Is there a preferred passive recording pickup?

The Lundgrens kinda feel like EMG's in that they lack personality.
I disagree. I have Lundgrens in a guitar and while have some EMG characteristics, these pickups have a very distinct sound from anything else I've heard. I've never heard a "chinky" high-end quite like the Lundgrens.
 
I disagree. I have Lundgrens in a guitar and while have some EMG characteristics, these pickups have a very distinct sound from anything else I've heard. I've never heard a "chinky" high-end quite like the Lundgrens.

You have Lundgrens and you want something better? I mean for this type of music that's about as good as it gets.
 
I like my Lundgren M7's and M8's the most from everything I've had. Duncan Jazz is cool in the neck, as I like my neck pickups rather bright; JB is probably the best "standard" bridge pickup I've installed in any of my guitars. Didn't like the Custom though I've only tried the 7-string version, it was just scooped and fizzy. I haven't yet tried BKP's but would like to.

The only Dimarzio I've had and liked was the Evo 7 in my old RG7421.
 
You have Lundgrens and you want something better? I mean for this type of music that's about as good as it gets.
Lundgrens have a particular sound, and I would like something more traditional or 'normal' sounding for a new guitar. I ordered a Duncan Distortion. It sounds best in Keith's and Ola's comparisons, so seems like a great starting point. Lundgrens are also way too expensive to be considering anything close to a standard for recording.
 
yay for uniformity.

If it's for a "studio" guitar, then I understand asking for a uniform solution. If not, go on a quest for something that You like.
 
Getting an SH-5 put into the Ibanez SZ320. Quite keen to hear how it ends up sounding. If all goes well it'll end up as my in-house 'metalcore' guitar.

Have had success with a '59 in the bridge of an SZ320MH before for metal... believe it or not.
 
Getting an SH-5 put into the Ibanez SZ320. Quite keen to hear how it ends up sounding. If all goes well it'll end up as my in-house 'metalcore' guitar.

Have had success with a '59 in the bridge of an SZ320MH before for metal... believe it or not.

+1 on the '59 in the bridge. I have one in my Les Paul and it's worked great going into some of the hi-gain amps I've played through..especially the XXX.
 
yay for uniformity.

If it's for a "studio" guitar, then I understand asking for a uniform solution. If not, go on a quest for something that You like.
Yeah, it's for a "studio" guitar. I mostly play 7/8 strings and have a small collection of high-end guitars with contrasting characters. But, I needed a 6-string around for general metal/hard rock uses that doesn't have such a particular sound, and I could tune however I need for new projects and ideas.
 
Lundgrens have a particular sound, and I would like something more traditional or 'normal' sounding for a new guitar. I ordered a Duncan Distortion. It sounds best in Keith's and Ola's comparisons, so seems like a great starting point. Lundgrens are also way too expensive to be considering anything close to a standard for recording.

If you want something normal and traditional I don't know if the Duncan Distortion is that. What's normal and traditional for one genre isn't normal for another. There's tons of popular combinations

D-Activators
JB/59
JB/Jazz
500t/496r
Burstbuckers
498t/490r

All those are probably a bit more "standard" than a Distortion.
 
Finally installed Distortion+'59 combo in my COW7 a month ago...certainly one of a few really good decisions I've made in my life so far.
 
Finally installed Distortion+'59 combo in my COW7 a month ago...certainly one of a few really good decisions I've made in my life so far.
I got this combination in the mail today. I bought used, and it looks like the previous owner drilled the pickups for direct mounting and failed to mention it, so I've got to work around that. It's going in a PRS SE baritone with mahogany body.
 
My guitar is made of mahogany too. Had to route out the cavity for '59 in it, since it originally came just with one humbacker, and I didn't regret it. I can't overstate how pleased I am with these pickups. Clean is gorgeous, distortion too...really cool.
 
Duncan Alt 8 if you want that EMG tightness without going active.
Other than that I like Duncan JB/59 combo. Duncan Custom and Bareknuckle Nailbomb (ceramic) are really nice too.

Getting an SH-5 put into the Ibanez SZ320. Quite keen to hear how it ends up sounding. If all goes well it'll end up as my in-house 'metalcore' guitar.

Have had success with a '59 in the bridge of an SZ320MH before for metal... believe it or not.

59 for metal huh? Got clips?