I"m with ya!! If it's too close, it's like what's the point? I like it to be sorta different and I like being able to have the 5 way switch so that it splits the humbuckers in to various single variations. Wads of tonal options
That's one thing I don't like about the DEANs I have. The deans are a bit more hamfisted, but that's what they are built for
I really love the tonal difference in the pickups. I hate with some of my guitars that the neck and bridge pickup don't have enough difference so the neck pickup almost feels null and void.