DiMarzio John Petrucci Signature Model Crunch Lab Humbucker Pickup – Black

DiMarzio John Petrucci Signature Model Crunch Lab Humbucker Pickup – Black

Experience powerful, precise, and articulate guitar tone with the DiMarzio DP228 Crunch Lab Humbucker Pickup, developed in collaboration with legendary guitarist John Petrucci of Dream Theater. Designed for musicians who demand outstanding clarity and responsiveness, the Crunch Lab delivers a tight, full-bodied sound that excels in progressive metal, hard rock, and high-gain guitar performances.

Introduced in 2009, the Crunch Lab was developed during the recording of Dream Theater’s album Black Clouds & Silver Linings. Its distinctive voicing reflects John Petrucci’s preference for powerful rhythm tones with excellent note separation, expressive dynamics, and a strong, controlled attack.

Featuring a unique asymmetrical pole-piece design, the Crunch Lab combines a solid metal bar on one coil with individual pole pieces on the other. Although its appearance resembles the DiMarzio D Sonic, the Crunch Lab uses a substantially different internal design, producing greater output, deeper highs, and a more open low-midrange response.

Equipped with a ceramic magnet, the pickup delivers precise attack and excellent definition, particularly when playing palm-muted riffs, complex chord progressions, and fast alternate-picking passages. Its manufacturer-rated 410mV output provides ample power to drive high-gain amplifiers while maintaining clarity and tonal balance.

One of the Crunch Lab’s defining characteristics is its controlled low-frequency response. Rather than producing overwhelming bass or excessive treble, it delivers a focused sound with strong midrange presence. This allows individual notes to remain distinguishable even in heavily distorted arrangements.

The pickup’s orientation also influences its tone. John Petrucci generally prefers installing the Crunch Lab with its solid bar facing the neck, producing the full, balanced response he favours. Reversing the pickup so the solid bar faces the bridge creates a brighter tonal character, allowing guitarists to experiment with different sounds.

Featuring four-conductor wiring, the Crunch Lab supports coil splitting and parallel humbucking when installed with compatible guitar electronics. Its passive construction requires no battery and works with conventional guitar control systems.

Designed specifically for the bridge position of six-string electric guitars, the Crunch Lab pairs naturally with the DiMarzio LiquiFire Neck pickup for complementary lead, rhythm, and clean tones.

Available in Black Standard Spacing (DP228BK) and Black F-Spaced (DP228FBK), both versions deliver identical core electrical performance while accommodating different bridge string-spacing requirements.

Whether you’re performing intricate progressive metal arrangements, powerful rhythm guitar passages, or expressive lead solos, the DiMarzio Crunch Lab combines aggressive performance with outstanding articulation and musical versatility.

Specifications