EMG active pickups

[ytse_jam]

even if they're active pickups and mainly built to deliver high-output levels, could they ever compare to passive pickups in terms of tonal shaping? i'm thinking about getting an emg 85 loaded guitar (bridge position - or could 81 be better?)...

 

[jr3d]

the 85 feels kinda hotter to me maybe becuase I am dilusional becuase anything sounds good in front of a dual rectifier.

 

[Elpelotero]

81 is usually set on the bridge. i belive it's hotter. if you ever change minds, you can unplug and plug back. no soldering like passives!
Z wylde puts an 85 in the neck. hetfield puts a 60 for his cleans. hammett puts an 81 for cleans/high gain solos. it's all preference

 

[Bloodstone]

Passives are supreme over actives. Take it from me, I have guitars with 81 - 81, 81 - 85, 60 - 81, S - S - 81, and what do I think sounds the best? My Seymour Duncans hands down.

I had always been and EMG fanboy until I bought this new Jackson guitar. Now I dont think I'll ever go back to actives again, much less ESP guitars.

 

[ChrisRocksUSA]

I had always been and EMG fanboy until I bought this new Jackson guitar. Now I dont think I'll ever go back to actives again, much less ESP guitars.

I'm convinced we are twins lol.


I always doubed people that said EMGs sound somewhat sterile, I only ever had EMG equipped guitars.

my Kh2 sounds good, but every guitar with an EMG pickup will sound pretty much the same (b/c of the onboard preamp)

WHen I got my jackson KE-1 w/ a duncan JB in the bridge, I fell in love.

The passive duncan actually has more low end, and is more full of life.

 

[Russ]

EMG's have a certain flavor you can't get elsewhere but good luck making an EMG sound as classic as a passive. Sometimes I favor the Gibson 500T to the EMG81. I often go back to the 498T for more classic Gibson tone. It all depends on what you are looking for. If your gain levels are way up there it won't matter much but if you are playing for tone you might consider passives.

 

[dual rec]

I love my emg's but i think my friends gibby V with the 496 and 500t is almost as hot but it isnt as tite. 81 in the bridge cause its hotter. The 85 is technically hotter but since its alnico wound instead of ceramic it doesnt put oout as much. I think that is correct but if its not please correct me!

 

[KillDivision]

I had always been and EMG fanboy until I bought this new Jackson guitar. Now I dont think I'll ever go back to actives again, much less ESP guitars.

I'm convinced we are twins lol.


I always doubed people that said EMGs sound somewhat sterile, I only ever had EMG equipped guitars.

my Kh2 sounds good, but every guitar with an EMG pickup will sound pretty much the same (b/c of the onboard preamp)

WHen I got my jackson KE-1 w/ a duncan JB in the bridge, I fell in love.

The passive duncan actually has more low end, and is more full of life.

Amen.

I've gone from EMG-ofiliac to a passivelover. I've had 81's in all of my guitars and throws them all out.

Had a 81 installed this week to hear what i didn't like about them, after 1 minute of playing i knew why. Totally lifeless. Passive pickups bark and shoot with a feel, EMG's don't have the feel passives do.

 

[ResearchTriangle]

EMG does make passive pickups (EMG-HZ), you might want to check those out.

 

[KillDivision]

I have had HZ's in a LTD V-350, but have only played it on a 5150. Very good sound tough.

 

[ylo]

Whether EMGs sound the same as conventional passives has more to do with the design of the coils and magnets than with the fact that they are active.

EMG pickups are essentially passive coils with a buffer amp encapsulated with the coils.

The 'single coil' EMGs (EMG S, EMG SA, EMG FTC etc.) combine a hum cancelling coil with the pickup coil using the differential inputs of the (opamp IC) buffer amp. This provides hum cancellation without the loading and tone change caused by the hum cancelling coil in a conventional humbucker, so you still have the unaffected sound of the single coil.

If you want the benefits of EMGs such as the ability to drive long cables, but prefer the sound of Duncans or other passives, the solution is to add an on-board preamp to your guitar with your favorite passives. A simple unity gain opamp does the job fine, or you can use an opamp that provides a preselected or variable boost to really pummel your amp. Some of the commercial units add mid boost and other nice tone shaping features. One of these preamps is made by MusiTech, available from Stewart-MacDonald for $80. It is cheaper and easier than switching to EMGs, with similar results.

 

[MesaENGR412]

I like EMG's (81's)vbecause of their razor sharp attack, and very crisp sound. I just don't get it from the passives that I've used or tried. But hey, that's the sound i was going for and I've got it. Others may not like it, so, to me, it's just try it and if you dig it, then buy it. If not, go for something else that suits your tonal needs. To me, it's all in the "ears" of the beholder. haha

-AJH

 

[Guitarzan]

I'm going to agree with the passive crowd on this one. I had an 81 back in the late 80's. It was ok but not enough low end chunk. I didn't care much for the mid range spike in them as well. I have settled on the Duncan Custom 5 as my pup of choice. There is another realm of tone out there when you guys decide to come off the active stuff.

