WICKED LESTER
New member
i hear this a lot about EMG mostly but what exactly is meant?
they are too clean???
they are too clean???
Just what is meant when you say "sterile" ???
- Thread starter WICKED LESTER
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MikeS
Bengalsologist
Re: Just what is meant when you say "sterile" ???
When I refer to sterile I mean a sound with little character or coloration. People may refer to EMGs being sterile because the pickups themselves, IMO, do not quite have the complexity in the tone that a passive pickup has. Not to say that EMGs do not have character, it just isn't as colorful, IMO, as that of Duncans.
You'll typically only see those who dislike EMGs exclusively calling them sterile.
When I refer to sterile I mean a sound with little character or coloration. People may refer to EMGs being sterile because the pickups themselves, IMO, do not quite have the complexity in the tone that a passive pickup has. Not to say that EMGs do not have character, it just isn't as colorful, IMO, as that of Duncans.
You'll typically only see those who dislike EMGs exclusively calling them sterile.
Re: Just what is meant when you say "sterile" ???
Yeah....silly description of the pickup IMO. THey complain that EMGs impart too much of their own sound on the guitar then say they are sterile. Hell by those standards one could call the JB sterile.....
EMGs just sound *different* that's all there is to it.
MikeS said:
Yeah....silly description of the pickup IMO. THey complain that EMGs impart too much of their own sound on the guitar then say they are sterile. Hell by those standards one could call the JB sterile.....
EMGs just sound *different* that's all there is to it.
WICKED LESTER
New member
Re: Just what is meant when you say "sterile" ???
and i agree that the JB will make any axe sound like it has a JB in it.
I dont feel the EMG stuff is anything but clear,punchy,articulate, dynamic,and just plain friggin QUIET!
Ranalli as you already know i respect your UNBIASED OPINIONranalli said:
and i agree that the JB will make any axe sound like it has a JB in it.
I dont feel the EMG stuff is anything but clear,punchy,articulate, dynamic,and just plain friggin QUIET!
F
Forbes
Guest
Re: Just what is meant when you say "sterile" ???
I always use the term sterile to show something is lacking in character, for example i would say the cleans from my invader are sterile and unexciting, not un-usable, but certainly boring and lifeless. However i think this is pretty standard for alot of pickups designed for high gain, and perhaps a reason why EMG's are often called sterile.
I always use the term sterile to show something is lacking in character, for example i would say the cleans from my invader are sterile and unexciting, not un-usable, but certainly boring and lifeless. However i think this is pretty standard for alot of pickups designed for high gain, and perhaps a reason why EMG's are often called sterile.
RipShredScream
New member
Re: Just what is meant when you say "sterile" ???
My experience with EMGs is that they are perfect... but this is the problem...
If you met a person who was "perfect"... you wouldn't like that person very much. EMGs feel like they dont have imperfections... they have no "character"... alot of bands that play with EMGs have a pretty bland tone. MANY people will argue at this, but IMO it is the truth. Children of Bodom, while a damn good bad that farkin SHREDS, is a good example. They are fun to listen to at first... but after a while they sound generic and boring... i BELIEVE it is because of the EMGs. I find the same is true with many bands that use them, they just have no character.
My experience with EMGs is that they are perfect... but this is the problem...
If you met a person who was "perfect"... you wouldn't like that person very much. EMGs feel like they dont have imperfections... they have no "character"... alot of bands that play with EMGs have a pretty bland tone. MANY people will argue at this, but IMO it is the truth. Children of Bodom, while a damn good bad that farkin SHREDS, is a good example. They are fun to listen to at first... but after a while they sound generic and boring... i BELIEVE it is because of the EMGs. I find the same is true with many bands that use them, they just have no character.
HarrisonDavid
New member
Re: Just what is meant when you say "sterile" ???
Im gonna roast ya one!! C.O.B use passive EMGS!! Another person that will jump on the sterile band wagon..........
My complaint with everyone is that they are quick to jump on digitechs, distortion stompoxes, overdrives, digital processing units and then they say their PUPS are sterile!! Give me an FN break. I love passives and actives the same each one can come off as sterile depending on the rest of your rig!!
RipShredScream said:
Im gonna roast ya one!! C.O.B use passive EMGS!! Another person that will jump on the sterile band wagon..........
My complaint with everyone is that they are quick to jump on digitechs, distortion stompoxes, overdrives, digital processing units and then they say their PUPS are sterile!! Give me an FN break. I love passives and actives the same each one can come off as sterile depending on the rest of your rig!!
aleclee
Major General GAS
Re: Just what is meant when you say "sterile" ???
I've stopped referring to them as "sterile", instead describing them as "overly linear". They do a fine job of reproducing string vibration with high fidelity and that's really the problem. Just as a (clean) SS amp reproduces its input more faithfully than its tube counterpart but lacks tube mojo, I find that EMGs sound more hi-fi but don't sound as warm as conventional pickups.
