Impressions of the first EMG set I ever owned

[GuitarIv]

Hey folks,

lately I've gone a bit crazy on pickups and did all kinds of thinking and experimenting. Right now I have another set of BKPs on their way to me, being previously owned by fellow forum member Slartibartfast. However those are not the only purchase I made this week. I actually got myself a used EMG 81/85 combo from a friend.

So I installed those today in my cheap Ibanez RG 350MZ (being the only reason I got them in the first place as the guitar sounds horrible with passives and BKPs would be a waste in it) to make it my generic Drop C Metalcore August Burns Red Cover instrument. The result is good, at least considering the purpose I wanted to achieve.

Now I guess all I'm about to say has been said about EMGs before, but now I really have a first hand impression. I'll list pros and cons:

On the pro side:

- EMGs are known for imposing their own sound on your instrument. Not saying they always sound the same in every guitar but you know what to expect and they deliver.

- They turn a cheap guitar made out of really bad wood into a way better one.

- Tightness. Holy Smokes I thought my Painkiller was tight already.

- Compression and fluidity. You achieve pinch harmonics without any effort, your playing sounds cleaner, you need less effort and the massive output makes everything hearable on a constant volume level. Sweeping and Tapping work like a charm. However...

On the con side:

- ...this is also their biggest weakness imho. You might play like a beginner and you wouldn't notice your flaws. So you won't improve your technique. I'd rather have someone honest tell me I suck so I can change something instead of someone pretending everything's good. Just like with people this pickups are kinda lying to you. I was surprised at how much better I suddenly sounded whilst playing.

- No difference or response to picking changes and attack whatsoever. Compared to passives, especially BKPs you can't alter the sound by changing the amount and way you hit the strings.

- The 81 sounds almost annoyingly honky.

- The Battery. Just like I hate it when my remote dies I hate the thought of having I guitar I need to change a certain part of to keep it playable. Who said once Batteries are for flashlights, not for guitars?



Anyway, at the end of the day I won't hate on EMGs. They certainly are the best at what they do, and that is having the ultimate and immediate answer for most things metal. They deliver the sound they are known and famous for and they certainly can save your horrible sounding axe. I would rather use them on things like recordings to save time and money and make your playing sound godly (taken into consideration you practiced your ass off on passives) but at the end of the day I still like my passives more. Going from Seymour Duncan to BKP was one of the best decisions I made as a guitar player. Still I like having the EMGs and who knows when they might come in handy. Decide for yourself, I have made my decision that an open mind keeps all options available and doesn't limit you. :)

Maybe this little review helps someone somehow, cheers!

[Dave Sloven]

BKPs certainly make you lift your playing.

That's the first thing I noticed when I went back to those cheapo Mighty Mites.  It's the compression in the sound that allows you to get away with murder in terms of both right and left hand technique.  BKPs pick up all of that slop.

I definitely feel like playing some EMGs sometime! I'm sure my playing would sound fantastic through them  :lol:

[Dr.Pain]

I put an EMG 81 into a BC Rich Warbeast 1.  It's got a thin bass wood body (42mm) or something, maple neck and rose wood fret board.  Put 12 gauge strings on it and tuned it to C and it's now living up to it's name of Warbeast.  They are good at what they do but have their limit's.  As for batteries,  I haven't changed mine in over two years now in the four guitars that have actives.  They last a long time if you unplug your lead.  I got EMG's 81/85, 81x/60x, Hetfields and SD Blackout 1's and I like them all.  I also like the Gibson 57's in my Les Paul and I hope soon I'll love the BKP's going into my Strat.

As for hiding your flaws, well to me it's opposite as they pick up on everything.  They've made me play more precise as mistakes and flaws stand out more especially when the volume is full.

