EMG 85 v 89 tone

[Taipan]

Hi
Im wanting to try out some EMGs
If i dont get the Lukather set that is

Then I'll look to make a set up (HSS)

As for the bridge its a toss up between the 85 & 89
I need a fat sounding pickup with good mids but not too bright as my strat can be quite glassy

The 89 being able to coil split is an advantage , only if its good sounding
in Humbucker mode.

has anyone compared the two ?

Thanks

 

[Yngwiestein]

Re: EMG 85 v 89 tone

Hi
Im wanting to try out some EMGs
If i dont get the Lukather set that is

Then I'll look to make a set up (HSS)

As for the bridge its a toss up between the 85 & 89
I need a fat sounding pickup with good mids but not too bright as my strat can be quite glassy

The 89 being able to coil split is an advantage , only if its good sounding
in Humbucker mode.

has anyone compared the two ?

Thanks

An 89 is an 85 that splits. Sounds the same until you split it. The only difference I think I could hear was the 89 was a little clearer. Not as muddy as the 85. That's what I can remember anyway. I haven't played one since they first hit the market.

 

[Ascension]

Re: EMG 85 v 89 tone

I had a 89 in the bridge from the factory on my one off Washburn MG 122 Prototype and replaced it with an 85.
The 89 is cool and sounds similar to the 85 but is somewhat lower in output and not as fat. origionally the guitar had the 89 in the bridge and the 85 in the neck. The output ballance was off as the hottest pickup was in the neck position. I moved the 85 to the bridge and went back with an H60A in the neck.
The 89 will work well in the bridge with a pair of SA's or something lower in output like a H60A in the neck. Otherwise IMO in the bridge go with a 85.

 

[Yngwiestein]

Re: EMG 85 v 89 tone

I wouldn't get an 89 to go with single coils because it kind of defeats the purpose of getting a split humbucker. I recommend an 81 for the bridge and the 89 in the neck. I think you will more likely split the neck humbucker than the bridge.

 

[Johtosotku]

Re: EMG 85 v 89 tone

An 89 is an 85 that splits. Sounds the same until you split it. The only difference I think I could hear was the 89 was a little clearer. Not as muddy as the 85. That's what I can remember anyway. I haven't played one since they first hit the market.

IIRC the 89 isn't a splitting 85... it's more like a doubling SA.

I've never compared the 85 and the 89 but I really like the 89. One of my favourite pickups. I'd love to try a strat setup with three 89s.

 

[jhale667]

Re: EMG 85 v 89 tone

I had an 89 in my Koa Strat for a few years, and both the humbucking and split modes offer usable tones. The split mode does sound like an SA, and the humbucking mode sounded pretty close to every 85 I've heard, though I never actually owned one of them...definitely sounded clearer and more articulate than an 81...:friday:

 

[Mark Le Comte]

Re: EMG 85 v 89 tone

Also think about the 81TW. The 89 is an SA when split and is pretty close to a 85 in H mode i.e. it is optimised for the split. The 81TW is a 81 in H mode and is pretty close to a S when split i.e. is optimised for H. I have 81TW and 89 in my explorer, very versatile set up.

What I think would be great is an HSH with 81TW bridge, 89 neck and SLV/SV/SAV in the middle.

 

[Ascension]

Re: EMG 85 v 89 tone

I wouldn't get an 89 to go with single coils because it kind of defeats the purpose of getting a split humbucker. I recommend an 81 for the bridge and the 89 in the neck. I think you will more likely split the neck humbucker than the bridge.

I disagree on the set up with singles! This will give a bucker tone in the bridge when in that mode or a full strat set up that is noisless.
You can have the harsh icepicky 81's in the bridge!! The only way I can stand those are in something really thick sounding like a Les Paul and with a bunch of effects. The buzzsaw sound of 80's hair metal!!
I love the 89 or 85 in the bridge with a SA set or H60A though.

 

[Yngwiestein]

Re: EMG 85 v 89 tone

I disagree on the set up with singles! This will give a bucker tone in the bridge when in that mode or a full strat set up that is noisless.
You can have the harsh icepicky 81's in the bridge!! The only way I can stand those are in something really thick sounding like a Les Paul and with a bunch of effects. The buzzsaw sound of 80's hair metal!!
I love the 89 or 85 in the bridge with a SA set or H60A though.

I never heard an icepicky sound in the 81 unless you scoop out all the mids. That's a quality I remember more from the 85. I haven't paid attention to actives for a long time so I'm going on memory here. Occasionally when I pick up a guitar with actives I don't even bother trying to find out which pickup is in it. They all sound basically the same to me.

 

[Johtosotku]

Re: EMG 85 v 89 tone

I disagree on the set up with singles! This will give a bucker tone in the bridge when in that mode or a full strat set up that is noisless.
You can have the harsh icepicky 81's in the bridge!! The only way I can stand those are in something really thick sounding like a Les Paul and with a bunch of effects. The buzzsaw sound of 80's hair metal!!
I love the 89 or 85 in the bridge with a SA set or H60A though.

I never heard an icepicky sound in the 81 unless you scoop out all the mids. That's a quality I remember more from the 85. I haven't paid attention to actives for a long time so I'm going on memory here. Occasionally when I pick up a guitar with actives I don't even bother trying to find out which pickup is in it. They all sound basically the same to me.

I agree with Ascension here. The 89 should be nice if you want to use the bridge single coil with the middle single coil. Just having the 81 there wouldn't balance well. I haven't tried the new 81 with the splitting, though.

And it is my experiences too that it is the 81 definitely that is the thinner and ice-pickier pickup. It's great that it retains clarity and punch when used with lots and lots of gain. For other kinds of playing it's useless imo.

