Di Marzio DP242 PG-13 Neck

The tone of a mini humbucker falls somewhere between a full-sized humbucker and a single-coil. Paul says the main characteristic of these pickups is clarity. "It still has the beef; it's not harsh. I just plugged it in, played it, and went, 'Oh, this is good.'"

If you're wondering how mini humbuckers compare to full-sized humbuckers, they're smaller, and have a distinctive tone. They sense a narrower length of string vibration, and that reduces lower harmonics for clearer, brighter tones.

Being on the road with Mr. Big can be challenging when it comes to tones because there are so many different styles the band plays - acoustic ballads, heavy songs, fast songs, bluesy songs. Paul needs a pickup that allows him to achieve all of the sounds.

The DP242 Neck model is slightly fatter and creamier than the Bridge model, making it great for Jazz and Blues solos. Its lower output and smaller size help keep it from getting muddy.

The Neck and Bridge models sound good together as well. The sound spreads out and you get that nice "quacky" sound.

PG-13 Mini Humbuckers can rock Blues, Classic Rock, and even get in the mix with Modern Metal.