[Slartibartfarst42]

Very good and balanced review. I've never owned any EMG pups but I have played them a few times. There's always a part of me that says 'Wow!' but ultimately, they're something I tire of very quickly. The sound is just too generic and never seems to have any soul to me. The Miracle Man I had was just so much more alive and dynamic. It had a real character with more warmth and was thicker and smoother sounding. Pinched harmonics were easier with EMG but it's not like I ever struggled with them on the Miracle Man. EMG always seemed rather two-dimensional compared to the Miracle Man; more like a machine than a living entity. I can't see you not liking the Miracle Man when it arrives  :D

[ericsabbath]

the things I still like about emgs are the lack of noise and also the... huh...
I guess that's all

[braintheory]

I put an EMG 81 into a BC Rich Warbeast 1.  It's got a thin bass wood body (42mm) or something, maple neck and rose wood fret board.  Put 12 gauge strings on it and tuned it to C and it's now living up to it's name of Warbeast.  They are good at what they do but have their limit's.  As for batteries,  I haven't changed mine in over two years now in the four guitars that have actives.  They last a long time if you unplug your lead.  I got EMG's 81/85, 81x/60x, Hetfields and SD Blackout 1's and I like them all.  I also like the Gibson 57's in my Les Paul and I hope soon I'll love the BKP's going into my Strat.

As for hiding your flaws, well to me it's opposite as they pick up on everything.  They've made me play more precise as mistakes and flaws stand out more especially when the volume is full.

I agree about the batteries lasting really long and that it does not hide your flaws like some people think.  Also, I don't find the mids in the emg 81 to be honky at all.  They're very aggressive and prominent (which I love), but not honky (I found the painkiller to be honky sometimes).  I do agree though about it not being sensitive to nuances in picking.

The emg 81 is one of my favorite high gain pickups out there and it has such a distinctive sound.  They're definitely not organic in the traditional sense, but I certainly would not describe them as sounding artificial or processed either.  Again, unique and awesome sound.

[Dr.Pain]

When I had 81/85 in one of my ESP Ltd's I swapped them around and used the 85 in the bridge.  It worked really well but it was best suited to rhythm than lead work.  It's thicker and gave the bottom end some help but some may find it won't cut through well for their leads.

[Toe-Knee]

EMGs are one of my go tos. It used to be the miracle man but i got tired of having to use an overdrive or EQ to remove all of the excess low end and flubbiness.

I do still love the miracle man however.

My second favourite pickup would have to be the black label as its a nice middle ground between emgs and bkps. Tighter than the MM with less flube but more dynamic than the emg 81.

THen theres the EMG JH-B which has taken the crown as my favourite bridge pickup.


Edit: Actually flub isnt the right word for the BKP low end issue that i have as it isn't flubby. I think bloated is a better description

Also. GuitarIV basswood is the worst wood for EMGS. THey really sound quite cr@ppy in basswood imho honky as you described and a bit bloated and dry in the lows. They excel in mahogany/maple however.

[Alex]

I don't think EMGs mask playing mistakes, in fact in fact I find they're quite accurate, because they sound quite dry. Of course with their output they will result in a more gainy sound and probably that is what masks the mistakes (i.e. you need to adjust the gain down).
Overall, I think they are a quality pickup, and give a good sound. The problem is that most guitar players look for an excellent sound, and EMGs are then only second choice, really.

I'm surprised Toe-Knee finds the MM is too bloated in the low end. It tightened up the low end on my baritone quite a lot. Maybe a different amp would change your view?

[Toe-Knee]

I don't think EMGs mask playing mistakes, in fact in fact I find they're quite accurate, because they sound quite dry. Of course with their output they will result in a more gainy sound and probably that is what masks the mistakes (i.e. you need to adjust the gain down).
Overall, I think they are a quality pickup, and give a good sound. The problem is that most guitar players look for an excellent sound, and EMGs are then only second choice, really.

I'm surprised Toe-Knee finds the MM is too bloated in the low end. It tightened up the low end on my baritone quite a lot. Maybe a different amp would change your view?

