EMG 81/85 replacement

[SGFanatic]

I've searched the forum and couldn't find what I wanted, so I've decided to make a thread. I have an EMG 81/85 set in my ESP and I want to replace them with red pickups, but I cannot find red EMG's. So my question is, what is a good replacement for the 81/85 set? I could actually care less about the neck pickup. The bridge is the only one I really use in this guitar. I've read the SH-6 is in the ballpark and I like that pickup. I'm just afraid I'll lose the tone that I love coming out of this guitar. And let me say this, I really really like the EMG, and I know EMG's are not too popular over here, so the passive die-hards will have to bare with me on this. It's not a necessity to swap pickups, I just thought it would be a nice change. Anybody who likes actives, especially EMG's can relate. I welcome any suggestions. Thanks in advance.

[FuseG4]

Re: EMG 81/85 replacement

I would call the custom shop and see if they can do a Blackouts Coil Pack wound on red bobbins. Then install them with the blackouts preamp.

The Blackouts are supposed to be improvements on the EMG active sound... I dunno I'm not a blackout user... but it seems like they'd be your best bet for active tone and noise reduction with a red look.

the other thing might be to see what kind of spray paint will stick to your pickup covers???

[SGFanatic]

Re: EMG 81/85 replacement

I would call the custom shop and see if they can do a Blackouts Coil Pack wound on red bobbins. Then install them with the blackouts preamp.

The Blackouts are supposed to be improvements on the EMG active sound... I dunno I'm not a blackout user... but it seems like they'd be your best bet for active tone and noise reduction with a red look.

the other thing might be to see what kind of spray paint will stick to your pickup covers???

I didn't even think of calling the custom shop. But on that note, $320 for a set of pickups doesn't sound like my cup of tea.

[Edgecrusher]

Re: EMG 81/85 replacement

The schecter gary holt sig comes with red emg's so they are available somewhere

[FuseG4]

Re: EMG 81/85 replacement

WOW he's right... red emgs... just goes to show that google is our friend
can't seem to find anyone selling them though.

The other thing I can think of is Dimarzio's D-Activator set.
They don't sound like an 81 and and 85... but it's ballpark-ish. I had a d-activator set and it's a hard pickup to explain. They tried to get the hard-hitting attack of the 81 by making the d-activator a bright medium-output pickup... it feels like a normal dimarzio pickup and doesn't push the amp as hard as I thought it would. Cool sounds though.

Anyways, yeah they can be ordered with red bobbins.

[SGFanatic]

Re: EMG 81/85 replacement

The schecter gary holt sig comes with red emg's so they are available somewhere

Those are only available on that guitar, not as a set. I've looked high and low for those and they are nowhere to be found. I even went so far as to email EMG. The said no can do, not at this time. I think the only way to get those particular pickups is if someone removes them from that guitar and sells them.

[Zhaggy]

Re: EMG 81/85 replacement

Well Dmz D-Activators are in red and some say they are close to EMG's. I personally don't think that they are that similar but they do have the same kind of power and nastiness to them as said earlier.

But I also think that the best way is to get the Blackouts coil pack in red and then use the preamp.

[javimm]

Re: EMG 81/85 replacement

I owned a set of 81/85 and sold them. I admit that I miss them a lot now. Didn't sold them because I didn't like them, but because I bought a guitar that had EMGs on it. Then I sold the EMGs and a few months after sold the guitar with the EMGs, so I ended up EMGless :-) .I now have Duncans that sound great, but they are very different from the EMGs.
What I'm trying to say is that if your guitar sounds great with the EMGs as you say, you'll regret changing them. No passive is going to sound like them. Even blackouts sound different, but are closer in sound than any passive, so if you can get blackouts in red via the Custom Shop, it may be the only option you have.

[Richard Irons]

Re: EMG 81/85 replacement

I'm not totally sure, you'll have to call in, but ordering the Blackouts Coil Pack in red might not be a true "Custom Shop" order. It might be "Shop Floor Custom", in which case there is little or no upcharge from buying the pickups normally. Those, plus the Blackouts Modular Preamp, as stated above, will probably be your best bet.

[dominus]

Re: EMG 81/85 replacement

If you like the sound of the EMG pickups:



Dead serious.

[Frogman]

Re: EMG 81/85 replacement

If you like the sound of the EMG pickups:



Dead serious.

Took the words right outta my mouth, PJ.

[SGFanatic]

Re: EMG 81/85 replacement

I'm not totally sure, you'll have to call in, but ordering the Blackouts Coil Pack in red might not be a true "Custom Shop" order. It might be "Shop Floor Custom", in which case there is little or no upcharge from buying the pickups normally. Those, plus the Blackouts Modular Preamp, as stated above, will probably be your best bet.

I would give that a try, but the the guitar I'm talking about doesn't have pots. Unless the coil packs can be used without the modular preamp pot, I wouldn't use it. I'm not very familiar with that setup. Also, I have Blackout ABH-1's in another guitar and I don't think they sound like EMG's. I suppose they are close enough.

[SGFanatic]

Re: EMG 81/85 replacement

If you like the sound of the EMG pickups:



Dead serious.

That's scary. I thought of that and an not totally opposed to it, but I have a feeling I'll hate it and just be back to square 1. All great suggestions though.

[Richard Irons]

Re: EMG 81/85 replacement

Here's an idea:

http://www.stickonvinyl.co.uk/store/index.php?productID=1547

Cut that to shape. Don't like it? Peel it off.