Anyone Keep Going Back To EMG?

[S4M4R1N]

I have the 85-7X in the bridge and it's quite balanced for extreme gain. Highs are rounder compared to 81-7 and even 60-7 that I tried in the bridge. Mids are quite pronounced and the full bottom is there. Overall the output is tame due to the X-series preamp. And 85-7X is not "vacuum void" sounding as 81-7 or "dry" as 60-7. Negible difference with a good gain and EQ section, if not for the bassy side of 85. You can tweak out the bass nicely, but cannot add it back to 81 or 60 as easily.

I'm tempted to swap out my Fluence Modern soapbars for 707TW's. A lot of djent stuff that I listen to is recorded with neck single coil together with humbucker in the bridge. So perhaps 707 will cover that in one pickup?

 

[Nightside]

I keep going back and forth. I love the distortion type passives. Comparing to my go to 81, the passives have this kind of more raw gritty sizzle on top where the EMGs feel more tame and refined. Like comparing a band's first album vs their most recent. The EMG feels like a carefully produced and cleaned up sound while the passives feel like raw energy.

The ease of wiring the EMGs can't be beat though. And the noise reduction is nice too. I recently was doing an a/b of EMG 81/60a vs V7/V8 with swapped magnets and noticed a big reduction of hum and background noise.

 

[Crungy]

I have the 85-7X in the bridge and it's quite balanced for extreme gain. Highs are rounder compared to 81-7 and even 60-7 that I tried in the bridge. Mids are quite pronounced and the full bottom is there. Overall the output is tame due to the X-series preamp. And 85-7X is not "vacuum void" sounding as 81-7 or "dry" as 60-7. Negible difference with a good gain and EQ section, if not for the bassy side of 85. You can tweak out the bass nicely, but cannot add it back to 81 or 60 as easily.

I'm tempted to swap out my Fluence Modern soapbars for 707TW's. A lot of djent stuff that I listen to is recorded with neck single coil together with humbucker in the bridge. So perhaps 707 will cover that in one pickup?

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on that! It's sounding more and more like an 85 in the bridge could be a good match for me. Good point on reducing bass vs putting it back in.

I really like the 707TWXR in either mode. I've seen comments about the single coil mode being too quiet and while I think it's fine I have not used it in a band/loud context, just recording or playing at home.

That said, I'd think either mode could be decent for djenty boi tones. Might be worth a shot for you?

Edit to add:
As I stated before, I really like the 707TWXR but the guitar I'm using it in is just too bright sounding. I think it could be helpful in a darker sounding guitar, which is why I'm hanging on to it but trying something else.

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

Lol love how both the Het Sets I ordered are either stuck in USPS limbo because one is being shipped from a naval base in the west Pacific and the other is a victim of USPS' shit-tier IT departments.

 

[Crungy]

I should have an 85-7 in my hands and in my guitar tomorrow or Wednesday

 

[Crungy]

85-7 is installed yesterday. My first impression was they're kind of similar to 707's in a way but a little darker. It's woolier in the mids/high mids and highs vs that scooped sound.

It doesn't seem like it has more bass than the 707TWXR it replaced which is fine but I was thinking there would be a little more low end content. I'll have to play with it some more in a better listening environment to get a better feel.

All in all it's a step in the right direction for this specific guitar, it's just so damn bright sounding.

 

[groverj3]

Since this is the defacto EMG thread, what do you folks think of the 58/58X? Just curious, because I have no idea what it sounds like.

I presume it translates metal string vibration in a magnetic field into an electrical signal, but other than that I got nothin.

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

Since this is the defacto EMG thread, what do you folks think of the 58/58X? Just curious, because I have no idea what it sounds like.

I presume it translates metal string vibration in a magnetic field into an electrical signal, but other than that I got nothin.

it makes noise so it's good


It's been awhile since I had it, but I remember it having more high end and less low end than the 85. Basically combines traits of the 85 an 60.

 

[Zhysick]

it makes noise so it's good


It's been awhile since I had it, but I remember it having more high end and less low end than the 85. Basically combines traits of the 85 an 60.

And it is a bit noisy, right? That's what most people say... I haven't used one.

 

[Emperoff]

85-7 is installed yesterday. My first impression was they're kind of similar to 707's in a way but a little darker. It's woolier in the mids/high mids and highs vs that scooped sound.

It doesn't seem like it has more bass than the 707TWXR it replaced which is fine but I was thinking there would be a little more low end content. I'll have to play with it some more in a better listening environment to get a better feel.

All in all it's a step in the right direction for this specific guitar, it's just so damn bright sounding.

Hey, I might snag that 707TWXR of yours if you sell it...

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

And it is a bit noisy, right? That's what most people say... I haven't used one.

