Kind of URGENT! EMG 81 in a strat with a maple fingerboard?

[WICKED LESTER]

this is the guitar

I am replacing the pickguard with a black one and wanted to load it with a 81/SA/SA combo
It turns out that even though i love duncans(custom,DD,JB) the EMG stuff just suits be best
How would a 81 sound in this guitar?
btw, the custom is up for grabs with additional magnets
https://forum.seymourduncan.com/showthread.php?p=542337#post542337

 

[H8Red442]

Re: Kind of URGENT! EMG 81 in a strat with a maple fingerboard?

IMO I think it would sound thin. I had a BC Rich NJ V a few years ago and one of their NJ Necktrhu Warlock and put 81s in both of those. They sounded very thin to me. Really I've only had two guitars where they sounded as I wanted them to, my 2001 LP Custom and my Custom ESP. I had an ESP KH3 and that sounded very thin as well.

 

[WICKED LESTER]

Re: Kind of URGENT! EMG 81 in a strat with a maple fingerboard?

IMO I think it would sound thin. I had a BC Rich NJ V a few years ago and one of their NJ Necktrhu Warlock and put 81s in both of those. They sounded very thin to me. Really I've only had two guitars where they sounded as I wanted them to, my 2001 LP Custom and my Custom ESP. I had an ESP KH3 and that sounded very thin as well.

what rig do you use?
see many mistake the 81 for being trebly thin but through certian rigs it sounds
:saeek: :saeek: :saeek:
through my zakk stack and eq it WONT be thin i dont think?

 

[H8Red442]

Re: Kind of URGENT! EMG 81 in a strat with a maple fingerboard?

what rig do you use?
see many mistake the 81 for being trebly thin but through certian rigs it sounds
:saeek: :saeek: :saeek:
through my zakk stack and eq it WONT be thin i dont think?

I first had a Crate something or other and then another crate something or other. Through the Marshall I had it sounded good. Through my Mesa Single Recto it didn't sound so good. That is to say that it was the saturation level i wanted but didn't have the heft I was looking for.

 

[Nite_Maresz_25]

Re: Kind of URGENT! EMG 81 in a strat with a maple fingerboard?

Try the 81, and if it does sound thin try an 85(take into consideration that I don't have much knowledge on EMG's though)

 

[JeffB]

Re: Kind of URGENT! EMG 81 in a strat with a maple fingerboard?

I don't think it will be too "thin" so to speak, but I think it may get very "bright" or icepicky/shrieky with a maple board.

Gary Moore in the last days of his Hard Rock/Metal "life" used Charvel Strats/w Floyds and a single EMG 81 in the bridge..some with maple boards, some rosewood. For leads the maple boards sounded great..cut through the mix quite well..the individual notes were fat with some edge but not compressed... when he played a chord though it was like a razor (in a bad way). Maple boards on strats get real icepicky if you are not careful about what pups you use...I think they sound best with warmer lower output pups...a2 PAF style or slightly hotter w/ less high frequencies...like a Custom Custom or similar...however thats just my personal taste. Rosewood is a diff story...I like JB's in rosewood board strats.

 

[some_dude]

Re: Kind of URGENT! EMG 81 in a strat with a maple fingerboard?

I've used both an 81 and 85 in my Strat. The 85 sounded thicker, but the 81 had a more aggressive edge.

The 85 - as an alnico humbucker - might be a better match for the SAs you plan on using.

Some people complain about 81s sounding thin in a Strat....I've never found that problem....but it isn't as thick/muddy sounding as an LP either.

I should note that I use a rosewood board and heavy strings.

 

[fenderiarhs]

Re: Kind of URGENT! EMG 81 in a strat with a maple fingerboard?

Emg 85

 

[WICKED LESTER]

Re: Kind of URGENT! EMG 81 in a strat with a maple fingerboard?

well the 81 ans 2 SA's are in the strat and the lone star strat sounds better than ever
i guess i am just a EMG man :burnout: