Anyone Keep Going Back To EMG?

[Neon_Knight_]

So I'm enjoying the Hets a lot more than expected. Last experience with them was a bummer, but that was a long time ago with a guitar that I ended up ditching. Now they sound much better in my guitars I know sound a lot better. Funny how that works?

But EMGs make all guitars sound the same!

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

But EMGs make all guitars sound the same!

I took sometimes like to sound like the average YouTube comments section lol

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

I’ve been playing the 6 and 7 string versions of the 57/66 set for almost a decade now, and while they are definitely NOT period correct to their model namesake, I still feel that they are the most genre diverse set within the EMG lineup. The 57 definitely is not as harsh on the high end for metal, it does work nicely for other genre’s quite nicely, very balanced. And with the gain potential of modern amps, it is righ at home in competition with the 81 combined with a lesser gained amp. The 66 necks to me is pure sweetness, and I still prefer it over the 60. Sits right in the sweet spot in all gain or clean applications. I know this is subjective, but that’s just my .02 cents. The 89 in the neck is my next fave. I’ve had the 89 in the bridge before and a pair of 89’s would do most guitars quite well in multiple gainstructures.

The 89’s paired up remind me of a bit of a souped up active version of the Dimarzio Fred combo I had in an old RG550, which I eventually swapped for a PAF Pro/ Humbucker from Hell combo back when I logged around a 20 space rack. The clarity going through my ADA MP1 and eventual MP2 that I beta tested back when I was endorsed by them was fantastic.

Today, with such high gain potential from modern amps, hot pickups are no longer really “necessary” but more of a preference. Overwinding pickups in the late 70’s was a compensation for the lack of gain available in the amps, so overwinding pushed the front end of the amp more.

Today, lower wound pickups, even active ones can provide much more clarity, especially in high gain applications.

 

[Shask]

Has anyone compared the 57/66 to the Fishman Fluence Classic?

Both of them say they are based on the PAF sound.

 

[youngthrasher9]

Has anyone compared the 57/66 to the Fishman Fluence Classic?

Both of them say they are based on the PAF sound.

I can’t speak on the 57, but I don’t really buy the classic’s being PAF based.

I had some time to kill and played them through a few different amps in a GC one day and loved them, but IMO they are like a step removed from being Duncan Custom sounding, you could imagine that sound but active, tighter and clearer. One could say they have vaguely PAF DNA, but more the difference between a current production hellcat engine compares to a Mopar 360, not a Mopar 360 with a turbo. The similarities could literally be an accident.

 

[Shask]

I can’t speak on the 57, but I don’t really buy the classic’s being PAF based.

I had some time to kill and played them through a few different amps in a GC one day and loved them, but IMO they are like a step removed from being Duncan Custom sounding, you could imagine that sound but active, tighter and clearer. One could say they have vaguely PAF DNA, but more the difference between a current production hellcat engine compares to a Mopar 360, not a Mopar 360 with a turbo. The similarities could literally be an accident.

The Duncan Custom is one of my favorite passives

The Fluence Moderns have really started sounding very cocked wahish to me lately, so I have been looking at some alternatives.

 

[youngthrasher9]

The Duncan Custom is one of my favorite passives

The Fluence Moderns have really started sounding very cocked wahish to me lately, so I have been looking at some alternatives.

FWIW I noticeably less of that and they sounded better than the moderns for crunch tones, and the Epiphone version as well. They are my favorite of the fluence line so far albeit my experience is limited to those three (plus the sevenstring moderns). For lack of a better word the main thing that reminded me of the Custom was the “crispy” character to the attack.

 

[lattjeful]

The Duncan Custom is one of my favorite passives

The Fluence Moderns have really started sounding very cocked wahish to me lately, so I have been looking at some alternatives.

The Classics are great. I really like them, but be warned that in my experience they are obscenely bright, even for Fishmans. My buddy toggled the HF tilt on his, and it resolved a lot of it. Only thing is iirc the newer versions of the Classics don't have the HF tilt.

If you can handle the brightness though, they're great. Both voices are lovely. Voice 2 on the bridge is super pissed.

 

[Shask]

The Classics are great. I really like them, but be warned that in my experience they are obscenely bright, even for Fishmans. My buddy toggled the HF tilt on his, and it resolved a lot of it. Only thing is iirc the newer versions of the Classics don't have the HF tilt.

