LiveWires and guitar construction.

[ArtieToo]

The talk of active pickups has got me to wondering:

Does the use of actives minimize the impact of other aspects of guitar construction? Body wood, bridge type, etc. Do all the same considerations still hold true?

Thanks all.

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: LiveWires and guitar construction.

I'm still a little up in the air as to where I stand on this issue, but the only thing I will commit to is that you get more sustain with actives. In the same guitar, EMGs (especially that 85 in the neck) sing way longer than anything.

[ArtieToo]

Re: LiveWires and guitar construction.

That makes some sense. I believe that actives have smaller magnets, so there would be less string-pull. But I'm not positive about that.

I wonder about everything else, though. For example, would there be a big difference between a mahogany and plywood body with actives?

[some_dude]

Re: LiveWires and guitar construction.

I wonder about everything else, though. For example, would there be a big difference between a mahogany and plywood body with actives?

I think that actives (EMG in this case) impart their own tone, but that it's no different than what a Duncan, DiMarzio or any other active/passive pickup would do.....if they didn't, we wouldn't be buying them, or arguing over this one vs that one all the time.

I also feel that guitar materials are just as important to actives as they are to passives. Just because you have an active system, doesn't mean that your plywood an filler guitar with unlevel frets is going to sound like a Gibson, and the overall tone imparted to vibration of the axe by virtue of different tone-woods, nut materials, and bridge make/type isn't going to change simply because of a preamp.

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: LiveWires and guitar construction.

Very well said.