EMG Retro Actives. How are they?

[tonesfoyobones]

I'm thinking about a set and wanted to get some feedback before I commit. I love actives in my LP's but have never cared for the flat black non traditional look in some guitars. I saw the Retro's and thought they would look nicer installed.

My questions are-
- Can they be plugged into the existing plugs? Would be a quick easy install in guitars loaded with actives. From all that I have seen online all the hardware looks the same. Pot, battery clip, wires and plug ends.
- I see 3 humbucker sets on the website. Super 77, Fat 55's and Hot 70's. I would be interested in either the Super 77's or the Hot 70's. Anyone know the difference between them? Looks the same spec wise on their site. ???
- How do they compare to regular EMG's like an 81 or 85? My first assumption is that they might be more like the 81x?? The X's, to my ears, fall somewhere between actives and passives. They don't have the feel of a regular EMG to me. Clearer and less output.

If you have tried any of the Retro's please let me know what style of music you play and how the pickups did.

Thanks in advance RT

 

[Crunchtime]

I am interested also. Not a lot of info out there on the Retro Actives.

 

[baron55]

I'm thinking about a set and wanted to get some feedback before I commit. I love actives in my LP's but have never cared for the flat black non traditional look in some guitars. I saw the Retro's and thought they would look nicer installed.

My questions are-
- Can they be plugged into the existing plugs? Would be a quick easy install in guitars loaded with actives. From all that I have seen online all the hardware looks the same. Pot, battery clip, wires and plug ends.
- I see 3 humbucker sets on the website. Super 77, Fat 55's and Hot 70's. I would be interested in either the Super 77's or the Hot 70's. Anyone know the difference between them? Looks the same spec wise on their site. ???
- How do they compare to regular EMG's like an 81 or 85? My first assumption is that they might be more like the 81x?? The X's, to my ears, fall somewhere between actives and passives. They don't have the feel of a regular EMG to me. Clearer and less output.

If you have tried any of the Retro's please let me know what style of music you play and how the pickups did.

Thanks in advance RT

I have the FAT 55 in my Eclipse. Yes they are plug and play with regular EMG pickups.

They sound more like passives with the note articulation and warmth and are very sensitive tone wise to pickup height, but they still have that EMG top end sterile tone. However, I will say they are the best EMG's bar none. Way better than the HET set, 57/66 sets IMO.

I found I really like them running at 18 volts as they sound more natural and even over the frequency range. The max input voltage is 32v

The EMG 81 and 81x are the same exact pickup and pre-amp, the only difference, is the 81x uses a limiting input resistor so you don't clip the pre-amp thus giving the illusion of a new higher headroom pre-amp. This also lowers the output as well and that is documented on the EMG site as it has (81x) lower output voltage, still pretty high but not as high as the others.

The Rertroactives are also made in China and not here in the states if that matters at all.

 

[Zado]

I'm thinking about a set and wanted to get some feedback before I commit. I love actives in my LP's but have never cared for the flat black non traditional look in some guitars. I saw the Retro's and thought they would look nicer installed.

My questions are-
- Can they be plugged into the existing plugs? Would be a quick easy install in guitars loaded with actives. From all that I have seen online all the hardware looks the same. Pot, battery clip, wires and plug ends.
- I see 3 humbucker sets on the website. Super 77, Fat 55's and Hot 70's. I would be interested in either the Super 77's or the Hot 70's. Anyone know the difference between them? Looks the same spec wise on their site. ???
- How do they compare to regular EMG's like an 81 or 85? My first assumption is that they might be more like the 81x?? The X's, to my ears, fall somewhere between actives and passives. They don't have the feel of a regular EMG to me. Clearer and less output.

If you have tried any of the Retro's please let me know what style of music you play and how the pickups did.

Thanks in advance RT

Rertroactives are also made in China and not here in the states if that matters at all.

I thought they were korean made?