EMG 81 VS BLACKOUT Bridge (clips enclosed :) )

[kev]

So chaps... had an Ibanez RG in for a setup today and it had a nice set of Seymour Duncan Blackouts. I'd always wondered what they sounded like in comparison to EMG's so I had to do a quick shootout before I return it to its owner on Monday.

Here goes some nice and shoddy playing by moi with a riff i manufactured on the spot. Very similar indeed, they wern't lying.

EMG 85 - http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1206505/Pickups Comparison/EMG.mp3

Duncan AHB1-B - http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1206505/Pickups Comparison/Duncan.mp3

(Duncan L EMG R) - http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1206505/Pickups Comparison/Duncan L EMG R.mp3

 

[Metaltastic]

That's an 85 in the bridge of the red Ibanez Kev (you can tell from the gold EMG lettering, as opposed to the silver on the 81 in the neck) And once again, the Blackout has that sorta dirty, gritty character I really don't like, not nearly as tight (and trust me guys, that upper-mid harshness on the EMG clip is from the guitar - it used to be mine, after all )

Cool comparo dude! And for those who haven't seen it, here's the shootout I did (with both pups in the same guitar), where the Blackout comes out even worse IMO (mainly because of the lower tuning highlighting the flub)

 

[XnaySaturo]

Isn't the Schecter Hellraiser 81/85? If so, they both have gold lettering on them.

My ESP is 81/85 and they're both silver.

 

[Metaltastic]

Well like I said, I sold him the guitar, so I know what pickups I put in there And every single 81, 85, 89, and 60 I've ever seen has always had silver, gold, red, and grey lettering! (respectively )\

Are you certain your ESP is in fact an 81/85 combo? They used to make guitars with the 81/81 combo, and still do with 81/60 (so it would be silver and grey, they can look kinda similar)

 

[PostMortem1666]

Well like I said, I sold him the guitar, so I know what pickups I put in there And every single 81, 85, 89, and 60 I've ever seen has always had silver, gold, red, and grey lettering! (respectively )

Are you certain your ESP is in fact an 81/85 combo? They used to make guitars with the 81/81 combo, and still do with 81/60 (so it would be silver and grey, they can look kinda similar)

Yup. I have never seen a guitar where the EMG letters were not colored in the aforementioned way.

And all of the Schecter Hellraiser pickups are gold and silver.

 

[Dave1978]

Ok... this is really about finetuning. It's late in Germany, so I can't turn up the volume high enough, but what I'm hearing so far, sounds almost the same.

It seems that the Blackouts have a fuller, richer tone, but I would cut that away in the mix anyway.

 

[Rex Rocker]

I'm liking the first clip WAY more.

Isn't the Schecter Hellraiser 81/85? If so, they both have gold lettering on them.

My ESP is 81/85 and they're both silver.

Nope, AFAIK, that would be 81TW/89 on the newer Hellraisers. Both have this weird bronze/kinda orange-ish logo (which indicates they're dual-mode EMG's, just like a gold logo would mean they're alnico), which I guess could be mistaken for the 85's gold logo.

If it is an older hellraiser 7-string, it might also mean it's got dual 707's, which is the 7-string version of the 85. That ones do have gold logos.

 

[kev]

RAGINGLY DRUNK lol. Merry xmas everyone ; ) BTW I must correct- as Marcus stated the red ibby is 85 bridge 81 neck ( I havent changed it)- i've recently fitted a combo of 81/85 in another guitar in the more usual way so have emg on the brain

P.S

Dude, had no idea you once tried blackouts in the RG, had I known, I would have just listened to that thred haha! Will take a listen tomorrow Nite : D

 

[ahjteam]

And every single 81, 85, 89, and 60 I've ever seen has always had silver, gold, red, and grey lettering! (respectively

From the EMG site:

60 & 60A

81 & 81TW

85 & 89

 

[Metaltastic]

They only just switched to that font and color scheme this year though, no more than a few months ago - and besides, the colors for the regular (non-TW) models are consistent with what I said anyway :Spin:

 

[ahjteam]

They only just switched to that font and color scheme this year though, no more than a few months ago - and besides, the colors for the regular (non-TW) models are consistent with what I said anyway :Spin:

except there is no red ones

 

[Metaltastic]

Oh right, they're still calling it the 89, I thought they might have changed it to 85TW to stay consistent with the naming scheme - still, 3 out of 4 is close enough

 

[Rex Rocker]

The 89's are kinda copper-ish, bronze-ish, metallic red-ish, metallic orange-ish. I imagine the 81TW's are also.

 

[Kazrog]

The voicing of these pickups is VERY similar. The main thing I noticed with Blackouts is that they sound fuzzier/woolier. This comparison is in line exactly with my experiences with both pickups. I definitely prefer the 85 over any other humbucker I've tried for metal.

 

[J.DavisNJ]

I definitely prefer the clarity of the 81!

-Joe

 

[XnaySaturo]

Ahh I see. Thanks for the clarification

I'm 100% sure I have the 81/85 combo. The guitar is an ESP LTD Deluxe MH-1000 with floyd. From the ESP website: EMG 81 (B) / 85 (N) Active p.u. Both are silver.

 

[Metaltastic]

I definitely prefer the clarity of the 81!

-Joe

IT'S AN 85 GODAMMIT

 

[J.DavisNJ]

IT'S AN 85 GODAMMIT

Oh woops, I need to read better.

Anyway, yeah, 85 FTW in this test. Next shred axe of mine will have 81 18 volt though.

-Joe