Members The Craqster Posted November 20, 2005 Members Share Posted November 20, 2005 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GAS Man Posted November 20, 2005 Members Share Posted November 20, 2005 I've only experience EMG the 81s and I don't like them. They are a powerful pickup, but I don't care for their cleans. Too lifeless and sterile sounding for my ears. It's the stock pup on a used MIJ ESP Eclipse that I picked up. I'm actually tempted to toss them out and put in some good Alnico pups instead. But I may just someday sell the entire guitar to a metal head fan. But the guitar itself is pretty sweet so I'd like to give it another chance. But take my comments with an extra grain of salt because I really love clean tones and distortion tones are only of secondary importance to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members The Craqster Posted November 20, 2005 Author Members Share Posted November 20, 2005 Originally posted by GAS Man I've only experience EMG the 81s and I don't like them. They are a powerful pickup, but I don't care for their cleans. Too lifeless and sterile sounding for my ears. It's the stock pup on a used MIJ ESP Eclipse that I picked up. I'm actually tempted to toss them out and put in some good Alnico pups instead. But I may just someday sell the entire guitar to a metal head fan. But the guitar itself is pretty sweet so I'd like to give it another chance. But take my comments with an extra grain of salt because I really love clean tones and distortion tones are only of secondary importance to me. send those crappy 81s my way. i'll even pay the freight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Highgrade Posted November 20, 2005 Members Share Posted November 20, 2005 I luv my EMGs. They said they can't play clean sounds but they are DEAD wrong. You can even do jazz on them. Oh and metal with a good distortion is the best imo with EMGs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wah wah Posted November 20, 2005 Members Share Posted November 20, 2005 Originally posted by GAS Man I've only experience EMG the 81s and I don't like them. They are a powerful pickup, but I don't care for their cleans. Too lifeless and sterile sounding for my ears.They're not made for cleans just like a corvette stingray isn't made for trips to the local grocery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dinrodef Posted November 20, 2005 Members Share Posted November 20, 2005 great pickups if you want a tight attack or want to fix up a cheap guitar Bad pickups if you want dymanics Definately for a specific kind of player... not for everybody Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members vexed73 Posted November 20, 2005 Members Share Posted November 20, 2005 I do not like the 81!! I love the 85 but I dont like humbuckers for cleans. I do like the 89's for two humbucker guitars because they can be coil split. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ross82 Posted November 20, 2005 Members Share Posted November 20, 2005 {censored} me, they don't sound sterile, they give you the straight up sound from your guitar. And they do not lack dynamics, they respond as well as any decent passive pickup to playing dynamics and they can do perfectly acceptable clean sounds!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members VoodooChild24 Posted November 20, 2005 Members Share Posted November 20, 2005 I love my EMG81s on my LP custom. Definitely ok for cleans to, but you might want to check out the 60s for better cleans. EMG rocks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Slash17 Posted November 20, 2005 Members Share Posted November 20, 2005 I have an Eclipse as well. I really love my EMG 81s. I agree the bridge pup is way too sharp and powerful for cleans, just switch to the neck pup and your cleans will sound amazing. I adore EMGs clean or distorted, they shine either way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TheGZeus,OnFire Posted November 20, 2005 Members Share Posted November 20, 2005 Nay. a little too voiced for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TheGZeus,OnFire Posted November 20, 2005 Members Share Posted November 20, 2005 Originally posted by Ross82 {censored} me, they don't sound sterile, they give you the straight up sound from your guitar. And they do not lack dynamics, they respond as well as any decent passive pickup to playing dynamics and they can do perfectly acceptable clean sounds!!!! These are all opinions save the dynamics one. They're as compressed as a Super 3. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DEICIDEL Posted November 21, 2005 Members Share Posted November 21, 2005 EMG's = hi-fi sounding. clarity. I like them. Different strokes for different folks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wtfg89 Posted November 21, 2005 Members Share Posted November 21, 2005 yay. love them. a little too bright in my strat but we shall see as more EMGs arrive on my doorstep Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members curseoftruth Posted November 21, 2005 Members Share Posted November 21, 2005 85/60 combo is sweet (James Hetfiled uses that I believe). 81 is to sterile. Since I don't play as heavy as I used to, I don't like the EMGs much anymore. Just going with a more vintage sound these days, which EMGs do not deliver. If I was still playing just over the top high gain metal, that is what I'd get and was going to get before my last band broke up.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Sigel_TTD Posted November 21, 2005 Members Share Posted November 21, 2005 I actually find the EMG-60 to have a WAY better clean than a Duncan Jazz. While comparing the two the Jazz's clean was so weak compared to the punchy clean of the 60. I also love the clarity of a EMG 81. But its all preference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members loner22 Posted November 21, 2005 Members Share Posted November 21, 2005 I like them. yay. I'm a new EMG convert.85 is a great bridge pickup, makes for a great fat neck pickup too, 89 is splittable 85, which gets both a trad 85 sound as well as an SA single coil tones - very nice, but may be a little too hi fi for vintage Fender lovers. But those don't use EMGs anyway =)EMG 60 is very cool too, less woofy then your standard neck humbucker, but still fat.I recently tried actual SA singles, liked them a lot, wanna get a set of SAV (SA Vintage, just like SAs, but slightly dirtier sounding) for my back up StratTried the 81 only once, didn't like it. I don't really understand comments on "sterility" of EMGs. Set of mine can sometimes sound a little thin / hollow clean, but it is still very nice and definitely not sterile. My 85 / 89 combo, or my buddies 85 / 60 doesn't even nearly get as shrill and buzzy as his other recent "upgrade" to SD Duncan Distortion, and sounds way better clean. I don't notice any excessive, if any, internal compression. The pick ups are dead quiet, go direct better then passives, have very low magnetic pull.. if you have several guitars and want to install EMGs into one - don't even hesitate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Johtosotku Posted November 21, 2005 Members Share Posted November 21, 2005 I find them terrific for metal. I really love playing stuff like Slayer, Kreator and Hypocrisy with them. I don't like them for rock, that's when I pick my other axe. There's something in their feel that I haven't gotten used to yet. All this said about 81s and a SPC. I haven't tried the others enough to say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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