SD SH-6 B&N or EMG-81/85 SET?! HURRY!!!

[Exotica]

Hi I'm stuck between choosing one of these pickup sets for my Ibanez RG570 Basswood body:smack: A SD TB-6 for bridge & SH-6 for neck or a set of EMG-81(bridge)/85(neck) ?! I play mainly metal stuff like Nevermore, Death, Opeth, Darkane, Slayer, Rusty Cooley, Symphony X, Inflames, or whatever you name it... & Also softer musics like Michael Angelo, Marty Friedman, Malmsteen, Dream Theater, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Andy Timmons & more softer Rock & Blues... I know that both of them are highoutput pickups, I heard that EMGs are more dry & sterile but with more gain... I'm really confused & I don't know who's right & what's best for my axe:blackeye:
So please someone help me to compare these PUsets to choose the best:bowdown: I want a complete comparision & want to know which one has :
1- More Output
2- More Gain
3- More Sustain
4- More Articulation & Feelings??
I can't only choose one of these, SH-6 for both bridge/neck OR EMG81/85set ... Thanks for your help:13: I'm in a hurry, so please answer me quickly:banana:

 

[stonabus]

Re: SD SH-6 B&N or EMG-81/85 SET?! HURRY!!!

go with the lipstick tubes

 

[Binnerscot]

Re: SD SH-6 B&N or EMG-81/85 SET?! HURRY!!!

That is kind of a broad question with a broad reference to tones, you may want to search the forum a bit - there is a lot here for both the EMGs and the Distortions

...I think the lipstick tubes would be great myself, I have to get a guitar just for those!

 

[I_M_Ken]

Re: SD SH-6 B&N or EMG-81/85 SET?! HURRY!!!

thats a huge variety of tone there. one pickup wouldn't be able to nail most of them. if i had to choose between emgs or duncans, i'd go with the DD set

 

[vinterland]

Re: SD SH-6 B&N or EMG-81/85 SET?! HURRY!!!

EMG's have more output... pickups don't have "gain" but they'll hit your amp harder than a passive set. Both will sustain fine but its also a technique thing. EMG's are more articulate and clinical but once again its a technique thing as well. I'm assuming when you say "feeling" you mean expression in your actual playing. Well pickups aren't going to help you there but they will help get your sound you want to express there.

Don't quote me here, however out of all those you listed I think Slayer and In Flames are the only one's who use EMG's or have been known too.

 

[Martian]

Re: SD SH-6 B&N or EMG-81/85 SET?! HURRY!!!

I must be older than I thought. The majority of the bands/individuals you've named, I never heard of.

 

[El Dorado]

Re: SD SH-6 B&N or EMG-81/85 SET?! HURRY!!!

Both of those sets will give you plenty of gain for metal. The 81/85 set may give you more versatility than a DD set, however a DDb mixed with a more vintage neck like a jazz or A2P or PG would be even more versatile. That's what I would go with.

 

[Exotica]

Re: SD SH-6 B&N or EMG-81/85 SET?! HURRY!!!

Thats right, but about the Sustain, when you set PUPs closer to the strings, magnets achieve more sound, now I want to know which one can achieve a full balanced sound without getting pups so close to the strings?
& about the feelings, I mean which PU colours the tone more & has more dimention? can I have EMG 81/85 & my passive middle PU together without tone & output loss etc? If so, how does the PU selector work this way?
sorry for my stupid english

 

[Orange]

Re: SD SH-6 B&N or EMG-81/85 SET?! HURRY!!!

If you plan to get EMG's forget about the 85 in the neck, get a 81-60 instead. 85 is muddy fat and lately has being used by most people in the bridge to get a fatter and darker sound than the 81.
The 60 is clear, articulate, screams with high-gain (instead of growling like the 85) and delivers the best cleans you'll get with a passive set.

If you have several guitars, go for the EMG's for a change.
If it's your main axe, forget it because EMG's sound i very particuliar.

You can't have both actives and passives together they don't match. So get a EMG SA in the middle it's a good Pickup and adds versatility the 81 and 60.
Plus this way you'll get most possible EMG combinations.

Keep in mind that EMG's are easy to change thanks to the pre wired quick connect cable.
This way you can swap them any time you want without having to remove the pickguard, solder etc....
That's what i do: i own a 81, a 60 and a 85 and i swap them every time i need.
well the 60 stays in the neck but i use both the 85 and 81 in the bridge.
On a fixed bridge instrument it takes you like 40 seconds........
On a floyd rose ibanez it doesn't take much long (i have a jem and a RG 550).
Just remove the bridge, change the pickup and put the bridge back.....
Doesn't even make you out of tune.

My advice: go to a music store and TRY a guitar with active EMG's.
Because usually people like or HATE EMG's.
So make sure you don't hate it first, because it has nothing to do with your usual passives, the sound is cold, hi-fi and clinical.

Having said that, these will work for the Opeth / Death / Slayer sound...

 

[BluesGuyJ]

Re: SD SH-6 B&N or EMG-81/85 SET?! HURRY!!!

I'd go with the Distortion set. You will get more tones and be able to play more than just metal with them.

 

[Mephis]

Re: SD SH-6 B&N or EMG-81/85 SET?! HURRY!!!

A 81/60A set would be in your best interest.

Others have explained it I'm just +1ing it.

 

[theodie]

Re: SD SH-6 B&N or EMG-81/85 SET?! HURRY!!!

I'd go with the Distortion set. You will get more tones and be able to play more than just metal with them.

+1. In the long run, I feel like you will be happier with the Distortions.

If you have to go with EMG's, I say the 85/60. The 81 is plain out just bland IMO and the 85 sucks in the neck but, is decent in the bridge! The 60 is a good neck pickup though!

