Removing EMG help!

[J.B.]

So Dan, do you think it might work in my guitar? It's a late 80's/early 90's M-II Custom. I'm assuming it's Alder. Here's a pic.

Hey J!

Killer guitar man, congrats!

No reason why a 85 wouldnt work in that.. I would try it atleast and then if it still doesnt work out.. Then you can just gut it and go passive again.

Give it a go

Man, it's a hard decision... But I think I'm just going to gut it and put a BBQ in it. The BBQ is the shit. IMO of course.

 

[tonmazz]

I have used the EMG 81's and 85's extensively in many guitars and i can tell you regardless of what the spec sheet says it 'technically' should sound like... the 85 IS much darker than the 81. It has a LOT more low end and low mids.

The 81 has much less low mids and is voiced more in the upper mids IMO. This is the reason why many guys find the 81 to be cutting and tight, when using super high gain amps.. Its why many consider it a 'Metal' pickup. Its not only a 'Metal' pickup at all.. but due to the actual EQ of the pickup and its voicing, it can easily cut thru lots of gain without turning to shit.

The 85 is a killer pickup, but isn't as tight and can sound overly dark or mushy depending on the actual guitar and also the rig setup. In the right guitar and with the right rig, it can sound huge and not mushy at all... Take Lukather for example, or Reb Beach

You actually verbalized that a hell of a lot better than I did. That's exactly what it sounded like in my Les Paul, Dark and Mushy. The 81 fixed it right up for my tastes and sounded much better. Thanks.

 

[Death by Uberschall]

I have used the EMG 81's and 85's extensively in many guitars and i can tell you regardless of what the spec sheet says it 'technically' should sound like... the 85 IS much darker than the 81. It has a LOT more low end and low mids.

The 81 has much less low mids and is voiced more in the upper mids IMO. This is the reason why many guys find the 81 to be cutting and tight, when using super high gain amps.. Its why many consider it a 'Metal' pickup. Its not only a 'Metal' pickup at all.. but due to the actual EQ of the pickup and its voicing, it can easily cut thru lots of gain without turning to shit.

The 85 is a killer pickup, but isn't as tight and can sound overly dark or mushy depending on the actual guitar and also the rig setup. In the right guitar and with the right rig, it can sound huge and not mushy at all... Take Lukather for example, or Reb Beach

You actually verbalized that a hell of a lot better than I did. That's exactly what it sounded like in my Les Paul, Dark and Mushy. The 81 fixed it right up for my tastes and sounded much better. Thanks.

Dark sounding guitar, go with the 81, bright sounding guitar, go with the 85. Pretty simple.

 

[MrDan666]

Man, it's a hard decision... But I think I'm just going to gut it and put a BBQ in it. The BBQ is the shit. IMO of course.

Hey J,

My guess is that if the guitar ends up being too dark with a 85, then a BBQ will definitely be too dark.

Have you considered looking into the Anderson H3? Its not bright, but its not particularly dark either. It does have a nice amount of output to it, similar amount to a Suhr Aldrich.
Tone-wise it's very balanced, and i now have it in your old GMW mutt. It sounds a hundred times better than both the Duncan Custom and Suhr Aldrich i had in there before!

 

[J.B.]

Man, it's a hard decision... But I think I'm just going to gut it and put a BBQ in it. The BBQ is the shit. IMO of course.

Hey J,

My guess is that if the guitar ends up being too dark with a 85, then a BBQ will definitely be too dark.

Have you considered looking into the Anderson H3? Its not bright, but its not particularly dark either. It does have a nice amount of output to it, similar amount to a Suhr Aldrich.
Tone-wise it's very balanced, and i now have it in your old GMW mutt. It sounds a hundred times better than both the Duncan Custom and Suhr Aldrich i had in there before!

I'm worried that the 85 will still be too bright. I've played 5 guitars now that had BBQ's in them, and my Charvel has one, and I allways LOVE the way they sound. It's the only pickup that I don't worry how it will sound. I know I'll like it. I don't feel like taking chances right now.

 

[Copperhead]

Bare Knuckle Nail Bomb!!

