EMG 85x Bridge Equivalent

[Cookie Monster]

Hi guys, I've been using the new EMG 85x in the bridge of my guitar for a while, and it's really good, but I'm thinking I'd like to try out a passive equivalent or similar if there is such a thing. I'd like more dynamics, more openness.

When people think EMG, they usually think 81 in the bridge, but this is not the tone I'm looking for, so please don't recommend something to me that is more high-mid focused like the 81.

I'm strictly looking for something voiced lower in the mids, but still has great cut on the top.

I play metal through high gain amps, such as the ENGL Savage 120 and a Titan.

My guitars are mahogany body with maple top, maple neck with rosewood fingerboard, stop tail. I usually tune to D standard, and sometimes D standard drop C.

I play a kind of thrash meets death kind of style for the most part, with lots of very fast and intricate single note riffing and cording, pinch-harmonics, and palm mutes. I set my amps up to be as tight as I can get them, with as little sludge as possible. Otherwise my notes get blurred together and it sounds like mush, and I need a pickup that will do it's part in this.

I'm looking for a pickup that can do both articulate rifing and smooth soloing at the same time. Yes, I'd like to have my cake and eat it too!

Suggestions?

[Dmoney]

yeah.

a miracle man

[Tim]

I agree, Miracle Man humbuckers have a huge fat low mid, tight bass, smooth upper mids and nice cut in the highs and really suit mahogany guitars well. I have a set in my Foster LP which I take out on jobs along with a Mule/Riff Raff loaded LP and between the two guitars I can get any tone I want .

[FELINEGUITARS]

That Foster LP is a tasty guitar!

Tim would you go for a neck spec Miracle Man for the bridge seeing as he wants to replace an EMG85.
I know the winding spec are very similar for the neck and bridge Miracle man models with the magnet choice being the big decider.

The neck Miracle Man sounds in a similar vein to the Suhr Aldrich pickup too as I recall.

[Mr. Air]

I agree, Miracle Man humbuckers have a huge fat low mid, tight bass, smooth upper mids and nice cut in the highs and really suit mahogany guitars well. I have a set in my Foster LP which I take out on jobs along with a Mule/Riff Raff loaded LP and between the two guitars I can get any tone I want .

How is you're mule/riff raff LP, Tim? I don't think I've heard of others with this combination. I take it that the mule is in the neck and the riff raff at the bridge. What music styles do you use it for?

[Cookie Monster]

That Foster LP is a tasty guitar!

Tim would you go for a neck spec Miracle Man for the bridge seeing as he wants to replace an EMG85.
I know the winding spec are very similar for the neck and bridge Miracle man models with the magnet choice being the big decider.

The neck Miracle Man sounds in a similar vein to the Suhr Aldrich pickup too as I recall.

Good point, I forgot all about my neck pickup!

I like a brighter and clearer pickup in the neck. I don't like the bassy muddy type in the neck. Right now I'm using an EMG 60x in that position, and it's really clear and punchy, and sounds beautiful playing clean. What would be the proper replacement for it as well?

[FELINEGUITARS]

That Foster LP is a tasty guitar!

Tim would you go for a neck spec Miracle Man for the bridge seeing as he wants to replace an EMG85.
I know the winding spec are very similar for the neck and bridge Miracle man models with the magnet choice being the big decider.

The neck Miracle Man sounds in a similar vein to the Suhr Aldrich pickup too as I recall.

Good point, I forgot all about my neck pickup!

I like a brighter and clearer pickup in the neck. I don't like the bassy muddy type in the neck. Right now I'm using an EMG 60x in that position, and it's really clear and punchy, and sounds beautiful playing clean. What would be the proper replacement for it as well?

If you like the EMG 60 you might like either the Riff Raff or the Cold Sweat neck pickup which are both alnico powered but do have a sweet tone in the neck, so they wont be as crisp in the neck as the 60, but the tone they give is very satisfying. Tim isn't so keen on ceramic magnets in a neck pickup and certainly on clean sounds the alnico is sweeter.

I know what you mean bout the full bridge and crisp neck though - I have often used an 85 in the bridge and put the 81 in the neck, which works quite well - although I do like the 60 and 60a in this position too.

Here is one with reversed pickups

[Cookie Monster]

I've found many pickups in the neck position to be to powerful, over-driven and muddy. I'm looking for some real clarity and sweetness there in contrast.

[Will]

The miracle man neck is very clear, but it is quite powerful. Definitely worth a thought though

[Cookie Monster]

So it looks like an MM set.

Should I go alnico or ceramic in the bridge?

[Davey]

ceramic imo

[FELINEGUITARS]

If you get a set of them then you have an alnico and a ceramic version - you could always try switching them over so you have the alnico in the bridge and the ceramic in the neck  if you fancied trying that
The winding spec is the same on both I believe - so you wont get a mismatch from the calibration of bridge & neck if you do that.
By experimenting like that you will learn an awful lot and may get a pleasant surprise.

What colour option are you thinking of for your guitar?

[gwEm]

the full, normal, standard magnet, calibrated Miracle Man set is absolutely great. Its my second favourite BKP set. My first favourite is the mules.

by all means play around with the options, but the standard wound set is a real classic.