Never tested the noise on it. I always run a noise gate.

 

[Seabeast2000]

Just a reminder that since I was just perusing the contents, you should too...https://reverb.com/shop/emg-factory-direct-outlet

 

[Crungy]

Hey, I might snag that 707TWXR of yours if you sell it...

IF I sell it!

Long post ahead warning.... A few days after getting the 85 I got a pair of 81-7's dirt cheap so I swapped the 85 out for one of those. For science.

Comparing the 707TWXR, 85-7 and 81-7 was kind of interesting in regard to what I've read about the latter two. I'd say @Zhysick's post on the previous page was very accurate! I would recommend the 85-7 for the bridge position if you don't want as much high mid/treble response and more mids. The upper mids to me sound a little "muffled" in comparison to 707/707TWXR/81-7's, but not lacking clarity. There's a little more output than the 707TWXR... It barely pushes it into breakup on clean tones. The low end isn't lacking but I don't feel like there's more lows compared to the 707TWXR.

The 81-7 and the 707TWXR were closer sounding than I expected. The 81 has more output than the 707TWXR and 85-7, but to me shares some similarities to the high end response. It's not as edgy and single coil-y as the 707TWXR (or 707 for that matter) and is a little brighter than the 85-7, and I guess scooped but not extremely scooped. It seems like there's less low end vs the 85-7, but as I've read about 81's and compression that might be the factor there.

I recorded some clips and I'll try to get them uploaded this week.

 

[Crungy]

Just a reminder that since I was just perusing the contents, you should too...https://reverb.com/shop/emg-factory-direct-outlet

If you're in the US, you can get some pretty good deals. They call it outlet but I'd say scratch and dent is more accurate.

 

[Emperoff]

All in all it's a step in the right direction for this specific guitar, it's just so damn bright sounding.

Every single EMG in existence is bright. If your guitar is acoustically bright, you're going to have a hard time. Believe me, I've been there. I tried all EMG variants on a very bright guitar until I resourced to passives. Maybe it's time to try some Fishmans?

 

[Crungy]

Every single EMG in existence is bright. If your guitar is acoustically bright, you're going to have a hard time. believe me, I've been there. Tried all EMG variants on it. Maybe it's time to try some Fishmans?

I think EMG'S offer a lot of clarity and can be perceived as bright, with that being amplified if the guitar is bright sounding as it is. That 7321 I have is just a bright sounding guitar.

My RGA7 is not nearly as bright when it had Blackouts or the 707's now, but it definitely has clarity with the EMG's. What I should do is put a 707 in the 7321, for science.

 

[Spaced Out Ace]

Sent this to JazzHands, but posting here as well:

Can't find any 60AX in a metal cover that aren't over $150 or take 2-3 weeks to receive.

Options are a RetroActive Fat 55 humbucker set (when I only need one), plus two RetroActive single coils (Crossroads or Maverick 5).

Other option is black single coil passives (EMG S1 middle/neck) on a black or black pearloid pickguard and a nickel cover EMG F-H1A in the bridge. Not a fan of monochrome pickup/knob options, though.

I'm contemplating some rail single coil Dimarzios with the five pin quick connect, but I don't know.

Any thoughts?



EDIT: Almost forgot. The reason I'm doing this is to get something better that would result in me grabbing the guitar more frequently. The SLV/SA/SLV setup is fine, but I'd like something a little more from the guitar.

 

[MFB]

Saw this today, and all I could think was, "nah, fuck stock pickups"

113K views · 7.6K reactions | Gibson Custom Shop SG Sparkle with mods…what pickups should we install?! #gibson #gibsonsg #gibsonlespaul #sparkle #sparkles #gibsoncustomshop | Diablo Guitars Axes Of Evil | drywalldude · Original audio

Gibson Custom Shop SG Sparkle with mods…what pickups should we install?! #gibson #gibsonsg #gibsonlespaul #sparkle #sparkles #gibsoncustomshop. drywalldude · Original audio

www.facebook.com

 

[Zhysick]

Saw this today, and all I could think was, "nah, fuck stock pickups"

113K views · 7.6K reactions | Gibson Custom Shop SG Sparkle with mods…what pickups should we install?! #gibson #gibsonsg #gibsonlespaul #sparkle #sparkles #gibsoncustomshop | Diablo Guitars Axes Of Evil | drywalldude · Original audio

Gibson Custom Shop SG Sparkle with mods…what pickups should we install?! #gibson #gibsonsg #gibsonlespaul #sparkle #sparkles #gibsoncustomshop. drywalldude · Original audio

www.facebook.com

That someone knows.

 

[golem]

They're not my favorite pickups but I do find that I like the way they respond to volume and tone controls. 85/60s I like in humbucker guitars.