Active Pickups - Is it just me, or these pickups?

[Ritter667]

So I installed a bridge EMG JX active pickup in one of my basses, but while it is very well defined and articulate, I feel that it is at the expense of some dynamic details.

The tone doesn't seem to change character dynamically, as it did with my passive J pickup, it simply sounds too smooth, somewhat similar to as if you had run it through a compressor.

I suppose there is nothing wrong with the tone as such, but it is like it is too perfect, It feels uninspiring to play and bland to me.

Is this common with active pickups, or is it just these particular ones, or me?

Would the passive EMG JHZ had been a better choice you think?

 

[Aloe]

yeah, active pickups do feel and sound like more uniform than passive. the reason for this is they have much less windings.

it might be actually a plus in the mix, but you have to grow on it and maybe adapt to the specific instrument, as a bit different touch might be needed to bring back dynamics, you're used to.

my advice: spend at least a week with the pickup before taking off. try it with a band, make some records and see. sometimes bland and uninspiring solo just fits right with the band.

 

[Dlew919]

Speaking personally I prefer passive pickups which I can enhance with boosts or compressors. But that’s me. It may be you and it’s a choice. It may not be right. I’ve found that pickup changes often don’t yield the differences you expect.

But I don’t want this to be the last word. Others will have different opinions and experiences

 

[Lammchop93]

EMG are a little more compressed in my opinion than other brands. Running at 18v seems to reduce that compression sound to my ears. It’s an easy mod too if you have the space in your control cavity

 

[ardgedee]

So I installed a bridge EMG JX active pickup in one of my basses, but while it is very well defined and articulate, I feel that it is at the expense of some dynamic details.

The tone doesn't seem to change character dynamically, as it did with my passive J pickup, it simply sounds too smooth, somewhat similar to as if you had run it through a compressor.

I suppose there is nothing wrong with the tone as such, but it is like it is too perfect, It feels uninspiring to play and bland to me.

Is this common with active pickups, or is it just these particular ones, or me?

Would the passive EMG JHZ had been a better choice you think?

What kind of tone shaping do you have? Does your bass have an active preamp? Are you using any effects or EQ? You'll usually see active pickups paired with multi-band onboard preamps which can help bring back some of the color that the pickups might be hiding under their very even response.

There are some basses I've tried and disliked because even though they're incredibly high quality they sound too smooth-jazz to me, no grind or grunt. A totally valid sound for people to want but it wasn't what I wanted.

 

[iiipopes]

I agree with all the above. Yes, they are compressed. Yes, if a person has a deficient technique, I can see where they would be perceived as sterile. I have been gigging with an EMG 40CS in the neck (middle) and 40JX in the bridge for well over a decade, adding a EXB into the circuit instead of a conventional preamp. This particular combination gives me good highs and lows. The CS soapbar is underrated for the amount of warmth it can give. Because EMG pickups are so clean, they provide the best opportunity for a player to refine technique in both a player's precision in articulation and developing a proper dynamic touch.

 

[Stranger Danger]

So I installed a bridge EMG JX active pickup in one of my basses, but while it is very well defined and articulate, I feel that it is at the expense of some dynamic details.

The tone doesn't seem to change character dynamically, as it did with my passive J pickup, it simply sounds too smooth, somewhat similar to as if you had run it through a compressor.

I suppose there is nothing wrong with the tone as such, but it is like it is too perfect, It feels uninspiring to play and bland to me.

Is this common with active pickups, or is it just these particular ones, or me?

Would the passive EMG JHZ had been a better choice you think?

Low-impedance pickups, often referred to as Lo-Z or passive low-impedance pickups, use fewer turns of thicker magnet wire, resulting in a lower resistance. This design creates a high-current, low-voltage signal, which can lead to a more neutral or cleaner tone with a wider frequency response. Unlike high-impedance pickups, which typically have a resonant peak in the audible range, low-impedance pickups' resonance often falls outside the audible spectrum.

 

[Stranger Danger]

They give you what is coming out of your hands. A traditional passive pickup has a lot of character and tonal coloring. Just depends on what you are looking for.

Does your bass have a preamp?

 

[Ritter667]

They give you what is coming out of your hands. A traditional passive pickup has a lot of character and tonal coloring. Just depends on what you are looking for.

Does your bass have a preamp?

I feel the exact opposite frankly, which some of the above messages seems to suggest too.

Yes, passive pickups do have more inherent character, but they also respond much more dynamically to your playing.

Passive pickups, with my fairly limited experience admittedly with active pickups, seems to feel more alive.

 

[gt96g]

So here's my 2 cents.

First, EMG offers an incredibly wide range of pickups. Different formulas of magnet types split between active and passive offering along with bar magnet and traditional pole pieces.

So there ends up being a lot to sort through.

Years ago, I wasn't the biggest fan of EMG's but I've really started to gravitate towards them in recent years.

I can't speak to what will work for your sound but IME, the

Original EMG's, EMGx, EMG alnico, all of the active variety, give me good usable tones depending on what I'm going for. I'm still interested in checking out the V series as well, but haven't had the opportunity yet.

