active pickups - good or bad

stevie vai hendrix · #1 11-13-2001, 04:41 PM

what is active pickup?
what the difference from regular pickups?
i know that steve used Charvel guitars before the jems
and this is guitar with active pickups

alon.

kennydoe · #2 11-13-2001, 09:55 PM

Without getting into the mechanics of active vs. passive, I will tell you the opinion of my ears.

Active pickups in guitars sound very cold to me. *Lacking in body and very high-endy.

Probably fine for certain types of fast 'chunka-chunka-chunka' music (using the word 'msic' loosely), but for any kind of melodic soloing, *BLECH*

~Kenny

Pryde7 · #3 11-14-2001, 01:54 AM

kenny, that was a bit liberal, imho

steve lukather doesn't like you anymore :glare:

heheh :biggrin:

it all depends on what sound you prefer, i guess and it also depends on your gear too. the only way to find out is to try em out!

nuno · #4 11-14-2001, 04:26 AM

Right Pryde7,
also Mark Knopfler and Zakk Wylde don't have quite a cold sound, IMHO.
It all depends on what gear/fx/amps you're going to run thru.

Active pick-ups have a more brilliant and bright sound, have more sustain, are more silent and are more likely to be processed with effects.
Passive pick-ups are more warm, more human, more crunchy and have more tone consistency, IMHO.
Just try them both.

(my $0.00001)
nuno

WMerkert · #5 11-14-2001, 05:24 AM

For my ears they sound *sterile.
just my $0.01

kennydoe · #6 11-14-2001, 09:14 AM

Let me say this about 'Luke'.

Los Lobotomys "Candyman" is one of my favorite CDs of all time.

Great songs, no filler, musicianship is off the scale. *But his tone is HORRENDOUS! *

Listen to his version of Red House and Song for Jeff off that CD and you'll hear that the EMGs RUIN those tracks.

~K

maxax · #7 11-15-2001, 08:03 PM

And....to try to actually answer...what is the difference...beyond the sound....this is a rather simplified description for you...but Active pickups have a power source.....Passive don't....i.e., active pickups are driven by a battery...passive have no battery. *Now then I could expound and go into magnetic fields, coils, and how they can generate an electric current...but let's just keep it simple....Active use a battery...passive no battery. *Most pickups in guitars are passive.

(Edited by maxax at 8:04 pm on Nov. 15, 2001)

anuj · #8 11-15-2001, 08:17 PM

so you're saying dave gilmour's tone is sterile?

EMG-SAs w/ active tone circuitry too.

~A

nuno · #9 11-16-2001, 08:16 AM

And Zakk Wylde one?

kennydoe · #10 11-16-2001, 10:01 AM

Quote:

anuj on 7:17 pm on Nov. 15, 2001
so you're saying dave gilmour's tone is sterile?

~A

Let's bne honest - most of DG's best stuff was done on a plain ole Strat with passive coils. * I think he also plays thru a Fender Bassman, which adds some of the warmth back - I think Stevie Ray did that too.
~K

RSVampire · #11 11-16-2001, 02:27 PM

I thought Gilmore was *using Lace Sensors from fender on his strat..and only lately too....

anuj · #12 11-17-2001, 12:00 AM

actually, he's been using 'em since about '84

all of pulse was active.. and DAMN that sounds good.

~A

RSVampire · #13 11-17-2001, 04:28 AM

some people get good tone....some don't....that's all it really comes down too....

stevie vai hendrix · #14 11-17-2001, 01:23 PM

and what do u say on the Charvel?
is it like the jems?

adrianfoden · #15 11-18-2001, 01:25 PM

Quote:

and what do u say on the Charvel?
is it like the jems?

Here I can comment, owning 2 Jems and 1 Charvel.

My Charvel is a late 1980's Model 5, through neck, 2x Active HB's equiped with a Kahler trem.

Simply comparing playability well for me, they're very much alike, the Jems are closer to the Charvel than many other instruments I've played.

The Charvel has greater sustain, something I've always attributed to the through-neck. The tone *is* certainly more clinical. My guitar has a third tone knob that dials-in some low end rumble / dirt and provides some extra character and for lead work it's something I really do like.

Tone-wise though the Jems are out in front - by a long way. The combination, configuration and flexibility of the Jems pickups delivers far far more tonal possibilities.

If you are looking for a charvel , pick wisely, there are an awful lot about that are poor. Certainly with a Jem you get consistently higher quality - if you're not an experienced purchaser I'd suspect that you are much more likely to be satisfied with a Jem than a Charvel.

Just 'cos it's a Charvel of course doesn't mean it'll be active - only a couple of the high end models were shippped with active electronics.... so pick wisely and get the right Charvel and you should pick up a great guitar for very little money!