DeeJay1500

The AHB-3 isnt bad. Depends really on what you looking to play. I play metal and rock. Put the AHB-1 set in an ibanez s-series. They sound AMAZING!

Big thing that you will probably care about with the active pickups is going to be the output. They really scream with the high gain stuff. I personally like the AHB-1 set as a good well rounded organic sounding active set of pickups. Im putting the Mick Thompsons in an explorer next month so im not against them either. Check out Keith Merrow's 12 pickup shootout on the duncan site, it gives a good representation on their line of pickups both passive and active.

People bitch about passive pickups having more organic of a tone and that active sets will make you sound cookie cutter and sterile. I personally think the blackouts are a winner for active pickups. I got an EMG 81/85 set and they arent bad but i wouldnt recommend the 81 really for metal and drop tuned stuff. Id do an 85 in the bridge and a 60 in the neck. I like the low end response in the 85 on the bridge position. Havent tried the X pickups from EMG, I hear they are supposed to sound more organic and have more "character" like passive pickups.

Depends on taste man, id check the duncan site for that shootout its the most accurate one ive seen, same guitar, same amp, same settings, same song. Best way to see how they differ from one another. But ofcourse they will sound different in your axe.