What is IYO the tightest-sounding passive?

[Rex_Rocker]

Thought this would be an interesting topic. What has been the tightest, fastest-tracking passive pickup with the most controlled low-end response you've played?

I haven't found a passive that's as tight as the EMG 81. I don't think it's possible. Then again, tight is not always best, but I do enjoy the speed the 81 responds at, especially at lower tunings.

The DiMarzio Dominion has probably been the tightest, fastest passive I've tried, personally. It's dry, fast, clear, and tight almost to the point of thin. It shines (IMO) at lower tunings, but it can be very LOG-ish (slightly undergained and kinda thin) higher up.

The Black Winter is pretty tight, but the Dominion is tighter, IMO. Then again, the BW isn't as thin-sounding, which is a good thing in my Drop C (not uber-low) guitars.

I used to think the Duncan Distortion was very tight, but the BW is slightly tighter, and the Dominion is way tighter.

So what is you guys' experience?

 

[TVFV]

Re: What is IYO the tightest-sounding passive?

Oddly enough, a Jazz Bridge.

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

 

[Masta' C]

Re: What is IYO the tightest-sounding passive?

Easy...LACE Drop n' Gain

Admittedly, the tone/EQ isn't for everyone, but it's tight as a rubberband around your mangoods

Other tight pickups: Evolution/Evo2, Black Winter, 500XL/Dimebucker, D-Activators

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Re: What is IYO the tightest-sounding passive?

I'd love to try the Dimebucker.

What's the Drop 'n Gain like?

 

[Tone Meister]

Re: What is IYO the tightest-sounding passive?

Bill Lawrence L500XL (original or Wilde)

 

[Masta' C]

Re: What is IYO the tightest-sounding passive?

Oh, and forgot to mention the DiMarzio Titans. You already have experience with the Dominion, so I don't have to tell you about that one.

By sheer numbers, DiMarzio actually makes some of the "tightest" sounding pickups around. However, some of their designs can get a bit too stiff and/or sterile in my opinion, from a playing/inspiration perspective, although most of them record wonderfully.

Black Winter would be a top recommendation from Duncan, followed by the Dimebucker (i.e. L500XL). I hear good things about the Alpha/Omega set, but haven't tried them myself.

I tend to like something that balances fast tracking and low end articulation with a little more "give" and "bloom" in the overall sound and feel. Examples: Illuminators, Screamin' Demon, Custom, Full Shred, etc. But I'm generally not tuning down more than a full step, so needs will differ.

"tightness", "tracking", "stiff", "give", "bloom"...all the technical terms that really clarify matters

EDIT: The only guitar I currently have tuned to C actually has EMG 81/60...LOL!

 

[Silence Kid]

Re: What is IYO the tightest-sounding passive?

Oddly enough, a Jazz Bridge.

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

Funny - I've described the Demon as a 'tighter Jazz bridge.' But my knowledge is not encyclopedic enough to answer the original question.

 

[Masta' C]

Re: What is IYO the tightest-sounding passive?

I've described the Demon as a 'tighter Jazz bridge.'

I totally agree with this. One thing I like about the Demon myself is that chunky yet clear bottom end, along with the definition that the slight scoop in the mids gives it and all the chime and bloom toward the high end. Of course, it doesn't really have the compression that many notably "tight" sounding pickups do. It's more classic and "organic" sounding compared to a lot of the more "modern" style pickups mentioned here. Same with the regular "Jazz Bridge".
Really depends on what a player is after...

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Re: What is IYO the tightest-sounding passive?

"Bloom" isn't exactly the word I'd use to describe what the Black Winter gives me, but I do agree about finding a good middle ground between tightness/clarity and dirt/old-school-ness for me.

That's why I dig the Black Winter better than the Dominion, TBH. It can be tight when necessary, but it's still got that Distortion-like rasp and juice that can get it really dirty-sounding. Then again, I do agree that it leans a bit more towards the modern side of things when it comes to its voicing.

 

[VinceT]

Re: What is IYO the tightest-sounding passive?

