Anyone used these EMG pickups in a HSS Strat type guitar?

gbsmusic

gbsmusic

Well-known member
I watched a few videos but I haven't found any that completely capture what I'm looking for. Has anyone tried the EMG SA singles and EMG 89 bridge in an HSS guitar? My biggest question is do the single coils pull off a good Strat sound and in positions 2 and 4 do they do the Strat quack type sound good? If you've tried them how do you like them? And if you didn't like them what did you not like? Thank you for any opinions.
 
I have been using that setup for years. Strat quack sound? Not so much but full and tight.

I love the humbucker in stacked coil mode, truly awesome.
 
I've had a SA and 89 in a charvel, SSH configuration as well as the 85. I found them really quiet with no hum and sound amazing and really have that bell like, quack and strat tone. EMG single coils are amazing IMO. Listen to a lot of older country players like Vince Gill and Reggie Young as a lot of these guys have used them.
 
Steve Lukather made an EMG HSS set sound pretty good for a while. I believe he used an 85 in the bridge. An 89 in humbucking mode is an 85, btw.

I don't have personal experience using EMG's with strat positions 2 and 4 but there's probably a few Lukather videos out there that showcase that sound.
 
gbsmusic said:
I watched a few videos but I haven't found any that completely capture what I'm looking for. Has anyone tried the EMG SA singles and EMG 89 bridge in an HSS guitar? My biggest question is do the single coils pull off a good Strat sound and in positions 2 and 4 do they do the Strat quack type sound good? If you've tried them how do you like them? And if you didn't like them what did you not like? Thank you for any opinions.
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@OP: I have a 1998 Fender Floyd Rose Classic Strat with a custom Warmoth pickguard with the EMG 85/SA/85 active pickups installed. I used a Super Switch and had the Mark Knopfler mod installed on position #2 on the Super Switch to get the Strat quack sound since the active pickups can't be wired to be in series/parallel/etc. I like my set up with the Super Switch & Mark Knopfler mod installed. I also wasn't interested in using the 89 pickup (SA/85 in one pickup housing) or dealing with the switch. I use it a lot for cleans or overdriven sounds.

I also have a 1987 Fender Japan Contemporary Strat with EMG SA pickups and SPC module.

Guitar George


Pic001.JPG
 
I also have this 1987 Fender Japan Contemporary Strat loaded with EMG SA pickups/SPC module with the OEM Kahler Spyder tremolo bridge as well. Great Strat clean tones and the SPC module is nice to have when I wind it up for lead playing. Some folks like the passive single coil pickups, but I like being noiseless and being able to shape the sound to how I want it.

Guitar George


JapanStratfront.JPG
 
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The biggest thing I'm worried about is losing that quack in positions two and four that Mark Knopfler David Gilmour Jimi Hendrix type quack.
 
gbsmusic said:
The biggest thing I'm worried about is losing that quack in positions two and four that Mark Knopfler David Gilmour Jimi Hendrix type quack.
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You would have to try out a Strat type guitar loaded with the SA/SA/85 or 89 active pickups to see if it's something that you want to invest in or buy a guitar that has those pickups installed. Some people like or don't like active pickups on their guitars. Let us know if it works out for you.
 
Hamer95USA said:
I used a Super Switch and had the Mark Knopfler mod installed on position #2 on the Super Switch to get the Strat quack sound since the active pickups can't be wired to be in series/parallel/etc. I like my set up with the Super Switch & Mark Knopfler mod installed.
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I highly second this mod. It's a 22k/.033uF config from what I recall?

Also, as a slight aside to the OP, the 85 and 89 sound a little different from each other. If you're a big EMG 85 fan, you might be a little disappointed that the 89 isn't quite the same. Same goes for its SA counterpart when split.
 
Hamer95USA said:
You would have to try out a Strat type guitar loaded with the SA/SA/85 or 89 active pickups to see if it's something that you want to invest in or buy a guitar that has those pickups installed. Some people like or don't like active pickups on their guitars. Let us know if it works out for you.
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Unfortunately I'm 3 hours away from the nearest Guitar Center and right now we have two and a half feet of snow on the ground😭🥶👎
 
Code001 said:
I highly second this mod. It's a 22k/.033uF config from what I recall?

Also, as a slight aside to the OP, the 85 and 89 sound a little different from each other. If you're a big EMG 85 fan, you might be a little disappointed that the 89 isn't quite the same. Same goes for its SA counterpart when split.
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Hamer95USA said:
You would have to try out a Strat type guitar loaded with the SA/SA/85 or 89 active pickups to see if it's something that you want to invest in or buy a guitar that has those pickups installed. Some people like or don't like active pickups on their guitars. Let us know if it works out for you.
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This is the guitar I'm interested that has them in it.

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/de...o-cal-style-1-hss-fr-transparent-purple-burst
 
I will warn you about one thing. The EMG's take every spec of room in their cavities. You may even have to shave some wood to fit them.
 
I had an old 80's Kramer with the SA/SA/85 setup and I loved it. Had to sell that guitar to pay bills. I was poor back then.
 
anomaly said:
David Gilmour uses EMG's, so I think it'll have the sound you are after.
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As soon as they get them back in stock I'm going to pull the trigger and get one. I can always return it, I just hate returning things and having to pay for shipping going back but oh well. Thanks for all the opinions. Keep them coming if anybody has more info.
 
gbsmusic said:
The biggest thing I'm worried about is losing that quack in positions two and four that Mark Knopfler David Gilmour Jimi Hendrix type quack.
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I had the EMG DG20 setup in a Jeff Beck Strat. I should have left well enough alone.
If you're looking for traditional quack, IMO forget it. The only useful position for me was the bridge PU. The Middle and Neck didn't have that typical Strat high-end coming thru. I thought they were muddy w/ gain.

Those PU's are the #1 reason i rejected the idea of getting the recent Suhr Limited Edition Standard Legacy. I know I could make the humbucker work, but don't want to revisit the Middle/ Neck sounds.
 
CarlF said:
I had the EMG DG20 setup in a Jeff Beck Strat. I should have left well enough alone.
If you're looking for traditional quack, IMO forget it. The only useful position for me was the bridge PU. The Middle and Neck didn't have that typical Strat high-end coming thru. I thought they were muddy w/ gain.

Those PU's are the #1 reason i rejected the idea of getting the recent Suhr Limited Edition Standard Legacy. I know I could make the humbucker work, but don't want to revisit the Middle/ Neck sounds.
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I am so glad you sent me this information because I've had my eye on the Suhr limited edition standard Legacy
 
gbsmusic said:
I am so glad you sent me this information because I've had my eye on the Suhr limited edition standard Legacy
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I really want that guitar! Best to watch a bunch of Peach Music demos. He plays thru a bunch of them. You gotta resign yourself to it having the tones of those PU's.
 
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