Horses for courses.
I've stopped referring to them as "sterile", instead describing them as "overly linear". They do a fine job of reproducing string vibration with high fidelity and that's really the problem. Just as a (clean) SS amp reproduces its input more faithfully than its tube counterpart but lacks tube mojo, I find that EMGs sound more hi-fi but don't sound as warm as conventional pickups.
Horses for courses.
\m/(00)\m/
HeadBanginologist
Re: Just what is meant when you say "sterile" ???
i dont know
i guess the term sterile would sound like it's lacking something, and you cant really put a finger on it.
with that said, i like EMG's, but just not for the music that i play nowadays
i dont know
i guess the term sterile would sound like it's lacking something, and you cant really put a finger on it.
with that said, i like EMG's, but just not for the music that i play nowadays
fusion101
New member
Re: Just what is meant when you say "sterile" ???
I think emg and most (not all) ceramic pickups to be sterile. So for more on this lets go to kinman
It is a fact that Ferrite (Ceramic) magnets play absolutely no part in tone shaping of a guitar pickup simply because they are non-conductive, non-metal magnets and do not influence the electrical behaviour of the coil, and exchanging these with Samarium Cobalt magnets has similar sonic results; in other words these magnets are completely toneless / soundless (ie they play no part in tone shaping). On the other hand we have Alnico, the magical magnet. Alnico is unique because it imparts a TONE flavour and certain dersirable performance characteristics into the sound. It does this because it is metallic and conductive and does influence the electrical behaviour of the coil. There are those that will tell you that a clever designer of Samarium Cobalt or Ferrite magnet pickup can somehow, miraculously, compensate for the missing Alnico by clever magnetic circuit design, this is simply not so. Magnetism is just magnetism, but 'coil core' material is a whole different story. Core material and behaviour is one of the BIG subjects that old time Electrical Engineers (not the modern electronic variety of engineer) had to study during their education. You have probably heard about Inductance (measured in Henrys), it's one of the most important and revealing specifications that a guitar pickup possesses. Did you know that Inductance is primarily derived from the core material? Steel had high inductance, Alnico has low inductance, about 1/4 that of steel. Fender sound demands just the right amount of inductance derived from the core.
I think emg and most (not all) ceramic pickups to be sterile. So for more on this lets go to kinman
It is a fact that Ferrite (Ceramic) magnets play absolutely no part in tone shaping of a guitar pickup simply because they are non-conductive, non-metal magnets and do not influence the electrical behaviour of the coil, and exchanging these with Samarium Cobalt magnets has similar sonic results; in other words these magnets are completely toneless / soundless (ie they play no part in tone shaping). On the other hand we have Alnico, the magical magnet. Alnico is unique because it imparts a TONE flavour and certain dersirable performance characteristics into the sound. It does this because it is metallic and conductive and does influence the electrical behaviour of the coil. There are those that will tell you that a clever designer of Samarium Cobalt or Ferrite magnet pickup can somehow, miraculously, compensate for the missing Alnico by clever magnetic circuit design, this is simply not so. Magnetism is just magnetism, but 'coil core' material is a whole different story. Core material and behaviour is one of the BIG subjects that old time Electrical Engineers (not the modern electronic variety of engineer) had to study during their education. You have probably heard about Inductance (measured in Henrys), it's one of the most important and revealing specifications that a guitar pickup possesses. Did you know that Inductance is primarily derived from the core material? Steel had high inductance, Alnico has low inductance, about 1/4 that of steel. Fender sound demands just the right amount of inductance derived from the core.
JoyDivision24Hours
New member
Re: Just what is meant when you say "sterile" ???
You could say, generally, that EMGs are more sterile than Duncans. But the ones with Alnico magnets like the 85 and SA single-coils have more personality but sterile enough to take heavy processing with out farting. I kind of like that. I feel that I can work an amp differently with actives, I hear the amp more than the pickups. This is VERY subjective though.
What I'm saying is that my SA set is a chameleon with the right amps. I can cover so many sounds with it (and the SPC booster). I had a set of high-quality passive single-coils in my strat before but they couldn't take the big-ass chorused clean settings I like so much (every listened to Cocteau Twins?). With a very warm amp I can still get some nice blues overdrive and jazzy cleans with great definition.
You could say, generally, that EMGs are more sterile than Duncans. But the ones with Alnico magnets like the 85 and SA single-coils have more personality but sterile enough to take heavy processing with out farting. I kind of like that. I feel that I can work an amp differently with actives, I hear the amp more than the pickups. This is VERY subjective though.
What I'm saying is that my SA set is a chameleon with the right amps. I can cover so many sounds with it (and the SPC booster). I had a set of high-quality passive single-coils in my strat before but they couldn't take the big-ass chorused clean settings I like so much (every listened to Cocteau Twins?). With a very warm amp I can still get some nice blues overdrive and jazzy cleans with great definition.
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