 

[MesallicA]

i have an ltd with emg's 60,81 an my ibanez has paf pro's and a jem single coil. I much more prefer the paf pros, they are much more versatile, sound better and seem to have more character, if that means anything.

im kinda off emg's now. But nice to have at 1 emg loaded axe.

 

[Platypus]

They have their place, just like any tool in your toolbox.

I love EMG's for their insanely tight clip and crunch, the way the harmonics leap off the guitar with them, etc. That being said they're NO WHERE near as toneful and sweet as a good passive hum.

If I'm going for tone, no way in hell I'd use an EMG
If I'm going for balls out metal/grind and low tuned settings (7 string in G anyone? ) then I'd use EMG in a second.

 

[Nitrobattery]

One isn't better than the other, they both have their purposes. Would I ever play blues with a guitar loaded with EMGs? Of course not. Would I play all out metal with passives? No.

The EMG 81 lacks low end for a reason...so it'll never be muddy. It's the tightest sounding pickup I’ve ever come across. So, when using the 81, you either need to have an amp with a lot of low end...or throw an EQ in the loop. When I’m playing metal I use my LP Custom loaded with an EMG 81/85 set into an ENGL Savage 120. I’ve used a half stack playing with guys running a full stack, and they’ve all asked me how I’m getting such a huge, tight sound. I always smile and just point at the pickups. If you're using a lot of gain and want a massive yet crisp sound with a ton of low end...actives just make sense.

That said, if you're not using a lot of gain...or are into the sludgy modern rock sound, you're going to want to use passives. They bring out the natural characteristics of the guitar more, and are more responsive. They’re warmer and rounder sounding. When I’m playing gigs with the classic rock band I fill in for sometimes, I don’t reach for the EMG loaded LP. I grab one of my passive loaded guitars. I find the EMG’s to be too sterile for that situation.

So, it all just depends on what you’re looking for. Saying one is better than the other is just silly.

 

[paleamberglow]

anyone have experience with EMG single coils?

 

[ytse_jam]

anyone have experience with EMG single coils?

a friend of mine has got an assembled telecaster with an emg single coil. it's got great attack and great definition, even if it lacks warmness a bit imo (not just because it is a single coil...). However, it seems to be a good pickup if you're searching for sparkling cleans and cutting/searing leads. I don't know which model it is though...

Nitrobattery... do you really think passives are unsuitable for hi-gain metal?and do you know any popular metal guitarist who uses passives?
personally i love j. petrucci's tone in "Train of Thought", very fat and crunchy with his diMarzio passives... there's to say low-tuned guitars do a lot in fattening the tone. However you're right that with passives you must pay attention to muddiness...

 

[ResearchTriangle]

I used EMG SA single coils extensively for a while, on a floyd-equipped guitar. They were very bright and had great cut and attack; put some reverb on and they sound awesome!

 

[Guitarzan]

One isn't better than the other, they both have their purposes. Would I ever play blues with a guitar loaded with EMGs? Of course not. Would I play all out metal with passives? No.

The EMG 81 lacks low end for a reason...so it'll never be muddy. It's the tightest sounding pickup I’ve ever come across. So, when using the 81, you either need to have an amp with a lot of low end...or throw an EQ in the loop. When I’m playing metal I use my LP Custom loaded with an EMG 81/85 set into an ENGL Savage 120. I’ve used a half stack playing with guys running a full stack, and they’ve all asked me how I’m getting such a huge, tight sound. I always smile and just point at the pickups. If you're using a lot of gain and want a massive yet crisp sound with a ton of low end...actives just make sense.

That said, if you're not using a lot of gain...or are into the sludgy modern rock sound, you're going to want to use passives. They bring out the natural characteristics of the guitar more, and are more responsive. They’re warmer and rounder sounding. When I’m playing gigs with the classic rock band I fill in for sometimes, I don’t reach for the EMG loaded LP. I grab one of my passive loaded guitars. I find the EMG’s to be too sterile for that situation.

So, it all just depends on what you’re looking for. Saying one is better than the other is just silly.

I'd never play all out metal with EMG's period. If I had to choose an active p/u I'd go with the Duncan LiveWire Metals. The LW's are more responsive and have Alnico 5 magnets rather than a brittle and harsh sounding ceramic magnet. You say passive pickups not for metal... There are some great pickups for metal that are passive. EMG 81's have one sound and it's not a good one, as you pointed out "sterile". 'Nuff said.

anyone have experience with EMG single coils?

As for the singles...I think this is where EMG shines. The SA set is bold and clear. The only thing missing on the SA's is the higher freq.'s get cut out. A/B them with passive strat p/u's you'll hear what I'm talking about. The SV's come much closer to the sound of "real" strat p/u. If your looking for the Vintage tone go for the SV's. If you really want killer strat tone with hum cancelling ability, then look at Dimarzio's Virtual Vintage line. I really like what Dimarzio has done with their single coil technology. I would say that Dimarzio's single coils are better sounding than Duncan's. Try them for yourself, that's the only way to find what your looking for.[/quote]