Lace Music Products Drop and Gain Set

Black coil cover and some wires, what else you expecting?!

Replacement for the stock bridge pickup in a fixed bridge Ibanex RG. Wanted a passive pickup for this guitar 'cos I've got another Ibanez with an EMG85 in the bridge. Did some searching on the net for a hot passive and decided to try the Drop 'n Gain

The Drop 'n Gain has huge output! There's no descernible volume difference between this and the EMG85 and has just as much gain as far as I can tell. And talk about crunchy! A very articulate pickup when playing single notes and chords really sing compared to the compressed sound the EMG puts out. Lows are not muddy at all even when tuned down very low, crunching mids and smooth treble. Brutal

A great pickup, I'm glad I decided to try it out. Sounds very similar to an EMG85 but a whole lot easier to install :)
Only gonna give it an eight though because it costs a little more than other high output passives, closer in price to an active pickup.
I recommend the Lace Drop and Gain pickup to anyone looking for an EMG sound with the tone of a passive, very nice

As far as i know the highest output passive pickup on the market. The thing pushes an amp, To me it even seems hotter than EMGs although it responds in a different way. Really interesting and innovative technology behind the pickup.

Carvin DC200 made out of Koa and Maple. Beautiful instrument.

I replaced both positions.

Replacing Carvin C22b and C22n

No artists are using this pickup yet, kind of a shame.

I decided to change pickups because i was starting to downtune and was not happy with the loose thickness the Carvin pickups had under gain.

Huge output, again I think possibly hotter than EMGs but it still responds like a passive pickup. They are very dynamic. Which is amazing they are more dynamic than any other pickup I have played and therefore how you touch your instrument influences the sound much more. I like the pickups overall. They tightened my sound up alot, which I severely needed. I play in a band that tunes down to B and these pickups handle it well. I absolutely love the neck pickup, as others have said it is PERFECT. There is no other neck pickup that sounds as good under distortion. It can sound single coilish but very fat. It is hard to describe but it's attack on the strings is absolutely perfect. I love doing neoclassical shredding with it and it has the right amount of definition and harmonics. The pickups are very harmonically rich, and you'll notice it the first time playing through them. The bridge pickup is very good too, it is bright and tight and very chunky. To me it sounds like a hybrid between a duncan JB and an EMG81. It has the output of the 81 but the richness and output of the JB. The only reason i don't give it a 10 is because there is still something missing, but i think if i finally find the right string set for my guitar that it will easily be a 10. My guitar sounds head and shoulders above others. I think that the set matches up as it should and so if you are thinking about buying this pickup then go for it.

I managed to get these pickups for 120 dollars. how great is that? For the money that is absolutely astounding how good they sound. I love the character of these pickups, they are rich while still being defined enough for metal. The only thing i wonder about sometimes is if the could be More defined like emgs. But it all depends what you want. EMGs are the most defined pickups out there bottom line, but lace has made an alternative that is a good compromise between Active and passive pickups. Try them and you wont forget it. To hear them check out my band OHMISSION. www.Myspace.com/ohmission.

Cheers,
George.

Pickup features: Humbucking pickup set (neck and bridge), passive
Impedence or other specs: Lace's specs will do you no good for comparison - just trust me on that

Model of guitar or bass: Custom alder body, bolt-on Maple neck with Rosewood fretboard, classic (smaller) frets and custom fixed bridge.
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: DiMarzio Breed neck and modified Seymour Duncan Screamin' Demon in the bridge
Other pickups on guitar: N/A
Artists using this pickup: Myself and the other reviewer, Tim (good guy, BTW).
You musical style(s): I'm a guitar designer doing prototype research. My personal preferences range from Classic Rock to Metal to Black Metal to Ambient/Experimental and more. I am familiar with the need for versatility and tone in all styles. I concentrate on the real-world characteristics of each pickup.
Reason for pickup change: Looking for ideal pickup combinations for my future production guitars. After all my searching (almost 50 different pickups), I think I have found the PERFECT SET!

