EMGs with a Mark IV?

[ibanez4life SZ!]

Hey guys!

REALLY getting into Killswitch Engage as of late, and am very curious to try some EMGs with the IV.

Anyone have some experience? Are they worth trying with the Mark? I'm thinking about putting them in my PRS McCarty and tuning it to Drop C :twisted:

Opinions are GREATLY appreciated!

 

[fatoni]

havent spent much time with them. tried the eb luke with emg (85 i think) with an f30 combo. sounded great. the amp didnt have enough gain to get into killswitch territory. well all that i said doesnt mean much, i just wanted to comment because killswitch rocks. :lol:

 

[hlavicky]

I have 2 guitars with EMGs in them. A Jackson strat with SA SA 81 and a Warlock with an 81. For heavier stuff they really seem to push the amp without a boost. I believe Metallica used 81s in their bridge position for at least Master of Puppets on. The SA's sound great clean and can get you some gain on a single coil without the hum and feedback. Some find EMGs sterile sounding and say that they make all guitars sound the same. I find that I like my burstbuckers in my Les Paul better for lower gain and crunch but EMGs for higher gain. Hope this helps.

 

[Platypus]

I have a pair of EMG707s (7 string version of the EMG85). I'm going to have to say that while they're great for that pushed/clear metal tone, they sound processed and sterile for pretty much everything else. Lots will disagree, lots will agree, up to you and your ears to decide.

I'll take a good passive any day of the week.

 

[hazbin]

I love EMG's and my Mark IV. Perfect IMO

 

[dmcguitar]

I am not positive, but I thought Metallica Used Seymour Duncans on MOP, but got the II C+ head, and hit the EMGs on AJFA. either way from justice on.. they used the Mark IV and emgs (with who konws what else) I'd say go for it. I have a les paul with 81's and it sounds great through my 5150II, the only other pickups I like are the dimarzio steve's special/air norton combo.

relevant to this post? dunno.. but I'm going to buy a Mark Iv and 4x12 soon and I'll let you know how it sounds when it comes.. months down the road :shock:

hopefully the store will have a new boxed 4x12 in stock i can take with my for the 5150 in the mean time. Any one have any advice on breaking in speakers?

side note.. ive heard people complain about sterile sounds from the EMGs,.. but i've also heard that they are pretty transparent and actually make you hear the sound of the guitar.. they don't color the sound as much as passive pickups. either way.. I enjoy them, and recommend them.

 

[Platypus]

I am not positive, but I thought Metallica Used Seymour Duncans on MOP, but got the II C+ head, and hit the EMGs on AJFA. either way from justice on.. they used the Mark IV and emgs (with who konws what else) I'd say go for it. I have a les paul with 81's and it sounds great through my 5150II, the only other pickups I like are the dimarzio steve's special/air norton combo.

relevant to this post? dunno.. but I'm going to buy a Mark Iv and 4x12 soon and I'll let you know how it sounds when it comes.. months down the road :shock:

hopefully the store will have a new boxed 4x12 in stock i can take with my for the 5150 in the mean time. Any one have any advice on breaking in speakers?

side note.. ive heard people complain about sterile sounds from the EMGs,.. but i've also heard that they are pretty transparent and actually make you hear the sound of the guitar.. they don't color the sound as much as passive pickups. either way.. I enjoy them, and recommend them.

I'll say I think the opposite, EMG's color your guitar tone so much, I can instantly tell a recording using EMG's versus passives... passives are more true to your guitar's tone in my opinion

 

[tobytheplatypus]

Seymour Duncan Blackout's are what i'm getting...i'm a SD fanboy tho

 

[Boogiebabies]

I think they are more like tonal palletes. The EMG's are smooth, clear and quiet. They also behave predicably. I used the S/S/85 from my three Luke's and have been very happy with the tone, but passives to me are just another flavor. Fralins, DiMarzio's, 57 Classics and Duncans are all voiced differently so they may help bring out tonal qualities in the wood that an EMG would not. They both have good and bad points to some degree. Having a box of unused pickups is an investment in trying to mate the right guitar with the right pickup and hoping your amp can benefit from it. I use Duncan EVH's and they are by far the pickup I have been most impressed with period. The balance is amazing. I still use Tone Zone's and Custom Custom's, EMG 85's, Jazz Neck's, TremBuckers, Fralin's ( They Sucked in the Les Paul ). They all seem to just have a different way they speak. In my box full of pickups, some are new and I have never tried, but they may find a perfect mate someday. Boogie's are a true testament to how a pickup sounds. There is nothing between the pickup and input grid on the preamp tube except the cord. I do find that once you find a good sounding pickup it is pretty much universally good in all the Mark series amps.

 

[Stonge]

I am a passive fan..they sound warmer to my ears. However if I were to go back to emgs, I don't think I would put them in my prs or les pauls. That's just me. I have always really liked the burstbucker pros in my les paul. And the Tone Zone over a JB for my strat. Boogie Babies is right, when you find that pickup t all seems to work out really nice almost all the time. One thing I never liked doing, is loading all my guitars with the same pickup combo (metallica style). Just because they work for one; great..try another selection in another guitar. Anyways, can I recommend the EMG 85 over the 81 for metal. They sound warmer to my ears. And I've said that twice.