Active pickups: still underrated...

Active pickups have been around for a while. Most famous ones are from EMG and Seymour Duncan. They are traditionally used for the heavier stuff.

First, it seemed to be a novelty, something that would pass. You have to admit: A guitar where you have to put a battery in the back before you can play... it does sound like a toy. I also was very sceptic about active pickups.


In my recollection, at first active pickups were mostly used in bass guitars. Active pickups are basically regular pickups with a pre-amp and equalizer. So they resolve a couple of problems conpared to passive pickups: They have a higher output compared to passive pickups - which makes that they are less subject to losses in e.g. cables - and they don't have the tone flattening of overwound pickups.

Sounds like a perfect match, right? I agree. Only disadvantage is that you have to drag a 9v battery along and no battery, no sound!

When applied in a guitar, they have the same effect. Given the fact that metal and hard rock style guitarists often require high output sound but with sufficient crispiness, it logical that they were the first adepts. That's were the stigmata from 'only' being used to play that kind of music came from.

A couple of years ago, I decided to give them a try. I got a Cort Zenox Z22 that really had bad pickups (typically overwound passive pickups). After researching the web a bit and different music stores, I decided on the Zakk Wylde signature set.


It has the EMG classic 81/85 set, fully delivered with all pots, jack connector and solderless wiring kit. Perfect for and unexperienced mod artist. Although there are alot of wires, if you pay a bit of attention it's quickly installed. Only thing you need is a 9V battery and your off.

I have to admit... I was blown away. Te clean sound was incredible. Just put the volume just a bit further that half way and fiddle a bit with the tone pot and you really got an amazing clean sound! Even distorted you can have a wide range of sounds: from clean with a small crackling to the heavy stuff!

If you never tried active pickups before, just give them a try. Once my piggy bank allows it, I'm sure going to try out the Seymour Duncans Blackouts. But I guess I'll need to save a bit more first... Because they are expensive!

Bottomline: if you have a chance to try out active pickups, let me know what you think about them!

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