Dragonfire Active Pickup

Active Pickup, Looks just like a EMG 81 without logo.

I put this into my Gibson Les Paul Special, I have one both in the bridge and neck. They are replacing both stock gibson pickups which i belive is the 495 and 500. Not sure if any artist use this position.

The output is very VERY HOT. Much hotter than a EMG 81. I am comparing these to my Ken Lawrance esp with Emg 81 in bridge and 60 in neck. I like the sound of this pickup better. Gets very good clean tones, BUT The distorted sound will crush you skull. Has great artificial harmonics. Im running this through a Mesa Triple Rect with Mesa stack. no outboard effects, besides my dunlop jimi wah. On the clean channel I put a little reverb in but other than that its all stock. Its dirty tone is godly. I play mainly Metal/Thash. Im in a Metallica Cover band and these pickups are a perfect match.

If it was destroyed or stolen I would buy on in seconds. Ive been playing for about 7 years. I love everything about this pickup. It is just as good if not better than any EMG on the market. For 35$ Why dont u have one already.

looks exactly as an emg active humbucker sounds a lot like an emg 81

esp ltd ex-50 in neck and emg 60 in bridge
kraner strat in bridge
line 6 spider III 75 watts

i decided to write a review because i decide to buy it because the reviews so here i go the sound is awsome the output is very hot more like an 81 perfect for rock and metal but in clean sounds good too i have a emg 60 in the bridge and the dragonfire gives more bassy sound than the 60 the wiring cables are cheaper than the emg but just the same as other pickups i had in resume this pickups is sick y play trough a line 6 spider 3 75 watts and sounds perfect with this pickup

if it was destroyed or stolen i definently buy it again this sounds perfect for anything and why paid 100 dlls for an emg if this sounds the same as good if not more for 35 dlls new you cant go wrong dont spend thousands dollars searching for good pickups give it a shot c'mon

Supposed to be like a 61 (never played with EMG's so I don't know). Active - all black cover. Used 25k pots and stereo jack for the dragonfire pup (read more if this confuses you)

I installed an odd config on this - actually the guy who installed it for me thought it was really odd, but he pulled it off. I put a Gibson 57 Classic in the neck and this PUP in the bridge. THIS ACTIVE/PASSIVE SETUP CAN BE DONE!!!

I have a two vol, two tone, Epiphone SG and I am SO pleased with the results. In the neck, my gibson sounds fantastic (of course) and pulls off perfect zep tones, however a quick switch down to the bridge delivers fantastic crunchy AC/DC style sounds. GREAT harmonics. Very happy with it. I'm currently trying my first guitar refinish and these will go in both the bridge and neck (since they don't make a bridge version... oh well - I bet it will sound decent)

I can't really compare the two PUPs that are installed because they are such a different breed. To me, the Dragonfire sounds very muddy in clean compared to the Gibson - but come on... you get what you pay for and when are you going to use an active pup in clean??? I've never played any *REAL* EMG's, but I would assume this is pretty close.

Like I said - its in the bridge and sounds great. I'd love a gibson, but I don't see how the sound could get any better than my current setup.

If destroyed, i'd definitely replace it. Its exactly what I wanted.

I've been playing for around 5 years.. i'm no virtuoso, but i'm not shabby. I'm not a shredder (trying to get there) but this would be a great shredder pup - but if you are really that good, why not just buy EMGs?

I picked this pup because it was 35 bucks. What more is there to say?

Black emg style
based on emg 81 "same specs"

installed on Ibanez rg321 in bridge position. Replaced the original INF4 model found on lower-mid end rg models. Installed with the original INF3 found in the nec position. I wired it with the passive pickup. The INF's sound very muddy to me, this seemed like a cheaper version of the emg's, so i decided to give it a shot.

Ok, im being as precise as possible..i use these reviews very often when i purchase online. I want mine to be very accurate.

Output- very, very hot. I have a seymour duncan hotstack (active) in my strat, its hotter than it.

I use a line-6 spider 3 halfstack this pickup wired in the passive configuration screams.. it sounds everything like an emg and possibly better, no joke.

This pickup has a good low-end and high and really has great harmonics.. when i installed my duncan active in my strat i thought it was one of the best sounding pickups i had heard. I'm more impressed with this pickup. The tone is just great..for 38 dollars i don't know what your waiting for. I play rock/alternative/heavy i switch it up.. it gets tones for all styles its great. In the clean setting on my amp this pickup is very bright, almost too bright but with a little tone knob adjustment it evens out nicely.