Railhammer Chisel/Anvil combo that came in my old Reverend Bayonet - so much so that I had to swap them out for something a little more forgiving!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[TVFV]

Re: What is IYO the tightest-sounding passive?

Funny - I've described the Demon as a 'tighter Jazz bridge.' But my knowledge is not encyclopedic enough to answer the original question.

I was just going off personal experience myself. I imagine there's not that much difference between the two expect the Demon being slightly hotter.

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

 

[Thundermtn]

Re: What is IYO the tightest-sounding passive?

I have an old original DiMarzio Evolution, it's the tightest I've played but I'm not as widely versed as some of the other posters in this thread, esp. with higher and brighter output stuff.

 

[EDX]

Re: What is IYO the tightest-sounding passive?

high output i'm yet to hear something that can produce a bigger thump while still being tight than the dimebucker, as tight as it is it can really give the thump and boom, there are tighter pickups once you go below B but none have as much boom.

for low output i can't point anything other than the pearly gates, great articulation, response, boom and fast bass but unforgiving.

 

[Toejam]

Re: What is IYO the tightest-sounding passive?

X2N

 

[freefrog]

Re: What is IYO the tightest-sounding passive?

I haven't found a passive that's as tight as the EMG 81. I don't think it's possible.

If memory serves me, each coil of the EMG81 is in series with a capacitor acting like a high pass filter. On this basis, it seems possible to approximate its response with a series cap + a passive pickup with the same kind of "differential" architecture (like some DiMarzio "Dual Resonance" models) and a comparable inductance/stray capacitance...

More later maybe. FWIW (my 2 cents).

 

[bloughlin16]

Re: What is IYO the tightest-sounding passive?

I would agree that the EMG 81 is overall the tightest-sounding pickup I've ever played. The Alpha/Omega set (which I have in both of my main guitars), Dimarzio Titans, and Black Winters aren't far behind, though. Oh, and the BKP Juggernauts, but I don't have quite as much experience with those.

 

[Jack_TriPpEr]

Re: What is IYO the tightest-sounding passive?

high output i'm yet to hear something that can produce a bigger thump while still being tight than the dimebucker, as tight as it is it can really give the thump and boom, there are tighter pickups once you go below B but none have as much boom.

for low output i can't point anything other than the pearly gates, great articulation, response, boom and fast bass but unforgiving.

Interesting that you mention "boom" as a characteristic of "tightness". Tightness (to me), means that the low end part of the tone is very focused around a narrow band of the low end frequencies, and the low end part of the tone output doesnt dominate/crowd out the mids and highs.
Whenever i have experienced boom, it has crowded out the mids and highs. So to me boom is not a characteristic of a "tight" sound. But maybe my concept of what "tight" means, is not quite correct (?)

 

[EDX]

Re: What is IYO the tightest-sounding passive?

oh of course boom and thump isn't what you would typically asociate with a tight pickup, but the 2 i mentioned ain't typicall pickups, the dimebucker has so much end that it will twang even on a huge mahogany slab such as an explorer...

 

[dave74]

Re: What is IYO the tightest-sounding passive?

Interesting that you mention "boom" as a characteristic of "tightness". Tightness (to me), means that the low end part of the tone is very focused around a narrow band of the low end frequencies, and the low end part of the tone output doesnt dominate/crowd out the mids and highs.
Whenever i have experienced boom, it has crowded out the mids and highs. So to me boom is not a characteristic of a "tight" sound. But maybe my concept of what "tight" means, is not quite correct (?)

Thump was more what he was saying I'm sure,,, having hit the dime myself in a few totally different guitars.
It thumps in the higher bass, and thunks in the lower mids, then scoops in the center-upper midrange.
Great (not harsh) treble and sparkle in the right guitar

edit: and yes, it's very tight and fast while not being so neutered in the lows, like many of today's "modern" designs

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Re: What is IYO the tightest-sounding passive?

Man, this thread isn't helping my GAS for a Dimebucker.