Why are "DRy Z's" held in such high regard?

I asked this somewhere else oday but what the hell:

Exactly how good are these "Dry Z's" I keep hearing about? Are they 'better' than Duncan Antiques etc.?

Anyone ever taken one apart to find out why? :-?

Yep, Rich did:

http://www.tokaiforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=13995&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

http://www.tokaiforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=14150

I currently own 3 sets but I'm not the biggest fan out there.

I also have a set of Dry Zs', well they're ok..I laughed so hard when I saw one on EBay fetching around $600.

I'd like to know as well. I'm not sure if they are held in high regard but they are certainly held for high prices.

I've bought whole guitars that cost less than a set of Dry Z

I have a late production 1981 EGC1000 super real. The pickups are unstamped. There is a chance they may be unstamped Dry Z's as others here have had the same experience and it seems to be in a few Dec guitars.

At the same time they also could just as likely be "the groove" pickups...so I'm not really sure.

Either way.....clips I've heard of Dry Z's sound great....my pickups..whatever they are...sound amazing. As do my super real P90's in my SS500. I think maxon overall just made some amazing sounding pickups during that time.

The Dry Z's get a lot of they hype cause they were the top dollar model.

What's great about my experience is the clarity of each note under distortion on chords.

Apparently the guy who made the Dry Z's back in the day has his own pickup company called K&T and the clips I've heard of those sound unreal as well. Every bit as good as mine or the Dry Z clips I've heard. Of course they cost around 600 bucks as well so no savings there.

Just like the EGF's that the Dry Z's come in I personally think the value is inflated right now....basically cause of us westerners over paying. But it is what it is. Well see if the bubble bursts or if it keeps on at this level.

K&T actually make a DRY-Z reproduction, the ZD-O and ZD-C.
http://music.geocities.jp/kt_vintage_guitars/kthomepage/04ktcustom.html

From the Japanese the ZD-O is supposed to be the "authentic" version and the ZD-C is supposed to be the way the winder Takano originally intended them to be made but because of the production circumstances they didn't implement all his wishes.

Takano previously posted the story about the DRY Z development on his blog. I will try and get it translated and post it. Some interesting stuff there, like the musicians who were given and tried out guitars with DRY-Z such as Don Felder and Santana.

In any case, no price listed for those but the CODA set above lists for 158k yen which is $2000 these days .

So the original Z's may still be a good deal for $500 I think all things considered but then again a pair of Seth Lovers does a pretty nice job too I think.

Cali Girl said:

I'd like to know as well. I'm not sure if they are held in high regard but they are certainly held for high prices.

I've bought whole guitars that cost less than a set of Dry Z

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Dont believe in such hype..Theres a lot of PAF replica makers out there. My favorites are Wolfetone Dr. Vintage pickups and Shed pickups.

I love thread like these.... Don't buy Dry-Z pups... they are crap......please dont spend your money on these... please...


now back to regular programming... I'm a buyer every day for these fine pups!!

Thanks for the info fellas, Jacco for the links - very interesting.

Funny that they copied the 'T-Top' yet it's regarded as having PAF-like qualities? A 'Happy Accident' maybe?

And Cliff, I never started this thread as a way of trying to turn people off these pickups - I'm just interested in hearing about them in case I ever stumble across a pair sometime.

CliffsComicWorld said:

I love thread like these.... Don't buy Dry-Z pups... they are crap......please dont spend your money on these... please...


now back to regular programming... I'm a buyer every day for these fine pups!!

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They're not crap Pickups.They are fine pups.But I will not buy Dry Zs' for $600.

Rising Force is right, there are very many boutique pickup makers that are fantastic out there. I still have never heard Dry Z's myself.

What is master Jacco's favorite pups?


Phantom

Dom, in my opinion the best current boutique winder is Andreas Kloppmann. His 58 set has it all; clarity, warmth, edge & punch, love them!!

I also do like certain aspects of the Dry Z and to me those are exactly as soundcreation put it; very good note clarity when driven. But they're are a tad too dry sounding imo.

Awesome thanks Jacco, I have heard of them and will definitely be checking them out. Thx a bunch.

