Anyone Keep Going Back To EMG?

[Zhysick]

After playing nothing but EMG 81 for a month into bright sims, I finally got back and plugged in with the X2N Air Norton set and it's just too good, I forgot how huge it sounds and with the amps I'm using it still stays tight, just adjust the gain and input level and it sure as hell gives the 81 a run for its money

ofc I just broke a string on that guitar so I can't have any more fun tonight but tomorrow I pull out the L5OOXL and test that against the 81 with the sims

The X2N is such an underrated pickup...

 

[Hoss632]

This will definitely show how much of a newb I am. I didn't realize that the quick connect system for EMG was not exactly the same from pick up to pick up. I happened to be looking at pics the other day on sweet water of the pick ups they carry. And not all of them are a 3 prong connection like my 81/85 set. So that will change a few things as far as what direction I go pick up wise with them for sure. I believe the retro active hot 70's are the 3 prong though so I should be fine.

 

[Spaced Out Ace]

This will definitely show how much of a newb I am. I didn't realize that the quick connect system for EMG was not exactly the same from pick up to pick up. I happened to be looking at pics the other day on sweet water of the pick ups they carry. And not all of them are a 3 prong connection like my 81/85 set. So that will change a few things as far as what direction I go pick up wise with them for sure. I believe the retro active hot 70's are the 3 prong though so I should be fine.

All actives are three, except the TW variety are seven because you basically have two pickups in one, a single coil and a humbucker. The passives are five pin.

 

[Hoss632]

All actives are three, except the TW variety are seven because you basically have two pickups in one, a single coil and a humbucker. The passives are five pin.

Thanks so much for the info!

 

[Endnote]

This thread needs more pics. Got an NGD the other day, a Warmoth soloist I had put together that I put a 57-TW in it, bridge only. Hot damn! Definitely love it. More active sounding than I anticipated, I love the humbucker side of the 57, it's clearer than the 81, while not as tight, still pretty damn tight. Single coil option is very bright but still sounds phenomenal. Additionally, I put the 81/60 in one of my PRSs, a McCarty-58, with an RPC on the tone knob. @lewis you made the right call friend. I'm definitely digging the RPC as an accessory that makes the clean much more accessible, especially for a pickup like the 81 that has pretty harsh frequencies for cleans. Doesn't appear to affect the tone when fully off, like you stated earlier. Anyhow, both highly recommended.

 

[Zhysick]

This thread needs more pics. Got an NGD the other day, a Warmoth soloist I had put together that I put a 57-TW in it, bridge only. Hot damn! Definitely love it. More active sounding than I anticipated, I love the humbucker side of the 57, it's clearer than the 81, while not as tight, still pretty damn tight. Single coil option is very bright but still sounds phenomenal. Additionally, I put the 81/60 in one of my PRSs, a McCarty-58, with an RPC on the tone knob. @lewis you made the right call friend. I'm definitely digging the RPC as an accessory that makes the clean much more accessible, especially for a pickup like the 81 that has pretty harsh frequencies for cleans. Doesn't appear to affect the tone when fully off, like you stated earlier. Anyhow, both highly recommended.
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Wow!!! You won the internet today... probably for the rest of the month at least. Such beauties...

 

[Spaced Out Ace]

This thread needs more pics. Got an NGD the other day, a Warmoth soloist I had put together that I put a 57-TW in it, bridge only. Hot damn! Definitely love it. More active sounding than I anticipated, I love the humbucker side of the 57, it's clearer than the 81, while not as tight, still pretty damn tight. Single coil option is very bright but still sounds phenomenal. Additionally, I put the 81/60 in one of my PRSs, a McCarty-58, with an RPC on the tone knob. @lewis you made the right call friend. I'm definitely digging the RPC as an accessory that makes the clean much more accessible, especially for a pickup like the 81 that has pretty harsh frequencies for cleans. Doesn't appear to affect the tone when fully off, like you stated earlier. Anyhow, both highly recommended.
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That green job is terrible. You may send it to me to recycle it for you.

 

[lewis]

This thread needs more pics. Got an NGD the other day, a Warmoth soloist I had put together that I put a 57-TW in it, bridge only. Hot damn! Definitely love it. More active sounding than I anticipated, I love the humbucker side of the 57, it's clearer than the 81, while not as tight, still pretty damn tight. Single coil option is very bright but still sounds phenomenal. Additionally, I put the 81/60 in one of my PRSs, a McCarty-58, with an RPC on the tone knob. @lewis you made the right call friend. I'm definitely digging the RPC as an accessory that makes the clean much more accessible, especially for a pickup like the 81 that has pretty harsh frequencies for cleans. Doesn't appear to affect the tone when fully off, like you stated earlier. Anyhow, both highly recommended.
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Firstly, damn those axes look amazing!
Nice job dude!

second, im glad the RPC really worked for you. Usual consensus seems to be to use it with darker or muddier sounding pickups, but having it alongside their "metal" pickups works just as well for certain things.
81 or 57 with an RPC is going to be great.

Im going to get one in my 81-7, 7 string I think.

 

[DrakkarTyrannis]

As much as I hate EMG 81s and 85s I really do want to try the Het Set and the 57 combo.

