I'm still debating if I should go active or passive on my guitar's pickups... it's no longer a matter of tone wood. What I'm worried is that the passives will be noisy. Is the X2N/PAF pro setup very noisy? Someone who owns it told me that I'll need a noise reducer, is this absolutely necessary? Also, would it be necessary to also replace the pots and wiring with new stuff? Maybe using the original one that came with the guitar will sound noisy, that's what I'm worried about, how much would new wiring and 2 pots cost? And what kind of pots does the X2N/PAF need? Thanks for any help. If I have to spend too much on getting the pu's to not sound noisy I'll go with actives, since I also like their tone, but I don't want to abandon passives completely yet.

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al i can say is, i have a paf rpo, and i like it, i dont have it in combi with a x2n though, i have a tonezone @bridge.

actives are rilli quiet, duno bout the x2n, the paf pro isnt that noisy imo

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How is the tonezone for brutal shit mang?

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every emg ive played on or owned are noisier than most other pups

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Why does everyone else say they're virtually noiseless? And which is less noisy, the EMG-81 or the X2N? I'm really fed up with my stock pickups' noisyness and I want something noiseless, consistent, clear, sharp and powerful, hence why I think the EMG is best for my taste, but I like the looks of a passive(not to mention they're much cheaper) and supposedly passives have more "life" and responsiveness to how I play and shit... If they X2N will require a noisegate then I'll pass and go with the EMG, I'm short on cash right now and I just want a clear sound, not fuzzy white noise.

I'd like some people who have X2N's (along with any other passive, preferably a PAF) to testify on their noisyness.

I have this par of pickups in my V and I love it. the x2n is one of the highest gaine output pickups there are so it will be more ceptable to feedback then other pickups might. thats the only real 'noise' I can think of that it makes. it wont just make feedback on its own though, you still have to have the right elements in there to creat the feedback but I have a noise gate so I dont get any 'noise' I think the combo is really good the higher end of the x2n matched with the more rounded and clear paf is a good combo. alone the x2n is an awsome pickup too. great lead sounds awsome tone, sucks for cleans. which is where the paf comes in you can use both at once or just the paf to get great cleans. the paf is awsome for more black metlaish stuff or distorted shit where you have notes ringing out becouse it clearly distunguishes them instead of bieng just one mess like most stock PU's will do

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I thought shitty muddy PU's were good for BM lol. You have no idea how "grim and kvlt" my guitar sounds.

Guitar_demon, if you play without using a noisegate, how does it sound?

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i notice thats SOMETIMES my emgs are a bit noisy, but what i do to get rid of that is just rollback the volume on the guitar a LITTLE bit and the noise goes away COMPLETELY.

btw, if you experience noise with singlecoils, theres not much u can do, thats the way they are. they get interference for loadsa different shit.

it will slowly start to feedback, but I do have a lot of shit in here too. tv, computer, big overhead fan/light ect all sending off signals that the x2n can pickup. dont be turned off from it just becouse it will feedback, all pickups will do that. its too good a pickup imo to not get it becouse of that

the pickup itself sounds the exact same with or without the noise gate

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Then... what the hell is the point of a noisegate? And feedback, I'm not too sure exactly what feedback is, I assume it's that high pitched scream you get if you put your comp's mic too close to the speakers and the volume is too loud? Is feedback the only kind of noise you get or also like the fuzzy static type shit? What exactly does a noisegate block out?

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Air norton + x2n = Better then hot lesbian sex.

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Air norton... that's a neck PU right? How are the leads and cleans on that? Better than the PAF Pro?

soooooo smoooooth, and it has really unique harmonics.

its cleans ae CLEAN! and you can set the gain to 10 and fucking shred like a mother fucker! Its not muggy like most neck pu's, best way to hear it in action is old dream theater, no joke. John used one, and you can really hear it.

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a noise gate cuts out all unwanted noise. feedback, buzzes and hums caused by other electrical things.

have you ever seen slayer do raining blood live? all those squilss and shrieks are feedback

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But the pickups produce noise/are muddy without a noisegate? That's what annoys me, I don't want to spend even more cash on getting my guitar to sound clear. As long as there's no electrical device in my area and I'm not facing/in front of my amp, there shouldn't be any noise at all right?

Also, did you replace the electronics(pots/wires) or did you use the ones your guitar already had? Do they make a big difference in the sound? My Jackson JS30 has a vol and tone knob. If it is necessary to change the electronics, how much would a guitar tech charge me for new pots/wiring?

As you can see, I'm trying to spend as little as possible on upgrading.

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the pickup will sound the same with or without the fucking noisegate. when you stop playing you can get feedback, thats where the noisegate comes in and kills the feedback it does nothing to effect the way the pickup sounds man. if a pickup is muddy then it will be muddy with or without a noisegate, if its clear and creamy it will be clear and creamy with our without the noisegate
there doesnt need to be any kind of electric devices there to get feedback, simply standing right in fron of your amp with the volume up loud enough will produce feedback with any pickup.
you dont need to change any pots when putting in new PU and they wont effect your sound either. when putting in a new PU you obviously have to solder the wires up to the pots but thats it as far as changing anything goes

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Not quite.. shitty noisegates suck tone.. and cut highs or bass ect..

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I saw a Beringher noisegate going for $20, I assume that's something to stay away from...

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yea, any noise gates that cheap and by that company should be kept away from all people

maybe, but not by much. I honestly cant tell a difference in my tone

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What dream theater albums/songs would be best to hear it in action on?

Uh... that dude from Simple Plan uses an Air Norton...

well he said old dream theater so probably images and words. which is their best anyway. so just for that check it out

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The Air Norton has lot less output than the PAF Pro, and a hell of a lot less than the X2N... would the X2N drown the Air Norton if both were used in the same guitar?

EMG's come with replacement volume and tone pots. Not sure if the set up you are looking for will or not, you'd have to ask the supplier or manufacturer. If it doesn't it might be a good idea to invest in some shit hot replacement pots as it will be a shame to buy all singing all dancing new pick-ups and use the same old stock wiring and pots.
All pick-ups will buzz it depends on other devices nearby, how much gain/overdrive you are playing through, if the guitar has a dodgy earth, even the wiring and your guitar lead will pick up interference, using good quality guitar leads can help reduce unwanted hum.

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