Anyone Keep Going Back To EMG?

[Edika]

Not to change the topic on this, but kind of reminds me the hate on the Boss MT-2. It's not ideal in the clean channel of an amp and you should exercise caution when dialing it as the EQ is really wide. But in the power amp section of any tube amp I've tried it plus the solid state power amp of my Valvestate and it sounds beastly. Instant thick Death Metal to shake the house down!

 

[lewis]

Not to change the topic on this, but kind of reminds me the hate on the Boss MT-2. It's not ideal in the clean channel of an amp and you should exercise caution when dialing it as the EQ is really wide. But in the power amp section of any tube amp I've tried it plus the solid state power amp of my Valvestate and it sounds beastly. Instant thick Death Metal to shake the house down!

Absolutely.

I think anything can sound great or this in the right/wrong hands

 

[lewis]

What cracked me up was a lot of guys saying stuff like, "I fucking DESPISE!!!! EMGs because they're too processed, compressed, thin and sterile sounding. I can only get my tone by using a medium output passive Bareknuckle that I subsequently run into 2 boosts, a noisegate and a compressor into the red channel of my 6505+." I'm planning on getting 2 sets of EMGs - 81 + 85 and another set I'm not as familiar with - for 2 of my guitars for the first time ever in the coming weeks, simply because I miss playing the 81 loaded Ibanez Roadstar II my buddy had when I was growing up. It was so effortless getting a good metal tone with that guitar and it felt so lively. I still love my passive equipped guitars, but they're different.

HAHAHAH how true is this!

the worst one is "Batteries are for flashlights not pickups"
-_-

yeah ok...

defo look out for the 57/66 TW set (new - they are coil splitabble) OR the Retro active set. Super 77 is ceramic mags, the Fat 55 set is Alnico

 

[hensh!n]

From my experience, people get lost on the pickups and forget everything else that gives a guitar (or rig) it's tone. For example, I have a 57/66 set that sounds great in my 6 string Edwards Horizon. I also have a 57-7/66-7 Set in my ESP FR-7 Horizon. Does not sound the same at all. The ESP is a Mahogany body though, and I've had terrible experiences getting a non muddy tone from a Mahogany body guitar generally speaking (with my G-Phoenix Custom VII String being the lone exception).

I will say certain pickups benefit from certain woods or guitar builds. Fishmans tend to be fairly bright, so they'd work well in a Mahogany body guitar (or at least my Mahogany/Maple body guitar). Ultimately I've learned that no two models of the same guitar will sound exactly identical. So it is best to play the guitar in person with an amp you're familiar with, and decide if that guitar will work for you or not. Also, there are advantages to having multiple guitars with a variety of pickup configurations. I currently own two active pickup guitars and two passive pickup guitars. I love them all in different ways.

Getting back to the topic though, yes Fishmans are overhyped. However both the Fishman and EMG have their own purposes, but the purpose they serve often varies by pickup. The Fishman Modern has much less noise than all of the EMG's I've used and they have multiple voices, however I tend to only use Voice 1 (Active Voice) and both voices sort of lack any distinctive character. So the multi-voice thing feature isn't that attractive when both sound fairly similar and tend to only use one voice anyways. Also, the Fishman Moderns are "sterile" too, albeit in a different way than EMG's. Almost like having a pickup with an EQ that is flat, only varying in the amount of output and dynamics (with the Passive Voice having more dynamics overall).

I will say I tried a Lace X Bar (or Deathbar?) and initially thought it was terrible. However, after adjusting some parameters and presets I found them to be extremely clean and clear, very articulate (not that unlike the Fishmans) but more Hi-Fi like a JBE (which I still own). Though I'm fairly certain that the Lace pickups caused more noise and feedback from the amp...

Case in point, all these pickups have their benefits and uses but will ultimately depend on the guitar they're in and the type of tone you're looking to achieve. At this point in my musical life I've come to the realization that there is no one pickup that will work for every guitar, in every song, for every application. And I'm okay with that, perhaps we should all be too.

 

[gnoll]

It's much easier to feel good about your choice of pickups if what you didn't choose is shit.

 

[lewis]

 

[Rotatous]

For a while EMGs were trendy to hate on. Sort of like the hate for Line6, Gibson, etc. we've all seen on guitar forums.

I actually really like the EMGs in my main axe, I'm finding it hard to justify replacing them with anything else.

 

[Science_Penguin]

For a while EMGs were trendy to hate on. Sort of like the hate for Line6, Gibson, etc. we've all seen on guitar forums.

I actually really like the EMGs in my main axe, I'm finding it hard to justify replacing them with anything else.

