Anyone else use EMG single coil pickups?

[Brow]

Hey guys.

A good friend/former guitar teacher of mine has replaced the EMG single coils on his 70s Strat with a Lil 59/CR/CR set and as he remembered I liked their tone has given the EMGs to me.

From swapping a few emails with EMG I either have Ss (gold logo) or SAs (silver logo) but as the logos have faded I don't know for sure what they are and the guy that gave them to me can't rememebr for sure as he bought them about 20 years ago.

Just thought I'd ask here for anyone elses experiences on them and also if anyone uses the EMG active controls at all?

Most of my experience is with BKP and Duncan single coils so these are a pretty new thing for me.

Thanks for any info or opinions.

Craig

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Anyone else use EMG single coil pickups?

EMG-S has silver logo. EMG-SA has golden logo. Your pickups may have a sticker on the underside with a ID code.

I have the humbucker-shaped equivalents of these pickups - the EMG-H and -HA. In the neck position of my Ibanez RG321MH, the EMG-H does a surprising good Nineties Gilmour tone. The SPC mid booster probably helps.

Sonically, the difference is the magnet type. The SA has a fuller, smoother midrange. IMO, this makes it sound less Stratty than the S.

 

[Little Pigbacon]

Re: Anyone else use EMG single coil pickups?

I use an SA in the middle position in a basswood-bodied Ibanez RG with a floating OFR. I often use it in parallel with the single-coil mode of the 89R in the neck, which is said to sound closest to an SA.

As someone who doesn't play actual Strats or passive single-coils very often, I'll say that the SA gives you a lot of the flavor of a single-coil Strat pickup, but it doesn't seem to have the same glassiness, extended high-frequency response, or the noise. In fact, it's so dead quiet that it's almost creepy. No one who's used to a good single-coil is going to be fooled (at least not in my guitar), but I still think it's a quality pickup with a great sound that I find useful. I didn't buy it to make my RG sound like a Strat; I just wanted to put something in it to match the neck pickup, which I already knew I wanted to be an 89R.

Though I would still get a good Strat if I wanted a great Strat single-coil tone, I'm surprised at how many things the SA does well that I wasn't expecting. For example, the more I play it through different amps and pedals, the more impressed I am with how responsive it is to the dynamics of my playing. When I leave the guitar's volume all the way open and just dial down my attack by playing softly with my fingers, it reveals a whole other layer of small-scale dynamics and a nice chimey quality that's certainly much better in a good Strat pickup but is still present and useful in the SA.

The only after-market active tone controls from EMG that I've used extensively are the concentric bass/treble (BTC, made for bass) in my other EMG guitar with an 85/81 combo. Even though it's made for bass, you can adjust the dip switches to the settings that most affect a guitar's range, which is what I did. Since it works only the extremes of bass and treble, it's pretty subtle, but that's what I wanted in that guitar. It works well and has been problem-free since I installed it maybe eight years ago. I wouldn't hesitate to use more of that stuff on projects. Some of their circuits are made for use with either active or passive pickups.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Anyone else use EMG single coil pickups?

Detractors often say that EMG active pickup impose a distinct "EMG-ness" on their host guitar. There is an argument for installing such pickups in a guitar that did not have a great deal of character of its own. e.g. Squier VM or CV models rather than, say, an American Vintage Re-Issue.

 

[Little Pigbacon]

Re: Anyone else use EMG single coil pickups?

I agree with that, up to a point. I personally wouldn't use them in something that had the potential to be the archetypal "great Strat"; I'd want something else for that kind of guitar. But I still think they're really cool pickups with legitimate uses.

 

[idsnowdog]

Re: Anyone else use EMG single coil pickups?

I have EMG's and Livewire singles in the same guitar. The EMG's are low noise, they handle distortion well and they have decent clarity when used with effects. However they don't have as much single coil character and liveliness as the Livewire singles. They also aren't as transparent as the Livewire singles so you don't get as much of the acoustic character of the guitar.

 

[Mr 9finger]

Re: Anyone else use EMG single coil pickups?

They were good enough for Gilmour for over a decade, I think they're good enough for me.

