EMG het set mini review

[xxxplorer]

I installed them in my explorer. The Blackouts in my other guitar made me want actives here too, but I wanted a different look hehe. And I am a big fan, I won't lie lol.

They look awesome, from a distance looks like older buckers kinda. The solderless system sucks, I used the extra two blackout volume pots. Explorers are tight for room. No room for the battery and solderless 'mother board'.

Tone is great tho. Neck pickup sounds uber clean. Bridge is tighter than a prom date nerd. I love how quiet actives are.

Rolls back nicely for cleans. All in all I like em. Different than blackouts and a bit more passive feeling than standard emgs, but in a different way than blackouts. Blackouts seem to have a juicey brown midrange. These are a bit flatter. Both great.

 

[CTN]

Re: EMG het set mini review

cool stuff, I was wondering what they might sound like in a rig other than Het's.

 

[TheLivingDead]

Re: EMG het set mini review

Sweet! Post some clips when ya can!

 

[xntrick]

Re: EMG het set mini review

i'm currently using the 81X, but would be interested in trying the Hetfield bridge model but those things are freaking expensive...

 

[jkkkjkhk]

Re: EMG het set mini review

I have dual 81x's in my jackson. I really want to do a good comparison with the regular 81 in bridge, neck, 60 in neck, JH set, and blackouts. When I do I'll do a comparison with my jackson and another with my soon to be les paul. Bugs me there's no good comparisons, and any that are good quality are different guitars.

 

[xxxplorer]

Re: EMG het set mini review

Bridge is a bit 81 like, maybe a bit more bass but still tight as all you know what. Cleans are ok with it, but not super, but I never use my bridge for cleans.

Neck is it's own thing. Not nearly as 'steril' as the 60. A lot fuller but still ver clean and a hint of twang but not like the 60 really. Best way is a acoustic like. Not boomy not shrill. Can riff it out if I want and can even hit pinch harmonics. I like it better than the blackout neck or 85 and I still like the emg 60 but just for different reasons.

Blackouts are awesome and their own thing. Very brown and juicy, these feel a bit dryer and percussive, maybe a little clearer but not enough to worry about. I like and use both now.

I love the fact I can use cheap cables now lol, and the quietness is awesome.

I started with actives back in the day and have come full circle. Even with my blues and funk I like em. Frank Falbo was right, rolling the volume makes for nice cleans as tone remains.

I still have a single hum strat with a pg in there, not a total convert lol.

 

[xntrick]

Re: EMG het set mini review

I have dual 81x's in my jackson. I really want to do a good comparison with the regular 81 in bridge, neck, 60 in neck, JH set, and blackouts. When I do I'll do a comparison with my jackson and another with my soon to be les paul. Bugs me there's no good comparisons, and any that are good quality are different guitars.

i went from the 81 to the 85 and then the 60, the 60 sounded really nice in the bridge position and it has a great clean tone with just enough drive to do hard rock without the need for any pedals..i then tried the AHB-2 and that thing is great for chugging, great metal tones from that pickup but the clean tone is useless and for some reason the pinch harmonics were lacking lacking big time, i thought my technique was bad but it turned out to be the pickup, i also tried the AHB-1 but i didn't like that at all, far too much output with my set up..currently using the 81X and i'm curious to put the EMG afterburner back in my guitar this weekend...

 

[xxxplorer]

Re: EMG het set mini review

Had my first practice with them, and it's the first time I have never needed an od pedal to go to kill mode. These are something else. Evil yet beautiful, dirty but clean. Best part is still amp is set to stun and when I am done there is zero noise. Roll back my volume and it's clean as a baby's a$$. I am impressed.

 

[rumblebox]

Re: EMG het set mini review

I use an 85 in the bridge since i find the 81 too weak and bright sounding. How do the 81x and 85x compare in the bridge position?

 

[Phantasmagoria]

Re: EMG het set mini review

i went from the 81 to the 85 and then the 60, the 60 sounded really nice in the bridge position and it has a great clean tone with just enough drive to do hard rock without the need for any pedals..i then tried the AHB-2 and that thing is great for chugging, great metal tones from that pickup but the clean tone is useless and for some reason the pinch harmonics were lacking lacking big time, i thought my technique was bad but it turned out to be the pickup, i also tried the AHB-1 but i didn't like that at all, far too much output with my set up..currently using the 81X and i'm curious to put the EMG afterburner back in my guitar this weekend...

^ It can't be the pickup....my Ahb-2 screams with insane harmonics at the slightest hint of a pinch...lol.


...maybe the way it was set up...height/the way it was angled?

 

[xntrick]

Re: EMG het set mini review

^ It can't be the pickup....my Ahb-2 screams with insane harmonics at the slightest hint of a pinch...lol.


...maybe the way it was set up...height/the way it was angled?

not sure why it was lacking harmonics, never did figure that out..i bought it used so maybe it was beat up pretty bad before i got it, but over all i thought it was a great pickup for metal

 

[xxxplorer]

Re: EMG het set mini review

Bridge is wicked hot. Almost no clean, but the crunch is so oPen and clear it doesn't really matter. The clarity is unreal. Has all the high end of a paf, but the wicked evil chug and thickness of a higher wind. Genius.