Funny thing is, I run EMGs through a Line 6 POD. I'm one Les Paul away from beyond giving a fuck.

 

[lewis]

Funny thing is, I run EMGs through a Line 6 POD. I'm one Les Paul away from beyond giving a fuck.

in my experience, EMGs make Pods sound better haha

 

[DevanString333]

Total newby here so sorry if this is a party foul. I've been searching all over the net, and I can't find the answer I'm looking for. Everything I find is someone asking how to replace EMG with Fishman Fluence. I'm wanting to do the exact opposite! without having to solder or alter the existing wiring. Just unplug, plug, and play?. I know it's easy to unplug and swap one active EMG for another active EMG, but I'm wondering if there is a good reason I can't take my EMG 57-7 and 66-7 out of my ESP and just plug them into the existing Fishman harness in my Schecter Multiscale with Fishman Fulence moderns without having to doing any soldering or re-wiring. I understand that the push pull pots will be useless on the EMG but I don't care about that. I just want the volume and tone to function. My tech experience is limited to doing minor set-ups and changing strings and I don't have a soldering gun. I'm hesitant to dive in until I know for sure it will work so I don't waste the time or strings. I love the way the Multiscale plays and I like the fluence set , but I prefer the EMG 57 for my original metal songs. Please help, Thanks!

 

[Endnote]

Figured I'd get in on this thread since I've been reading it for a couple of months. For a while there I didn't have any EMGs in my guitars for years, until the last year or so, though I had used them in the past. When Fishmans came out I was all on board thinking that I could get the best of both worlds, I put the moderns in 3 of my guitars. The Moderns have a great active sound, but IME it just didn't compare to what the 81/60 combo did for me in the past, the bass wasn't as tight and percussive. And the Voice 2 passive ceramic sound just didn't compare to my favorite ceramic passives, mainly the Seymour Black Winter and Custom SH-5, the Voice 2 just sounded like a weaker version of the Voice 1 sound. They honestly left too much to be desired. Someone earlier called them a jack of all trades but a master of none. Couldn't agree more. The Modern Active just didn't hold up to what I loved about the 81. And the 60 is the best active neck sound I've ever heard, so the Modern neck didn't even touch what the 60 was offering. The Fishman classics had a great sound especially the Voice 1 PAF but left too much to be desired for modern metal, which is the style I play the most.

The only set that I still have in one of my guitars is the KSE set, and the only reason for that is because they have a bass tight enough to hold up to the 81, though they definitely have the least amount of active style gain of the Fishmans I've tried. The 3rd single coil voicing the KSE's have was great for what I needed. I'm using them on a Warmoth Soloist in B Standard. Going from the Tight bass active sound to the single coil sounds are very fulfilling for the music I'm playing on that guitar. That said, I've also had the pleasure of using the 81TW and 89 on another guitar and they sound great as well. The 81TW gets a lot of "this doesn't sound like the 81" reviews but I'm gonna have to disagree. I'm def satisfied with that set as well. The volume drops going to single coil sounds on the Fishmans and the EMGs isn't much different, and I've honestly come to expect that from those sets.

Ultimately I'd say the Fishmans were very overrated for me personally, just like a lot of the others on this thread have found. The EMG 81/60 is just the perfect set for my needs and the only other set I use as much in my guitars are the Seymour Black Winters. I will say that the bands I've seen using Fishmans live, particularly Unearth, still sounded great live. But as a casual player and normally playing on my own, the EMGs are still the ideal active sound. So kudos to @lewis for bringing this up a while back because I definitely feel the same. Now if only EMG would put out all their actives with the brushed chrome look.

 

[lewis]

Total newby here so sorry if this is a party foul. I've been searching all over the net, and I can't find the answer I'm looking for. Everything I find is someone asking how to replace EMG with Fishman Fluence. I'm wanting to do the exact opposite! without having to solder or alter the existing wiring. Just unplug, plug, and play?. I know it's easy to unplug and swap one active EMG for another active EMG, but I'm wondering if there is a good reason I can't take my EMG 57-7 and 66-7 out of my ESP and just plug them into the existing Fishman harness in my Schecter Multiscale with Fishman Fulence moderns without having to doing any soldering or re-wiring. I understand that the push pull pots will be useless on the EMG but I don't care about that. I just want the volume and tone to function. My tech experience is limited to doing minor set-ups and changing strings and I don't have a soldering gun. I'm hesitant to dive in until I know for sure it will work so I don't waste the time or strings. I love the way the Multiscale plays and I like the fluence set , but I prefer the EMG 57 for my original metal songs. Please help, Thanks!

hey bro!