 

[Brow]

Re: Anyone else use EMG single coil pickups?

Thanks for your replies guys.

You've pretty much confirmed between you all what I remember about these pickups in my friends guitar, but it has been a long time since I've heard them used through anything but a practice amp.

EMG-S has silver logo. EMG-SA has golden logo. Your pickups may have a sticker on the underside with a ID code.

The colour codes you said are opposite to what the guy at EMG told me, but as the logos on mine are faded and I can't tell what they are, it's not too important anyway

My pickups do have 2 labels on the bottom but according to the guy at EMG they're a date of manufacture, January 1990 in my case, and a now unused dealer code.

He told me the way to sort out what they were is by the colour code, which is also what you've said, but as the logos are gone I guess I'll just have to decide where to fit them and see how I go.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Anyone else use EMG single coil pickups?

The guy from EMG to whom you spoke needs to read the company literature.

On the Strat and Tele replacement models, Silver is the original ceramic magnet version. Gold is the Alnico magnet version, hence the A in the name.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Anyone else use EMG single coil pickups?

Just thought I'd ask here … if anyone uses the EMG active controls at all?

Here are a few opinions on the EMG accessories. Hopefully, other contributors will chime in.

-SPC midrange booster - fattens up S nicely. Less effective on SA.
-EXG Expander - helpful on SA, makes S excessively glassy.
-PI12 Phase Inverter - meant for HH guitars.
-RPC Resonant Peak - meant to brighten humbuckers.
-VMC Variable Mid EQ - meant for bass but useful in a Zappa way.
-TBC Treble/Bass EQ - Cut/Boost. Think G&L.
-VLPF - the current version of a treble roll off control.

Two volume booster devices are available. One switchable, one governed by a pot.

Something to consider is the age of your pickup set. In my opinion, it would be worth creating a hybrid of hard-wired pickups and selector switch with the newer, solderless control pots. This way, you can reconfigure your control layout at a the drop of a screwdriver and a small adjustable spanner.

 

[Brow]

Re: Anyone else use EMG single coil pickups?

The guy from EMG to whom you spoke needs to read the company literature.

On the Strat and Tele replacement models, Silver is the original ceramic magnet version. Gold is the Alnico magnet version, hence the A in the name.

Didn't mean to cause any offense, just mentioned your info was different to that of the guy at EMG to try and keep something in my mind as apart from a 81/60 set I had in a guitar very briefly; I'm very new to EMGs.

Here are a few opinions on the EMG accessories. Hopefully, other contributors will chime in.

-SPC midrange booster - fattens up S nicely. Less effective on SA.
-EXG Expander - helpful on SA, makes S excessively glassy.
-PI12 Phase Inverter - meant for HH guitars.
-RPC Resonant Peak - meant to brighten humbuckers.
-VMC Variable Mid EQ - meant for bass but useful in a Zappa way.
-TBC Treble/Bass EQ - Cut/Boost. Think G&L.
-VLPF - the current version of a treble roll off control.

Two volume booster devices are available. One switchable, one governed by a pot.

Something to consider is the age of your pickup set. In my opinion, it would be worth creating a hybrid of hard-wired pickups and selector switch with the newer, solderless control pots. This way, you can reconfigure your control layout at a the drop of a screwdriver and a small adjustable spanner.

Thanks for the info on the active controls too.

There's an Afterburner wired in with these pickups but my friend thinks it's broken and that I should replace it, hence I asked about the active controls.

I do have a newer Afterburner knocking around from when I had 1 wired up with my Antiquity Texas Hots, so I could replace the old 1 with my newer 1 or go with 1 of the active controls.

I also hear a lot of talk on forums about the 18v mod with the humbuckers, does that do anything on the single coils?

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: Anyone else use EMG single coil pickups?

From the recent thread, "Either you're EMG guy or not - what are you?":

My first guitar, around '94 or '95, was an '85 MIJ Strat that had EMGs in it when I got it. They were all I knew until about 10 years ago. I was really a bass player, so I didn't geek out on guitars then. I finally started geeking out when I "really" started learning guitar about 10 or 12 years ago, and decided that I wanted "vintage" style pickups. My pops gave me the CS '54's that he had pulled from his CS Strat, and the EMGs sat in a box. I figured I would never use them again, because I "hated" actives, right?