 

[Taipan]

Re: EMG 85 v 89 tone

Its the 85 Im interested actually not the 81 .
I had an 81 many years ago & It is on the Brighter side.

Don't forget this is a (Bright glassy sounding guitar) HSS
So I need pickups that over power the guitars natural tone
Am I right in thinking EMG's would do that ?

Im guessing the 85 Has a good amout of Bass , Mids & not much top end

 

[Johtosotku]

Re: EMG 85 v 89 tone

Its the 85 Im interested actually not the 81 .
I had an 81 many years ago & It is on the Brighter side.

Don't forget this is a (Bright glassy sounding guitar) HSS
So I need pickups that over power the guitars natural tone
Am I right in thinking EMG's would do that ?

Im guessing the 85 Has a good amout of Bass , Mids & not much top end

Actives divide the opinions of people. Some people say that they mask the guitars' original tones while some people say that they let them through better. It's up to you to decide how you hear and feel them.

In my opinion the 85/89 is a beefy and warm sounding pickup that suits brighter instruments well. There are, however, many passive pickups with such qualities as well.

 

[ParameterMan]

Re: EMG 85 v 89 tone

The 89 being able to coil split is an advantage , only if its good sounding
in Humbucker mode.

has anyone compared the two ?

Thanks

Hey! For once I'm uniquely qualified to answer your question. I've tried both the 85 and 89, as well as the 81, and the 89 is currently my favorite EMG humbucker. It doesn't sound exactly like the 85, it's slightly lower output and has a sweeter voice. The 85 can get too thick and almost muddy in the low end, whereas the 89 sounds like a cross between it and an SA. It really does sound like an SA on steroids.

The only thing is, you'll never want to use the single mode once you get your amp dialed in for full, it's just too much quieter and thinner to work well back-to-back, and the full sounds awesomely chimey when clean. That said, with the price they go for on ebay, it's cheap enough to get an 89 and just use it as a humbucker. I would like to combine one with the hotter and fatter SLV singles and see how it balances.

Im guessing the 85 Has a good amout of Bass , Mids & not much top end

The 85 does have a good amount of bass, but quite possibly leaner mids and more harmonic sparkle than an 81. It's very flat and hifi and actually sounds a bit scooped if you're coming straight off of passive humbuckers, which even if scooped still have a serious midrange emphasis.

 

[Taipan]

Re: EMG 85 v 89 tone

Hmm interesting info guys.

Im leaning towards the 85 since I don't really use a single coils mod alone

I was just concerned about the bridge & middle tone clean for that funky quack tone I really like thinking that the 85 wouldnt cut it

As for being too bassy ,I don't think it would be the case in this guitar since its bright

 

[uOpt]

Re: EMG 85 v 89 tone

I arrived at the conclusion that the 89 is a double pickup pickup, two magnets and all.

I haven't X-rayed it, but I measured the magnetic field around the horizontal planes around it and it's completely screwed up, aka not just north and south along the strings. I conclude the little sucker holds two magnets.

I don't have an 85 so I can't compare directly.

 

[TattooedCarrot]

Re: EMG 85 v 89 tone

I never heard an icepicky sound in the 81 unless you scoop out all the mids. That's a quality I remember more from the 85. I haven't paid attention to actives for a long time so I'm going on memory here. Occasionally when I pick up a guitar with actives I don't even bother trying to find out which pickup is in it. They all sound basically the same to me.

My experience has been the opposite. The 81 has a slight scoop in the mids, the 85 has a huge lower mid spike making it thicker and more syrup in the leads. IMO the 85 is a great bridge pup.

To the original poster, don't discount the SA in the bridge. With the SPC mid boost its a pretty beefy pup itself and easily gets into humbucker territory. I currently have a strat set up with the DG20 and it kills. That said, I've also had a strat with a Lukether set and it smoked too.

 

[Yngwiestein]

Re: EMG 85 v 89 tone

My experience has been the opposite. The 81 has a slight scoop in the mids, the 85 has a huge lower mid spike making it thicker and more syrup in the leads. IMO the 85 is a great bridge pup.

To the original poster, don't discount the SA in the bridge. With the SPC mid boost its a pretty beefy pup itself and easily gets into humbucker territory. I currently have a strat set up with the DG20 and it kills. That said, I've also had a strat with a Lukether set and it smoked too.

The 85 reminds me of a Tone Zone. It's very heavy in lows and low mids and scooped until the top end. I don't like it. The 81 sounds better to my ears and less muddy.

 

[Johtosotku]

Re: EMG 85 v 89 tone

I arrived at the conclusion that the 89 is a double pickup pickup, two magnets and all.

I haven't X-rayed it, but I measured the magnetic field around the horizontal planes around it and it's completely screwed up, aka not just north and south along the strings. I conclude the little sucker holds two magnets.

I don't have an 85 so I can't compare directly.

Doesn't it say something along those lines on the emg website? That the 89 housing keeps a real SA and something extra inside it.

 

[TattooedCarrot]

Re: EMG 85 v 89 tone

Doesn't it say something along those lines on the emg website? That the 89 housing keeps a real SA and something extra inside it.

Its not a split EMG, its two pickups in one.

Inside the EMG-89 pickup are both single and dual-coil pickups, each with its own output. The single-coil mode is an Alnico loaded stacked EMG-SA. The dual-coil mode consists of two Alnico loaded coils opposite one another creating a pickup similar to the EMG-85. A push/pull volume or tone enables you to switch from the clarity of a single-coil to the fatness of a humbucking.

 

[Taipan]

Re: EMG 85 v 89 tone

Hi
I just got an email back from EMG I asked about the Lukather set
And they told me his SLV's might be too bright & check out there SA's

Strange since the Lukather SLV's are supposed to be a fatter Louder version of the SA ???

Anyone here have a Music Man , or use the Luke set ?