Dimarzio Area Hot T pickup

[mims2]

I am needing a good versatile pickup for my Telecaster and have been interested in this model. I play in a cover band doing ALL styles of rock from the 60's up. Mostly a lot of top 40 stuff. I need more gain than my stock pickups. I see these are noiseless. Do they have convincing single coil sound? How do they sound clean and overdriven? Thanks in advance!

 

[1973Marshall]

Never used it, but I had a virtual Hot T and it was killer. Sounded like a Tele, but had a thickness, and rudeness that was killer, and it was dead silent

 

[Al Nico]

I didn't even know Dimarzio came out with an Area Hot T. The web description makes it sound like a cross between a PAF and P-90, whereas they make the Virtual Hot T sound like a cross between a Tele and P-90.

I can tell you the Virtual Hot T is pretty awsome. It can be thick and growly with the tone rolled back, but cleans up very nice with the volume knob - great match for the Area T neck, which I also have. It is more smooth sounding than a traditional telel bridge pickup, likely due to the Alnico 2 mags.

 

[Al Nico]

Here's Dimarzio's tech support response, re: diff between the Area Hot and Virtual Hot:

The main difference is on the plain strings, where the Area is
warmer-sounding.

So, if more convincing twangy cleans is important, I'd say the Virtual Hot would be better.

 

[MrMunky]

The Area Hot T appears to be brand new. None of the "usual suspect" internet retailers seem to have them in stock yet, although a few new ones are up on eBay.

I'm intrigued, and if one of the local shops happens to have one around, I may just bite.