Dimarzio PAF Pro bridge, what neck pup?

[bobmc]

Trying to find a set of pups for my old Ibanez Artist that work well together. It came with a Super 80 in the neck and a DP151 (PAF Pro), but holy shnike is that Super 80 hard to balance! The Dimarzio seems more useful to my ears. After about 3 decades of avoiding Larry's work, I sure don't know his product line. The reviews for the now discontinued PAF Classic sounded good, and the gold cover is a bonus.

I plug straight into either a 5E3 clone or tweed Prince, play bluesy rock and funk poorly, and never ever gig.

Any suggestions?

[bsteff666]

Another PAF Pro in the neck balances well. That's what the original Ibanez Jems used for years.

[GuitslingerTim]

I'd go for either an Air Classic, or a 36th anniversary--I've tried them both, and like them both. I never cared for the PAF Pro in the neck position, much too nasally.

[bobmc]

Just came up from the basement and was trying out a nice Fralin humbucker in the neck, and compared to the PAF, it seemed a little muddy and less defined.
The Fralin's gold cover looks amazing with violin finish and yellowed binding, but she is just a so-so match.

I'll add all 3 suggestions to my search.

[Carl_Tone]

The opposite of muddy & less defined is a Duncan jazz.

I have the Jazz in the neck and the Pearly gates in the bridge on my VA tele by luthiers choice.

[gulliver]

When I had a PAF Pro I had a Humbucker From Fell in the neck ... not my all time favorite neck PU, but was a nice mix. Recently I bought a PRS Santana for my Custom 24, has PAF vibe but not as bassy, more focus to upper mids with well balanced highs. Works well clean to high gain, a real nice PU that you can find used for about $50 (as many swap them out).