Which humbuckers should I buy for my Agile guitar

Metalhex

Metalhex

Well-known member
I have an Agile guitar that I bought used and love it. It's such a nice and sturdy "beater" guitar. Had it for several years now. I think the model is a septor but not sure which version exactly. Its a super strategy that has a bolt on neck, and the cheap WMI stock passive pickups.

The sound I am looking for is brutal chugging, and some note clarity would be nice too if possible to have the best of both worlds. I play through 5150 type amps. I don't want it too sound too fizzy or muddy (I know...). The guitar isn't too bright or too dark sounding the way it is now.....I'd like to keep it somewhere in the middle; just "better".

I love my EMGx pickups in my LTD guitar...it's so damn brutal. What would be some passive equivalents to those pickups? Also I doubt I will be installing them myself if that means anything, but you never know. But I'd like them to be direct drop in replacement, no mods required.

Thanks for your suggestions!
 
There's nothing in the passive realm that has such an extreme low-end rolloff as the EMG 81 (or X, for that matter).

Honestly, I'd go for Fishman Fluence Moderns. Voice 1 sounds like a tighter/clearer/more articulate EMG 81/85 combo, and Voice 2 gives you the option of a passive sound.

In the passive realm, look for the DiMarzio D Activator set, or Duncan Black Winter or Distortion Mayhem. But all of those pickups have more lows and highs than EMG's.
 
Rex Rocker said:
There's nothing in the passive realm that has such an extreme low-end rolloff as the EMG 81 (or X, for that matter).

Honestly, I'd go for Fishman Fluence Moderns. Voice 1 sounds like a tighter/clearer/more articulate EMG 81/85 combo, and Voice 2 gives you the option of a passive sound.

In the passive realm, look for the DiMarzio D Activator set, or Duncan Black Winter or Distortion Mayhem. But all of those pickups have more lows and highs than EMG's.
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the black winter i have in my ibanez is completely opposite an 81, its a mushy muddy mess
 
Donnie B. said:
Had a Fishman Fluence set for about a month and loved them, but not sure if they'd have enough gain for you.

Really versatile setup though.
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Holy Crap, how much more would one need? I have them in my Schecter C-1 SLS Elite, and they're pretty viscous sounding. As much as I dig them, I'm more into passives. I will say, however, if he wants actives, the Het Set I had in my Explorer were pretty impressive. Less compressed, more raw, and tight low end. I've had several guitars with the 81/85's, and they're great, for a little while, then I remember why I prefer passives. I like a Duncan Custom in anything with a beefier body. They'll chug with the best of them. Distortions. I really dug the Liquifire and Crunch Labs too. More than the Distortions. I'd certainly lean towards the Liquifire/Crunch Labs in a bolt-on.
 
Just went to the Seymour Duncan website and listened to every single metal sound sample they had. Given the many other unknown variables regarding the perceived tones I hear, I have come to a conclusion...............don't go by those samples because the differences are barely noticeable in that setting,, let alone playing in your room or onstage or recorded..

You may buy one based on those samples and then hate it when you actually play with one in your guitar.
 
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