Have Araya returned to passive pickups?

[joeglock99]

Hello,

I just watched a few promo clips on youtube for the latest Slayer album repentless. And in a video where they discussed their gear Tom Araya, the basist and vocalist by default mentioned that he returned to P bass style basses. Shortly after that I looked at ESP's website and there's a new Araya signature.

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This one.

And the controll scheme mentions that the pickups are passive. The pickups themselves in the picture look more like humbuckers to me but it ain't impossible that they are a P style type pickup. Keep in mind the link I posted probably is a LTD model, i.e. budget. But could it be possible that Araya uses one like that with those specs but custom built?

 

[MobileHolmes]

Im guessing that, at least for higher profile endorsers, they usually play fancier versions of their sig models. Whether or not the new model is passive, I don't know. Fwiw, I've pretty much decided I don't much care one way or another if a bass is active or not

 

[Dan B]

EMG and I think a few other manufacturers make split P style pickups that fit a dual coil housing. I think though that the LTD model that is listed uses dual coils.

For the record Araya's ESP uses dual coils.

 

[Selta]

The TA-600 and Tom Araya are both active, still. I haven't looked for a rig rundown for him in ages, but I wouldn't be too surprised if his new rig is all passive.

 

[Killed_by_Death]

Tom is very active, not a slouch at all.

 

[Killed_by_Death]

It kind of chaps my arse that Kerry King is always considered the frontman of Slayer. To me, it's Tom!

 

[scourgeofgod]

If Tom decided to return to p-pups in the studio for the new album it's doubtful/unrealistic that his sigs are already up to date, and ESP may not even update them at all for that matter. The pickups on that new TA 204 aren't even EMGs anyway, it's just a new bottom line budget sig. If we see him sporting p-pups or a new model bass out on tour then we can speculate further, until then we'll just have to wait and see.

 

[scourgeofgod]

It kind of chaps my arse that Kerry King is always considered the frontman of Slayer. To me, it's Tom!

Never heard Kerry referred to as being the "frontman" at all. People that aren't Slayer fans do tend to know his name ahead of other members though.

 

[Killed_by_Death]

I guess I should have said "spokesperson".

 

[SpasticTastic]

FWIW, he has a new ESP custom that's based on the "new" FRX shape.

But as you can see, it's still active-equipped.

Also, the bass you posted is a budget model. His more pricey models still have actives.

My guess is that he used them in the studio, and/or he has EMG soapbar P's in his current basses.

But you can't even hear the dude's sound anyway, why does it matter?

 

[Killed_by_Death]

But as you can see, it's still active-equipped.

Pardon me but, how is that apparent from this photo?

 

[SpasticTastic]

Pardon me but, how is that apparent from this photo?

You can just make out the soapbars and the "EMG" logo, albeit barely. Watch their "Repentless" music video in 1080p, at around the :35 mark. It's apparent there.



Or here's another picture, since I managed to take a better screenshot.

 

[Crystalman85]

I have a friend who has that bass. I always assumed that these so called signature models are active. but when I saw the bass he has, I found out it was passive. I never knew that signature basses can be passive as well as active. I'm guessing it depends on the artist's preference.

 

[SpasticTastic]

I have a friend who has that bass. I always assumed that these so called signature models are active. but when I saw the bass he has, I found out it was passive. I never knew that signature basses can be passive as well as active. I'm guessing it depends on the artist's preference.

Do you know if it was the TA200, TA600, or the ESP version? The reason the TA200/TA204 is passive is because ESP doesn't make budget active bass pickups.

For some reason, they make budget active GUITAR pickups, though.

The pricey versions are indeed active, though. They're loaded with EMG DC35 pickups.

 

[chungweishan]

Here's a weird advertisement video of Tom Araya + Scion + ESP introducing his new bass. EMG pickups.


And a 2013 Rig Rundown.


I like how he's cool and easy going about his gear, and how he wanted low budget LTD versions for his fans.

 

[Crystalman85]

Do you know if it was the TA200, TA600, or the ESP version? The reason the TA200/TA204 is passive is because ESP doesn't make budget active bass pickups.

For some reason, they make budget active GUITAR pickups, though.

The pricey versions are indeed active, though. They're loaded with EMG DC35 pickups.

I don't recall if it was the ta200 or the ta204. all I know is that the bass is passive. also it was an ltd model.

 

[anavar]

GOD HATES US ALL!!!!!!

 

[MarkoYYZ]

You can just make out the soapbars and the "EMG" logo, albeit barely. Watch their "Repentless" music video in 1080p, at around the :35 mark. It's apparent there.

The only thing that is apparent is that they are EMG soapbars... which can easily be passive. The fact that he doesn't seem to have more than one control knob on the bass more likely indicates passive, since active bass preamps would have multiple control options in the onboard preamp. A single volume or tone control defeats the whole purpose of being active.

 

[MattZilla]

GOD HATES US ALL!!!!!!

i just lost my breakfast laughing. Thanks.

 

[SpasticTastic]

The only thing that is apparent is that they are EMG soapbars... which can easily be passive. The fact that he doesn't seem to have more than one control knob on the bass more likely indicates passive, since active bass preamps would have multiple control options in the onboard preamp. A single volume or tone control defeats the whole purpose of being active.

Tom Araya's active ESP basses only have 3 knobs.

On top of that, most of his personal basses have a single knob.

Plus, all of EMG's passive pickups are HZs. If it was an EMG-HZ, you'd see the longer logo.

Edit: Much to my surprise, I actually found the exact bass he uses for the Repentless video on google.