Passives v. Actives??? Which do you prefer... EMG, Blackouts, Duncans?

[Gibsonmac]

So I'm just curious what people prefer here in Jackson-land??? Do you like active or passive pickups? If actives, then which do you like... EMG's, EMG-X's, Blackouts... If passives, then which... SD JB/Custom/Invader/etc, Dimarzio, Barenuckles... What's your flavor??

Just a basic 'poll the forum' to get a consensus of what Jackson players like/prefer to use... Thanks guys, this should be interesting!!

[Frigo89]

As far as Actives go, I'm a Duncan Blackout guy.

But, I prefer passives, Duncan Distortion for the win!

[markD]

i prefer passive pickups. my favs are dimarzio PAF pro, or SD custom/custom pickups. i also enjoy the SD custom and custom 5.

i have a jackson dinky with EMG's, an 85 in the bridge and an SA in the neck. i NEVER play it. it sounds very life-less. it lacks "soul" as far as i am concerned.

i have a hamer diablo with SD blackouts. i REALLY hate those pickups - too much extra "sizzle" to the sound. i won't even call it tone....again, the guitar lacks "soul".

[wilkinsi]

Passives: Dimarzio's. Got a pair of Evolutions. I may get a pair of Distortions soon.

[rattlehead74]

My SD jb & 59 kill my emgs, more full sounding / better low end.

[Larz]

Is this for the custom shop you're designing?

I prefer the passives, several in the Duncan line.

[Spiderman]

I like both equally.
In my guitars with actives I like EMG 81 in the bridge / EMG 85 in the neck.
For passives I have/prefer Duncan Custom (my fav passive), Duncan Custom/Custom, and Duncan JB.

[Acesofbelkan]

Passives all the way. I havent tried blackouts but speaking from having EMGs I like seymour duncan passives ALOT more. It doesnt sound as compressed. It feels more personal rather than stale actives. Besides, I know looks doesnt matter sound/playability-wise but I hate hot emgs look like blocks. I like the look of open coil pickups

[loki: god of chaos]

Anybody like or used Rockfield pickups?

i used to have a pair of mafias in one of my bc riches before i sold it. i liked em

[Gibsonmac]

Is this for the custom shop you're designing?

I prefer the passives, several in the Duncan line.

yeah, can't decide between EMG 81x/85x and SD Custom/Jazz... I know I can always switch later on, but If I go EMG's I want a battery compartment, so that's kinda a permanent commitment...

I like both EMG's and passives, for different reasons... I really like the thick organic, ballsy tone and sweetness you can get from passives in the right guitar, and I like the clarity and chunk of EMG's, but (to me at least) it seems like the EMG's kinda negate the tone of the guitar and always sound like EMG's no matter what you put them in. So, I don't know

[MNash87]

I used to be a passive guy for years mainly because I couldn't afford EMG's (back when I was poor starving musician, lol). Now that I've been using EMG's for the last two years, I like the live sound I get from my LP Custom with EMG's and my Demmel, but for recording, I just used a KE5FR (loaner from Jackson until my KE2 gets here this week) on a rhythm track and a solo track last night. Gotta tell you, it convinced me to go back to passives on all but my LP. Bigger, fatter tone, more personal sounding, more organic, just better all around. I do like EMG's, but those tracks sound massive with that KE5FR which has a JB and Jazz in it. I used to use JB's for years, but now I lean more toward the Duncan Distortion, which is what I have in my RR5. When my KE2 gets here, I'm putting a Duncan Distortion in it.

[jcs21]

EMG 81

duncan distortion if I use any passives

[Hellbat]

For my "brootal" tones I like the use my model 5 with blackouts. They make 2 and 3 note power chords sound massive and the neck position sings quite nicely. They have ridiculous amounts of output though so you have to run the amp gain pretty low if you aren't going for "EXTREME!!!!"

For cutting through lead type stuff and for more organic or classic tones my RR1T with Duncan Custom in the bridge is what I grab. I use the jazz in the neck for 95% of my clean stuff. It sounds amazing through a Fender or AC30 type amp right on the edge of break up. You can really get killer dynamics out of it with varying pick attack.

I might sound wierd to say or look wierd to see but my RR1T is a killer electric blues machine.

I also have a project guitar that I'm waiting for a P-Rails in white to come in to give me the different single coil sounds for clean chordy stuff.

[RJF]

It depends on the guitar........

As far as actives go I prefer an 81/85 combo, really good clarity and massive pick crunch that 95% of passives can't do. I interpret the "sterile" sound more a "neutral" sound and with hi gain metal, it's perfect. I wan't my amp to color the sound, not necessarily much from the guitar.

I also use the SD Blackouts, great neck pickup that is better than an 85 or 60, but I dislike how gainy they are. They are not a clear pickup and have a ton of "sizzle." I have one pair left in my BC Rich that has Mahogany wings and they sound good there, but too muddy in an alder guitar for me.

On the Passive side my favorite is a Motor City Solution. Just like an EMG 81 but a 'tad clearer and is not neutral, it has it's own tone to it. The solution has the best top end I've ever heard from anything.

I also really like The SD TB4 JB in a Mahogany or Korina guitar. Very crunchy pickup and the top end is almost as good as the MCP Solution. But, like the Blackouts, I don't like it in a guitar with a Maple/Alder combo.

If I was building a Custom Shop like you, I'd use a full mahogany or Korina body/neck with a JB/59 combo or MCP Solution combo. With any other wood I'd go with EMG's. For metal you can't beat the clear, crunchy, uncolored sound from them.

[fatstrat]

Dimarzio tone zone bridge and dimarzio paf anniversary in the neck. for duncans i like the distortion with a treble bleed on the tone pot. EMG'S are great if you have a guitar that sounds like shit no matter what, and you want to save it.