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DiMarzio DP100 Super Distortion

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$99.00 to $105.00 Price Tier: Budget

4.5 (50)

3 Critic Reviews

12 Reviews

Find out who is using DiMarzio DP100 Super Distortion

6 community setups

Featured in

5 Best Humbuckers: Gear Guide to Amazing Pickups 2026

33 wishlisted

138 saved

Page last updated Jul 06, 2026

Pricing and availability

We compare 600+ stores and found this item at 6 stores. Prices updated July 6, 2026.

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4.5 (22)

$99.00

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4.8 (123)

$99.00

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5.0 (12)

$99.00 23 available New

$60.00 8 available Used

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5.0 (8)

$99.00

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4.8 (78)

$106.00 $105.00 $1.00 · All time low

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£99.00

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Average Price: $94

Budget/Beginner

$99

$200+

Price Tier

In the Electric Guitar Pickups category, DiMarzio DP100 Super Distortion is priced in the Budget/Beginner range. This is great gear to get started with or for creators on a budget.

Budget

Standard

High-end

Price History

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Description

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Introducing the DiMarzio DP100 Super Distortion, a guitar pickup that was born to rock. This high-output humbucker is an ode to the 70's and 80's hard rock era, designed to push your tube amplifier into overdrive. With its rich, fat tone, and thick, boosted mids, this pickup is perfect for any musician looking to add a touch of vintage rock to their sound.

The DP100 Super Distortion has a heritage that can't be ignored. It's the pickup that started it all, with many of the iconic rock guitar sounds of the past being produced by this very model. But don't let its legacy fool you; this pickup is far from outdated. Artists from various genres, from Al DiMeola and Frank Gambale to Iron Maiden and Ace Frehley, have chosen the Super Distortion as a crucial part of their signature sound.

Ideal for solidbody guitars, the DP100 Super Distortion is primarily a bridge position pickup, but it also shines in the neck position with lower-gain amplifiers. The pickup features a versatile 4-conductor wiring, allowing for various tonal options including coil splitting for a Strat-like tone and parallel wiring for a humbucking, yet slightly more hollow sound.

Key Features:

High-output humbucker pickup
Designed for solidbody guitars
Primarily used in the bridge position
Versatile 4-conductor wiring
Ceramic magnets
Output: 425
DC resistance: 13.68
Tone guide: Treble: 5.5, Mid: 7.5, Bass: 8
Emphasized mids for a vintage hard rock sound
Coil splitting and parallel wiring options
Colour: Black

Product specs

Type	Humbucker
Position	Bridge, Neck
Active/Passive	Passive
Magnet Material	Ceramic
Number of Conductors	4 wire plus ground
DC Resistance	13.68K
Connectivity	Soldered
Number of Strings	6
Covering	Uncovered

FAQs

What type of music is the DiMarzio DP100 Super Distortion best suited for?: The DiMarzio DP100 Super Distortion is ideal for rock and metal genres, offering high output and powerful midrange tones that cut through the mix, making it a favorite for heavy riffing and lead solos.
Can the DiMarzio DP100 Super Distortion be used in both bridge and neck positions?: Yes, the DiMarzio DP100 Super Distortion is versatile enough to be used in both bridge and neck positions, providing consistent high output and tonal characteristics across different guitar setups.
What kind of magnet does the DiMarzio DP100 Super Distortion use?: The DiMarzio DP100 Super Distortion utilizes a ceramic magnet, which contributes to its high output and aggressive tonal profile, making it suitable for heavy and distorted guitar sounds.
Is the DiMarzio DP100 Super Distortion suitable for a 6-string guitar?: Yes, the DiMarzio DP100 Super Distortion is designed for 6-string guitars, ensuring optimal performance and tonal response for standard guitar setups.
How is the DiMarzio DP100 Super Distortion wired for installation?: The DiMarzio DP100 Super Distortion features a 4-wire plus ground configuration, allowing for versatile wiring options, including coil-splitting and series/parallel setups for expanded tonal possibilities.

Videos

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LarryDiMarzio

Phil Collen for DiMarzio Super Distortion Pickup

LarryDiMarzio

DiMarzio SUPER DISTORTION vs Seymour Duncan JB SH-4 - Passive Bridge Guitar Pickup Comparison Demo

Mike Stamper

'77 Ibanez Les Paul (2350) with DiMarzio Super Distortions

Steve from Boston

THE LEGENDARY DIMARZIO SUPER DISTORTION PICKUP!

