EMG Pickups

[FlyingV]

EMG´s sound is thick and heavy. But there´s a problem with active pickups: where did all the dynamics go?
For example, try playing with passive Seymour Duncans and then play with EMGs. The sound will remain great, but you´ll lose great amount of dynamics! That´s my opinion. Based on pure experience!


Exapathy Homepage

 

[7 Dying Trees]

Originally posted by FlyingV
EMG´s sound is thick and heavy. But there´s a problem with active pickups: where did all the dynamics go?
For example, try playing with passive Seymour Duncans and then play with EMGs. The sound will remain great, but you´ll lose great amount of dynamics! That´s my opinion. Based on pure experience!


Exapathy Homepage

Yep. Discovered this one when I started using passive pickups again, EMG's have little or no dynamics, but then again, if you already compress your sound to fuck this doesn't really matter too much, but if you like being able to control tone and distortion levels with your pick and like to articulate, then avoid them.

If you want all out metal they are very very good. And damn heavy!

 

[nevershine]

Originally posted by FlyingV
EMG´s sound is thick and heavy. But there´s a problem with active pickups: where did all the dynamics go?
For example, try playing with passive Seymour Duncans and then play with EMGs. The sound will remain great, but you´ll lose great amount of dynamics! That´s my opinion. Based on pure experience!


Exapathy Homepage

Second that!!!

 

[TheSerpent]

Get an EMG 81 for the rythm stuff and an 85 for your neck.the thing is what guitar u r playin with.if you have a low cost guitar as its pickups are not that of a quality changing them is a good movement but if you have a very expensive thing lets say a jakcson soloist it doesn't make sense to change its seymour duncan unless u want realy to make a specific sound.in my opinion if you have a medium-cost guitar i would say to you to buy some effects.try the pedal effecg ax1000ag or ax1500ag whch are very cheap if you compare to their quality.try also the rampage from rocktron which is a distortion pedal tha can give you much more than the EMGs.(if you could combine both of them that would be perfect though)good luck!

 

[BOOGEY]

i have an esp eclipse with the 81-60 combo and they sound pretty good but i seem to a better and more aggresive tone out of my rg with stock pick ups and my dimarzios in my my ibanez s classic just seem alot beefier than my emgs.people say that u get better harmonic out of emgs but i dunno my other guitars squeal compared the the esp

 

[WeAreTheLastMen]

There are ridiculously lengthy active vs. passive pickup debates. If you like active, I'd go with Blackouts (even better than EMGs) or EMG 81.
There are plenty of other ballsy, high output passive pickups for metal though...

 

[Bitter Dawn]

I have EMG Active 85/60A pickups in my guitar and I like them, and in my wife's guitar I believe they are EMG H4 bridge and EMG H4A neck pickups, and both seem pretty good.

But I think it depends on more than just the pick-ups, you have to consider the strings, the wood the guitar is made out of and so on.

 

[panzerfaust666]

I have an ESP M-II with EMG 81/85, but honestly I dont play that guitar often because the fucking pickups suck every bit of tonality and characteristic's of the wood.It is a quality instrument, but shit pickups.

 

[ParsonsMatt]

Hey Panzer, try the 18V mod or changing the batteries. A dead battery will cause the effect you are describing.

 

[panzerfaust666]

K i will thanks alot.

18V mod? please explain

 

[genocide roach]

i dont like em. they suck the character out of the guitar and make it sound like every other guitar with an emg
~gR~

 

[ParsonsMatt]

Hey GR, what is your experience with EMGs? My EMG loaded guitar sounds very different from other guitars with EMGs.

Panzer, the 18V mod is very easy. All you have to do is wire another battery in series after the one thats already in there. That'll give the pickups more headroom, and a more organic sound. I REALLY like the mod. It truly improves the sound.

 

[genocide roach]

ive owned a couple (and then sold em), and played a ton in stores. i only own one bass currently that is loaded with emg's (passive hz's). but it also has a preamp built in, so i can color the sound accordingly

i've fussed with just about every sort of pickup/body wood combo there is. i always come out dissapointed with emg's
~gR~

 

[panzerfaust666]

Yeah Im really interested in this 18V mod.My M-II is a beautiful guitar, so hopefully this mod will fix the fucking pikcups. I love Dimarzio's personally, especially the Blaze on my Universe:drool:

also, GR, that is an ESP/LTD bass, right?

 

[genocide roach]

FUCK NO! you wont catch me playing a fuckin ESP

its a dean rhapsody 8 string
~gR~

 

[panzerfaust666]

ohhhh.I hate Deanstbh

 

[genocide roach]

i rather like my dean. the only brand to do an affordable 8 string right
~gR~

 

[Orcy]

get the EMG 81... they are the best for rhythms... killer tones.

Not really, great for leads, but I'd prefer something else for rhythm

 

[Axle]

Are they really as good as everyone makes them out to be? and if so what model is the best for most rhythm and sometimes leads?

Fuuuck EMG! Get Blackouts.

 

[TomAwesome]

EMGs are really good if you like that sound. Personally, I don't. Pretty much every metal album made in the last several years has used EMGs, though. I can see what people like about them, but eh, they don't do much for me. The only EMGs I really like are the 60 and 707.

can you play seriously clean with them?

Yes, but it's pretty sterile sounding.

Which reminds me, has anyone here tried or is anyone using the EMG707? From what I've heard they sound quite nice, but I am apprehensive of routing out the control cavity in a guitar (along with the pickguard) to install them. Also, they don't make a single coil, but I am tempted? ANyone got any experience with them?

As far as EMGs go, the 707 is pretty good. It's somewhere between an 81 and an 85. However, if you want to get a 7-string active pickup, I'd recommend Seymour Duncan Blackouts. They sound better, and they have 7-string pickups in standard sizes so you don't have to cut up your guitar to put in pickups with a needlessly ridiculous size.