Recommend me a passive bridge pickup
- Thread starter Ericlingus
- Start date
- Oct 31, 2006
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- Oct 31, 2006
- 1,375
- 2
- 38
After some more research it seems like the Dimarzio D Activators are the way to go. Not expensive, readily available, and are supposed to have the active sound. I'm just not quite sure the difference between the D activator and the D activator X. The D also has caught my eye. What is DC resistance? Is that how much output the pickups have? Is that something that I should really take into consideration? The D activator has 11.41 DC resistance and the D activator has 14.51.
D Activator X is supposed to be a blend of the D Activator and X2N or something like that... I'd go with the DA over the DAX for now, if you want to try the other one they have that lovely 30-day exchange policy.
Jeff
Jeff
- Oct 31, 2006
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yeah that's true. Installing that pickup should be much easier than the EMG right? No pots and output jacks to install. Should be pretty straight forward even for the coil split? I can wire the pickup to be coil split via the push/pull tone knob right? Is that harder to deal with than just installing it without any coil split?
You're just replacing wires directly. You can split coils with the push/pull. All you'll need to do is look up the wiring diagrams for SD and DiMarzio pickups to see what wires go where.
Jeff
Jeff
- Oct 31, 2006
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well today is the day I plan on ordering a pickup. I just returned the EMG today. I'm thinking of either getting the D Activator, the M6 by Lundgren or the Higher Z pickup by Q tune. The latter two or more than double the price of the D Activator though. The Q tune takes about 4 weeks from the time I order until the time it arrives which is something I really don't want to do. The M6 seems to be what i'm looking for but it's just so damn expensive. Any M6(or 7 or 8) user here? Have anything to say about them? Hmm okay, now I just narrowed it down to two. The Q tune takes too long for it to arrive. Okay so M6 or D activator. Ahh i'm excited/frustrated.
- Oct 31, 2006
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where exactly do I measure to see what spacing I have? From the highest string to the lowest or by the saddle slots? When I went that route it measured between 2inches and a tad more than 2 inches. The fact that I have thick strings would change the spacing i'd imagine right? I have a 64 gauge for my low B(my guitar is a schecter c1xxx tuned to a baritone)and a 13 for my high B. According to the dimarzio site 2.1 inches is F spaced. I am a little confused because I thought the TOM bridges are regular spaced. The site did say to go for the F spaced if you were unsure.
- Oct 31, 2006
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Well I went ahead and got the D Activator F spaced pickup. Just placed the order at zzounds. I can't wait till it gets here. Thanks for all your help guys. I still am interested in that M6 or Q tune pickup, maybe someday when I have more money.
MetallyGuitarded
He whom thou art not
I don't get the why you're having a problem wiring the EMG and passive pickups together. I've said it before, I used an EMG 81 and a passive humbucker in a guitar for years. See said fiddle here
This guitar sounded totally awesome. I wired it just like you would a passive setup except I removed the ground to the bridge. Then I just wired the EMG in like it's supposed to be. The only thing tricky about any of it is figuring out the color-codes on passives and wiring them right and and making sure you wire the output jack right. I never had issues with buzz/hum/feedback or anything with that guitar and I used it live with the rig pictured at the top of that page http://www.metallyguitarded.com/gear.htm except with a 4x12. I'd suggest, if you know how to solder either style of pickup, just wire the passive the way you want. Then add the EMG which means, ground it, wire it to the switch/knob, add the wire from the jack to the battery clip.
BTW - In all my years using EMG's I used regular 500k pots. The only difference I neoticed between those and the stock 250k's was a little more gain and presence. Something easily dialed down on your amp if so inclined.
BTW - In all my years using EMG's I used regular 500k pots. The only difference I neoticed between those and the stock 250k's was a little more gain and presence. Something easily dialed down on your amp if so inclined.
Stocks are actually 25K, the reason for that is actually impedance-related if I'm not mistaken, although I'll probably find out why sometime soon.