Xander Raymond Charles

DiMarzio SUPER DISTORTION vs TONE ZONE - Passive Bridge Guitar Pickup Comparison Tone Demo

Mike Stamper

DiMarzio SUPER DISTORTION vs Seymour Duncan DISTORTION SH-6 - Bridge Guitar Pickup Comparison

Mike Stamper

DiMarzio PAF PRO vs SUPER DISTORTION - Passive Bridge Guitar Pickup Comparison Tone Demo

Mike Stamper

Vintage DiMarzio Super Distortion vs New DiMarzio Super Distortion

gwEm’s gwEmbassy

DiMarzio SUPER 3 vs SUPER DISTORTION - Passive Bridge Guitar Pickup Comparison Tone Demo

Mike Stamper

Luke Gallagher - DiMarzio Super Distortion (New Pickups)

Luke Gallagher

Reviews

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PROS

Classic rock and metal tone, used by iconic bands and artists
Versatile with great clean, crunch, and distortion tones
Fat, dynamic sound with excellent sustain
High note articulation and string separation
Sensitive to EQ adjustments, adaptable across various genres
Excellent for thick, chunky rhythm and screamy lead tones
Rich in harmonics, enhances both chords and single notes
Compatible with various guitar models and setups
Improves the overall sound and playability of lower-end guitars
Easy installation with multiple wiring options

CONS

Can be too thin and brittle with inadequate bass response for some
Requires careful height adjustment for optimal sound
Mismatched string alignment can affect sound quality if not F-spaced
Wiring color conventions differ from some other brands, leading to installation errors

Owner Insights

We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about DiMarzio DP100 Super Distortion.

Use cases and applications

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A user successfully installed the DiMarzio Super Distortion in both the bridge and neck positions without experiencing muddiness, indicating its versatility across positions.
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Using the neck position with the Super Distortion can effectively capture the tone of solos in Dismember covers, indicating its utility for specific musical styles.
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The Super Distortion is praised for its performance in H-P90 setups, combining humbucker and P90 characteristics for a versatile sound.
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The Super Distortion is linked to heavy 70s and 80s sounds, prominently used by Ace Frehley, offering a distinct "Ace vibe."
Source

Comparisons

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The DiMarzio Super 2 is mentioned as the neck version of the Super Distortion, offering high output power comparable to the X2N in the bridge position.
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Compared to a stock Bridge P90, the Super Distortion offers a slightly brighter clean tone and increased output, especially noticeable with overdrive.
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The DiMarzio Super Distortion uses a powerful ceramic magnet and hot winding, contrasting with the smoother, clearer tones of a PAF 36th Anniversary which uses A5 magnets.
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Features and functionality

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The Super Distortion is primarily designed as a bridge pickup, but users have found it effective in the neck position for certain styles, such as metal solos.
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The pickup enhances the "out of phase" effect in the 2nd and 4th switch settings on guitars like the Yamaha RSS02T.
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Mods and upgrades

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Users interested in swapping pickups in guitars, such as an Aria Pro II, should verify cavity and routing compatibility for proper installation.
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An owner considered installing a Super Distortion in the middle position of an Ibanez Iceman, alongside a PAF DP103 in the neck.
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User experience

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One user successfully integrated Super Distortions in both mid and neck positions of an Epi Ace LP, emphasizing versatile use across guitar setups.
Source

Critic Reviews

Dimarzio Super Distortion Review DP100

tonejourney.com

The DiMarzio DP100 Super Distortion is lauded for its iconic status and versatile performance across genres like rock, jazz, and metal. It delivers thick, boosted mids and a classic sound that has graced countless records for over 50 years. While not the cleanest humbucker, it shines with bold, meaty tones and balances well against competitors like the Seymour Duncan JB. The pickup excels in high-output scenarios but may lack in treble richness, requiring careful setup. Overall, it's a cornerstone for those seeking a classic high-power sound, though its tonal character might not suit everyone's taste.

positive

Full Review

Super Distortion DP100 Review: Thousands of players have used the Super Distortion for 45 years,... | DiMarzio | Pickups | Reviews @ Ultimate-Guitar.Com

ultimate-guitar.com

The DiMarzio DP100 Super Distortion humbucker is a classic for a reason. Its ability to transform a Gibson Les Paul with thick lows, crunchy mids, and fat highs makes it a versatile choice for rock and metal guitarists. The review praises its reliability, durability, and the way it breathes new life into guitars with less dynamic stock pickups. However, the bass is described as prominent but not super tight, which might not suit those seeking extra-tight lows for thrash or speed metal. Overall, its open sound and well-rounded character maintain the pickup's legendary status among guitarists, especially for those who relish a "hot vintage" setup.

positive

Full Review

DiMarzio Super Distortion DP100 - Darth Phineas

darthphineas.com

The DiMarzio DP100 Super Distortion is a classic rock staple known for its high output and presence in iconic albums. While praised for its strong mids and manageable highs, some may find its low-end not as pronounced as the legends suggest. Its versatility spans rock to metal, but it introduces a noticeable compression. The pickup's compatibility varies across setups, working well with clean settings when dialed back but potentially overpowering weaker single-coils. Though not without detractors who reminisce about its vintage tone, it remains a reliable choice for diverse rock genres.

