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I really didn't like the JB/'59 combo in my Pro-Mod San Dimas, so I replaced them. Rather than splashing out on a set of EMGs I decided to go for a pair of Irongear Metal Machines - they're supposed to have a tight bottom-end and be comparable to actives, so for a third of the price I thought it was worth a go. Very impressed with them - they look great:
And soundwise, they're really not that far off. I recorded a very quick and dirty comparison between them and the active pickups in my Strat:
They don't have quite as much clarity and bite as the actives, but certainly in a live situation I don't think anyone would notice. Several people have listened to that clip and asked how the other guitar sounds: the Charvel starts, then the Strat takes over at about 31 seconds.
And soundwise, they're really not that far off. I recorded a very quick and dirty comparison between them and the active pickups in my Strat:
They don't have quite as much clarity and bite as the actives, but certainly in a live situation I don't think anyone would notice. Several people have listened to that clip and asked how the other guitar sounds: the Charvel starts, then the Strat takes over at about 31 seconds.