If it were stolen i would definently buy another..im buying another anyways..:)

EMG's? I would never waste 100 bucks on another emg when i can get one for 35 bucks :)

humbucker black emg style simple wiring easy to installcontrary to previous reviews they do need 25k pots and stereo jacks but luckily i had spares from old emg sets

got one used on ebay installed in a ltd mh50 to replace the shi--y stock pickups so far just have the one in the bridge installed im waiting on the one i ordered for the neck from tnt guitars the tone is great for rock metal and blues it does pretty well clean too but i wouldnt go country on it no artists that i know of yet using it i bought this one as a low cost alternative to emgs wich i love and have used for yrs but cant afford right now and ill be damned it smokes i think im a convert if the neck one sounds as goodit was this or the mustaine livewires and im glad i got these

the output is hotter than any of the emgs ive used over the years and ive tried em all to me its like a halfbreed 60/81 and its crystal clear clean im using it straight into a line 6 spider 3 with the ocassional use of a dime crybaby

definetly will buy more been playing about 17 yrs i love the clarity and punch of actives chose it based on price compared to emg and duncans i like this pickup it has good range the wirings a bit cheaper than an emg but it hasnt affected the sound amazing price value

Dragonfire active humbucker. Simple instrucions. It took me about an hour to solder everything up and put on a new set of strings.

I put this in the bridge of my Fender Squier Affinity strat. It replaced the stock single coil that was there originally. There are also 2 EMG SV's in the neck and middle positions on this guitar. I wanted a HSS active setup, but was unwilling to pay the price of an EMG 81. So I took a chance on this one after reading the Harmony Central reviews.

This sucker is hot! I have a Fender frontman 15g that can really sing and shake with this pup. I have also played it through a Marshall JCM 900 with a Marshall 4x12. This thing really rocks. It picks up artificial harmonics, loves to be palm muted, and with the gain cranked up it will crush your lungs! When used in conjunction with the middle EMG SV it has a mellow humbucker sound almost P-90ish.

I would definitely buy this again. I havent been playing long, but I have been around guitars and guitar people for a long time. The guitar people that I know really like this pup as well. I bought mine off ebay and the guy didnt sent screws with it. The brass inserts are the wrong size for regular strat screw, but if you punch those ind=serts out the regular strat screws will thread right in. I bought this pup because I wanted an active humbucker to compliment the active EMG's I had already installed, but I didnt want to pay for a EMG 81.

Active
56K ohms impedance

Kramer Neck on a Telecaster body with the pickup in the bridge position and tilted like baretta. it is mixed in the wiring with a dual rail 12k single coil size (hot rails) in the neck position...

high output level
use it with mesa dual rectifier amps, F series amps and Laney AOR amps (have also plugged it into a variety of line6 amps and some marshalls)
the pickup by itself is almost overkill with a high gain amp, but when combined with the hot-rails in the center position... it is such an amazing sound, i am astounded.... i wouldn't put this in the neck position, I would say that it would be better wired with its own tone control rather than using global tone on a guitar... (it is closer to an EMG 85 than an 81)

i wouldn't suggest using it near a television, or even a computer though, the pcikup is very very sensitive, just like the EMG 81/85

Yep i'd replace it if it was stolen, and have purchased more of them...
own to much other gear to list, but will say that my favorite pickup is a pickups I have had custom-built which actually looks exactly like this one does but is not active (they have them at ThunderCAB.com) , the Dimarzio X2N is definitely a tie for 1st place, the Dragonfire would definitely be 2nd...

Pickup features: Active
Impedence or other specs: 3 wire hookup!

Model of guitar or bass: Telecaster Esquire Copy
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: None
Other pickups on guitar: None
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Classic Rock
Reason for pickup change: Used this in a project guitar I built with and for my son.

Perceived output level: Screaming Hot!
Tone: Chunking, thrashing, full blown Zakk Wylde!
Sonic evaluation: Telecaster copy/Marshall MG100FX Head and MG412 Cabinet. My son evaluation is "this pickup is SICK!!! (that's good....)

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Classic Rock, perfect for yesterday and today, anything from Santana to Zakk Wylde.

Comments: Simple to wire, no need for 25K pots or stereo jacks like the EMG's.
For $38 it's a steal. Bought another to throw in my Fender Celtic Tele (one pickup guitar, no tone, just volume)