Is there a way to make passive pickups sound like active ones?

You can fiddle around and try to compensate for what you think a set of pickups is lacking, but it's tough to add something good into your sound that isn't being picked up at the string level. If you want different pickups then put in different pickups. As for me, switching from EMGs to Dimarzios was one of the best changes I made. I cringe when someone is trying to use a bridge EMG for lead tones, I really do.
 
Thanks for the replies. Helped me alot. It's my first guitar with a Floyd Rose and I'm not sure I like it. I don't wanna replace the pickups then have to put them back in a few weeks late if I want to sell it so I can get a Solar with a hardtail or evertune. Once I'm for sure about the guitar I will just put Fishman's in.

I just wanted something closer for right now, but I've actually been able to get the passives pretty close to what I like part couple days.

Oh it has the stock solar Duncan 5 pickups in it. I like the chunky chunk of Metallica Black album with a hint of Florida Death metal.
Thanks again everyone. My FM3 is next level
 
Oh I don't think actives pickups are just a boost with EQ. I always play boosted modern gain stuff and boosting it just a little more is definitely not the same
 
difference not only in preamp location

1.active and passive pickups have different impedance (amps and circuit reacts differently to that)
2.active electronics circuit has different potentiometers impedance (potentiometers affects tone too)
3.in this case very likely that Duncan Solar has different magnet type than the EMGs (this leads to different dynamics and different tone)
4.active electronics lead to the minimum effect of guitar cable capacity (impact to high frequencies)
5. EMG 81/85 is a rail pickup, Duncan solar is not (leads to slightly different string vibration signal and different dynamics)

to mimic EMGs you should try to
  • to tone match the signal using tone match block
  • pre / post eq + boost + adjust amp block dynamics section
 
I use dimarzio passive’s. I set my noise gate threshold fairly high (-55), use a clean drive into the amp with level at 10 and drive at .5 to 1 for the drive block. That seems to work for me.
 
Joshtownsend said:
Maybe a compressor in front of the amp? Any ideas? I just got a Solar guitar and I'm giving passives a try but they are missing that something EMG81 and Fishman Ceramics
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its not that difficult, most active pickups have a fairly flat curve, so the trick is to use a spectrum analyzer and see where you need to flatten out by compensating with an eq. once that’s done, another eq to fine tune the resonant peak (depending on the brand of pickup you’re trying to mimic) and it’s done.
 
ReSiN said:
Found this in a search:
https://forum.fractalaudio.com/threads/pickup-tone-match.77058/
I'm sure someone offered to TMs for converting all sorts of pickups at one stage back when I had an AFXII but can't remember who it was sorry?
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The is a repository here, by Singtall:
https://forum.fractalaudio.com/threads/pickup-tone-match.77058/post-1954673
https://www.dropbox.com/s/dvd0wcpl8vw0xrm/Guitar vault.zip?dl=0

I've tried them, but it didn't sound natural. It had a "nasal" tone. I've never knew how to fix that

Be careful with that thread. There is a guy claiming that all pickups sound the same ;)
 
JayCM800XL said:
I suggest different guitars for different moods/applications.
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That doesn't apply to V-Guitar users. I can make my Strat sound like a Rickenbacker 4001, a Martin D-28 or a Nylon Concert.

It is cheaper and more convenient than buying multiple guitars, same as the Axe-FX III replacing multiple amplifiers and cabinets.


It is on the Axe-FX III Wish-List to allow processing 6 separate signals (there are split-boxes for the GK-3 divided pickup)
https://forum.fractalaudio.com/thre...h-and-other-blocks-for-hex-processing.163063/
 
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Piing said:
That doesn't apply to V-Guitar users. I can make my Strat sound like a Rickenbacker 4001, a Martin D-28 or a Nylon Concert.

It is cheaper and more convenient than buying multiple guitars, same as the Axe-FX III replacing multiple amplifiers and cabinets.


It is on the Axe-FX III Wish-List to allow processing 6 separate signals (there are split-boxes for the GK-3 divided pickup)
https://forum.fractalaudio.com/thre...h-and-other-blocks-for-hex-processing.163063/
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Sure but the V-guitar also doesn't change how it feels when you change the sound. The physical differences do play a part in how the player will approach playing any given instrument. Sure tone is part of it, but I have a guitar in C standard because it feels different tuned down. Simply using the virtual capo wouldn't give me the same response.
 
Budda said:
Sure but the V-guitar also doesn't change how it feels when you change the sound. The physical differences do play a part in how the player will approach playing any given instrument. Sure tone is part of it, but I have a guitar in C standard because it feels different tuned down. Simply using the virtual capo wouldn't give me the same response.
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But it can be useful, doesn't it? It is also useful at the studio, or at gigs where you cannot carry many guitars. And not everybody has the money, the room and the wife that allows to have a large collection of guitars.

Many say the same about the Axe-FX III or any other amp modeler: nothing like feeling the real amp moving the air
 
There are inside pots to adjust the volume of the boost and the Singlecoils.
I have a second guitar with the same Transition Pickups to and there is no difference in volume between the two.
I really dig that Preamp because there is no tone loss etc. if you are using long cables on stage.
Cheers
Sash
 
Piing said:
But it can be useful, doesn't it? It is also useful at the studio, or at gigs where you cannot carry many guitars. And not everybody has the money, the room and the wife that allows to have a large collection of guitars.

Many say the same about the Axe-FX III or any other amp modeler: nothing like feeling the real amp moving the air
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I'm not saying the v-guitar isn't useful, I'm just saying the sound isn't the whole picture.
 
One thing I find interesting about active humbuckers like EMG 81's is that their coils are configured in parallel, not series like passive humbuckers. They use the differential inputs of an opamp to combine the signals so each coil's inductance and resistance is kept isolated by the opamp. That means you don't get the typical resonant peak shift and bright quacky or scooped sound you often get from parallel coils. They have a more even frequency response as a result.
 
mr_fender said:
One thing I find interesting about active humbuckers like EMG 81's is that their coils are configured in parallel, not series like passive humbuckers. They use the differential inputs of an opamp to combine the signals so each coil's inductance and resistance is kept isolated by the opamp. That means you don't get the typical resonant peak shift and bright quacky or scooped sound you often get from parallel coils. They have a more even frequency response as a result.
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I’m sure this is actually really worthwhile info to know, especially as an ardent EMG user, but I didn’t understand a single damn word I just read 😂
 
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