active pickups and 'drop' pickups

liquidsmoke · January 30, 2012, 11:40:45 AM

Anybody use these? I'm guessing that pickups made for low tunings simply pickup more low frequencies and I assume this would be a good thing. Active pickups are said to sound more compressed and I'm not sure how I feel about that. If anyone understands and feels like explaining the science behind these designs I'm all eyes.

I've been using the same DiMarzio super distortion in my guitars for metal for at least the last 6 years and although I like it it's pretty much the only higher output bridge pickup I've ever played with much. Wondering if I'm missing out.

My Epi Paul Junior is in A right now and I'm thinking about maybe upgrading to something like an Ibanez or Jackson with a slightly longer scale for more clarity and some of those guitars have active pups stock. I know there is no substitute for going to the store and trying stuff out but the experience always feels very alien to me through rigs I'm not used to.

cat shepard · January 30, 2012, 11:52:01 AM

I know what it's like to be ripped at the music store, and it's no place for a psychadelic experience.

mutantcolors · January 30, 2012, 11:58:27 AM

I switched to p90s for C standard and couldn't be happier. The clarity is incredible and the distortion has an extra something that's hard to capture in words. And yes, long scale will help as well. Anything with a Fender scale length will do the trick.

liquidsmoke · January 30, 2012, 12:03:10 PM

Quote from: cat shepard on January 30, 2012, 11:52:01 AM
I know what it's like to be ripped at the music store, and it's no place for a psychadelic experience.

I would rarely ever even have a single beer in my system if I was at a music store and I don't smoke weed during the day anymore.

liquidsmoke · January 30, 2012, 12:08:16 PM

Quote from: mutantcolors on January 30, 2012, 11:58:27 AM
I switched to p90s for C standard and couldn't be happier. The clarity is incredible and the distortion has an extra something that's hard to capture in words. And yes, long scale will help as well. Anything with a Fender scale length will do the trick.

I'm not sure if p90s would provide enough gain for the type of stuff I play but I do tend to hear that they are awesome.

I think I could deal with a superstrat or post superstrat looking guitar. The weird thing is I like a bit of that floppy tone but also want more clarity. This is probably like the old cake bit. Doh.

liquidsmoke · January 30, 2012, 01:30:11 PM

I should elaborate more on the try before buying thing. A guitar even dropped down to D or C is still going to sound totally different at the store than it would at home through my rig set up with thick strings for A tuning. Same for pickups. This is partly why I try to do a lot of research before buying.

Mr. Foxen · January 30, 2012, 01:33:12 PM

The active pickups being compressed thing isn't really true. EMGs run at 9v can be compressed since they are underpowere and can take upp to 27v, although I've never tried more than 18, gives them headroom, but the extreme transparency isn't the same as the natural colour of a passive pickup so it has its won thing going on. Plus hotter output hits your preamp harder an that can compress, especially if you are one of those set all the knobs by eye to favourite settings before plugging in sort of guys.

Low frequencies are pretty much what you don't want from a guitar, guitar gear can't produce lows, and they just turn to mud, most of what you think is lows is low mids.

liquidsmoke · January 30, 2012, 01:57:34 PM

Quote from: Mr. Foxen on January 30, 2012, 01:33:12 PM
The active pickups being compressed thing isn't really true. EMGs run at 9v can be compressed since they are underpowere and can take upp to 27v, although I've never tried more than 18, gives them headroom, but the extreme transparency isn't the same as the natural colour of a passive pickup so it has its won thing going on. Plus hotter output hits your preamp harder an that can compress, especially if you are one of those set all the knobs by eye to favourite settings before plugging in sort of guys.

Low frequencies are pretty much what you don't want from a guitar, guitar gear can't produce lows, and they just turn to mud, most of what you think is lows is low mids.

Ah okay. Yeah low mids then.

Right now I'm thinking that instead of spending any more money on my $88 Epiphone I might upgrade to this although I wish it had individual volume and tone knobs for each pickup-

RG321MH

This is probably the wrong forum to post such a thing but I know some of you guys have or used to have similar guitars.

Pundan · January 31, 2012, 03:55:37 PM

Quote from: liquidsmoke on January 30, 2012, 01:57:34 PM
Quote from: Mr. Foxen on January 30, 2012, 01:33:12 PM
The active pickups being compressed thing isn't really true. EMGs run at 9v can be compressed since they are underpowere and can take upp to 27v, although I've never tried more than 18, gives them headroom, but the extreme transparency isn't the same as the natural colour of a passive pickup so it has its won thing going on. Plus hotter output hits your preamp harder an that can compress, especially if you are one of those set all the knobs by eye to favourite settings before plugging in sort of guys.

Low frequencies are pretty much what you don't want from a guitar, guitar gear can't produce lows, and they just turn to mud, most of what you think is lows is low mids.

Ah okay. Yeah low mids then.

Right now I'm thinking that instead of spending any more money on my $88 Epiphone I might upgrade to this although I wish it had individual volume and tone knobs for each pickup-

RG321MH

This is probably the wrong forum to post such a thing but I know some of you guys have or used to have similar guitars.

I have that very model and I've installed an EMG 85-81 set. Yeah I know... it was back in my Death Metal days

I've always had a love of the Ibanez necks though, very thin and easy to play fast shit on. I bought because of the fixed bridge and the jumbo frets.

liquidsmoke · February 01, 2012, 12:04:50 AM

Quote from: Pundan on January 31, 2012, 03:55:37 PM
I have that very model and I've installed an EMG 85-81 set. Yeah I know... it was back in my Death Metal days
I've always had a love of the Ibanez necks though, very thin and easy to play fast shit on. I bought because of the fixed bridge and the jumbo frets.

Do you think it's a quality guitar? My thinking is, longer scale than what I have now which would be better for tuning down to A and fixed bridge because I have no desire or need for a floyd. I need to go play one soon. A friend of mine has something very similar in a 7 string model but his action is so low that palm mutes sound dead. Somehow he doesn't notice.