EMG's-I've Yet To See This One . . . .

[anoubu5]

Mostly Everyone Recording or Playing Hi-Gain Music is Using them or They are Using Pickups Designed to Sound Like Them . . . .
I know some perks In using Each of them 81/85/60/etc . . . . .
But Which Do You Prefer and if you don't prefer them then why not ?
Also, What have been some of your positive and not so positive experiences.

Thanks
Justin

 

[KeithRT99]

i think the reason why they're used so commonly for hi gain stuff is that they have higher output and they "push" the preamp tubes more than low output pickups. Plus they're very clean sounding.

i like my 81 in the bridge, and i've got an 89 neck, which is a coil tapping 85. Some times i prefer passives, but it's hard to beat emg's for high gain.

 

[NickL]

I have an 81 in the bridge because I like the crnchiness without too much bass and I have an 85 in the neck because it gives a really gnarly and kinda strange sound when you do leads and sweeps with the neck pup on. I use them both during clean passages.

 

[Jackal_Strain]

the only thing I don't like them for is clean sounds.

 

[JeffTD]

Hell, I dig them for clean sounds because they're so clean and precise, although the humbuckers can be a bit sterile.


I prefer the 85 to the 81 in the bridge - the 81 is good but it lacks bass and has this weird metallic quality to it.

That said, I prefer the 81 to the 85 in the neck, unless it's in the form of an 89.

 

[Ermz]

I use 707s in both bridge and neck... because they came with my guitar. I've been told that the sound is somewhere between an 81 and 85, but I've never been able to verify it personally. In any case, they sound amazing and extremely phattt in my all-mahogany axe.

@DSS3: I totally agree about the 81 having the metallic quality. I think its scooped in a particular set of midrange frequencies that give it that sort of dry and metallic sound. What it actually reminds me of is the tonal quality I've been getting out of Soldano 4x12 cabs. The 85's abundance of low-mids combats that sound and comes out a bit more natural in the bridge.

 

[Kazrog]

707s and 85s for me. I like the 89 as a neck pickup, great coil tapping! 81s are kind of weak and thin sounding.

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

I am probably in the minority here but I don't like EMG p-ups.

 

[LSD-Studio]

don't judge an EMG pup unless you've heard it running at 18 volts!!

the "sterile" and "metallic" sounding qualities mostly come from the fact that a 9volt EMG is clipping really much (precisely the preamp).

 

[AudioPhile777]

don't judge an EMG pup unless you've heard it running at 18 volts!!

the "sterile" and "metallic" sounding qualities mostly come from the fact that a 9volt EMG is clipping really much (precisely the preamp).

How do you run EMGs at 18volts?

 

[LSD-Studio]

just 2 9volt batts in series. (connect black wire of batt-clip A to red wire of clip B)

btw, we've got an equipment subforum here

 

[kev]

I've always been a high output passive pickup guy, just seems morenatural to my ear. Evos, Jb's Customs, Breeds, tonezones, freds etcs

 

[LSD-Studio]

there's not one pup that I hate as mucª as the JB

tried it over and over again, always the same result, uncontrolled high-mid-edgy barking sounds like a drunk punk screaming "OI OI OI" at the 3rd day of a ferstival...

I need creamy liquid and fat sounds...

I know, alot of ppl love the JB,,I just can't understand that

 

[Mutant]

How do you run EMGs at 18volts?

http://www.ultimatemetal.com/forum/equipment/293799-my-emg-18v-experiment.html

 

[Nitronium Blood]

85 in Bridge. Sounds "very naice"

Ask James Murphy.

 

[Where She Wept]

I like the clarity, i say (insert generic internet insult coment) to anyone who says they're too sterile. I played 81+81 for almost 10 yrs and switched to 81+85 last year i also have 81+SA+SA in my Strat. To me all passive pickups sound muddy and have a honky tone i don't like. When playing crunch i can roll down my volume knob till my tone is clean play some soft clean stuff then trun the knob back up and sweel into distortion real nice. (thanks to the low Z output). i tried that with my Duncan equiped guitar and no matter how low i turned down the volume knob the tone never cleaned up. on the down-side the EMG's output is hot and has caused me problems. i could never use my Whammy II pedal (the black one) because the input clipped so bad.

 

[Denial Machine]

I have been a DiMarzio Evolution pick up user for a few years and for me there is no better passive pick up out there. You guys should definately try it. It works great with high gain amps such as 5150 or a Dual Recto

 

[JBroll]

Tried it, don't like it, as far as DiMarzios go I'd say the D Sonic, D Activator, and Super Distortion are the best. Hell, Steve Vai can't get a good sound out of his Evolutions, with what I've tried to do with them I'd be amazed if any mortal man could.

Jeff

 

[everybody's x]

I like seymour passives

call me kooky

 

[JeffTD]

Hell, Steve Vai can't get a good sound out of his Evolutions, with what I've tried to do with them I'd be amazed if any mortal man could.

Jeff

Heh... I'd hardly say that Vai has bad tone, and our own Brett gets killer tones out of his Evo-7.