Are you looking for the best passive pickups for metal? Then, you’re in the right place: we found the six best options and reviewed them for you.
Top 6 Best Passive Pickups for Metal:
| Image | Model | Price |
|---|---|---|
| EMG H4 (Top Pick) | Check Price |
 | Seymour Duncan SH13 Dimebucker (Close Runner-Up) | Check Price |
 | DiMarzio DP100 Super Distortion Pickup | Check Price |
 | Seymour Duncan Invader | Check Price |
 | EMG JH | Check Price |
 | DiMarzio DP222 | Check Price |
EMG H4 Passive Pickup (Editor’s Choice)
EMG is among the field’s leaders for metal pickups overall, including passive models.
The H4 model is available at an affordable and fair price, operating in a classic humbucker pickup.
It is the equivalent of EMG’s 81 Active Pickup, but in the passive department instead.
It uses a two-bar-loaded coil set and the 5-wire quick-connect output from the manufacturer that allows for many wiring combinations.
The pickup is fully shielded, reducing physical damage and securing minimum noise. A QuickConnect cable is also included, including springs and a set of screws.
What makes this guy perfect for metal music is its maximum responsiveness, wide range, raw gain power, and strong output. Simply put, it is beefy and chunky.
This one is perfect for you if you are going for a modern heavy metal or massive hard rock sound. It is definitely among the best passive picks to use for metal.
Seymour Duncan SH13 Dimebucker
The SH-13 pickup has a high resonant peak and high D.C resistance. This results in aggressive and high output humbucker having clarity and treble bite along with exceptional dynamics and punchy bass response.
This pickup rocks well with both solid-state and tube amps. It is available in many colors, and you can choose as per your choice. All mounting hardware is included, along with a mounting ring and schematic. At the mid-end, it has a high response. It is a good quality pickup at an affordable price.
It has excellent clarity on distorted and clean tones and is suitable for dark-sounding guitars. It gives decent output, and when volume rolls off, it cleans up very nicely. There is no power loss and reduction in tonal quality with the coil split. While you are comfortable playing solos on your current guitar, this gives you more confidence. If you are looking for power with boutique feel, this one is for you.
Pros
- Great sounding tone
- Installation is easy
- Crystal clear highs
Cons
- None
DiMarzio DP100 Super Distortion Pickup
When you want an all-around bridge pickup with clear articulation and exceptional sustain, this high-output pickup is perfect for you. There is a more sound definition and high end with a lesser overdriven tone. This is versatile with generous mids and bass. However, pleasant and tamed highs are overwhelming.
Well-balanced, bold, clear, and dynamic will make you joyful. Amazing chugs make you play better. This response is better and highly balanced too.
It is scooped well and tight too. You will be delighted while playing with its correct tightness.
The distortion is an adequate blend of tone and power. The tone balance is classic.
It amazes you with clean tones, decent bite, and versatility.
Pros
- Well balanced
- Dynamic
- Versatile
Cons
- None we could find
Seymour Duncan Invader Passive Pickup
Seymour Duncan is another company that deserves mention.
Over the years, they have been associated with many of metal’s all-time legends and have kept their product line fresh with a unique approach and continuous innovations.
The refined style model we chose here to represent the metal department is the Invader series.
The passive mount pickup features extra-large pole pieces, overwound coils, three ceramic magnets, and black metal covers.
If you play an 8- or 7-string guitar, these are potentially the finest passive pickups to be used for metal on our whole list.
Aside from its reasonable price tag, usually under $100, this pickup is quite versatile. And it isn’t just about its chug. This product provides clean notes free of unwanted crackle and is crisp, ideal for more progressive players.
EMG JH Passive Pickups
We previously discussed EMG as one of the most prominent brands for metal. They appear on our list one more time.
We selected another product from the company’s roster for the high-price category.
This pickup is also quite versatile and can cover any style of metal that you can imagine.
In addition to its sleek appearance, this pickup features individual bobbins and poles for an enlarged core, extra sonic clarity, and a percussive kind of attack.
It is ideal for rhythm guitar playing and has a rich low-end response and higher output.
Designed and made in the USA, this pickup is our best answer to the question of “which is the best passive pickup to use with metal music?”. If you’re a fan, it’s also definitely one of the best passive pickups for metalcore. It rocks, it roars and will blow you away!
DiMarzio DP222 Passive Pickups
This pickup represents the people at DiMarzio very well. It boasts a focused, articulated, and precise sonic attack at the upper midrange sonic frequencies.
Higher and lower frequencies are still present to provide a well-rounded output. However, the Activator shines through the best at the middle ranges.
If you search for a sufficient passive magnet to use for classic heavy thrash metal – it is a winner.
It sounds excellent in the gain-packed roaring regime. However, it also provides clean, clear, and crisp notes whenever you need them.
Regarding the other technical details, one important thing to note is that the D Activator X uses the same overall magnet structure and bar pole pieces as the X2N model.
However, it is still a completely different pickup.
To compare the two, some of the essential things to note are that this model’s output voltage is slightly lower than the X2N provides.
The tuning on the two coils allows the higher frequencies to open up while maintaining strong mids and lows as part of the overall output.
It’s also perfect for extreme metal and hardcore punk. So if you’re looking for one of the best passive pickups for metalcore – this pickup is your first choice.
What is the Difference Between Passive and Active Pickup?
What is the difference between active and passive guitar pickups?
Both kinds of pickups make use of coils of wires. However, the difference is there much fewer of them on active pickups. That is because they utilize an active preamp that is incorporated directly into the instrument.
That boosts the EQ, filters, and signal level and usually gives the player complete control over the three-band equalizer. Also, separate power is needed by active pickups, and a 9v battery is used that has to be replaced regularly.
Active pickups for metal are not as susceptible to background noise and have much higher output regarding specific audio differences. On the other hand, passive models have much stronger dynamic ranges.
So like is so frequently the case in the music world, it comes down to being primarily a matter of taste.
What Makes Passive Pickups Good To Use For Metal?
Although some criteria are universal for various styles, more passive pickups used for metal music are additional sonic bite and loudness.
Those qualities will let your instrument cut through all of the mixes to deliver metal’s characteristic boom. Search for a rich bass section and a strong mid-range punch in terms of other criteria.
The thin sound is a massive problem since metal is all about chunky guitar chops.