Emg 81
- Thread starter Charvel
- Start date
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theodie
Guest
Re: Emg 81
SUCKS!!! Bright and Sterile!!!! No personality what so ever!!!! The only time I can tolerate EMG humbuckers are when I am using a whole boatload of effects.
SUCKS!!! Bright and Sterile!!!! No personality what so ever!!!! The only time I can tolerate EMG humbuckers are when I am using a whole boatload of effects.
DiminisheD-7th
New member
Re: Emg 81
the EMG 81 will clean up, but it will not sound good.
keep and mind that the pickup was designed to maintain clarity and voicing in realy high-gain situations.
that being said, i didnt play one bridge humbucker that i realy liked in the cleans department.
the EMG 81 will clean up, but it will not sound good.
keep and mind that the pickup was designed to maintain clarity and voicing in realy high-gain situations.
that being said, i didnt play one bridge humbucker that i realy liked in the cleans department.
\m/(00)\m/
HeadBanginologist
Re: Emg 81
yeah, the cleans suck. but it kicks ass for distorted, dirty stuff
yeah, the cleans suck. but it kicks ass for distorted, dirty stuff
Davey
Goliath of Tone
Re: Emg 81
get a versatile pup like the JB or the custom. if you dont own multiple guitars, you're not going to be satisfied with a one trick pony, not even the best one trick pony.
you can always reshape it's tone a little with an EQ, or even add a booster circuit if you lack the output
get a versatile pup like the JB or the custom. if you dont own multiple guitars, you're not going to be satisfied with a one trick pony, not even the best one trick pony.
you can always reshape it's tone a little with an EQ, or even add a booster circuit if you lack the output
some_dude
Raging BB Gunologist
Re: Emg 81
A good neck pickup.
I use an 81 in the bridge and I love it, but it sucks for cleans. I also have a JB, Super Distortion, and a Fender single coil in the bridges, all of which suck for cleans.
If you want good cleans, you want a fat, creamy neck pickup. An EMG 60's a good choice if you want to go active, and plenty will swear by a Jazz or a 59n on the passive side of the house.
Also, if you're soloing stuff, you'll want a neck pickup that sounds great under gain as well. All that fat legato work that the lead guitarists do is almost all on the neck pickup as it slurs the notes more than the bridge. Just listen to a Children of Bodom solo and you'll hear what I mean (I think they're using two 81s, but I can't remember).
Charvel said:
A good neck pickup.
I use an 81 in the bridge and I love it, but it sucks for cleans. I also have a JB, Super Distortion, and a Fender single coil in the bridges, all of which suck for cleans.
If you want good cleans, you want a fat, creamy neck pickup. An EMG 60's a good choice if you want to go active, and plenty will swear by a Jazz or a 59n on the passive side of the house.
Also, if you're soloing stuff, you'll want a neck pickup that sounds great under gain as well. All that fat legato work that the lead guitarists do is almost all on the neck pickup as it slurs the notes more than the bridge. Just listen to a Children of Bodom solo and you'll hear what I mean (I think they're using two 81s, but I can't remember).
Metalman_666
New member
Re: Emg 81
speaking as one who's just acquired the EMG 81/60 set, I would defend the 81's "sterile" cleans. They may not be perfect... but they're usable, and unlike your current LiveWire Heavy Metal active pickups Charvel, they're actually clean! :laugh2: I wouldn't look past the 81 as a possibility for a good bridge pickup
In terms of the neck, I also think the 60 might do you well. The cleans are pretty good and it's not a bad neck pickup under distortion... there's enough harmonics to allow weak pinch harmonics at best, at least judging from my experience and my rig, but solos still sing as far as I'm concerned. I've got some clips but they were recorded using crappy equipment.. talk to me on MSN if you're interested.
