they are. This is evidenced purely by the sheer amount of players on YouTube who sometimes play through rigs worth thousands of dollars but clearly, have very little understanding or grounding into real guitar tone.

My Ernie Ball Guitar featuring the Dimarzio CrunchLab & Liquifire Pickups.

The Liquifire truly is an exception. It is the best neck pickup I’ve ever installed. The bass is solid, and very defined, but not lacking clarity, or spilling over into other frequencies. The pickup behaves in a slightly compressed manner, yet rich in harmonic detail. Both clean and overdriven tones are full, and completely usable. Sometimes a pickup excels in clean, yet becomes unfocused with OD/Dirt tones. Neck pickups have always traditionally presented an aspect of appeal, yet compromise in another area, this is NOT the case with the Liquifire. From basic open triads to complex 13b9b5 chord voicings, to fast legato passages over melodic minor scales, the pickup detail is very articulate. It changes character very nicely when rolling off as little as 1dB from the volume control, or adjusting the tone control down to 8.5 for example.

Reading one of the previous reviews here, while I don’t wish to be inflammatory, seems to highlight one of three things. 1) The pickup was installed without correct regard given to height to string ratio & wiring, 2) The guitar possessed really dreadful overbearing tonal qualities that severely impeded the overall interaction with the pickup, or 3) Another factor was interfering with the ability to judge the pickup on it’s voice alone. Whatever the hindrance that was clouding the reviewers circumstance, their findings were glaringly different from my results. I don’t say that egotistically at all, but rather from the perspective that tone doesn’t lie.

Perhaps the harmonic detail, and even bass range is the most appealing aspect of the Liquifire. To achieve the clarity I have with the Liquifire, I would easily pay $150 without hesitating, it has made that much difference. The fact it can be bought for around 50% of that lands it in the bargain territory for myself. I’ve used Dmarzio’s Duncans, Suhr, Carvin & other brands both active, passive and active electroni equipped guitars for more than two decades. The Liquifire reigns supreme. By way of further justification, I installed this pickup in an Ernie Ball JP100. The ‘cheap’ Petrucci signature model. The tone in this guitar outshines my American made JP6 (1st year model with earlier custom Dimarzio’s pre CrunchLab & Liquifire combination)

I am in the process of upgrading the Liquifire in my JP6 as a result. It really is that great. Congrats Dimarzio, you knocked it out the ballpark this time! 10/10. I am drawing a truly significant respect to John Petrucci who truly has a unique and wonderful insight into both guitar design, and tone. While I respect John’s achievements with Dream Theater, the fact that I am gravitating to his signature items is purely because the products really are unique, and special in an overdrowded environment. Having the right name, brand or logo lost it’s value or sizzle factor many years ago, as my ears took over determining relevance into my musical sound design.