Jeff
Jeff
- Oct 31, 2006
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Well either way i'm now waiting for my d activators to arrive. I'll see how they sound. I have a feeling it may take some time to find the perfect pickup for me. Anyways here of the Jon Schaffer Icebucker pickup? I forget what company makes it but if you go to icedearth.com there is a link to the site. It's expensive like the lundgrens though.
I've been thinking about those D Activators too for awhile. Let me know how they go for you when you get them.
Josh Burgess
Member
Last I checked the Lundgrens were $200 per pickup. I'm in the US and I payed $400 shipped for 3 pickups (2 humbuckers and a single coil) from Bare Knuckle Pickups... so if you're just wanting a bridge pickup I'd guess it's in the $150-$180 area... cheaper than the Lundgrens, and you can tell them exactly the kind of sound you are looking for and which guitar you want it to go in, and they will wind it for you. They also come with a lifetime guarantee. Expensive, but awesome service and very much worth it if you get exactly what you want...
I have a customized set based on the Ceramic Warpig bridge humbucker/Trilogy Suite middle single coil/Alnico Warpig neck humbucker.
Skyweaver
Shred or Die !
- Oct 31, 2006
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Well they arrived the other day and I installed them. So far I like them. Tighter than my JB rip offs I had. I can especially hear more clarity in my palm mutes. It sounds good clean too. I'm thinking about trying the D Activator X's as well.
Red Phoenix
Member
Hey,
i mainly play a PRS SE Akerfeldt (Mahogany) with a stock PRS Designed SE HFS Treble in the Bridge.
It sounds great. But when i swap to my LTD F-Model with emg pickups i notice that the prs is not really tight and harmonics don't scream that good. The LTd with emgs has "more tone" and sounds fuller but has a shitty lifeless undynamic and non-3D sound. So now i'm looking for a pup which gives me the best of both and improve my PRS tone. I want a passive pup which should give the ful and tight sound like an emg but got all other postitive things from passive ones.
I would prefer to order ~10 pups and try them all but that's not affordable.
As additional information..i play gojira style music in Drop A# ..i love mids and don't want a super harsh and scooped sounding guitar. And i use a Peavey 5150 with TS.
I like the sounds from Red Seas Fire but Bare Knuckles are a bit expensive (i probably will change the neck pickup too) and i have a different guitar so that's no starting point. Probably i will find a pup under the ones from Seymour Duncan or Dimarzio? Which one could be suitable for my taste? Never played any of them but i read here that the D-Activator is an emg alternative..new experiences to this since 2008? I need some comparisons between some duncans and Dimarzios playing Death Metal...
mixed and mastered greets
i mainly play a PRS SE Akerfeldt (Mahogany) with a stock PRS Designed SE HFS Treble in the Bridge.
It sounds great. But when i swap to my LTD F-Model with emg pickups i notice that the prs is not really tight and harmonics don't scream that good. The LTd with emgs has "more tone" and sounds fuller but has a shitty lifeless undynamic and non-3D sound. So now i'm looking for a pup which gives me the best of both and improve my PRS tone. I want a passive pup which should give the ful and tight sound like an emg but got all other postitive things from passive ones.
I would prefer to order ~10 pups and try them all but that's not affordable.
As additional information..i play gojira style music in Drop A# ..i love mids and don't want a super harsh and scooped sounding guitar. And i use a Peavey 5150 with TS.
I like the sounds from Red Seas Fire but Bare Knuckles are a bit expensive (i probably will change the neck pickup too) and i have a different guitar so that's no starting point. Probably i will find a pup under the ones from Seymour Duncan or Dimarzio? Which one could be suitable for my taste? Never played any of them but i read here that the D-Activator is an emg alternative..new experiences to this since 2008? I need some comparisons between some duncans and Dimarzios playing Death Metal...
mixed and mastered greets
Trevoire520
Member
If you like your EMG's but wnt more dynamic's then try the 18v mod. Get's rid of the internal clipping in EMG's and massively improves dynamics.
