Help with EMGs through a Triple Rectifier.

[Motorgear]

I have an EMG-85 in the bridge of an ESP/LTD EC-1000 and I can’t seem to remove some of the harshness associated with these pups when playing through my Triple Rec. The guitar sounds amazing through my other amps (i.e., Marshall), but much more brittle and harsh with the Triple Rec.

I love the guitar and amp but hate the marriage.

Any clues or hints on how to dial in a less “harsh” sound.

I’ve tried everything I can think of. My other guitars, with mostly Semour Duncan pups (e.g., Invader, Hot Rails,SB-1, SB-4) are fine and great. Every guitar needs to be EQ’d differently and everything turns out fine in the end.

I’m officially “knobbed-out,” and a little fed up at re-EQing over and over. I’m not a newbie and, on normal days, I seem to know what I am doing: but on this one I’m at a loss.
Help?

 

[MesaENGR412]

I'd try an eq pedal. I use the Danelectro Fish and Chips Pedal with guitars loaded with EMG-81's, H-1's and H-4's. It seems to help dial out the mid-range (81) and high end that these pick ups posses (especially the H-4's). This pedal is $29.99 in musicians friend and the 9v adapter is $9.99. Hopefully that might help. I play with a Master of Puppets style tone on channel 2 and a Load/Reload/S&M style tone on Channel 3.

-AJH

 

[mesa jedd]

Try 81 emg instead,i found the same with the 85 in brige pos, also try rollin tone back a wee bit,thickens and takes bite of a bit,.
Also is this happening while its just you and your amp in a room or is it with the band.
Somtimes the mid can kill on its own but with the band it happens .
Dont forget mids cut through to make you heard the 81 is scooped a bit
cheers sick for mesa 24/7

 

[Elpelotero]

remember emg's are VERY hot pickups and push the amp a lot on their own, almost like a pedal. you therefore need to turn down the gain more so than you would with other passive pickups. actually, this goes for all active pickups. this is a big problem in basses where the pickups are usually active and clip the amps.

 

[MesaENGR412]

Hey Elpelotero, I run my gain at about 1-2:30. Is this a normal setting for EMG's? I like the sound, but i wanted to make sure i'm not killing my amp by over-overdriving it, if ya know what I mean. haha. Thanks bud.

-AJH

 

[Elpelotero]

for channel 3 modern, i wouldn't go much higher than that personally. i'd have to be sitting in the room hearing the amp to say exactly.

 

[Boogiebabies]

I have an EMG-85 in the bridge of an ESP/LTD EC-1000 and I can’t seem to remove some of the harshness associated with these pups when playing through my Triple Rec. The guitar sounds amazing through my other amps (i.e., Marshall), but much more brittle and harsh with the Triple Rec.

I love the guitar and amp but hate the marriage.

Any clues or hints on how to dial in a less “harsh” sound.

I’ve tried everything I can think of. My other guitars, with mostly Semour Duncan pups (e.g., Invader, Hot Rails,SB-1, SB-4) are fine and great. Every guitar needs to be EQ’d differently and everything turns out fine in the end.

I’m officially “knobbed-out,” and a little fed up at re-EQing over and over. I’m not a newbie and, on normal days, I seem to know what I am doing: but on this one I’m at a loss.
Help?

Thats odd that you find the 85 harsh. It's a very smooth pick up with alnico magnets. I usually find the 81 with the ceramic magnets to be on the harsh side. You may want to look at your speakers and then preamp tubes to see if it is something else in the chain.

 

[Rayder]

you therefore need to turn down the gain more so than you would with other passive pickups

weird. i found that with my EMGs i had to turn the gain UP. sounded too clean, not enough distortion, than with other guitars. maybe it has something to do with the 18v mod... but i do get a very nice distortion that is clear. best of both worlds really. this is with an 81 in bridge btw

 

[nathan28]

I have been running emg- 81 bridge and a 85 in the neck for a long time now with my rec. All you have to do is back down the presence a little bit on the amp.

 

[Motorgear]

Thanks for all your responses guys, really appreciate it.

Seems most of you think the harshness I hear is associated with “middy-ness” character inherent of the EMG 85. I’ll try the EMG-81 (I know I have one lying around here somewhere…) and work with the tone knob. I’m sure it is not my speakers, signal chain etc… because the my other guitars/pups sound great.

To further clarify, this harsh sound I hear/feel is when playing with my band –either jamming or live. It’s a Triple Rec, I don’t play it a “bedroom” levels. Cripes, I don’t think it even knows what a “bedroom” level is! :wink:

Thanks again and I’ll keep searching.

 

[MesaENGR412]

It’s a Triple Rec, I don’t play it a “bedroom” levels. Cripes, I don’t think it even knows what a “bedroom” level is! :wink:

haha nope. That's why when I bought this amp, my "bedroom level" became one that rattles the windows and can be heard from the street :lol: :lol: :lol: Good thing all my neighbors either work a lot or are over 80 and can't hear. Works out to my advantage.....

-AJH

 

[Elpelotero]

It’s a Triple Rec, I don’t play it a “bedroom” levels. Cripes, I don’t think it even knows what a “bedroom” level is! :wink:

haha nope. That's why when I bought this amp, my "bedroom level" became one that rattles the windows and can be heard from the street :lol: :lol: :lol: Good thing all my neighbors either work a lot or are over 80 and can't hear. Works out to my advantage.....

-AJH

lucky you.

 

[Cleekster]

I don't have a triple rec but i do have an EMG 89 which is essentially an 85 in humbucker mode these are the settings i use on the modern mode(rectoverb w/ C-90's):
Treble,Mid,Bass:12:00
Prescence: All the way down
Gain: 11:00

i also set the output to 12:00 and use the channel master for volume as i find this gives me a smoother sound.