EMG 57 vs EMG 81 comparison (high gain)

[ThomasVB]

I'm quite a fan of active pickups, especially for high gain.
Love both EMG's and Fishmans, but I always felt they aren't that different.

So that's why I started creating some demo's to hear the actual difference (and I think it's subtle)
This is the first one, the EMG 57 vs EMG 81.

What do you think of the overall video?
I like doing some variation, so you actually hear an in the mix mid tempo riff first.
after that just one riff mono, but using three different rigs to demonstrate how different both pickups sound using different gear, and after that some more riffing, in the mix but also guitars only, but this time in stereo 2x tracked.

I didn't record any cleans, I actually tried to but usually always distorts a bit and let's be honest, most people get their cleans from good passives.

I also own an EMG 60, 85, Fluence (alnico), Fluence Devin and a 60A that should arrive any time now. Still figuring out how I'd like to compare/demo all of them, so any thoughts/ideas are welcome.

 

[Scott Swoope]

Hard choice there. Like the 57 solo but the 81 stands out in the mix. Will like to here the 81 vs. Fishman.

 

[Matt08642]

The most frustrating part about an 81 is that when you have one, you have the sound. The hunt is over.

 

[lewis]

The most frustrating part about an 81 is that when you have one, you have the sound. The hunt is over.

This is the truest thing ever.
Kinda ruins all other pickups.

I found the 81 before I found Fishmans, therefore the Fishmans seem whack to me because of it. I seriously dislike the Moderns and the whole time im like *sigh* " I just want my 81s"

 

[Millul]

This thread makes me wanna swap the PU in my Modern to EMGs...had them in the past, the 81 really does 1 thing, but it's the one thing we all love and want, and it does it awesomely well!

 

[lewis]

best thing is when alot of guitarists are "81s are too compressed for me - screw EMG pickups"

then proceed to collect ODs/boosts/compressors/eq pedals etc to all run infront of their amps, adding compression in the process.
hilarious irony

 

[slavboi_delight]

best thing is when alot of guitarists are "81s are too compressed for me - screw EMG pickups"

then proceed to collect ODs/boosts/compressors/eq pedals etc to all run infront of their amps, adding compression in the process.
hilarious irony

That was me a few years ago.
Now in heavy music compression is something I'm longing for and the more i can leave out of the equasion, when it comes to tone especially live, the easier playing gets for me.

 

[lewis]

That was me a few years ago.
Now in heavy music compression is something I'm longing for and the more i can leave out of the equasion, when it comes to tone especially live, the easier playing gets for me.

exactly!!!

instead of having all those pedals, just have EMGs haha?
they cut as good or better live than most other pickups ever ive tried.
I really struggled with getting my Moderns to cut properly in a live mix on a show I did.

Played the same venue couple months later but this time swapped my 81s back in using quick connect - for that show, and had no problems cutting live at all and it sounded fantastic.

 

[slavboi_delight]

exactly!!!

instead of having all those pedals, just have EMGs haha?
they cut as good or better live than most other pickups ever ive tried.
I really struggled with getting my Moderns to cut properly in a live mix on a show I did.

Played the same venue couple months later but this time swapped my 81s back in using quick connect - for that show, and had no problems cutting live at all and it sounded fantastic.

We've been buttheading about moderns and emg way too much mate haha! But hell i love them equally but then again when it comes to convenience, EMG is just so easy to handle man. And for like 50 quid used you get a pickup that won't let you down. And i agree with you on pedals. For years i used a 6505 with an emg equipped guitar and only used an od when i needed a little boost for leads. And that's it. Easy as it gets The 81 does the "tight thing" proper.

 

[failsafe]

I loved the comparison, and the spasming stuffed elephant was a great touch!

 

[Mathemagician]

New pickup idea EMG 57/81TW.

It’s two voices in one pickup!

 

[elkoki]

My favorite part was the dancing elephant


Listening to your comparison here , I cant hear a difference.. but I'm listening through my phone. I have had both of these pickups in the same guitar running it through the same tube amp and there is a definite difference. To me the 57 is a little warmer .. less "tight" and compressed, in my already dark sounding guitar I much preferred the 81

 

[Hoss632]

The 85 and the fluence alnico would be an interesting comparison. Especially in the bridge position.

 

[InfernalVortex]

The most frustrating part about an 81 is that when you have one, you have the sound. The hunt is over.

Yeah.. 81's are so distinct. It's unusual to me to compare it to something like a 57, because as an EMG active, it's one of the few pickups out there that isnt so incredibly distinct from an 81.

Either way, the differences are subtle here. I may be imagining it, but I feel like there's a little extra sizzle or something on the 81 palm mutes. Super subtle. There's also a little extra treble "sharpness" to the 81... Not better or worse...

The only real solution here is to just have a guitar with a 57 and a guitar with an 81.

