Difference between passive and active??

[elenore19]

So I'm looking into a new guitar and I realized that it has Active pickups. I'm almost positive that my guitar right now has passive pickups, but I'm not sure how to tell.

What is the difference between the two?


Thanks!


-Elliot

 

[Zaphod B]

Active pickups require a 9-volt battery.

If your guitar doesn't have a battery, it has passive pickups.

 

[metalhead28]

If it has actives, it will sound like shit.

(just kidding)

(not really)

(okay maybe I'm kidding)

 

[GONZO-X]

passive = smooth natural tone

active = harsh sterile tone.

YMMV

JMHO



i had emg SA's in a custom strat, for several years.
i finally pulled them out, put in some bill lawrence pickups, and never looked back.

 

[Anfontan]

passive = smooth natural tone

active = harsh sterile tone.

YMMV

JMHO



i had emg SA's in a custom strat, for several years.
i finally pulled them out, put in some bill lawrence pickups, and never looked back.

Yeah, I gotta agree-you're opinion is quite correct!

 

[skyguitarworks]

why is everyone hating on EMG's here? harsh? check out the David Gilmore set, gotta admit, he has a great tone.
granted, you have to change your settings to get the tones you want from your amp, but tweak a good tube amp with a set of EMG's and you can get great tone.....just gotta tweak a little

 

[GONZO-X]

yep, that's true, with enough tweaking, you can round the tone out nicely.

gilmore is a bit of a different thing altogether..

you could give him the shittiest piece of rig, and he'd make it sing within it's own parameters.

and sometimes, harsh is exactly what you need.... depends on the song, the style, etc.

but simply comparing a standard passive in a guitar, then with the same guitar and an active pickup, without tweaking anything, that's what you get.

 

[skyguitarworks]

yep, that's true, with enough tweaking, you can round the tone out nicely.

gilmore is a bit of a different thing altogether..

you could give him the shittiest piece of rig, and he'd make it sing within it's own parameters.

and sometimes, harsh is exactly what you need.... depends on the song, the style, etc.

but simply comparing a standard passive in a guitar, then with the same guitar and an active pickup, without tweaking anything, that's what you get.

my point exactly

 

[GONZO-X]

"but simply comparing a standard passive in a guitar, then with the same guitar and an active pickup, without tweaking anything, that's what you get."

What you get, is harsh, was MY point.

so, why go to all the trouble of finding a sweet tone, when a simple exchange of a pickup puts you most of the way there!