Invader puts a hurtin' on an 81...

[JB_From_Hell]

I was at a friend's house last night playing through his full stack with my LTD M 100 (EMG 81s) and Ibanez RG 570 (Invader). I'd never used the EMGs at that great a volume before, and realized I never will again. They sounded really twangy, not at all like with my smaller amp at home. The thing that shocked me the most was I even have the 18v mod in place, and they still sounded bad. Looks like the LTD is going back on the soldering table, to get gutted and resurrected with a JB trembucker :laugh2:

Long story short, after about 5 minutes, I grabbed up the Ibanez, and forgot all about the EMGs. Now, I really dig the Invader, but it sounds so good loud, I almost feel bad about playing it at a low volume

 

[bloodswords]

Re: Invader puts a hurtin' on an 81...

volume helps...
many people overlooked the Invader's potential at various settings, especially at high volumes. i think the Invader is a rewarding unit for those who watch their EQ...

 

[some_dude]

Re: Invader puts a hurtin' on an 81...

What kind of amp?

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: Invader puts a hurtin' on an 81...

A Peavey trans-tube something or other. We Springfield guys are poor bast*rds
I've played several guitars through his amp, one with a JB, one with an Evolution, and a stock BC Rich, plus the two I mentioned above, and the only one that sounded bad was the LTD with the EMG 81s.

I neglected to mention this, but the LTD had 2 brand new batteries, and a set of strings with less than 20 minutes of playing on them, so it should've sounded pretty good.

 

[some_dude]

Re: Invader puts a hurtin' on an 81...

I neglected to mention this, but the LTD had 2 brand new batteries, and a set of strings with less than 20 minutes of playing on them, so it should've sounded pretty good.

Maybe it wasn't the guitar that sounded bad :wink:

EMG's will bring out the best and worst in any setup. Sounds like it brought out the worst in that Peavey.


You should hear what mine sound like through a Marshall MG... :laugh2: ...a cheap ass Squire with stock pickups sound better.


Before you go soldering, I'd suggest trying your axe out in a better amp if at all possible.

 

[DeadSkinSlayer3]

Re: Invader puts a hurtin' on an 81...

Oh yeah...you should take into account the fact that EMG's always sound like total ass through SS amps

 

[Mephis]

Re: Invader puts a hurtin' on an 81...

i put an EMG-81 in my single humbucker warlock and it made an awsome guitar that can almost touch my platium pro tonaly. They make cheap guitars sound good, and expensive guitars sound like ass.

 

[some_dude]

Re: Invader puts a hurtin' on an 81...

They make cheap guitars sound good, and expensive guitars sound like ass.

That's one of the most retarded things I've ever read.

 

[Mephis]

Re: Invader puts a hurtin' on an 81...

Well, any time ive heard them they sound the same in anything. And just about every band i listen to uses em, and when i put em in my one warlock it sounded the same too. Depends on what you call good sound i guess. Good for 80's hard rock and good for playin leads, but not much else.

 

[Imp]

Re: Invader puts a hurtin' on an 81...

its true

play EMGs if you put the gain to 10 before you even turn the amp on :burnout:

 

[Vincent]

Re: Invader puts a hurtin' on an 81...

Dont worry about Screamingdaisy...

He's one of those ppl who suffer from "My-EMGs-are-the-best-syndrome". I offered reasons why EMGs may not be optimal / flexible enough for some new-forumer who wanted to play rock but Screamingdaisy doesn't take very well to criticism of his beloved EMGs. Anyone who thinks differently to him is either 'retarded' or 'stupid'...

Stick to your opinions guys, trust your ears first. Not the testosterone-fueled rantings of some pro-*insert p/u brand name here* forumer.

 

[ranalli]

Re: Invader puts a hurtin' on an 81...

They make cheap guitars sound good, and expensive guitars sound like ass.

I don't find this to be the case at all.

 

[Forbes]

Re: Invader puts a hurtin' on an 81...

They make cheap guitars sound good, and expensive guitars sound like ass.

IMO this is such an untrue statement and a confusion over the truth. Many people think that an EMG will vastly improve the tone of a cheap guitar as it 'covers up' the guitars natural sound, so they say this means when putting it in an expensive guitar you are not hearing the quality, but it certainly doesn't make them sound like ass, in my experience anyway.

