# Agile Cepheus pickups, are they any good?



## dfm86 (Aug 17, 2016)

Hello, does anyone here have any experience with the Agile Cepheus 7 string pickups? 

Someone is selling me a pair of these for like $50, but I have no idea if they're in the same league as any other SD (Pegasus or Nazgul for example) or DiMarzio pickup. I read a post somewhere where they mention the Cepheus pickups to be Lundgren M7 copies, never in my life played a Lundgren equipped guitar but, I know the hype behind them and if the Cepheus sound anyway similar to those for 1/3 the price, I'm in. 

I'm just really curious because I know these are Agile stock pickups, and I've had terrible experiences with most stock pickups, also I can't seem to find many reviews for these pickups anywhere.

By the way, what I mainly look for in pickups is versatility (be able to play the whole djent thing and lets say 80's hard rock/metal with the same guitar), tight low end, string definition and good/easy harmonics.


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## Mathemagician (Aug 17, 2016)

They're ok, I have them in a 7 string of mine (stock). Definitely not bad pickups, but not as tight as I'd like. And I don't even play Djent-style music. So, maybe just save up for something closer to what you want.


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## dr_game0ver (Aug 17, 2016)

what guitar is it for?


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## dfm86 (Aug 17, 2016)

It's for a Jackson js22-7 basswood body.


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## dfm86 (Aug 17, 2016)

Mathemagician said:


> They're ok, I have them in a 7 string of mine (stock). Definitely not bad pickups, but not as tight as I'd like. And I don't even play Djent-style music. So, maybe just save up for something closer to what you want.



Yeah, I'm actually torn between a Nazgul/Sentient set or Fishman Fluence modern 7...I just have to save up way more for those...


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## Mathemagician (Aug 17, 2016)

Either set is great. If you install yourself you'll save some money. But if like me you just can't be bothered, then paying for two sets of pickups, two installs, and two setups hardly seems worth the trouble. Not to mention you may not find a buyer when you go to sell the Cephaeus. Like I said, not bad, and if it's for a beater guitar or to learn how to solder/mod etc they're honestly ok. But if you want that tight Djent a Nazgul will give you that tone even by accident. Very crisp pickup for that voicing.


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## Grooven (Aug 17, 2016)

I have them in my Agile 827 and they are with out a doubt a step up from I'm use to,I think their pretty darn good considering that their stock.I play mostly metal, prog,somewhat of Dahjent and they sound great playing that kind of music imo.


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## Spicypickles (Aug 17, 2016)

The cepheus that are supposedly modeled after the lungrens are only the passives. the actives kinda suck. IMO of course.


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## Alekke (Aug 18, 2016)

When I got broke, I sold all my expensive pickups (lundgren, seymour duncan, dimarzio) and bought Cepheus Alpha. I now have it in both of my 8 strings and I can not complain.

This is how it sounds on my setup:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XM61MTruF2U

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjo-9-D2Org

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3tn8C9hHbk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p13IpRiD9Pg


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## dfm86 (Aug 18, 2016)

Wooah man, based on you videos, the Cepheus actually sounds better than the D-activators. Thanks


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## MoonJelly (Aug 18, 2016)

Cepheus passives sound to me very much like the SD Full Shred. Duncan made them to have a completely flat EQ, with the idea it would be a "blank slate" for any amp/pedals you ran it through. So, IMO not a bad sound.


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## Hollowway (Aug 19, 2016)

I love them, personally.


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## Alekke (Aug 19, 2016)

dfm86 said:


> Wooah man, based on you videos, the Cepheus actually sounds better than the D-activators. Thanks



Most difference in sound is in the wood and guitar construction as I tried it in both guitars. Cepheus has a tad more output and less honky mids. It is closer to lundgren. In my other video I was comparing Lundgren M8 to D-Activator where you can hear less difference. Lundgren is tighter and less grainy compared to D-Activator. So you can kinda say Cepheus is half way between M8 and D-Activator


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