What's the hottest most active-like Alnico passive pickup?

[Mincer]

I also want to throw in a suggestion to check out SD's new Jupiter 6-string model! I haven't had a chance to try mine out yet, but I'd wager it's a lot less "scratchy" and scooped compared to the Dimebucker.

I look forward to your Jupiter review. I haven't tried it yet!

[Top-L]

To the OP...


I recently tried a Dimarzio "D Activator-X", and its a hot, balanced pickup with a surprisingly nice top.

If you want something with the heat and heft of an EMG you should be looking at that pickup. Its ceramic.

The evolution is pretty hot, its ceramic, it has more character/agression than any EMG I've heard, BUT it doesn't have nearly the bass response. Its tight and focused in the middle and upper registers. It might be hard to get it to chug if you are into metal.

Almost all of the passive pickups have more mid character than active PUs, IME.

[Masta' C]

Forgot about those...the D-Activator "X" series are really good. Noticeably warmer and fuller than the non-X set. Both pickups are very hot, but expressive. According to my past discussions with DiMarzio, the "X" neck actually makes a really good bridge pickup!

[allstarrme]

I’m gonna go the other way bare knuckles Blackhawks, or the miracle man.

[EVOLVIST]

Does anyone know the EQ profile of the Slug? The Seymour Duncan site doesn't give the little graph of the lows, mids and highs. I get the impression from reviews and Youtube clips that the bass and mids are about even and the highs are a little above that? Would that be a fair assessment?

The El Diablo has a lot of mids, but that doesn't seem to be the case with the Slug.

[Rex_Rocker]

FWIW, in case anyone's interested, I ended up getting a Black Winter. Not Alnico, but I think my favorite passive is it tied with the JB!

[UnderTheFlame83]

The hottest passive pickups? DiMarzio X2N and D Activator. Really like both, but D Activators have more high end and sounds better clean.

[SirJackdeFuzz II]

Ever tried the Death Bucker ?

https://lacemusic.com/collections/7/products/alumitone-deathbucker

[SirJackdeFuzz II]

Right now I'm using the EMG 57 in my LTD and the EMG 85 in my PRS SE. My Ibanez RG570 has a Duncan Distortion which I like, but is not exactly what I want. It's missing the bite Alnico has, and instead, I feel it has a bunch of fizz... which is nice, but not exactly what I want right now. I tried swapping the magnet to an Alnico 5 to make it essentially a JB, but I feel this takes too much of a toll on the output, and it weakens it too much to compete with the EMG's. I fear swapping it to an Alnico 8 might make it too fat and bloated.

Wondering what are my options? I feel the Alternative 8 might be a tad too fat for what I want. I do want some active-like low-end rolloff. If the JB was perhaps a bit tighter and hotter, it would be perfect.

What should I look at? Suhr Aldrich, perhaps? Anything else?

This might help :

https://www.guitarworld.com/features/best-pickups-for-metal

[Rex_Rocker]

This might help :

https://www.guitarworld.com/features...kups-for-metal

I already got myself a Black Winter, thanks!

[Mincer]

The SLUG seems to have more mids than anything, which is to be expected on a pickup like that. It does sound great with true fuzz pedals, though.

[weepingminotaur]

FWIW, in case anyone's interested, I ended up getting a Black Winter. Not Alnico, but I think my favorite passive is it tied with the JB!

Yesss. Always the right choice IMO.