"EMGs make everything sound the same"

[SnowfaLL]

Sorry for thread hijack. - I've recently began exploring EMGs lately with an Agile Interceptor 727 I owned last year with 707s. So good through the AxeFX II. I've been super tempted to try some more EMGs since, especially the Gilmour single coils.

My main concern, at least for the guitars that I have that do NOT have a battery cavity, is changing that battery during shows - If I just put the battery in the control cavity loose, I'd be pretty ....ed if the battery somehow died in the middle of a show, cause I'd have to unscrew the plate and all that, not as simple as just popping a battery in. Of course, could route a battery cavity but its not ideal in a new $2500 guitar.

Has battery life while touring ever been an issue for you guys? How long do you usually go before changing your battery? Has one ever died in the middle of a set for you?

I'm very tempted to try the EMG H4 pickups, because of that reason.. but I'm going to try one more set of BKP's first, I think.

 

[MrPowers]

While I love the sounds that other people get from EMG's, I can't use them. I've never been able to work with that "signature sound" and while sometimes I love the compression for clean tapping parts, I don't like it for gain. This of course is all referring to the standard 81/85 as well as the 707's.

My problem now is that the sound and feel I have in my head of EMG, is the 81/85 and I'm afraid to try the Het Set or the 57/66 set because I feel like it will be a waste of money if it retains many of those characteristics.

 

[oneblackened]

Sorry for thread hijack. - I've recently began exploring EMGs lately with an Agile Interceptor 727 I owned last year with 707s. So good through the AxeFX II. I've been super tempted to try some more EMGs since, especially the Gilmour single coils.

My main concern, at least for the guitars that I have that do NOT have a battery cavity, is changing that battery during shows - If I just put the battery in the control cavity loose, I'd be pretty ....ed if the battery somehow died in the middle of a show, cause I'd have to unscrew the plate and all that, not as simple as just popping a battery in. Of course, could route a battery cavity but its not ideal in a new $2500 guitar.

Has battery life while touring ever been an issue for you guys? How long do you usually go before changing your battery? Has one ever died in the middle of a set for you?

I'm very tempted to try the EMG H4 pickups, because of that reason.. but I'm going to try one more set of BKP's first, I think.

On a strat - put it in the spring cavity. Move one of the springs over so there's space for it.
Like so:

Also, EMG battery life is ridiculously long. Unless you leave the guitar plugged in it can last years. It should last you about 3 months if you leave it plugged in all the time.

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

Also, EMGs don't spontaneously die, they slowly lose output and start to sound overly-distorted a length of a few days (or weeks, not sure.)

Your best bet is to make sure your guitars have full batteries before tours and to keep them unplugged when you're not in use. Unless you're doing some insane, 1-year-long tour, the batteries should last you the entire time.

 

[TheWarAgainstTime]

I don't like the 81 much but I love Killswitch's tone, that works great.

Didn't Adam D use an 85 in the bridge mostly? Either way, both the 81 and 85 are killer in the bridge for that type of sound IMO

 

[Noxon]

Didn't Adam D use an 85 in the bridge mostly? Either way, both the 81 and 85 are killer in the bridge for that type of sound IMO

I think he used the 85 on The End of Heartache... Then an 81 for the next two albums, and IDK what he has in the Wolfgang he's rocking now. IIRC

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

He began using EMG 81 when he switched to Parker, I think. After he ditched Parker, he stopped using EMGs. He uses the stock pickup in the Wolfgang now, which I think is similar to the Duncan Custom Custom?

 

[Corrosion]

Sorry for thread hijack. - I've recently began exploring EMGs lately with an Agile Interceptor 727 I owned last year with 707s. So good through the AxeFX II. I've been super tempted to try some more EMGs since, especially the Gilmour single coils.

My main concern, at least for the guitars that I have that do NOT have a battery cavity, is changing that battery during shows - If I just put the battery in the control cavity loose, I'd be pretty ....ed if the battery somehow died in the middle of a show, cause I'd have to unscrew the plate and all that, not as simple as just popping a battery in. Of course, could route a battery cavity but its not ideal in a new $2500 guitar.

Has battery life while touring ever been an issue for you guys? How long do you usually go before changing your battery? Has one ever died in the middle of a set for you?

I'm very tempted to try the EMG H4 pickups, because of that reason.. but I'm going to try one more set of BKP's first, I think.

Emg released a ground power supply. No need for batteries anymore lol.

 

[Emperoff]

I'm bored to death of EMGs. Mostly because they came stock in all the guitars I bought in the late years

It's the eternal debate. Fans vs. haters. Two guitars with EMGs may sound different, but they still have *that* sound/feel/response/whatever you want to call it.

That doesn't mean passives don't. The problem is that we are comparing two active pickups to the whole passive world, which is certainly not fair. If the debate was something like "EMG81/85 vs Duncan JB/Distortion" I'm sure more people would say that JB or distortion equippèd guitars sound similar.

Having said that, I concur to facts that are already well known and not "internet bullshit". EMGs kinda suck with clean (crystal clear doesn't mean good) and mid gain tones and excel in high gain tones. That's what they were designed (marketed?) for, and that's what they are. They also have the ability to give a 100$ turd a decent metal sound so to some degree they are less wood-dependent than passives.

That doesn't mean they suck. It means they may not be for you.

 

[RagtimeDandy]

For me it's the difference between consistency and variability. With EMGs you will have a consistent sound, which is why a lot of musicians will use them live. There is obviously some room for variation based on the guitar, but the sound will definitely be consistent. In the case of passives, specifically BKPs since those are the PUPs I know the best, the guitar itself can quite dramatically alter the sound. My Regius can make Aftermaths sound warm (yes, you read that correctly), while my PRS (both are mahogany and maple) makes them sound very cold. The woods are basically identical between the two, but the construction has dramatically different end results. I'd bet if I put EMGs in both guitars, they'd probably sound pretty similar

 

[Emperor Guillotine]

.....so I take it that the 57/66 set fall into this argument of "EMGs make everything sound the same"? Or are they an exception? Or what?

 

[Emperoff]

.....so I take it that the 57/66 set fall into this argument of "EMGs make everything sound the same"? Or are they an exception? Or what?

EMG/85/81/60 are more than 25 years old. New X-series and the 57/66 have different preamps (more modern at least). Haven't tried neither of them but I suppose it could make a difference.

People seem to praise the 57/66 set a lot lately, but knowing ss.org it may just be the "flavor of the week".


To the OP: Is pretty common in the guitar world that people argue about things they heard or read somewhere as an entitled opinion. This turns into a conversation made of "common knowledge", which may be completely wrong. The point is: Just play whatever the f*ck you like.