Active Or Passive? That Is The Question

[usmc50bmgsniper92]

I'm kinda lost on the active and passive pick ups and don't know which to get for my js-30. what are the benifits of each? and what set up should i go with? i was thinking about the emg 81/85 setup or some duncans.

[jcm800x]

I'm a Dimarzio guy but many here like the EMGs. I would put a Super III in that sucker, basically a Super Distortion with a treble cut.

[ozzuk1]

In a guitarwith cheaper woods which may not sound as good as soemthing with a more selected tonewood, not taht anyone truely knows if wood will sound good till it's strung up and plugged in...

The EMG's will probably be better in that guitar as they won't rely as much on the wood to make the sound, due to the design of emg's active pickups...

I would however reccomend the EMG 85/60A combo 85 in the brigde and 60a in the neck...

Too many people put the 81 in the bridge or you could use the 85 in the bridge and 81 in the neck......

Passive's like duncans or dimarzio, bareknuckle ETC... will rely on the wood much more, but then again if your getting fairly high output pickups and sing high gain your not going to hear as much of the tone from the wood...

My vote is for the 85/60 or 85b/81n...

or passive ducnan fullshred bridge jazz neck... Dimarzio steves special bridge or evo2 and a PAF Pro in the neck...

[jtr]

I like EMG 89 or 85 and they do sound different in each guitar.

[Sunbane]

The EMG's will probably be better in that guitar as they won't rely as much on the wood to make the sound, due to the design of emg's active pickups...

Sorry, but that is myth and total BS.

NO electromagnetic guitar pickups "rely on wood to make the sound" - neither passives or actives. Both rely on metal strings moving through their magnetic field to produce sound. The wood just influences the tone by affecting string vibration.

Also, if you have a guitar that sounds like shit with other quality pickups, EMGs will not "save" it. I know this from personal experience.