I still love EMG's, anyone else feel the same?

[mcleanab]

^bump for the above question to 60 users.

Thanks!

An update... a shiny new chrome EMG 85 landed in my old Aria to replace the 25+ year old black EMG 85... same design but I'd swear it's a tad hotter and a touch smoother than it's old gotta-solder-that-thing-in-there-standard-black counterpart...

And dammit, if they don't just look awesome!!! Both guitars are beat to hell as they are 30 years old and been around a bit, but the EMG's just pop so well!

I love the black 85 I had in the guitar on the left, but it just disappeared in the darkness of the wood stain... and the ivory 60a in the guitar on the right just gracefully pops... probably ugly to some folks, but I love it!

The 60a has a replacement ivory 85 on the way (the last vestiges of cash from the Agile 925 sacrificing itself to a better life)... with the body of green guitar being slightly heavier and thicker, I can't wait to hear it...

 

[Shannon]

I was endorsed with EMG from the late 90s to early 2000s. I was heavily involved with the R&D of the 707 (which I think came out great) & the 808 (which isn't as good as the protos were). I loved them for all the metal stuff I did, but with that, metal is usually full bore. When I started playing a variety of live music besides just metal, I couldn't use the volume knob at all. At most know, the original emg pups basically had 2 settings. On and off. There was no natural taper with the volume knob. It wouldn't even begin to turn down until the knob was about 80% rolled off. So for the last 7 years or so, I've been back to Dimarzios. However, I hear EMG fixed this issue with the newer X series pups.

In the last few weeks, I've reconnected with EMG. I purchased the x-series dual mode 81TWX & 89XR that I'll be putting in shortly. As well, they sent me a prototype set of an artist most of you are aware of to field test. Don't ask, I can't tell you who, but the guy is badass.

I'll update when I'm allowed to.

 

[TRENCHLORD]

I do sometimes roll the volume back about 1/12th (aka shit hair) of a turn to tighten up for rythms, and it takes just a tiny bit of presence off, but yeah other than that there really isn't a point in using the volume knob with them.

I'm going to have to make an excuse to get one of the chromes though for something.
They just look slicker than goose shit. Even the black chromes look great.

 

[metale]

I only had that problem with the volume pot when someone incorrectly wired my emgs with 500K pots. It then acts more like an on and off switch. Never had a problem cleaning up the tone with 25K pots tho.

 

[mcleanab]

Well, not to beat the proverbial dead horse, but...

EMG 85 rocks.

I say this because my old one kicked ass for 25+ years. The new chrome sounds smoother/hotter (as mentioned in a previous post). Now, I grabbed a replacement 85 for the 60A and it not only sounds like the badassness that is the 85, but it also is sensitive enough to the guitar itself to have slight tonal differences (the wood, paint, thickness, etc.) from the other guitar... I didn't think active pickups would be that "open" when using a ton of gain...

With that being said, the EMG HA and HAX in my Ibanez Semi-Hollow do just that, but I use it only for cleans, so the actual sound of the guitar really shines through...

So, impressed yet again with EMG... I have to very similar guitars with two distinct awesome sounds.

 

[OpenSea]

Every time I see some sixteen year old dork on the internet try to earn some cred by shouting "sterile" every time he sees a thread regarding EMG's it makes me want to reach through the internet and beat him over the head with his $200 8 string that he uses to make crappy you tube djent covers.

After much hesitation brought on by the vociferous naysayers here on the internet I decided to say "screw it" and listen to the examples of some of my favorite players instead of "the guy who used to tech for some other guy who said something".

I loaded my Horizon standard with 81n/81b and it became a completely different instrument. Best tone I have ever had, period. For high gain they are crystal clear and ball crushing, and for clean they have the most resonant bell like quality. All of this with a really euphonious built in compression due to the preamp. Did I mention they are quiet as the grave?

I submit the following videos as evidence.

http://youtu.be/L0Mt1NaniOU -devin townsend

Pink Floyd HD - PULSE Full Concert (Live at Earls Court, 1994) - YouTube -david gilmour

Caveat: Yes there is much more in the signal chain than the pickups. They still have a profound impact on the sound.