*EDIT* Oh yeah and one more thing.. since your guitar's already equipped for active pickups, why not keep it that way?
speaking as one who's just acquired the EMG 81/60 set, I would defend the 81's "sterile" cleans. They may not be perfect... but they're usable, and unlike your current LiveWire Heavy Metal active pickups Charvel, they're actually clean! :laugh2: I wouldn't look past the 81 as a possibility for a good bridge pickup
In terms of the neck, I also think the 60 might do you well. The cleans are pretty good and it's not a bad neck pickup under distortion... there's enough harmonics to allow weak pinch harmonics at best, at least judging from my experience and my rig, but solos still sing as far as I'm concerned. I've got some clips but they were recorded using crappy equipment.. talk to me on MSN if you're interested.
*EDIT* Oh yeah and one more thing.. since your guitar's already equipped for active pickups, why not keep it that way?
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DeadSkinSlayer3
Guest
Re: Emg 81
Nobody in Children of Bodom uses a neck pickup...just a superclean technique. None of them use an 81, either. It's an EMGHZ-4, surprisingly enough. I say get a DD bridge and JB or Jazz neck.
Nobody in Children of Bodom uses a neck pickup...just a superclean technique. None of them use an 81, either. It's an EMGHZ-4, surprisingly enough. I say get a DD bridge and JB or Jazz neck.
Neeradj
New member
Re: Emg 81
I've had the EMG81 for one year, and well it made swear not to use active pick ups ever again. My review:
Clean: I did not just experience brightness (had it in my Gibson V: Ebony fingerboard, mahogany body+neck), not everything sounded bright. It was like playing a pup with absolutely NO mids. Lowest strings and highest strings sounded the loudest. Lots of bass, but also piercing treble. Chords sounded hollow.
Dirty: If you've got a solid-state amp which doesn't have enough gain, get this sucker. Palm mutes were articulate, but everything was very bright and piercing. This was the first time I ever wanted low end response. Harmonics were great, but it sounded very brittle like sandpaper on metal. Nice picking attack, and it doesn't get muddy, but it sounds very lifeless and again sterile.
Played it thoroughly through a ESP LTD EC-1000 (maple top, mahogany back and neck), exactly the same results. The neck spot just sounded a little bit fuller and better IMO
I don't like this pick up and if I'll ever get over my problem with active pick ups, I'd get a EMG85 bridge and EMG60 neck. They seem to let you focus your sound more
I've had the EMG81 for one year, and well it made swear not to use active pick ups ever again. My review:
Clean: I did not just experience brightness (had it in my Gibson V: Ebony fingerboard, mahogany body+neck), not everything sounded bright. It was like playing a pup with absolutely NO mids. Lowest strings and highest strings sounded the loudest. Lots of bass, but also piercing treble. Chords sounded hollow.
Dirty: If you've got a solid-state amp which doesn't have enough gain, get this sucker. Palm mutes were articulate, but everything was very bright and piercing. This was the first time I ever wanted low end response. Harmonics were great, but it sounded very brittle like sandpaper on metal. Nice picking attack, and it doesn't get muddy, but it sounds very lifeless and again sterile.
Played it thoroughly through a ESP LTD EC-1000 (maple top, mahogany back and neck), exactly the same results. The neck spot just sounded a little bit fuller and better IMO
I don't like this pick up and if I'll ever get over my problem with active pick ups, I'd get a EMG85 bridge and EMG60 neck. They seem to let you focus your sound more
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DeadSkinSlayer3
Guest
Re: Emg 81
Check out the script on the pickup. Too short, and not in cursive to be his old Jackson pickups, too long to be an EMG.
Check out the script on the pickup. Too short, and not in cursive to be his old Jackson pickups, too long to be an EMG.
some_dude
Raging BB Gunologist
Re: Emg 81
It looks like the writing on the EMG-HZs.
http://www.emginc.com/displayproducts.asp?section=Guitar&categoryid=17&catalogid=164
DeadSkinSlayer3 said:
It looks like the writing on the EMG-HZs.
http://www.emginc.com/displayproducts.asp?section=Guitar&categoryid=17&catalogid=164