EMG's to Blackouts...
- Thread starter SDSM
- Start date
Rex Rocker
Call me Hugo!
My experience too.
Less compressed? Maybe. Lower output, treblier, bassier, less saturated and with less focused mids.
VERY subtle difference, IMO. Not worth it if you're going to change stock 81's out.
I replaced an 81X with an 81 in my Prestige. I actually just posted a comparison clip today.
Why? It should work. I used to have such setup, but don`t remember how passive tone worked
Active tone from EMG X-series (EMG VLPF) worked... but it limits blackout output to EMGs level and eats battery, battery consumption several times greater than pickups itself.
It worth to mention that blackouts have more current consumption, Ahb-1 has 350 micro-amperes while typical EMG consumes 80 (on 18 V consumption should be twice greater), EMG VLPF has current consumption of 980 micro-amperes
Cool got it! Now what do I do about the foam and spring? Should I cut them off the 81-7 and use them to bed the new pick up?
Calippo Tecks
Member
Well, he's comparing a 707, not an 81-7.
I would use a 707 as a neck pickup only.
If he would've used a 81-7, it would sound even more tight and clear than the Blackouts. That's the whole point why EMG still wins in my opinion.
Keregioz
Kimon Zeliotis
The original poster was debating between 707 and blackouts though...so...
Also, I never said that blackouts are better than EMGs, just that the blackouts don't sound as bad as some of the other posters claimed. Although, to be fair, in the clip I posted the pickups used were blackouts EMTY which I suppose are different than regular blackouts.
xplanet2112
Member
I have an SC607b and I have commented along the same lines as the OP regarding the sound on other threds. I think there are advantages to the crisp tight sound but I am getting a Schecter ATX C7 soon which has 2 SD Blackouts so I will have a little fun and swap the pickups around in the bridge position to see what different it makes.
FWIW, someone was selling an SC607b on ebay uk with which they swapped out the 81-7s to Blackouts and commented that it made a vast improvement but that was just their opinion. It does seem to have logic to it, however, alder is used on the 607b, which should produce a bright tone so you have bright wood with a bright pick up. Also, I have read on the Sneap forum comments by informed posters (Ermz) that 81-7s were not their favourite 7 string pick up and not a 7 string version of an 81 sound wise. See here...
http://www.ultimatemetal.com/forum/backline/878357-how-do-emg-81s-take-lower-tunings.html
So far as the ATX, blackouts with mahogany, (dark pick up sound, dark wood sound) so same logic applies in reverse I guess and swapping them might even up the sound between the two axes, make them sound better but then again, it might make them suck! either way, I look forward to swapping the pick ups out just for something to mess about with!
FWIW, someone was selling an SC607b on ebay uk with which they swapped out the 81-7s to Blackouts and commented that it made a vast improvement but that was just their opinion. It does seem to have logic to it, however, alder is used on the 607b, which should produce a bright tone so you have bright wood with a bright pick up. Also, I have read on the Sneap forum comments by informed posters (Ermz) that 81-7s were not their favourite 7 string pick up and not a 7 string version of an 81 sound wise. See here...
http://www.ultimatemetal.com/forum/backline/878357-how-do-emg-81s-take-lower-tunings.html
So far as the ATX, blackouts with mahogany, (dark pick up sound, dark wood sound) so same logic applies in reverse I guess and swapping them might even up the sound between the two axes, make them sound better but then again, it might make them suck! either way, I look forward to swapping the pick ups out just for something to mess about with!
::XeS::
Member
Blackouts are cool if you have a "light" guitar. I've tried them on a mahogany schecter and the sound was awfull... bassy and not defined at all.
I've also reamped some Blackout DI's and they suck so much.
I've also reamped some Blackout DI's and they suck so much.
Max Morton
Member
Was a bit surprised to read so many negative opinions on Blackouts. I personally liked them much more then EMG's (which I dislike in most cases. I highly prefer passives).
Here's my clip with Blackouts, and I totally loved their behaviour, when installed on a "bassy" guitar. Much more feel then with 81's.
Here's my clip with Blackouts, and I totally loved their behaviour, when installed on a "bassy" guitar. Much more feel then with 81's.
Last edited by a moderator:
Mattayus
Sir Groove-A-Lot
This was my experience pretty much 100%. Hated them. Bloaty, fizzy, not very toneful. Switched back to EMG's - night and day. EMG's were just so much clearer and more manageable.
blue_fAng
Member
- Sep 15, 2011
- 648
- 0
- 16
What I don't like about blackouts is that they want to sound like EMGs while supposedly preserving that passive vibe (only the cleans sound kinda passive) which gives the "best of both worlds" but it is actually in between them, not as punchy and clear as the EMGs and not as passive as a real passive meaning you get a "want to emg" and a "want to SD high gain passive" and that sucks. That's in my experience but it's not that they can't sound good, as long as they're in a cool sounding guitar it's going to sound okay.
MarcusGHedwig
Member
Agreed completely, but the Mick Thompson EMTY Blackouts seem to be a big improvement, so I'm curious to try them out!
Last edited by a moderator:
Jackal_Strain
Sigurd Løberg
Remember that Keith Merrow works for Seymor duncan so any video where he compares them to Emg's will probably be influenced by that.
Similar threads
