Do EMG active pickups really suck?

  • Thread starter Thread starter USofguitars
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I used them for years. Exclusively in the metal days.
I don't have any at the moment, but I dig them.
 
Have them in all of my gigging guitars. I'm a fan of the 85 in the bridge though. I do have the Het set (57/66) in an Edwards guitar and I like the sound of it as well.
 
The 18v will make them seem a little more open and liquid sounding. The low end response is still tight with them but I feel loses a little punch with the extra battery. Either way that difference is so minimal its not even worth it tbh. try it for yourself and see what you think. Don't expect a night/day difference though.

I Used EMGs forever, I love them. I continue to get good results using them. I just started getting into the 85 in the bridge and I can say that pickup doesn't work in every guitar (Bridge) for me. The 85 has a more modern rhythm fat sound to it that can mud up in certain guitars. The 81 is a true classic pickup, I appreciate passives and all but if you have a tight right hand and you feel passives are to "spongey" feeling toss an 81 in there and it will tighten everything right up. Also certain amps like the recto breathe fukin fire when being pushed by emg's. Don't listen to all the EMG hate, its just a bunch of bandwagon bullshit.
 
victim5150":3u0gwkk1 said:
Have them in all of my gigging guitars. I'm a fan of the 85 in the bridge though. I do have the Het set (57/66) in an Edwards guitar and I like the sound of it as well.
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The Het Set & 57/66 are 2 different sets
 
Yes and no.

There was a time when there were few choices to get THAT sound via passives.

They were great then.

The average player also knew FAR less about the science than now. There were more people having issues with impedance mismatches and actives solved that.

EVERYTHING has changed since then.

Passives can sound just as good. Therefore if low impedance out is NOT your goal then passives are better, more dynamic an have resonant peaks more like humbuckers. EMG are not traditional humbuckers, they are two low wind passive blade single coils into a an inverting differential input amplifer. Susequently EMG pickups have resonant peaks far more similar to single coil pickups.

Modern pickups scatterwind to raise the peak via less eddy currents.

EMG sound far better to me at 18volts. Much more dynamic.
 
EMG's Rawk ...................... the 81 is prolly the Ultimate Hard Rock pup. :thumbsup:
 
They are cool, but I find the 81 to be "too much" with a hot rodded Marshall. I wish I could dial it back some. I don't like the 85 in the bridge at all.
 
I like an 85(b)/60(n) combo, but my only real gripe is that the guitar's "character" is overshadowed by the pickups. I prefer passive overall, but they have their place.
 
psychodave":3lmbgk89 said:
They are cool, but I find the 81 to be "too much" with a hot rodded Marshall. I wish I could dial it back some. I don't like the 85 in the bridge at all.
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Just lower the pup height til you hit the sweet spot ...
 
No, I don't think they suck. They have a sound and it's good. I loved it for a few years, had them in several guitars and then moved onto something else. I still love the 60neck sound a ton. I may swing back to them eventually and I'm sure I probably will at some point.
 
DET1973":1feheafn said:
victim5150":1feheafn said:
Have them in all of my gigging guitars. I'm a fan of the 85 in the bridge though. I do have the Het set (57/66) in an Edwards guitar and I like the sound of it as well.
Click to expand...

The Het Set & 57/66 are 2 different sets
Click to expand...
Oh my bad. I thought they were the same. Then I've got the 57/66 in my Edwards.
 
Used em for years, would go back and forth between them and boutique passives like BKPs.

They both have their place for me now...I usually have at least one guitar here with at least an 81 in it.

I dig doing tracking/demos/gear reviews with em....it's a consistent tone that I like and I know I can sound good with, and enjoy playing.

Went thru the Het set and the 57/66s last year too. Good stuff, but for straight metal rhythms I like the 81 best.
 
I think a lot of the bad rap is from the traditional 81 in the bridge. I tried it years ago and while it's hot as hell I found it thin and bright and screechy with that compression(which I think partly comes from hitting the front of the amp so hard). Now putting an 85 in the bridge is different imo, it's a very fat sounding bridge pickup that doesn't have the flaws of the 81. In a floyded guitar, an 85 can really kick ass in the bridge.
 
I also got a Het set and sounds good for what I like to play... But I wouldn't want them in all my guitars.
 
I have the 81/60 in mine currently. I really like the 60 in the neck, it's a lot warmer than the 85.
 
I still like em and use em. If it aint broke, don't try to fix it.

I recall this band called Metalli-somethig used them a lot in the '80s. :confused:
 
Wizard of Ozz":gtqi66z2 said:
I still like em and use em. If it aint broke, don't try to fix it.

I recall this band called Metalli-somethig used them a lot in the '80s. :confused:
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MetalliDeth? :confused:
 
Honestly I just think it's that there are so many options now, that EMG's are the "bland" choice. They've been a staple in the heavy music scene for so long that people are just sick of them.
 
Hartattack1090":2an2kn60 said:
Honestly I just think it's that there are so many options now, that EMG's are the "bland" choice. They've been a staple in the heavy music scene for so long that people are just sick of them.
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No way. The EMG 81/85 sound is iconic. I still love them. In fact, I like them better than the Seymour Duncan actives. Dimarzio got into the mix with the Activator, and those pickups are great, but nothing beats EMG. There are many options, but nothing literally better than EMGs. EMG also has a much wider range of offerings than they used to.
 
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