My struggle with EMG pickups... does anyone feel the same?

[greekdude]

Re: My struggle with EMG pickups... does anyone feel the same?

I have tried 81/60 , 81/85 and 85/81 (85/81 sounds way more balanced) and I have to say that it strongly depends on the guitar scale and woods. On LP-shaped/scale guitars, 81/60 sounds best. On strats / super strats I didn't like any EMG set. On my Kramer 210 originally with livewires original Metal/neck, I replaced them with EMG 85/81 . I had more noise, but also better cleans. After many years of searching for the original classic livewire bridge (non metal), that my friend @allstarme was kind enough to send me, I fitted the original livewires pups and wiring (100k pots) but replaced the original bridge livewire metal, with the original livewire bridge classic (that allstarme sent to me), and it seemed just better, like they found their old home back.

I'd like to also comment on their output. EMG 81/60 sounds weaker than the livewires classic. Also Dimarzio Blazes and Dimarzio Super Distortion are hotter than EMG 81 or 85.

 

[jeremy]

Re: My struggle with EMG pickups... does anyone feel the same?

I have the same setup in a Floydcaster. My only EMGs, but they sound great and have remained in that guitar since 1980.
Completely different from the humbucker sets though, I think.

The SPC and EXG are cool and flexible but take a lot of getting used to when you're used to a regular tone control.

i really like the spc, the exg is ok but i prefer to have a normal tone control. volume, tone, spc is a great setup with single coils

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Re: My struggle with EMG pickups... does anyone feel the same?

I have tried 81/60 , 81/85 and 85/81 (85/81 sounds way more balanced) and I have to say that it strongly depends on the guitar scale and woodswoods. On LP-shaped/scale guitars, 81/60 sounds best. On strats / super strats I didn't like any EMG set. On my Kramer 210 originally with livewires original Metal/neck, I replaced them with EMG 85/81 . I had more noise, but also better cleans. After many years of searching for the original classic livewire bridge (non metal), that my friend @allstarme was kind enough to send me, I fitted the original livewires pups and wiring (100k pots) but replaced the original bridge livewire metal, with the original livewire bridge classic (that allstarme sent to me), and it seemed just better, like they found their old home back.

I'd like to also comment on their output. EMG 81/60 sounds weaker than the livewires classic. Also Dimarzio Blazes and Dimarzio Super Distortion are hotter than EMG 81 or 85.

Yeah. I think there's the misconception that EMG's are EXTREMELY hot. They aren't. At least not the 81. It might be a little bit hotter than the JB (which is hot, but not absurdly so), but the Duncan Distortion in the right guitar hits the amp a lot harder. Honestly, what's appealing to me about EMG's is not the output, but rather, the way they're EQ'd to take lots of gain.

But then, there's the Hets. Those are pretty damn hot! I never had the chance to A/B them with something like a Black Winter, but the Hets very much keep up with Blackouts (which, as mentioned, are pretty damn over-the-top). Honestly, I'm curious as to where Blackouts stand in relation to Black Winters too. Those Blackouts are monsters, but so are Black Winters.

I used to really like the 60 in the neck, but nowadays... err... I still like the clean tone, but I prefer something less chirpy under gain. The 60 reminds me a lot of the Phat Cat: nice cleans with a hint of single coil chime, but kinda chirpy and scratchy with some gain thrown on top. That gets particularly obvious high up the fretboard. I prefer the 85 in the neck or even the 81 at the moment.