The other thing I really really like about EMG'S is their solderless wiring system. It makes installing vastly easier and what's quite possibly the best aspect of it, is let's say you install a set of EMG pickups and a preamp, but the tone isn't quite right for you.

You can very simple buy another set that's a a different formula and drop them right in your bass without even having to open up the back or remove the pick guard in order to solder.

This alone has been super helpful in learning what EMG models work best for me, it you're able, I encourage you to do the same.

I also appreciate that their prices are reasonable and IME, they offer excellent customer service.

FWIW, I am not affiliated with them in any way other than being a very happy customer.

 

[jplunara]

I feel the exact opposite frankly, which some of the above messages seems to suggest too.

Yes, passive pickups do have more inherent character, but they also respond much more dynamically to your playing.

Passive pickups, with my fairly limited experience admittedly with active pickups, seems to feel more alive.

Passive pickups are livelier, until you use a preamp. You can pull a lot out of low impedance pickups with one. EMG are definitely not my favorite pickups, but agreed with others about the tone within the context of a band. I use both passive Jazz and active soapbar 5 string (with Bartolini pickups) and I find that, although the passive 70s jazz is a killer by itself, the 5 really does sit better in the context of the group with the exception of slap tone... and the others in the band appreciate it, got comments when I pulled it out last rehearsal, doing a gig with it today - have not had it out to one as I just really like the Jazz because most of the time I'm only sitting and listening to myself.

It takes less perceived volume to be "heard" with the active 5 because of how it sits in the group context of guitar, keys, bass, 3x singers. The Jazz is much peakier and requires more of a boost to get through.

 

[BaltBass5]

I use EMG active pickups and the EMG BTS Pre in all of my Spectors Euros. I would never describe them as bland or unlively…in fact the opposite! I played passive Jazz basses for years and comparatively speaking, I’d say that those were bland and unlively compared to my Spectors.

 

[VeryTallBassist]

EMGs can definitely sound a bit compressed, especially the original recipe versions. The X versions tend to respond much more like passive pickups IMO. They each have their place, and of course EMG offers a variety of pickups. I have a lot of Spectors, so I've experimented a lot with their various soapbars to find the right sound for me. I happen to really like the 40P5X at the neck paired with the 40DCX at the bridge in most cases. If the bridge pickup is a little bit pushed back, I'll go with a 40CSX. I also happen to think the 40JX at the neck pairs really well with the 40TWX at the bridge, allowing you to toggle between a nice modern jazz tone and a thicker rock tone with the humbucker engaged.

That all said, the preamp they're paired with is important. They work better with a preamp where the highs are more like high mids. That prevents them from getting too glassy.

 

[mambo4]

try it with a band,

+1
never evaluate gear only on "bedroom tone"

 

[SuperTheBass]

I've got EMG classic Js in my jazz bass with just VVT controls and I think it sounds great. Maybe getting high quality passive pickups would have sounded great too, but these were a huge upgrade over the stock pickups (90s MIM)

As for compression, they do sound different but I wouldn't call them "compressed" per se. I think it's just a matter of taste. I'm surprised you have that complaint about the X series because I thought they were supposed to respond more like passive pickups. I haven't tried them so you might be totally right. Just not what I expected to hear.

 

[newfuture]

I have a few basses with EMG actives in them, and I would describe them as maybe more "Hi-Fi" sounding (wider frequency response, less prominent mid-range) than the passive pickups they replaced, but not compressed.

Pick up height matters quite a bit with the EMGs I have, and is definitely worth playing with if you're not getting what you want from them.

I would not describe any of them as compressed sounding, I am able to get whatever dynamics I want out of them.

 

[logdrum]

Can you go 18v. I have theJAX.
not sterile, X for more headroom - and even and the 18v, Alnico makes it warmer, It got better with the BTS. There are also DIP switches for the high end EQ curve is shaped one of the knobs, experiment with that

 

[JimmyM]

The not changing character thing is considered a feature and not a bug by those who enjoy EMG actives.

 

[Stranger Danger]

I feel the exact opposite frankly, which some of the above messages seems to suggest too.

Yes, passive pickups do have more inherent character, but they also respond much more dynamically to your playing.

Passive pickups, with my fairly limited experience admittedly with active pickups, seems to feel more alive.

All of these things are subjective. There are some objective differences between the designs but how you interpret those is what matters.

My MTD has low impedance Barts and I can tell you without a shadow of a doubt that it’s extremely responsive. Almost too responsive haha. That bass recreates exactly what my hands and strings sound like.

 

[Ritter667]

+1
never evaluate gear only on "bedroom tone"

Well, problem is that my bedroom tone is my band tone.

I have my basses tuned more in kind of baritone tunings, and they are the center of of my compositions, everything else is build around that, and beside drums and vocals, more of a flavor thing.

So my basses actually being responsive to what and how I play is quite important.

And I don't like compression pre production, for me that is something that is added in the mixing and mastering process.