Re: EMG and SD
you can't compare them. EMG's are active, SD's (in general) are passive. I think the only SD you can compare EMG with is the Live Wire, and even then i don't know "which" EMG pickup it resembles. I'll try and give you a decription though. EMG's are very high gain, excellent for metal, and if you like sizzly, high mid, metal sound. SD's are passive (meaning they have no onboard poweramp in the form of a battery) but by no means can you say that you can't get a metal tone out of a SD. I have an Invader in a guitar i built and that thing absolutely rumbles. Its all personal preference. Everyone in here is going to give you their opinion, the only thing you can do is go to your local music shop, and try out guitars with different pickups that you're interested in, and decide which one soudns the best to YOU