Re: What Active Pickups?
Benjy..
Thank you so much, but I'm not really familiar with that set of pups. Can you point me toward the URL for them or somewhere where I can learn more? Are they really high output, or can I use my volume control to clean them up, etc, like I can with non active / passive pups? Does Duncan make them already wired, or do you know where I can buy them as such?
Thanks a million..
Tim
I don't know the URL, but they are on EMG's site. They're Gilmour's signature set, which should give you an idea of their tone.
To me, the pickups themselves seem like sligtly overwound traditional strat pickups. They're a bit rounder and have more mids than, say, an APS-1, but they are not hot by any standards.
Where they get their punch though is in the on board electronics. Instead of having a volume and two tones, you get a volume, an EXG, and a SPC control. Both those controls are active boosts that let you get a ton of different tones. The EXG control boosts highs and lows. The SPC gives a bump to the high mids.
In real world use, I can get a tele like bridge tone by blending in a bit of SPC and EXG to the bridge pickup, get one of the best quack tones ever from position 4 and a bit of SPC, scooped metal-style chug from the bridge unit with the EXG dimed, and an articulate, toothy solo tone with the SPC and the neck pickup.
As far as rolling down to clean up, this is the best set I've used, as you lose no sparkle or punch when rolling down like you do with passives.
As far as which active 'bucker to match with SA's, the 89 would be it, as it is basically an SA when split and an 85 in full 'bucker mode.