 

[rivera213]

Re: SD SH-6 B&N or EMG-81/85 SET?! HURRY!!!

Well i have the EMG 81/85 Set in my Maverick JR4 but that is for downtuned metal.

I would say go for the Distortion set because the EMG's are Active pickups and require a bettery to work them whcih may be a problem.

So for me i would go with the Distortions but also later down the line, get a guitar which is already equipped with active pickups, like the Ibanez RGT6- http://ibanez.com/guitars/guitar.asp?model=RGT6EXFX

And either keep the EMG's or switch them for the Livewire Metal/Classic set.

I also gotta say the 85 doesn't suck in the neck. I am primarily lead guitar influenced & it's alot better for fast blazing alternate picked runs than the 60.

The 60 is more for a bluesier sound.

Jon Donais uses the 85/81 which is obviously the 85 in the bridge.

That will work but the 81 is bridge only for me.

81/85
81/60
85/60

are the 3 metal combos IMO.

Forget the 81 in the neck & don't go with 2 of the same pickup (ie- 81/81; 85/85).

 

[Orange]

Re: SD SH-6 B&N or EMG-81/85 SET?! HURRY!!!

Well i have the EMG 81/85 Set in my Maverick JR4 but that is for downtuned metal.

I would say go for the Distortion set because the EMG's are Active pickups and require a bettery to work them which may be a problem.

So for me i would go with the Distortions but also later down the line, get a guitar which is already equipped with active pickups, like the Ibanez RGT6- http://ibanez.com/guitars/guitar.asp?model=RGT6EXFX

And either keep the EMG's or switch them for the Livewire Metal/Classic set.

I also gotta say the 85 doesn't suck in the neck. I am primarily lead guitar influenced & it's alot better for fast blazing alternate picked runs than the 60.

The 60 is more for a bluesier sound.

Jon Donais uses the 85/81 which is obviously the 85 in the bridge.

That will work but the 81 is bridge only for me.

81/85
81/60
85/60

are the 3 metal combos IMO.

Forget the 81 in the neck & don't go with 2 of the same pickup (ie- 81/81; 85/85).

I don't think the 60 is bluesy at all.
I'd say just the opposite, to me the 60 sound more articulate for leads and fast picking.
The 85 is bluesy IMO: fat, roaring organic.
But the 60 is tight and clear.
Well depends if you define "bluesy" as eric clapton or BB King...
For me BB King has the Mojo and Clapton is just a dull sounding white poser that never really got the vibe !

By the way, how do you like the 85 in the bridge ?
Do you use it for leads or more for heavy riffs ?

Anyway, like i said the good part is you can swap EMG's easily using the quick connect cable, so just buy the three of them and try every combination it's easy, free and fun.

Don't buy EMG's for 2 different guitars.
They'll sound exactly the same, no matter what wood it's made of.
Just have THE ACTIVE guitar and swap pickups when needed.

A Last Question: can you combine EMG's and Livewires ?

 

[rivera213]

Re: SD SH-6 B&N or EMG-81/85 SET?! HURRY!!!

I don't think the 60 is bluesy at all.
I'd say just the opposite, to me the 60 sound more articulate for leads and fast picking.
The 85 is bluesy IMO: fat, roaring organic.
But the 60 is tight and clear.
Well depends if you define "bluesy" as eric clapton or BB King...
For me BB King has the Mojo and Clapton is just a dull sounding white poser that never really got the vibe !

By the way, how do you like the 85 in the bridge ?
Do you use it for leads or more for heavy riffs ?

Anyway, like i said the good part is you can swap EMG's easily using the quick connect cable, so just buy the three of them and try every combination it's easy, free and fun.

Don't buy EMG's for 2 different guitars.
They'll sound exactly the same, no matter what wood it's made of.
Just have THE ACTIVE guitar and swap pickups when needed.

A Last Question: can you combine EMG's and Livewires ?

1- I meant more blues- inspired than the actual genre. For example- licks using the blues scale, pentatonics etc sound better IMO through the 60 than 85 although i aint a huge blues fan in general.

2- I don't have the 85 in the bridge, i have the 81 in the bridge & 85 in the neck.

3- Yeah i agree, get the 3 & try them but personally i think it's pointless having the 81 in the neck so go 81/85; 85/60 or 81/60 as the combos. The 60, for me, is pointless in the bridge so the 60/81 combo is about the worst you could do! Lol. So avoid that but try the other 3.

4- Yeah, unless the woods are completely different. Ie- 1 guitar is Basswood with maple neck & board and the other is Mahogany body & neck with rosewood board. Then the sound will be different & the overall tone.

5- I'm not sure. Theoretically you should be able to since they are both active. I've seen people with Duncan & DiMarzio mix so probably yeah. The Livewire Metal/EMG 60 may be a great combo.

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: SD SH-6 B&N or EMG-81/85 SET?! HURRY!!!

The Distortion set is badass. I had a Flying V with the Distortion set plus an EMG SPC control (active mid-boost), and that thing was a flamethrower.

BTW, the actives & passives not mixing thing is not true. Neither is the EMGs make all guitars sound the same.

As far as mixing EMGs and Duncan Livewires, somewhere on the Duncan site it states that they do not mix well, but it's probably because of the different values for the pots. These kinda things can be worked around.

 

[theodie]

Re: SD SH-6 B&N or EMG-81/85 SET?! HURRY!!!

The Distortion set is badass. I had a Flying V with the Distortion set plus an EMG SPC control (active mid-boost), and that thing was a flamethrower.

Yeah, I installed that set and preamp for JB From hell and it was Damn crazy sounding!!!! The Distortion set and a EMG SPC preamp is brutal!!!! I need to put that in something of my own one day!