Im going to say that it should work fine. Fishmans need a ground wire were as EMGs do not. Thats the only thing that I can see being different between them? not sure on that and if that will cause problems (using EMGs with a ground wire)

but all the quick connect stuff works fine.
The guitar i use my EMGs and Fishmans in, is the complete EMG solderless quick connect system. I swap between them when I feel like it and the quick connect works fine for the Fishmans. I dont like Voice 2 so I have the Modern set permanently wired to V1 bridge and V2 neck using the Jumper clip.

Figured I'd get in on this thread since I've been reading it for a couple of months. For a while there I didn't have any EMGs in my guitars for years, until the last year or so, though I had used them in the past. When Fishmans came out I was all on board thinking that I could get the best of both worlds, I put the moderns in 3 of my guitars. The Moderns have a great active sound, but IME it just didn't compare to what the 81/60 combo did for me in the past, the bass wasn't as tight and percussive. And the Voice 2 passive ceramic sound just didn't compare to my favorite ceramic passives, mainly the Seymour Black Winter and Custom SH-5, the Voice 2 just sounded like a weaker version of the Voice 1 sound. They honestly left too much to be desired. Someone earlier called them a jack of all trades but a master of none. Couldn't agree more. The Modern Active just didn't hold up to what I loved about the 81. And the 60 is the best active neck sound I've ever heard, so the Modern neck didn't even touch what the 60 was offering. The Fishman classics had a great sound especially the Voice 1 PAF but left too much to be desired for modern metal, which is the style I play the most.

The only set that I still have in one of my guitars is the KSE set, and the only reason for that is because they have a bass tight enough to hold up to the 81, though they definitely have the least amount of active style gain of the Fishmans I've tried. The 3rd single coil voicing the KSE's have was great for what I needed. I'm using them on a Warmoth Soloist in B Standard. Going from the Tight bass active sound to the single coil sounds are very fulfilling for the music I'm playing on that guitar. That said, I've also had the pleasure of using the 81TW and 89 on another guitar and they sound great as well. The 81TW gets a lot of "this doesn't sound like the 81" reviews but I'm gonna have to disagree. I'm def satisfied with that set as well. The volume drops going to single coil sounds on the Fishmans and the EMGs isn't much different, and I've honestly come to expect that from those sets.

Ultimately I'd say the Fishmans were very overrated for me personally, just like a lot of the others on this thread have found. The EMG 81/60 is just the perfect set for my needs and the only other set I use as much in my guitars are the Seymour Black Winters. I will say that the bands I've seen using Fishmans live, particularly Unearth, still sounded great live. But as a casual player and normally playing on my own, the EMGs are still the ideal active sound. So kudos to @lewis for bringing this up a while back because I definitely feel the same. Now if only EMG would put out all their actives with the brushed chrome look.

Interesting to hear you have basically had the identical experiences as me with them dude. It was me that referred to them as Jack of all trades master of none.

Across the board they do a multitude of things "OK" but its really nothing more than that. If you want specialist sounds, you absolutely wont get that from these imo. Want amazing passive sounds to record with? use a passive guitar.
Want tight as balls, aggressive and cutting metal rhythm tone - enter the 81
The Tosins are the only set Ive heard in tone clips that I think sound great. My modern set gets as grating and fatiguing sounding as the Nazgul did when I had it. That emphasis on upper mid/cocked wah sound gets tiring fast.

My biggest complaint with the Fishmans is they are trying to make 1 set of pickups, in 1 guitar, do a whole variety of tone options - and only doing a semi mediocre job of it. Ultimately I would rather just have another guitar.

i.e THE clean guitar for albums (that probably uses either EMG single coils, 60, or even a quality passive set of singles etc)

THE Rhythm guitar thats EMG 81, 57, super 77 or anything similar for that aggression and tightness

THE Lead guitar etc etc etc

not 1 guitar trying and failing to do the lot.

 

[hensh!n]

My biggest complaint with the Fishmans is they are trying to make 1 set of pickups, in 1 guitar, do a whole variety of tone options - and only doing a semi mediocre job of it. Ultimately I would rather just have another guitar.

Basically this. The Modern voices are OK for high gain, very clean and clear with little noise. However the alternate voice aspect is widely overblown. In the case of the Modern set, both voices do not sound that different. It's basically a difference of output and focus, with the active voice having a more narrow frequency band. Also the Modern set is almost completely useless for clean tones, even with the passive voice. EMG's tend to not have the best clean tone ever, but it's worth pointing out. I'd say the Fishmans may be for you if you like actives but don't want the preamp compression typically found in EMG's (that squashed sound). However it is this same squashed compressed tone that make EMG's fun to play (especially in the neck position for leads).