 

[MrDan666]

I'm worried that the 85 will still be too bright. I've played 5 guitars now that had BBQ's in them, and my Charvel has one, and I allways LOVE the way they sound. It's the only pickup that I don't worry how it will sound. I know I'll like it. I don't feel like taking chances right now.

In that case then, i would just go for the BBQ!

If the BBQ doesnt work out and turns out too dark in the guitar, then there's plenty of other pickups to choose from

Go ahead with the BBQ and let me know how it works out man

 

[ke2]

85's are brighter than 81's....

Do you really think so, George?
My experience has been that the 85 has been a more bassy PU than the 81.

Jason, you could also give the Seymour Duncan Blackout a go. Just use the existing (if you have it) quick connector. No soldering required.

Yes it is brighter IME....look at the spec sheet sometime. The 85 has a higher resonant frequency which means it will be a brighter pickup....

SPECIFICATIONS: MODEL:

81 85
Logo Color Silver Gold
Resonant Frequency (KHz) 2.00 2.45
Output Voltage (Strin g) 2.0 2.1
Output Voltage (Stru m) 4.5 4.5
Output Noise@ 60H z - 91 -89
Output Impedance (Kohm) 10 10
Current@ 9V (Microamps) 80 80
Battery Life (Hours) 3000 3000
Maximum Supply (Volts DC) 27 27

Well, I haven`t read the spec sheet (and I don`t really know enough of the theory to say what resonant frequency is, except that I understand that a higher number in khz means higher on the sine wave(???)), but I`ve tried both in the same guitar, and the percieved sound was a lot darker with the 85 than the 81 (Same amp, hands and guitar)

 

[ke2]

I thought about putting in 85 in there because I was under the impression it darker. There's a video I watched last night were somebody went back in forth with an 81 and an 85, and the 81 seamed to have the trebly thing going on that I'm hearing, but the 85 had..... well, less of it.

I'm just going to gut it and put a BBQ in there......

I`m going to recommend the SD Blackout again, in case it was missed in the other post I have one in my cheapo 7-string and that guitar screams and growls. And if you have EMGs with the quick connector on the back, you can loosen the strings, unscrew 4 screws and switch it.

 

[J.B.]

I thought about putting in 85 in there because I was under the impression it darker. There's a video I watched last night were somebody went back in forth with an 81 and an 85, and the 81 seamed to have the trebly thing going on that I'm hearing, but the 85 had..... well, less of it.

I'm just going to gut it and put a BBQ in there......

I`m going to recommend the SD Blackout again, in case it was missed in the other post I have one in my cheapo 7-string and that guitar screams and growls. And if you have EMGs with the quick connector on the back, you can loosen the strings, unscrew 4 screws and switch it.

You can swap the EMG's with the Blackouts?

 

[J.B.]

I'm worried that the 85 will still be too bright. I've played 5 guitars now that had BBQ's in them, and my Charvel has one, and I allways LOVE the way they sound. It's the only pickup that I don't worry how it will sound. I know I'll like it. I don't feel like taking chances right now.

In that case then, i would just go for the BBQ!

If the BBQ doesnt work out and turns out too dark in the guitar, then there's plenty of other pickups to choose from

Go ahead with the BBQ and let me know how it works out man

Will do mang!

 

[ke2]

You can swap the EMG's with the Blackouts?

As long as you have these kind of connectors
EMG

Duncan

 

[J.B.]

You can swap the EMG's with the Blackouts?

As long as you have these kind of connectors
EMG

Duncan

Oh that's cool. I thought the Blackouts had a different pot value or preamp or something. I know these EMG's were just installed before I got it, but I don't know if the previous owner bought new ones or if they're the older style.

 

[ke2]

Oh that's cool. I thought the Blackouts had a different pot value or preamp or something. I know these EMG's were just installed before I got it, but I don't know if the previous owner bought new ones or if they're the older style.

They`ve been around for some time, so there`s a good chance they have them. I`m going to try out the SD in my ESP, just as a change for the EMGs. I like both the 60 and the 85 in the neck, but it would be interesting to try something else in the bridge. I have an 85 there right now, and I kinda miss the aggressive edge the 81 has.

 

[J.B.]

Cool. Thanks for the info man.