The EMG Legend is true!

[Metalman_666]

This is probably a pointless post to many of you but I just thought I'd share it anyway. Everyone always says that EMG's usually make guitars sound the same.

Just a few weeks ago a friend and I modded his LTD F-400's EMG's (dual 81's) for 18 volts because I have the mod in my Ibanez SZ520 (81/60) and I love it. Both guitars are mahogany bodies with maple tops, mahogany necks and rosewood fretboards.

After performing the mod in my kitchen we went downstairs, plugged up my guitar and played a few riffs, a few solos, making sure to get a good earful of the tone. Then we plugged his guitar into my amp and played the same things. And wouldn't you know it, both guitars sounded exactly the same, except for a little bit of added bass because my guitar is thicker. I was actually a little shocked and surprised but at the same time I knew what you guys were saying had to be true. Anyway I didn't really believe the legend until I heard it with my own ears. And there it is. :smack:

EMG's are still rockin' though.

 

[SwedeNuck]

Re: The EMG Legend is true!

I think there would be a more apparant difference with say an alder bodied bolt on maple neck guitar with an ebony fretboard. EMG's certainly rob a guitar of a certain amount of it's tonal personality but when the guitars are constructed out of the same woods, the difference will be negligeble if at all audible. Give the guitars a while and they may separate a bit more tonally as your ears get used to em.

 

[Xeromus]

Re: The EMG Legend is true!

It's due to the onboard preamp that shapes the tone. It pretty much blankets the tone of the guitar.

 

[Kamanda~SD]

Re: The EMG Legend is true!

I think there would be a more apparant difference with say an alder bodied bolt on maple neck guitar with an ebony fretboard. EMG's certainly rob a guitar of a certain amount of it's tonal personality but when the guitars are constructed out of the same woods, the difference will be negligeble if at all audible. Give the guitars a while and they may separate a bit more tonally as your ears get used to em.

+1

The 2 guitars had too similiar features.

 

[DeadSkinSlayer3]

Re: The EMG Legend is true!

Yeah, the two guitars were way too similar to conduct a serious test.

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: The EMG Legend is true!

Yeah, the two guitars were way too similar to conduct a serious test.

Yeah, this doesn't really even apply to the myth. Put a set of 81s in a Strat, and compare that to one of your guitars.

 

[St_Genesius]

Re: The EMG Legend is true!

I have this vague memory of someone posting some clips from two guitars and challenging people to figure out which guitar played which clips. People argued and argued about how they could hear the snap of a maple board here or the full low-mids of a mahogany body there, etc.

Only to be told that the real point of the excercise was to post clips from two different guitars with identical EMG active pups, played through the same amps with the same settings, etc... in an attempt to dispell this very idea. People disagreed on what differnces they heard, but they heard differences.

It was a flawed test, according to some, but I think back to it everytime this stuff comes up.

 

[DeadSkinSlayer3]

Re: The EMG Legend is true!

ScreamingDaisy posted it, and it was a great test IMO.

 

[jmh151]

Re: The EMG Legend is true!

I put an EMG 81 in a Japanese Fender Strat, Gibson Les Paul and Ibanez RG570. Sounded totally different in each

 

[St_Genesius]

Re: The EMG Legend is true!

was it before the board wipe or is it still around somewhere?

ScreamingDaisy posted it, and it was a great test IMO.

 

[Metalman_666]

Re: The EMG Legend is true!

Yeah, the two guitars were way too similar to conduct a serious test.

Granted, this is true. However although the guitars are made of the same woods they did sound somewhat different... nothing too major but you could hear a little less treble here etc etc before the mod for each guitar.

I don't think what I just wrote makes sense... lol

 

[DeadSkinSlayer3]

Re: The EMG Legend is true!

Thinking about it, I think it would be kinda cool if the EMG 85 sounded the same in my RR and Schecter. Would make the RR one hell of a brutal guitar.

 

[Davey]

Re: The EMG Legend is true!

Thinking about it, I think it would be kinda cool if the EMG 85 sounded the same in my RR and Schecter. Would make the RR one hell of a brutal guitar.

i do believe, that it will sound absolutely WICKED!

 

[ex-250]

Re: The EMG Legend is true!

did you have him play too? cause id think even with EMG's youd be able to tell the difference if you played your guitar through your amp, and then he played his (or even your) guitar through the amp with the same settings

 

[some_dude]

Re: The EMG Legend is true!

was it before the board wipe or is it still around somewhere?

I've long since deleted the clips. If I was ever to repost it, I'd do it with different, cleaner sounding clips.


Anyway, I'm pretty sure that if you stuck two Invaders, Full Shreds, Super Distortions, ect in those guitars, you'd get pretty much the same result as you did with the EMGs. Maybe even with PAFs....

 

[Johtosotku]

Re: The EMG Legend is true!

Anyway, I'm pretty sure that if you stuck two Invaders, Full Shreds, Super Distortions, ect in those guitars, you'd get pretty much the same result as you did with the EMGs. Maybe even with PAFs....

I think so too. I think that it may also go to show the consistency of a pickup maker.

 

[TheGZeus]

Re: The EMG Legend is true!

I think there would be a more apparant difference with say an alder bodied bolt on maple neck guitar with an ebony fretboard. EMG's certainly rob a guitar of a certain amount of it's tonal personality but when the guitars are constructed out of the same woods, the difference will be negligeble if at all audible. Give the guitars a while and they may separate a bit more tonally as your ears get used to em.

The audience doesn't have that time.

 

[some_dude]

Re: The EMG Legend is true!

The audience doesn't have that time.

Where's your normal anti EMG rant?

Or have you finally clued in to how bitter and pathetic it makes you look?

 

[TheGZeus]

Re: The EMG Legend is true!

Where's your normal anti EMG rant?

Or have you finally clued in to how bitter and pathetic it makes you look?

WAAA POOOR BABY!!!

Grow up.

I dislike how processed and overpriced they are.
I dislike how they refuse to improve their product after 20+ years.
I dislike they sound in general as I enjoy dynamics.

Happy now? :fing25:

 

[Empty Pockets]

Re: The EMG Legend is true!

Yeah dude I switched the Hot Rails from my Strat into my friend's Strat...sounded pretty much the same.

-X