Active vs Passive

[Mosher Zone]

What's your thoughts on Active pickups?

I have had an EMG PA-2 in my Bc Rich strat with the JB/Hotrails combo for a few years & it works great for lead stuff so i thought my next step would going fully active. I recently had the Livewire Classic HSS set fitted in my Ibanez RG550 & i really like the sound but i had my first band rehearsal with them last night & initially i thought wow they sound massive but once we started playing i just didn't think they cut as well as passives. I still like them & it is good to have as many sound possibilities for recording but for live stuff i don't think I'll be putting actives in any of my other guitars.

[Franknfilms]

I had a similar experience. Loved my emgs, then I actually cranked up with a drummer. Actives out, passives in. The output is just too much for me, feedback was hard to control, they were too sensitive for me, I'm much sloppier when I'm playing in a live situation. ISP Decimators and what not can help, but I find that with my passives I cut through much better and can really control the feedback to my liking. I think with the appropriate rig and style of music actives would be preferred, they just didn't work for me.

[Mosher Zone]

I had a similar experience. Loved my emgs, then I actually cranked up with a drummer. Actives out, passives in. The output is just too much for me, feedback was hard to control, they were too sensitive for me, I'm much sloppier when I'm playing in a live situation. ISP Decimators and what not can help, but I find that with my passives I cut through much better and can really control the feedback to my liking. I think with the appropriate rig and style of music actives would be preferred, they just didn't work for me.

I didn't have any bother with feedback cause i use the Line 6 Uber Metal dirt pedal & it has a really good gate on it but they just don't seem to have the same punch as passives but like you say they seem to work for a lot of bands like Slayer, Metallica where they are pushing a tube amp but for me with a distortion pedal passives are better.

[metalmachine]

not many pups active or passive cut as good as the jb

[Mosher Zone]

not many pups active or passive cut as good as the jb

Yeah agreed but the Ibanez had a Distortion in it before & i felt it cut fine with it.

[El Supremo]

I didn't have any bother with feedback cause i use the Line 6 Uber Metal dirt pedal & it has a really good gate on it but they just don't seem to have the same punch as passives but like you say they seem to work for a lot of bands like Slayer, Metallica where they are pushing a tube amp but for me with a distortion pedal passives are better.

For distortion pedals I like medium output passives (like the Screaming Demon). Mostly using a guitar-cable-tube amp setup, so I mostly use high output passives
Played Emg 81/85 set for a long time in mahogany and poplar. Although the metal rhythm tones were great (tight, articulate and clean), I struggled getting a organic lead sound that inspired me. Cleans also left something to be desired when compared to passives.
When I play high gain rhythm or/and with a lot of effects, Emg worked well. I'm kinda back to a basic setup for now though and prefer passives for that approach.
Still have the Emg in my Flying V and love it when I play it, but the other guitars I'll keep passive.

[Mosher Zone]

For distortion pedals I like medium output passives (like the Screaming Demon). Mostly using a guitar-cable-tube amp setup, so I mostly use high output passives
Played Emg 81/85 set for a long time in mahogany and poplar. Although the metal rhythm tones were great (tight, articulate and clean), I struggled getting a organic lead sound that inspired me. Cleans also left something to be desired when compared to passives.
When I play high gain rhythm or/and with a lot of effects, Emg worked well. I'm kinda back to a basic setup for now though and prefer passives for that approach.
Still have the Emg in my Flying V and love it when I play it, but the other guitars I'll keep passive.

I pretty much agree with everything you said, even though i'm saying it didn't cut as well i did like the thickness of the sound but i also think lead stuff didn't stand out as much even with my boost. I think i would use this guitar on songs where i mostly play rythim & swap for ones with lead & cleans.