EMG 85 - need opinions on it as a bridge pickup

[t-rave]

I have only tried 81's and I like them for percussive metal and such..

but for my next axe i might try an 85 bridge - 89 neck combo..

I am hoping the 85 might bring a tad more fatness and warmth due to the alnico magnets but still handle high gain well...

The 85 is my favorite neck pickup ever and I still like passives better than active but I am looking to try something new...

 

[Erik Monsonis]

You won't get dissapointed, i always used the 81 and now i use an EMG 85 in bridge of my Caparison Horus (tuned down to B) and it's the best tone i've ever heard.

 

[Metaltastic]

Really depends on the guitar, for most I'd say the 85 would be my favorite, but if you've got a mahogany body/neck axe, then the 85 is way too woofy and the 81 cuts perfectly IMO

 

[006]

You know what, I'm just going to ask something that has been irking me for a while. My friend has a Jackson Custom Shop Warrior with an alder body, set maple neck and a Floyd...in the same tuning and going through the same rig my EC1k (mah body/neck, TOM bridge) cuts better, but doesn't have as much low-end response. Both running an 81 in the bridge... what gives?!? Mine sounds better, but I guess what I'm looking for is somebody to tell me how to retain the clarity and cut, but also somehow get the low-end like his guitar. Mine sounds good (like I said, better), but I want that rumble too.

~006

 

[Metaltastic]

Wow, that's pretty funny that an Alder guitar with huge cutaways, a maple neck, and a Floyd sounds bassier than your all-mahogany Les Paul-style guitar with a ToM! My only guess is that the wood is much higher quality on his since it's a custom shop model - you could try an 85 in the bridge of your EC1k (I like that abbreviation ), but I know I didn't like it in my EC400 when I tried.

 

[JeffTD]

I actually don't like the 85 in the bridge - it's thicker and more organic, but you lose a lot of low-end/low-mid tightness compared to the 81.

 

[Wolfeman]

You know what, I'm just going to ask something that has been irking me for a while. My friend has a Jackson Custom Shop Warrior with an alder body, set maple neck and a Floyd...in the same tuning and going through the same rig my EC1k (mah body/neck, TOM bridge) cuts better, but doesn't have as much low-end response. Both running an 81 in the bridge... what gives?!? Mine sounds better, but I guess what I'm looking for is somebody to tell me how to retain the clarity and cut, but also somehow get the low-end like his guitar. Mine sounds good (like I said, better), but I want that rumble too.

~006

Ever thought about direct mounting the pickup instead of using the pickup ring? My custom is setup like that and I love it.

 

[Metaltastic]

Hmm, I really can't see how direct-mounting would make a difference, and neither can Warmoth (scroll down). It sure looks awesome, though!

 

[Erik Monsonis]

My 85 is direct mounted (and i had to drill it to the body to fit it ok) so, the contact is maximum. It has to do something, it can't be useless

 

[DevilJaw]

i would say it depends on your guitar and tone, for my jackson RR its got alder body and with most pickups, it sounds too bright, be it a JB or 81, but the 85 sounds perfect with it. but with the solid mahogany and 81 works for thick tones with a huge bass, that is if u dont want a tone too thick but just enough to cut without sounding thin.

 

[JeffTD]

i would say it depends on your guitar and tone, for my jackson RR its got alder body and with most pickups, it sounds too bright, be it a JB or 81, but the 85 sounds perfect with it. but with the solid mahogany and 81 works for thick tones with a huge bass, that is if u dont want a tone too thick but just enough to cut without sounding thin.

That's what I thought, too, until I got an ESP M-II (alder body, maple/maple bolt-on neck, OFR). It should've been bright as hell, with those specs, but the 85 was still just a bit too muddy for me in the lower registers. 81 + 18v mod, though, and it rules!

 

[MetalJonesy]

the 81 in a mahogany bodied guitar is the best bet, like others have said, the 85 just loses the clarity and punch for tight rhythm playing

 

[DevilJaw]

yeah for some stuff, the 85 is a tad on the muddy side, thats why i have both 2 solid body 85 w/18v and a single 81 w/18v. works out so far.

hehe, but then again the 2 with 85 are pretty much the same guitar but depending on the player, the tones are vary different from each other.

i will still maintain that tone is 10% Equipment, 90% Player for most things, because some of your guys tones i have no idea how it make it sound like that.

 

[Wolfeman]

Hmm, I really can't see how direct-mounting would make a difference, and neither can Warmoth (scroll down). It sure looks awesome, though!

That debate is just like the "Actives sound the same no matter what wood is in the guitar" debate. It does make a difference, maybe not a huge one, but it's enough for a 'purist' to notice.

 

[t-rave]

well based on opinions I'll probably stick with the 81 as the guitar is a custom built with a one piece mahogany body

 

[Metaltastic]

That debate is just like the "Actives sound the same no matter what wood is in the guitar" debate. It does make a difference, maybe not a huge one, but it's enough for a 'purist' to notice.

Come on dude, that's not fair - to me the "actives make all guitars sound the same" stance just totally doesn't make sense, whereas the "direct-mounting pickups doesn't make a difference" IMO is a lot more logical - pickups (as of course you know) just detect the electric charge from the strings vibrating in their magnetic field, why would having them resonating more with the body wood make any difference in how the strings vibrate, which is the only thing that has any effect on said magnetic field?

I'm not arguing that direct mounting looks awesome, my Ibanez Prestige has 'em, and I think it's fucking sexy as all hell - just trying to get all the facts straight!

 

[cobrahead1030]

FWIW i do think active pickups tend to subdue the tone of the actual guitar a bit, where passives do a pretty good job accentuating it...that's not to say that all guitars with emg's sound the same, but there is a tiny hint of truth to that statement IMO

i love the 85 as a bridge pickup btw, took some time for it to grow on me tho

 

[Force666]

Come on dude, that's not fair - to me the "actives make all guitars sound the same" stance just totally doesn't make sense, whereas the "direct-mounting pickups doesn't make a difference" IMO is a lot more logical - pickups (as of course you know) just detect the electric charge from the strings vibrating in their magnetic field, why would having them resonating more with the body wood make any difference in how the strings vibrate, which is the only thing that has any effect on said magnetic field?

I'm not arguing that direct mounting looks awesome, my Ibanez Prestige has 'em, and I think it's fucking sexy as all hell - just trying to get all the facts straight!

I would think that the pickup vibrating with the spring (mounted with pickup ring) would cause the guitar to actually resonate less as it counteracts the vibration by "stealing" some of the energy from the body. Where as direct mounted doesn't. As the body resonates the string vibrates more.

Of course the actual pickup height, string gauge and brand, and type of bridge will play a much bigger role in shaping the tone.

Of course, no two guitar players will sound exactly the same on the same rig also.

 

[Metaltastic]

I would think that the pickup vibrating with the spring (mounted with pickup ring) would cause the guitar to actually resonate less as it counteracts the vibration by "stealing" some of the energy from the body. Where as direct mounted doesn't. As the body resonates the string vibrates more.

Ok, that does make sense, but Christ what a tiny amount of vibration to have stolen, those springs are tiny and pickup rings are like 2 grams each!

 

[deanbailey]

...and more organic...

+1 It's why I didn't swap it back for my old 81 that my friend/tech has now.