Since then, I acquired a few more Strats, all with classic-type pickups, so my collection was really redundant. Then, last year I started going through old boxes. I went to sell the EMGs, and due to sentimentality (combined with low value), I could not make myself do it. So instead of continuing to let them sit, I decided to return the EMGs to their original guitar, and I put the '54's in my MIM Strat. What do you know; they sound good. It still sounds like a Strat, and not all that far away from the classic sound, to tell you the truth. I am now over my general dislike of active pickups, because I realize that it was stupid in the first place. And now and my redundancy in the Strat department has also been taken care of. I could not be happier with the guitar, and it is kind of nice having my first guitar back the way I knew and loved it. Plus my MIM Strat now sounds incredible.

In short, I mainly love passives, but I like actives just fine as well.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Anyone else use EMG single coil pickups?

No offense taken here. I was just harrumphing at the "Support" dude from a major pickup distributor not knowing his schtuff.

For what it is worth, I have an old EMG-EXG doing nothing. Original, soldered-in, big PCB type. Boxed with instructions. Yours if you cover shipping costs.

In my opinion, the standard EMG passive treble roll off controls don't do a lot UNTIL you dump the green capacitor for a .474uF like the ones supplied with SD Blackouts.

 

[Brow]

Re: Anyone else use EMG single coil pickups?

From the recent thread, "Either you're EMG guy or not - what are you?":

Thanks for the info.

I have 2 other SSS and 1 HSS Strat that have vintage style pickups in so these EMGs would make a good contrast for something different.

No offense taken here. I was just harrumphing at the "Support" dude from a major pickup distributor not knowing his schtuff.

For what it is worth, I have an old EMG-EXG doing nothing. Original, soldered-in, big PCB type. Boxed with instructions. Yours if you cover shipping costs.

In my opinion, the standard EMG passive treble roll off controls don't do a lot UNTIL you dump the green capacitor for a .474uF like the ones supplied with SD Blackouts.

Didn't want you to think I was arguing with you is all, I'm only as good as the info I'm being given upto this point and I figured a support tech from the pickup brand would be a good start!

Thanks for the offer of the EXG, that sounds great. I'll send you a PM

 

[donaldr]

Re: Anyone else use EMG single coil pickups?

I currently have an HSS super strat with EMG81-SA-SA. I don't like them, bridge 81 is one-dimension, middle SA is too dark and neck SA is flat. Might be good, but not for my style of music/playing. I'm looking to switch for an SH-11 in the bridge, an STK-S7 in the neck and ditch out the middle.

 

[jeremy]

Re: Anyone else use EMG single coil pickups?

i played a fender hrr 50's strat for years. maple neck, basswood body, floyd. i used an 81/sv/sv with spc and pa2 setup in that guitar. its not a bad thing and very easy to play. doesnt have the tone of anything i have now but i still have that wired up sitting around in the shop in the basement

 

[donaldr]

Re: Anyone else use EMG single coil pickups?

I currently have an HSS super strat with EMG81-SA-SA. I don't like them, bridge 81 is one-dimension, middle SA is too dark and neck SA is flat. Might be good, but not for my style of music/playing. I'm looking to switch for an SH-11 in the bridge, an STK-S7 in the neck and ditch out the middle.

My mistake, I have a 60 in the bridge position and two S (instead of SA) in neck/middle position.

 

[J E C]

Re: Anyone else use EMG single coil pickups?

From what I remember the SA's are warmer sounding/more mid and low end, less high end bite, than the S's. Kind of like the difference between the 81 and 85. Good to know about the tone cap Funkfinger. I'll have to remember that if I ever use the 81 I have laying around.

 

[Brow]

Re: Anyone else use EMG single coil pickups?

Thanks for the new posts guys.

I'm still in the process of sorting out details and finding a home for these pickups so I can't give an opinion or anything on them at the minute