 

[DrakkarTyrannis]

Meh...in a mix they sound rather similar. I figure if you like the EMG sound either one will do in that context

 

[jonsick]

From the video they sound very similar. Where they differ in my opinion is the feel of the guitar as a result.

My E-II Arrow 7 string came with the 57/66 set and I had fitted an 81-7/85-7 into the Jackson Broderick 7. I remember I just preferred the reaction the Jackson had when playing and that something something in the midrange over the E-II. I did eventually swap the set in the Arrow to the 81-7/85-7 and instantly was much much happier. Both guitars sound how I want them to.

My Charvel Satchel came with the Fishman pickups and whenever I played it, it just didn't have that me sound. The Fishmans aren't bad pickups but yep, I went ahead and fitted up a standard EMG 81/85 set. That's just me all over.

They don't sound good everywhere, mind! I have an Ibanez RG2570z with EMGs right now and the thing just doesn't sound right.

EMG are no different to any other pickup in that in the right guitar, they sound divine. In the wrong guitar, they sound terrible. I guess my Ibanez is just one of those guitars. But rule of thumb for me is EMG 81/85 every time for me!

 

[InfernalVortex]

From the video they sound very similar. Where they differ in my opinion is the feel of the guitar as a result.

My E-II Arrow 7 string came with the 57/66 set and I had fitted an 81-7/85-7 into the Jackson Broderick 7. I remember I just preferred the reaction the Jackson had when playing and that something something in the midrange over the E-II. I did eventually swap the set in the Arrow to the 81-7/85-7 and instantly was much much happier. Both guitars sound how I want them to.

My Charvel Satchel came with the Fishman pickups and whenever I played it, it just didn't have that me sound. The Fishmans aren't bad pickups but yep, I went ahead and fitted up a standard EMG 81/85 set. That's just me all over.

They don't sound good everywhere, mind! I have an Ibanez RG2570z with EMGs right now and the thing just doesn't sound right.

EMG are no different to any other pickup in that in the right guitar, they sound divine. In the wrong guitar, they sound terrible. I guess my Ibanez is just one of those guitars. But rule of thumb for me is EMG 81/85 every time for me!

This is my frustration with people who used to say EMG's sound the same in every guitar. They absolutely do not. They always sound like EMG's (at least as far as the 81 and 85 go), but they do not make every guitar sound the same.

My RG520 (supposedly a mahogany body, who knows what it really is or whether it matters. Has a beautiful grain to it, though.) has a little bit of a mellow attack to it. I used to love it because it was a darker and thicker sound but I wanted to change it up. I put an EMG 81 in it to make it a little snappier. It was unmistakably the same guitar but still had a mellow attack to the notes, even with an EMG 81! It helped but it wasnt a net positive to the sound. I put the Jim Root set in it and it sounds amazing now. And the EMG 81 is my favorite pickup. I have two other RG's, and both of those have 81's in them.

 

[Zhysick]

Can everybody fucking stop saying the Jim Root pickups sound better than the 81? I cannot afford buying more pickups for the moment and even then I have to buy some pickups for other guitars first.



Please




Just please

 

[InfernalVortex]

Can everybody fucking stop saying the Jim Root pickups sound better than the 81? I cannot afford buying more pickups for the moment and even then I have to buy some pickups for other guitars first.



Please




Just please

It definitely doesnt sound better. It just sounds good.

 

[elkoki]

From the video they sound very similar. Where they differ in my opinion is the feel of the guitar as a result.

My E-II Arrow 7 string came with the 57/66 set and I had fitted an 81-7/85-7 into the Jackson Broderick 7. I remember I just preferred the reaction the Jackson had when playing and that something something in the midrange over the E-II. I did eventually swap the set in the Arrow to the 81-7/85-7 and instantly was much much happier. Both guitars sound how I want them to.

My Charvel Satchel came with the Fishman pickups and whenever I played it, it just didn't have that me sound. The Fishmans aren't bad pickups but yep, I went ahead and fitted up a standard EMG 81/85 set. That's just me all over.

They don't sound good everywhere, mind! I have an Ibanez RG2570z with EMGs right now and the thing just doesn't sound right.

EMG are no different to any other pickup in that in the right guitar, they sound divine. In the wrong guitar, they sound terrible. I guess my Ibanez is just one of those guitars. But rule of thumb for me is EMG 81/85 every time for me!

Every guitar has it's own tonal characteristics (even when you have 2 guitars made of the same woods), regardless of what pickups you have certain qualities will always come through the amp. I only say this because sometimes people blame the pickup for the bad tone (i've done this too), then after countless of pickup changes on that same guitar you realize it's the guitar itself. Sometimes guitars just don't have the sound you want no matter what. Pickups are only a smart part of that, and are given too much credit to the overall tone