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4.5 out of 5

Based on 12 Reviews and 50 Ratings

5 star

4 star

3 star

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1 star

jimmarchi1

41029

almost 11 years ago

growing on me

A crusty old pair of double-cream 80s super distortions came in my vintage washburn. At first I had weird feelings about them, but they are growing on me quite a bit. This is one seriously mean humbucker. The bridge cops a lot of 80s hard rock sounds that are difficult to get with PAF style pickups. I find myself breaking into early priest licks all the time with this guy. I wouldn't say the sound is 'me', but its not bad and I get why these pickups have been so popular for so long with hard rockers and post-EVH soloist types.

The neck pickup is awful though. Mud city!

UPDATE: I just spent an hour and a half riffing through a blazing loud AC4 and 2x12 cab. I was rocking all sort of heavy Queen riffs on the bridge position... "Stone Cold Crazy", "we will rock you", "brighton rock", "gimmee the prize (from highlander, dude)", "I'm in love with my car", "Death on Two Legs" and on and on... the enormous output was really fun and gave me that extra push over the cliff to rip it up on the riffiest section with my guitar volume gunned. I need to touch up the wiring for coil taps, a phase switch on 1 pickup and a master series/parallel to get the most common brian may tones, but these super distortion really hit a vox in just the right way to do late 70s and early 80s Queen stuff, and that's a big deal to me. Also, the guitar they're in is very red-specialish in its own unique way. I think some humbcker covers with Adeson Trisonic coils hiding inside, epoxied in place might take this guitar over the top for BM tone, but the super distortions are right there copping s a lot of my favorite bridge/middle sounds from Queens arena days just riding the volume on the bridge pickup.

Roles:

Guitarist Bassist Keyboardist

Genres:

Electronic Orchestra Alternative rock

emma_june

167

about 5 years ago

It fucks

This thing absolutely fucks hard.

Buy one, two or twelve. You won't regret it.

Roles:

Guitarist

Genres:

folk black metal voidgaze avant-garde black metal

hamnotthefood

397

about 4 years ago

Meh

I have the wrong pots, so it’s a bit muddy and quacky in a bad way. I hope that it’s just non matching pots.

Roles:

Singer Guitarist Bassist

Genres:

Rock Funk / Soul Jazz

sandra_lee

435

about 8 years ago

My favorite humbucker

I have this in my Jag-Stang and it's my absolute favorite humbucker. It has amazing tonal characteristics and such a nice warm low end sound. It's so smooth, I am always amazed that it's a 70s humbucker andI I've never heard anything better than it.

axe2084

329

over 6 years ago

GODLY Distortion!!

There's a reason that everyone's been using these pickups - especially all my influences for starting guitar in the first place.

And now, I know. They're incredible!! SO clear!!

Roles:

Singer Guitarist Bassist

Genres:

Rock Alternative rock Pop rock

themonoazul

143

about 8 years ago

I have it on 2 of my main guitars!!

I have two custom guitars, an Ibanez RG370 DXZL and a custom Partcaster, both of them have Super Distortion in the bridge, sounds killer, you can play everything on them!!

bthompson2020

736

about 6 years ago

Best Pickups ever!!!

Simply the greatest Pickups I've ever used.

Roles:

Singer Guitarist Composer

Genres:

Rock Blues rock Southern rock

patrick_belanger

268

over 10 years ago

A legend!

The first hot rodded humbucker, used since the 70's, the perfect blend of power and tone.Thick mids, fat highs and big lows. plays well in any tuning.

Roles:

Guitarist Bassist

Genres:

Rock Metal old school thrash

skylinerr

5339

about 7 years ago

Love em

I always have been a DiMarzio guy I love the x2ns i have used them ages but I tried a super distortion in the jag

Roles:

Guitarist Bassist

Genres:

Rock Metal

luiseduardo

101

over 9 years ago

Classic hard rock tone

I bought this to replace the stock pickups of a Jackson King V. It sounds killer as a bridge pickup. Can be matched to Super 2 and PAF in neck position.