The Classic set offers more variety overall, but it is a similar case to the Fishman Modern set. Voice 1 (Classic PAF) is absolutely brilliant. One of the best bridge pickups I've heard (even for cleans) and it holds up well in some high-gain situations too. However I found both alternate voices to be completely useless for my specific applications. Voice 2 (Overwound PAF) in the bridge sounds really honky and nasty to my ears. And for Voice 2 in the neck, it's a super scooped neck tone that for me is even more useless. After trying several different presets in my Axe III, I found none that allowed this voice to cut through. None at all. Also Voice 1 for the neck is just OK, kind of bland sounding but not terrible. Clean and clear I guess, but not exceptional in any regard. I also found the Classic set to be quite noisy compared to the EMG 57/66 set I use.

I did try the Tosin's in an Abasi Concepts guitar and from my time spent with it, I can say that it's the best sounding pickup out of the 3 (possibly even better than the 57/66 as well). Really aggressive in Voice 1 for the bridge, cutting attack, but not overly harsh and without the "cocked wah" tone you typically get with ceramic bridge pickups. The single coil voice is also extremely pleasing and useful, at least for my purposes. I forget how the passive tone sounds on the Abasi set, but it is at least as good as the passive voice on the Modern set (probably better). Then again I haven't tried this set in a guitar I own, so take this all with a grain of salt.

I am curious to hear about the Javier Reyes set, as it's two passive tones instead of one active and one passive. Also I like that in addition to the single coil tones offered in this set, Voice 2 for the neck is a hollowbody type tone. Offering more variety than perhaps any other set that Fishman currently makes. Overall this is what I would like to see Fishman make, sets with 2-3 different voices in each pickup that sound drastically different from each other (Active Modern, Passive Classic, Tele single, etc.). They certainly boast that they have the technology for this, so let's see if it's something they can deliver on.

 

[Legion]

Well. I have loved and hated EMG's.
I loved the HetSet in my old roommate's Ibanez. I hated the 707's in my Loomis. I changed to the 85X/60X. Loved the 60X. Loved-for a while-the 85X. Went to the Blackout EMTY, that stayed for the rest of the time I had that guitar until I sold it. Played Dimarzios for most of my life, and those are the pickups I keep going back to.

Steve's Special (loved)
PAF Pro (loved)
PAF Joe (loved)
Dominion (meh)
Air Norton (LOVE LOVE LOVE)
Tone Zone (loved)
Air Zone (LOVE LOVE LOVE)
Bluesbucker (Love in my PRS, hate in my Ibanez)
PAF Master (LOVE LOVE LOVE)

...you get the picture

 

[conorreich]

I just replaced the bridge 808 in my Interceptor with 57-8h and it sounds phenominal. It's odd, but it almost sounds better through a modeler than my 6505mh. I need an eq pedal though.

I also have an 81-7 in my H-207, 81/85 combo in my ex360, and a single 81 in my Warlock. So yeah, keep coming back to emg's.

 

[lewis]

I just replaced the bridge 808 in my Interceptor with 57-8h and it sounds phenominal. It's odd, but it almost sounds better through a modeler than my 6505mh. I need an eq pedal though.

I also have an 81-7 in my H-207, 81/85 combo in my ex360, and a single 81 in my Warlock. So yeah, keep coming back to emg's.

The 707/808 is defo the worst active pickup out there I imagine.
Awful.

Im going to make sure the next EMG set I buy is the 57/66. I NEED to try them as I still havent.

 

[conorreich]

The 707/808 is defo the worst active pickup out there I imagine.
Awful.

Im going to make sure the next EMG set I buy is the 57/66. I NEED to try them as I still havent.

The 57 in the bridge is the way to go. It's tight, clear, and articulate. WILL IT CHUG? Yes. Even though Ola hasn't tested them lol.

 

[lewis]

The 57 in the bridge is the way to go. It's tight, clear, and articulate. WILL IT CHUG? Yes. Even though Ola hasn't tested them lol.

FYI in case you didnt know, EMG just released the 57/66TW set which is coil splittable

 

[conorreich]

FYI in case you didnt know, EMG just released the 57/66TW set which is coil splittable

Oooooh you da man! That's my next purchase for my ex360.

 

[Mathemagician]

The 707/808 is defo the worst active pickup out there I imagine.
Awful.

Im going to make sure the next EMG set I buy is the 57/66. I NEED to try them as I still havent.

Question. Do the “TW” series sound different from the pickup they’re based on? I know technically it’s just two pickups stacked, the “base” and the “single coil”. But has anyone found that the “base” sounds at all different from the non-splittable version?