It's a shame I wouldn't be able to do so without buying them..cause I'm not buying them. Still I wanna see if there's anything worth paying attention to with those

 

[lewis]

As much as I hate EMG 81s and 85s I really do want to try the Het Set and the 57 combo.

It's a shame I wouldn't be able to do so without buying them..cause I'm not buying them. Still I wanna see if there's anything worth paying attention to with those

I think you may actually like the 57.
From what Ive read the Het Set is just an 81 but with more everything right? More output/gain, more bass, more mids.
Just literally MOAR !!!
haha

if you are into more passive and or vintage sounds, the super 77 set is incredible too.

 

[MASS DEFECT]

I think you may actually like the 57.
From what Ive read the Het Set is just an 81 but with more everything right? More output/gain, more bass, more mids.
Just literally MOAR !!!
haha

The hetset has less mids actually. Tons of bass, present low mids, but tamed mids and high mids. Lots of treble. It may sound a bit scooped depending on the amp. It is tight and dry though. Still precise but a lot chunkier.

And yes moooooore gain! Shit, it clips my waza air and axefx, if I plug it straight.

 

[Hoss632]

As much as I hate EMG 81s and 85s I really do want to try the Het Set and the 57 combo.

It's a shame I wouldn't be able to do so without buying them..cause I'm not buying them. Still I wanna see if there's anything worth paying attention to with those

The 57 IMO is the best full on active that EMG has. Just a fat aggressive sounding beast. If I wasn't so dead set on a hot 70's set I'd probably get a 57/66 combo

 

[DrakkarTyrannis]

Maybe someday I'll know someone who has a 57/66 loaded guitar I can try. Otherwise I guess I'll never know

 

[Hoss632]

Maybe someday I'll know someone who has a 57/66 loaded guitar I can try. Otherwise I guess I'll never know

go to a local guitar store and look at ESP stuff. They have several models loaded with 57/66's in them.

 

[DrakkarTyrannis]

go to a local guitar store and look at ESP stuff. They have several models loaded with 57/66's in them.

Ugh...guitar stores...ugh..people.

I feel like the best way to accurately know how pickups will be for my situation is having a properly cared for guitar in my personal studio. Some constantly molested and neglected guitar on the wall of a guitar store won't really tell me what I want to know, not to mention I care more about it's recorded tones than anything else.

 

[lewis]

Ugh...guitar stores...ugh..people.

I feel like the best way to accurately know how pickups will be for my situation is having a properly cared for guitar in my personal studio. Some constantly molested and neglected guitar on the wall of a guitar store won't really tell me what I want to know, not to mention I care more about it's recorded tones than anything else.

find attached a dropbox link to a whole bunch of EMG DI's that include 57/66 set.
reamp through your rig to get an idea of their sound -

https://www.dropbox.com/s/5oml66f8waqg7tm/EMG_DI_Files.zip?dl=0

 

[DrakkarTyrannis]

find attached a dropbox link to a whole bunch of EMG DI's that include 57/66 set.
reamp through your rig to get an idea of their sound -

https://www.dropbox.com/s/5oml66f8waqg7tm/EMG_DI_Files.zip?dl=0

WHY THE FUCK DIDN'T I THINK OF THAT? HOLY SHIT I'M FUCKING STUPID

LMAO.

That makes perfect sense and it's embarrassing that I didn't think to ask someone to do that.

Thanks for looking out for my dumb ass.

 

[lewis]

WHY THE FUCK DIDN'T I THINK OF THAT? HOLY SHIT I'M FUCKING STUPID

LMAO.

That makes perfect sense and it's embarrassing that I didn't think to ask someone to do that.

Thanks for looking out for my dumb ass.

Hahaha you are more than welcome bro
obviously this applies to any pickup ever if you can find the DI's for em haha.

Be interested to hear about your findings.

 

[DrakkarTyrannis]

Hahaha you are more than welcome bro
obviously this applies to any pickup ever if you can find the DI's for em haha.

Be interested to hear about your findings.

On just isolated tracks alone I think I like the Het Set more.

What I noticed about all of them was they have a really big low end cut. The good side to that is that palm mutes don't have to be so aggressively monitored in a mix. I usually have to toss in at multiband EQ to reign in the low resonance on palm mutes.

The Het Set has the most chunk out of any of the pickups but it still doesn't have that wild resonance.

The bad thing is that I kinda would prefer to cut that out myself. I like the Het Set the most but I don't like the pickups deciding on my EQ cuts for me. I can do that myself. I understand why they do it and it makes total sense but I guess I'm just set in my ways and I like having complete control over that sort of thing.

I dunno what you did but these clips don't have that signature EMG metallic clang that irks the living fuck out of me. I'm sure if I had the guitar and I tried, I could make it do that but honestly I'm glad these clips don't have it as that's the main reason I dislike EMGs.

Would I go out and buy a Het Set? Nah..probably not. I dig passives too much...BUT if I had a guitar with a Het Set already in it I don't think I'd change it. It wouldn't become my main guitar but I'd definitely keep it for track layering and something different.

This is all just going off of isolated tracks. I want to put drums and bass to this to really test how it will sound in a mix but I'll get to that when I have the focus to do all that.

 

[Nightside]

Why don't they sell het sets without the set? I just want a bridge het.