THE RISING FORCE said:

CliffsComicWorld said:

I love thread like these.... Don't buy Dry-Z pups... they are crap......please dont spend your money on these... please...


now back to regular programming... I'm a buyer every day for these fine pups!!

Click to expand...

They're not crap Pickups.They are fine pups.But I will not buy Dry Zs' for $600.

Click to expand...

I know they are not crap pups..... I have several guitars with Dry-Z's... I am sending a message to sell them to meeeee.. Please!! :wink:

CliffsComicWorld said:

THE RISING FORCE said:

CliffsComicWorld said:

I love thread like these.... Don't buy Dry-Z pups... they are crap......please dont spend your money on these... please...


now back to regular programming... I'm a buyer every day for these fine pups!!

Click to expand...

They're not crap Pickups.They are fine pups.But I will not buy Dry Zs' for $600.

Click to expand...

I know they are not crap pups..... I have several guitars with Dry-Z's... I am sending a message to sell them to meeeee.. Please!! :wink:

Click to expand...

Oh I thought you went for acoustics and do not own any electric at all :lol: :lol: :lol:

CliffsComicWorld said:

THE RISING FORCE said:

CliffsComicWorld said:

I love thread like these.... Don't buy Dry-Z pups... they are crap......please dont spend your money on these... please...


now back to regular programming... I'm a buyer every day for these fine pups!!

Click to expand...

They're not crap Pickups.They are fine pups.But I will not buy Dry Zs' for $600.

Click to expand...

I know they are not crap pups..... I have several guitars with Dry-Z's... I am sending a message to sell them to meeeee.. Please!! :wink:

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Sorry Cliff mine is not for sale. albeit its not the best but Its very rare.

Aloha Timo,..... Yes I did purchase a few high end Koa acoustics... then I was back buying soild bodies again......
Here is a sample

1983 Greco EG58-120
1 piece back
Dry82 Pups
super flame
Brazilan Board
Long Neck Tenon

spikeymikey said:

I asked this somewhere else oday but what the hell:

Exactly how good are these "Dry Z's" I keep hearing about? Are they 'better' than Duncan Antiques etc.?

Anyone ever taken one apart to find out why? :-?

Click to expand...

Hi,

Have a look at this video and perhaps you get an answer. It is a like for like comparisson between the Greco (with Dry Z's) and the OgG with '57 Classics, same amp same guitar player. Close your eyes and let you ears do the judging.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j06eJrUYDeY

Perhaps if you are like Timo in Germany who now has my LS100 Reborn with Dimarzio PAFS, an OgG with '57 Classics and a Greco 1200 with Dry Z's you could chose the right sound for a particular song. Timo, any comments here concerning the Dry Z's?

Cheers,

Joop

Joop,my OBG has no 57's but a pair of Drys as well because I am one of those nutters who bought a pair of Drys :wink: .You can ask Cliff how often I said thank you and this could be a hint how happy I am with the Drys.I like the Drys in my 1200 because of the fatter neck and she is almost half a kilo heavier as the OBG.If you compare both guitars the Greco has more pressure and power while the OBG sound is thinner.Perhaps I should try 11' strings for the OBG and stay with 10's for the Greco.I have not enough experience to describe exactly the tone and not played enough different pickups neither but for me it just sounds great and better than other PUs I tried with the same guitars.Very detailed and if needed very powerful.

t.olsen said:

Joop,my OBG has no 57's but a pair of Drys as well because I am one of those nutters who bought a pair of Drys :wink: .You can ask Cliff how often I said thank you and this could be a hint how happy I am with the Drys.I like the Drys in my 1200 because of the fatter neck and she is almost half a kilo heavier as the OBG.If you compare both guitars the Greco has more pressure and power while the OBG sound is thinner.Perhaps I should try 11' strings for the OBG and stay with 10's for the Greco.I have not enough experience to describe exactly the tone and not played enough different pickups neither but for me it just sounds great and better than other PUs I tried with the same guitars.Very detailed and if needed very powerful.

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Timo,

If you put 11's on your ObG you'll build up enough mussle, you can give up your gym membership. And then, before you know it, you have saved enough money to buy another guitar :lol:

Regards,

Joop