Keep your BKP's and your Blackouts, thanks.

 

[noUser01]

Usually I hate them, but I've got a set of 81's in my M-1000 and that guitar sounds incredible for metal/progressive/djent stuff.

 

[MetalBuddah]

Every time I see some sixteen year old dork on the internet try to earn some cred by shouting "sterile" every time he sees a thread regarding EMG's it makes me want to reach through the internet and beat him over the head with his $200 8 string that he uses to make crappy you tube djent covers.

Agree with you 110%. These kids wouldn't know sterile if it bit them in the ass. I have never had a hard time making my EMGs sound amazing and 9 times out of ten, they beat the piss out of my passive pickups. EMGs can do just about everything.

Keep your BKP's and your Blackouts, thanks.

+1000000000

 

[TheShreddinHand]

Been back and forth between passives and actives a lot the last few years but currently loving my EMG equipped H1007. The EMGs really can cover quite a variety of styles/tones. I'm sure I missed the boat when these first came out, but what's the verdict on the 707x's vs. 707s? Currently LOVE the 707 in the neck, but just wonder if I'm missing out on anything!

Eric

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

Im really curious about the 707x also... Im really intersted because I heard they supposedly sound like the old Dino Cazares sig pickups.

 

[taea3]

Love emgs for sixers. Hated them in my rg2228?

totaly agree! the 81, 85 combo in my SG sounds really nice, but the 808s in my buddys 2228 sounded like dog shit compared to the BKP coldsweats in my 2228.

Goes to show, you have to match the pickup to the guitar.

ive been wanting to give the Het Set a try for a while in my SG.

 

[Dawn of the Shred]

EMG'S are great pickups and they look awesome too. I even like the hz's too.

 

[Purelojik]

Curious for all you 60, 60x, 60a users out there...

How many of you try it out in the bridge?

I am digging the tones of the 60a in the bridge, but find the output to be very low compared to the 85. Since I've played the 85 almost my whole life, I've grown accustomed to it's output...

With the 60a, I feel like I'm playing much harder with leads, chords, chugging, everything... (as Jack White says, almost pickin' a fight with it).

Does anyone else feel this way? It's an awesome sound, but I think the high output-slam-the-front-end-of-the-amp workings of the 85 have spoiled me...

(I'm betting the 60a works well with lower gain amps)

60 in bridge is my fav. I compared the 9v mod to the 18v mod when i used to have the pod xt http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/pickups-electronics-general-tech/160678-emg-pickups-accessories-wiring-info-help-thread-post-here-8.html#post2492439

 

[Stuck_in_a_dream]

...

In the last few weeks, I've reconnected with EMG. I purchased the x-series dual mode 81TWX & 89XR that I'll be putting in shortly. As well, they sent me a prototype set of an artist most of you are aware of to field test. Don't ask, I can't tell you who, but the guy is badass.

I'll update when I'm allowed to.

Can you tell us if the pickup you're testing is a 6-string or a 7-string? Will it be released for winter NAMM?

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

Somethinng tells me those signature pickups are going to be pretty hevy. ;D

 

[Jason_Clement]

Nothing wrong with EMGs. got an 85/60 set. It is truly sexy.

 

[Jason_Clement]

Also, I have Blackouts in my 7 right now and they're definitely not as good as my 85/60 set. They're really... I don't know. Unrefined. Everything I've ever heard from EMG has been tight and percussive, I like that tone. I might get a set of 707x's eventually for my next 7.

Edit: Blackouts feel looser to me, nowhere nears as tight. They're very huge, huge sounding pick ups and in that sense, sort of uncontrollable haha. I have a hard time dialing in a good "tight" tone, and I'm big on chugga-chugga riffs. So I'm gunna try a Seymour Duncan SH6 for this guitar, and for my next 7 you might see me going back to EMGs ;D

 

[metale]

Nothing wrong with EMGs. got an 85/60 set. It is truly sexy.

That has to be my favourite set.

 

[ThePhilosopher]

Anyone try the 60-7X?

 

[SlaveUnit]

I still like an 81 in the bridge with 18v quite a bit.