Duncan Passive Match for EMG 81/60

[skelt101]

Hi folks,
If I was looking for a passive match to the EMG 81/60 set from Seymour Duncan, what should I be check out? My first guess is Distortion/Jazz. Am I way off? Any other suggestions? Thanks in advance!

[jeremy]

thats a good combo for sure. it wont sound like the 81/60 setup for a variety of reasons but if you want a passive set of pups and like those emgs, its a fine choice.

[dave74]

Black Winter or Nazgul would get you the closest IMO. Black Winters would "feel" the closest.

[PFDarkside]

I was thinking Black Winter/Jazz. What is the Black Winter neck based on?

[Ascension]

You can't run a passive neck together with an active bridge. You would have to have separate jacks for each.
Now if you are looking for a tonal match with passives from Duncan I would say maybe a DD bridge and neck. I find the 81 in particular to be really bright and on the harsh side. The closest Passive set i can think of to a EMG 81/60 set would be a set of Kiesel Lithium's. Have EMG's in only one guitar but it's a 85 bridge H 60 A neck with A5 mags in both. .

[Mincer]

I'd go with a Jazz set. It would be a more dynamic, touch-sensitive version of the higher output pickups mentioned here.

[skelt101]

You can't run a passive neck together with an active bridge. You would have to have separate jacks for each.
Now if you are looking for a tonal match with passives from Duncan I would say maybe a DD bridge and neck. I find the 81 in particular to be really bright and on the harsh side. The closest Passive set i can think of to a EMG 81/60 set would be a set of Kiesel Lithium's. Have EMG's in only one guitar but it's a 85 bridge H 60 A neck with A5 mags in both. .

Not looking to run passive and active together. Just going for the tonal match. I'm trading in an ESP Eclipse with EMGs (it actually has the 81x/60x) for a Gibson Flying V. I'm not too sure I want to go through the hassle of trying to cram the active's pots/hardware in the V's control cavity. The distortion neck is an interesting suggestion, one I'm not familiar with. I hear good things about the newer Kiesel pickups, but they don't seem to be available without a guitar attached...

[skelt101]

I'd go with a Jazz set. It would be a more dynamic, touch-sensitive version of the higher output pickups mentioned here.

How does the Jazz hold up in the bridge under heavy distortion?

[dave74]

Yeah you want a high-output ceramic set with a very mid-forward EQ.
Distortion/Jazz would not be bad, but Black Winters were designed specifically for what you want.
You can also get blackened BW sets from Sweetwater among others. They are all black with hex-bolt poles.

[Ascension]

Not looking to run passive and active together. Just going for the tonal match. I'm trading in an ESP Eclipse with EMGs (it actually has the 81x/60x) for a Gibson Flying V. I'm not too sure I want to go through the hassle of trying to cram the active's pots/hardware in the V's control cavity. The distortion neck is an interesting suggestion, one I'm not familiar with. I hear good things about the newer Kiesel pickups, but they don't seem to be available without a guitar attached...

Got it. Dimarzio DeActivators may also be a good choice.
on the Kiesel pickups they are available direct but are pretty pricy. If you check Reverb you can normally find a set relatively cheap in particular the Lithiums some love them some hate them and for many Kiesel models they are the defaults so--.
Here is a DeActivator vs 81 comparison. Got a guitar with them that I pulled as just not what I needed for what i do but thought they sounded good for the really heavy stuff.

[Mincer]

How does the Jazz hold up in the bridge under heavy distortion?

They are very clear sounding. They don't get mushy like higher output pickups do.

[nexion218]

In my experience the Nazgul/Sentient is what youre looking for. A very focused neck pickup and a mid-heavy, extremely tight bottomed bridge. Based on output and mid-heaviness BW might work, but I think it is waaaay thicker (and much more versatile) than an EMG81.

[Rex_Rocker]

Hate to be the party pooper, but I'd say Black Winters are not much like the 81/60 combo. Yes, they're mid-forward for passives and attacky, but they've still got more of a wide passive EQ than the EMG's band-passed sound. Plus the Black Winter Bridge is considerably hotter than the 81, IME.

Honestly, I haven't found any passive that does what the active EMG's do. Not even their HZ line.

The Jazz is more of a departure even from the 60. To me, they're not even close by a mile, IME.

If you really have to go Duncan, Then yeah, my vote goes for the set of 'Winters. I love those pickups, but keep in mind, they're not gonna be all that close. JMO.

[Rex_Rocker]

I was thinking Black Winter/Jazz. What is the Black Winter neck based on?

Much like the bridge, I'd be willing to bet on the Distortion SH-6N.

[Dahla]

You can't run a passive neck together with an active bridge. You would have to have separate jacks for each.

True, but you *can* run active and passive together if you let go of the middle position. Two pickups, two volumes and a 2-way toggle switch that acts like an a/b to the output works.


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