I don't like EMG's (its just not right for the tone i want) and am glad that the invader has some fans, as i think it can be amoung some people terribly under-rated.

BTW the RG570 with an invader sure is a tasty set up isnt it! :smoker:

 

[fenderiarhs]

Re: Invader puts a hurtin' on an 81...

although i am not a big fan of the emg81 i think you should consider also the fact that the same pickup reacts in different ways to various amps. I was PERFECTLY happy with my emg85 and my boogie DC-5 combo.I didn't like so much my JB on the same amp.When i tried the emg85 with my new marshall tsl i found it HORRIBLE but i LOVED the sound of the JB through the marshall. Conclusion:not every amp fits well with every pickup!

 

[mrid]

Re: Invader puts a hurtin' on an 81...

My experience with EMG's was pretty ho-hum. I tried the Zakk Wylde set in my Les Paul, and I was a bit disappointed and a bit impressed. :laugh2: The EMG 81 was a big surprise in terms of power and aggressiveness. The most insanely brutal pickup I've ever tried was the Invader, and I was expecting the 81 to be similar. However, the 81 seemed kind of mild in comparison...still cool and edgy, though.

 

[some_dude]

Re: Invader puts a hurtin' on an 81...

Dont worry about Screamingdaisy...

He's one of those ppl who suffer from "My-EMGs-are-the-best-syndrome". I offered reasons why EMGs may not be optimal / flexible enough for some new-forumer who wanted to play rock but Screamingdaisy doesn't take very well to criticism of his beloved EMGs. Anyone who thinks differently to him is either 'retarded' or 'stupid'...

Stick to your opinions guys, trust your ears first. Not the testosterone-fueled rantings of some pro-*insert p/u brand name here* forumer.

I only defend them so much because they're surrounded by so much mis-information. If everyone simply posted facts vice hype, I'd have nothing to pick apart.

Oddly enough, my favorite pickups are single coils, but no one seems to pick on them....




Edit: Mis-informed hype? Case in point;

If you ask me, there is a lot of hype nowadays about EMG pickups, but that's exactly what it is, just hype. A lot of nu-metal guitarists who have been playing for a few years favour these EMGs cos they make playing more effortless through a cranked-out Mesa due to the high output nature of the pickup.

I see no reasons given as to why EMGs weren't optimal / flexible enough for some new-forumer who wanted to play rock. All I see is a bunch of BS served on an anti nu-metal platter.

Nice attempt to jab though.

:sword:

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: Invader puts a hurtin' on an 81...

I've been using this set of 81s for about 7 years, and they've been through a ton of guitars. I will say that I think they make different guitars sound more similar than, say, a JB, but I don't think there's any truth to the "good guitar sound like crap, crap guitar sound good" idea.

I have this love/hate thing with EMGs, so I think right now, I just happen to be swung over to the hate side :laugh2: The only reason I was going to take them out of that guitar is it happens to be my only other Floyd guitar, and I wanted to have it for a backup.

The other possibility is that the Invader & the JB just happen to fit me better. I tried the Distortion & Screamin' Demon (both of which are obviously very revered) and didn't care for them.

 

[motorhead]

Re: Invader puts a hurtin' on an 81...

Dont worry about Screamingdaisy...

He's one of those ppl who suffer from "My-EMGs-are-the-best-syndrome". I offered reasons why EMGs may not be optimal / flexible enough for some new-forumer who wanted to play rock but Screamingdaisy doesn't take very well to criticism of his beloved EMGs. Anyone who thinks differently to him is either 'retarded' or 'stupid'...

Stick to your opinions guys, trust your ears first. Not the testosterone-fueled rantings of some pro-*insert p/u brand name here* forumer.

Propaganda used to fight hype :smack:

You Sir suffer from "EMG Sucks syndrome". You don't understand the EMG system and the battery aspect probably scares the heck out of you.

EMG has been around long enough that people that use them know what they like. Besides on a good day EMGs will bring out the best of your gear and technique and on a bad day EMGs will make you look foolish.