I've tried it across many amps and my current amp (SLO) isnt exactly bass heavy. It's something i've found with all BKP though and it's not neccesarily a bad thing as i said the MM is my favourite BKP its just a tad bloaty in comparison to a few other pickups i use.

[Lew]

Had 'em once in a Musicman Luke and they did not work for me :( Rarely see them used for anything other than the br00tz, though. Devin Townsend sure gets some sick tones from EMG.

I used to put Duncans in all my guitars religiously but then I got my first BKP, a Piledriver. Must've been nearly ten years ago! Used 'em ever since. Never been super impressed by Dimarzio except the Anniversary PAF which is a great pickup. Only pickups I've played that have been on the same level were Fibenare's own pickups. I'm sure there are loads of great pickups I haven't tried like VIK for example that sound bitching but I'm not fussed to try 'em.

However, in my experience BKP are VERY particular about the guitar that they go into. For example, I had a Crawler in a Hamer (lespaulalike) that sounded so 3D, complex and downright beastly but the same pickup in a Caparison sounded like a bag of dicks and that's not the first time that's happened. I've learned to email Tim and take his advice on what pickups for what guitar rather than rushing in and ordering what I think is what I want.

Been using a RY/VH2 set-up for a couple years now and it's near perfect, because of the nature of the RY the VH2(neck) can sound a little boomy and loud depending how the amp's set. I've considered swapping it out for a RY/RY but really can't be arsed :-p

Fancy a Blackhawk set too just to see what all the fuss is about. I need more guitars to BKP!

[Dave Sloven]

I used to put Duncans in all my guitars religiously but then I got my first BKP, a Piledriver. Must've been nearly ten years ago! Used 'em ever since.

Can you give us your impressions of the Piledriver (set?)?  I haven't read a review of it here and would love to see some opinions.  I heard one playing black metal stuff online somewhere and to me it sounded like the best black metal sound ever.  In general I feel that single coil Fenders are great for that sound.  They might also be good in a two-guitar Swedish style crust band together with a humbucker SG, so I'm curious as to your views on the sonic palette of the Piledrivers.

[Lew]

Had it a lifetime ago, sorry  8)

[GuitarIv]

After having toyed around with them for some time now I can report that the 81 shares quite some similarities with my Painkiller, both are dry, precise and grinding with a cutting in your face tone. Still the Painkiller feels better to play and sounds a tad nicer, but that's purely rhythm. I realized for lead work both the 81 and the 85 really shine. Can't remember when I spent the last time soloing so much and both Neck and Bridge  :o

Toe-Knee: I realize Basswood may not be the best choice for them (or a guitar anyway) but they do exactly what I wanted them to, they made a cr@ppy sounding instrument better. The Ibanez was a GAS purchase and I realized too late that although I love the neckshape and the instrument plays well, it sounded really bad. SD Invaders made it better compared to the stock pickups, a Jeff Beck fixed the excess low end but was still flubby and I could spend loads of money again on a BKP I'm sure it still wouldn't have that "wow" effect I had when I put the Holydiver into my custom Strat for the first time. Now even though EMGs are said to mask a guitars natural voice (which is good in this particular case) I'm sure they sound better in a better guitar :)

[Dr.Pain]

They do and they sound best in mahogany to me.  I have them in mahogany, agathis and bass wood.  Agathis gives a brighter tone and I get Slayer like tones from it.  They use alder bodied guitars.  My 7 string is a maple neck through V and the blackout's I have in that are very aggressive sounding.  Which is good as I wanted that guitar to be a tad mental.  They seem louder than an 81 too.  My bass has actives but I have control over the eq via tone controls, which is pretty cool.  I'd like to have that on a guitar as it would be interesting to play with.

All my guitars at one point were all active pick up's but I found myself wanting something passive and my Les Paul and Strat are a really nice change from being balls to the wall all the time.

One thing to try with an 81 is pull the battery out and play.