I've experienced a "Blackout"!

Re: I've experienced a "Blackout"!

I had posted this in another thread, I thought this may interest a few people posting here....

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No clips, but I can tell you that I just A/B'ed Blackouts with the EMGs in identical guitars through the same rig just two nights ago. Jackson DK1s, 9-volt circuits into a Mesa Road King II. My humble opinions below;

Blackout bridge: a bit more low end, not quite the dramatic change that may be implied by these different threads. The low end is deep and defined, but not boosted so much that you loose the mid attack and voice. There is more high end and harmonic content. Overall, it sounds more lively than the 81, and has a noticable boost in output. The cleans are stellar, it really makes the 81 sound like cardboard when testing on a good clean channel. You do lose a little of the "tightness" that the 81 has due to the 81s rolled off highs and slightly lower ouput, but it is subtle. I think the benefits of the Blackout outweight the that small difference.

Blackout neck: More high end, less low end and mids. It does not sound as round as the 85. It is slightly less "sweet" sounding, but is more defined and "clean" sounding. Its output is balanced much better with the Blackout bridge than the 85 is with the 81 in the bridge. Again, the cleans are just amazing.

I won't have any clips, because the 81/85 combo was just replaced with Mustaines last night.....now they have some serious tone going on with more low end than than the Blackouts, about the same output, about the same brightness, but a different mid voice. They do sound like the JB/Jazz, but the bridge is little less whiny, has tighter lows (not as tight as the Blackouts), and is a little thicker sounding than the JB and the neck sounds like the Jazz with more output. Also, the cleans are even better than the Blackouts. Super sweet actives!......
 
Re: I've experienced a "Blackout"!

Hmm, based on that description, it sounds like the Blackout Neck is less like the EMG85 that the Blackout Bridge is like the EMG81. I have an EMG85 in the bridge of one of my guitars and based on the description of the BN having more high end and less low end and mids, it doesn't sound like that would be a good pickup to replace it with.

-Austin
 
Re: I've experienced a "Blackout"!

im really happy with my blackout neck in the bridge. though ive never tried an 85 in the bridge. from that description it makes it sound like they made the neck model more suitable for the neck than the 85 is. ive heard a lot of complaints saying the 85 in the neck is too boomy and overpowering. seems like thats what they worked on for this one. purely hypothetical though. i dont even have a neck pickup on this guitar at all, so i couldnt tell you first hand.
 
Re: I've experienced a "Blackout"!

then a Blackout bridge and 60 combo would be the best to go for ?

Is there no store that sells the blackout bridge and EMG 60 ?
 
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Re: I've experienced a "Blackout"!

C'mon dude, how can you research without PLAYING the pickup?
Two years man, Sh1t or get off the pot... both types of pot, that is!
 
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