Perceived output level: Medium-High. Perfect "set" replacement to my modified Screamin' Demon/ Breed combination. Perfect output for clarity while clean and drive under gain.
Tone: Balanced and Warm
Sonic evaluation: AMAZING. The tight bottom rolls right into the mids- no pronounced "cut" from string to string. Treble is PERFECT. Fantastic sustain (unlike the Arenas). It is very glass-bell-like. NOT ice picky and NOT muffled or pulled back like the ridiculous Arenas. In fact, the bridge has a slightly "open" sound which makes for one of the best solo tones I've ever heard. I actually like it better than my tried and true custom-modified Screamin Demon'. The pickup is higher output, but it remains balanced, warm and exceptionally articulate. Plus, it has good harmonic presence, which was utterly lacking in the Arenas. The neck is a PERFECT match to the bridge. I mean- It Could Not Be Any Better! It is so pleasant switching from the bridge through to the neck position. I don't know how they did it, but Lace produced a very round and warm sound that just resonates in the guitar, but never gets muddy. Solos are truly "creamy" and clean sounds are thick and amazing. I haven't heard as much character from the neck position since I had a custom Seymour Duncan twin-rail humbucker installed in the neck position of a semi-hollowbody Ibanez MAXXAS from the '80s! I missed the depth and now I have it again! Plus, these pickups are 110% hum-free! As I said, these are beautiful, just Beautiful pieces of equipment! I don't think I've said that before about any pickup, let alone two at once!

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Everything. Versatile enough to satisfy my stringent tone and character requirements. These will be put into my production guitars! The search is finally over!

Comments: If they were stolen, I would waive at the theif, smile, and tell him to be prepared for the best sound his guitar has ever had! After trying both the Alumitones and Arenas, I was about to give up on Lace enitrely. Most of the claims on their website are, quite honestly, bullshit. I thought that was surely the case with these pickups, as well, but I have been shown the light in ways I never expected. The Drop & Gains truly break the mold as far as I'm concerned. They are exactly what I'm looking for. I can't sell a guitar that doesn't perform. And I can't sell a guitar that only performs in one circumstance. Versatility is essential and character is what sets true emotion apart from a familiar feeling. It's against my value and self esteem as a designer to offer less than perfection to my future customers. I have searched for a long time for an amazing pair of pickups and I can finally say that I will be putting a formal order into Lace for many more Drop & Gains very soon. I strongly recommend, before looking at ANY other pickup, that you give these a try. Don't read the specs (They WILL mislead you. Even if you think you know what you are looking at, Lace's numbers will not give you an indication of the pickup's sound, please trust me) and don't read the crappy descriptions mottled by poor grammar that Lace uses to promote their pickups- you will only get confused. I'm telling it to you straight and I will be telling it to Lace, as well. In fact, I'm including my personal email, in case anyone would like to contact me regarding these. I would be happy to answer any questions. Give them a shot now, so I don't have to say "I told you so" later! ;)

Pickup features: passive humbucker set
Impedence or other specs: not available

Model of guitar or bass: warrior fully armed soldier
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: bartolini pbf 77d pickup rock n roll set
Other pickups on guitar: non
Artists using this pickup: not available
You musical style(s): rock and metal
Reason for pickup change: hated the bartolinis

Perceived output level: very high output absolutley screams
Tone: alot of low end chunk without a hint of muddiness and very articulate without any sign of tinniness. very well rounded almost like a dimarzio super distortion with the output of emgs. absolutly fabulous tone
Sonic evaluation: running through a korg ax1500g processer through a 300 watt randall titan head with a randall four twelve cab and a legione sound four twelve cab

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: i play mostly metal but these pickups do it all

Comments: these are now my absolute must have pickup. i will never use anything else. with these pickups i feel as if i have finally found "my tone". i simply cannot say enough good things about them. i simply wont consider any other pickup for my instruments.