If you can handle the brightness though, they're great. Both voices are lovely. Voice 2 on the bridge is super pissed.

I don't like really bright pickups. I actually hard-wired the HF Tilt on my Moderns.

 

[Dumple Stilzkin]

The Duncan Custom is one of my favorite passives

The Fluence Moderns have really started sounding very cocked wahish to me lately, so I have been looking at some alternatives.

I noticed it immediately when I tried them out, I’m not on board with the moderns. It’s still EMG if I want actives. Just got a 7 with 57’s in it, I am really liking it.

 

[soldierkahn]

The Duncan Custom is one of my favorite passives

The Fluence Moderns have really started sounding very cocked wahish to me lately, so I have been looking at some alternatives.

was in the same boat. tried the Adlers, problem was solved

 

[lewis]

The fluence modern is awful. Thinnest sound I've ever had live. It also doesn't do that lively compression thing I love so much about the emgs. They give you an instant, always 100% lively vibe which when you're in the zone playing with a band, is incredibly satisfying.

The fish man modern also has a fizz over a certain frequency that is present at all times and I find it distracting. Reminds me of that same problem I had with the Lace deathbar

 

[WillyTheMLGPro]

Ordered my first EMG pickup to go in my Squier Bass Vi.
Bought a White 81X for some single pickup chugs and really looking forward to seeing how it sounds!

 

[Crungy]

Does anyone here have experience with doing a regular EMG install into an Ibanez S model with no battery box? Will a vol/tone/3 way and battery fit into the control cavity?

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

Does anyone here have experience with doing a regular EMG install into an Ibanez S model with no battery box? Will a vol/tone/3 way and battery fit into the control cavity?

It’s a tight fit in the standard RG cavity like in my FRG in my avatar, but it fit. I’ve since yanked the tone pot as I don’t use one, but since the S models have that slope on the face, I can imagine it being even tighter there.

 

[Crungy]

It’s a tight fit in the standard RG cavity like in my FRG in my avatar, but it fit. I’ve since yanked the tone pot as I don’t use one, but since the S models have that slope on the face, I can imagine it being even tighter there.

I've considered omitting the tone control but I have been utilizing it a lot more lately.

One option I considered was the 24v/A23 battery mod to save a little space... Though that might be a wash if I'm not saving much space. Or being a weirdo and doing it as 12v only, that would definitely save some space.

 

[SalsaWood]

18v mod was always enough for me personally. Beyond that they got too noisy. As far as fitment the uncovered EMG model will likely be your only option, I highly doubt the covered models fit your routes unless your passives have rings.

 

[Crungy]

18v mod was always enough for me personally. Beyond that they got too noisy. As far as fitment the uncovered EMG model will likely be your only option, I highly doubt the covered models fit your routes unless your passives have rings.

No rings on the guitar but I'll have to measure the pickup cavities. It looks like there's minimal difference in width between an 81, a metal capped 57, a Retroactive and the Nazgûl. I'd be surprised if it's that tight where I could fit an EMG in there.

 

[SalsaWood]

No rings on the guitar but I'll have to measure the pickup cavities. It looks like there's minimal difference in width between an 81, a metal capped 57, a Retroactive and the Nazgûl. I'd be surprised if it's that tight where I could fit an EMG in there.

Maybe things have changed, but for the longest time EMGs like the 81 would simply not fit in passive routes without rings, without modifying the routes- full stop. Meaning if your Ibanez came with Dimarzios it's going to live with passives. It was probably around 2004 that I stopped using EMGs and pondering such things, so like I said maybe things have changed.

I'd make a mock up of dimensions with paper and see how it goes. It may fit in maximum dimensions, but the corner radius could blow it out of the water.

 

[Crungy]

Maybe things have changed, but for the longest time EMGs like the 81 would simply not fit in passive routes without rings, without modifying the routes- full stop. Meaning if your Ibanez came with Dimarzios it's going to live with passives. It was probably around 2004 that I stopped using EMGs and pondering such things, so like I said maybe things have changed.

I'd make a mock up of dimensions with paper and see how it goes. It may fit in maximum dimensions, but the corner radius could blow it out of the water.

Ahh yes, I wasn't thinking about the corners.

I'll check it with a caliper when I get home and I can make a mockup in Illustrator to exact size for future reference.