EMG's in general (modified)

[Danuda]

I changed my mind on how I wanted to word this post.  I want to try and go into this unbiased.  What does everyone here think of EMG pickups in general?  Passive and active.  I am interested in getting a set for my guitar, but I don't know much about them and don't know where to start.  Any recommendations?  I don't play heavy metal which is why I am leaning towards their passive pickups.

 

[Superlizard]

My honest, unbiased opinion?

For my type of music (classic rock / dino rock / hard rock / early metal), they suck balls.   :icon_jokercolor:

For other types I'm sure they fit the bill... but those types don't count.   :laughing7:

***Never underestimate the power and flexibility of a low output PAF***

 

[mayfly]

One of my favorite players uses EMGs (in a steinburger no less).  He can get very good clean and lead tones out of them - however I suspect that if I tried his guitar with his rig I would sound like crap.

Here's a sample of his playing.  Sorry it's so long.
[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpzmLjKuz1U[/youtube]

 

[swarfrat]

No wonder its so long... The only thing longer would be a medley of Inagodadavida/Freebird/Alice's Restaurant.

I don't play metal either. The guy that convinced me to try em had a 70's Strat w/ a set of EMG-S, and a Silverface SuperReverb. And it had the loveliest bell tones and overdriven Fender tones imaginable.  Some people just can't open their mouth without spewing vitriol, even if the subject is 'Who makes the best PBJ?"

 

[drewfx]

The actives are what they are - different and very much their own thing. Which is why they're both hated and loved by various people.

I may be wrong, but I've never heard much love for their passive pickups. And there's lots of fantastic options from other manufacturers in passives, so I guess I'd ask, "Why bother going EMG? Looks?".

 

[Danuda]

The actives are what they are - different and very much their own thing. Which is why they're both hated and loved by various people.

I may be wrong, but I've never heard much love for their passive pickups. And there's lots of fantastic options from other manufacturers in passives, so I guess I'd ask, "Why bother going EMG? Looks?".

Nope.  Just straight curiosity.  I don't see a lot of people using them and some of the people I have heard from swear by their passive pickups.  I was just wondering if it was one of those, best kept secrets type of thing.  I guess I just see so many people using the exact same pickups I was kind of looking to try something new.  If they are not as good then it isn't worth it to be just different.  If they are good, but in a different way, I may consider them.

I don't play any classic rock.  It is all modern rock.

 

[Patrick from Davis]

The Active EMG's don't seem to fit my playing style very well.  I tend to go for AlNiCo 5 magnet pickups.  It works for me, and I try other things, but usually come back to the same thing.  I have found that EMG's got me a very nice recorded sound, but I couldn't seem to get them to have the same sort of dynamic feel I got from the A5 pickups.  Whether I whacked it hard, or tried for the subtle tones, it sounded very similar to me.  I imagine it is just my playing because they do work for others.  But like I mentioned before, I'll stick to A5 pickups because they work better for me.

I have never messed with their passives, so I'll not make a judgement on that.
Patrick

 

[crash]

When I eventually make an explorer, I'm going to use the new JH series EMG's.  Has anybody here tried those yet?

 

[Superlizard]

Whether I whacked it hard, or tried for the subtle tones, it sounded very similar to me.  I imagine it is just my playing because they do work for others.

It's not your playing but rather the fact there's an onboard preamplifier (actives), as well as the fact they're high output.

Hence, little to no dynamics - which you would get with low output, passive pickups.

 

[Patrick from Davis]

Whether I whacked it hard, or tried for the subtle tones, it sounded very similar to me.  I imagine it is just my playing because they do work for others.

It's not your playing but rather the fact there's an onboard preamplifier (actives), as well as the fact they're high output.

Hence, little to no dynamics - which you would get with low output, passive pickups.

Low Output passive are too bright for me.  Makes the tone too thin.  Don't like them.  Not my sound.  I tried and tried with them, altered everything I could to make them work.  Amp, playing style, new pedals, and so on, but they don't behave how I want them to.  So, no to the low output passive ones.  I know that the EMG's are actives so they have a pre on board, but even so, they have a magnet and a coil to get the signal in the first place.  EMG pickups are obscenely low output before the pre.  There are dynamics there, just my playing doesn't seem to work well with them.  If an onboard pre was the only issue, then most modern basses would also be a problem for me.  That is not the case, so the pre is not exclusively what is wrong for me.  In some respects a Tube screamer could be viewed as a high output 9V preamp, and this is not the source of argument after argument with regards to the sound people get.  So I return to the basic thought, Active EMG's and my playing don't mix well.  However, there are a lot of people that they do work for.  So I come to the conclusion that you have to try them and see if they do what you want.  I just don't care for them.
Patrick

 

[pabloman]

I'm not sure if I mentioned this before but I have a set of old school 58's in ivory for sale.

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

Gilmour and Lukather aren't heavy metal in style but use EMGs.  I have more experience with their bass pickups, but do have a Tele with a Tele bridge pickup, an 89 and an 89r.  The sound is purely subjective, because it's a pickup afterall.  But they do the things you'd want a pickup to do.  That is sound good clean, distorted, and clean up when you roll off the volume.  They are high output due to the preamp, but they have weak magnets and relatively low number of windings.  So in effect, they are high output low output pickups, if that makes sense.  Something to think about is the voltage supply.  18 volt yields more highs than 9 volt.

 

[Death by Uberschall]

[youtube=425,350]PDTo8L9YVyE[/youtube]

Great example of Gilmour's live EMG SA tones.

EMG's are not for everybody, Those who like low output, under-wound pickups will never get into them. But if you like very clean and balanced tones that can be high or low output depending on your volume knob, give them a try. Buy a used set off ebay. If you don't like them, sell them and get your money back.

I'm a BIG EMG fan.  :icon_thumright:

 

[Danuda]

[youtube=425,350]PDTo8L9YVyE[/youtube]

Great example of Gilmour's live EMG SA tones.

EMG's are not for everybody, Those who like low output, under-wound pickups will never get into them. But if you like very clean and balanced tones that can be high or low output depending on your volume knob, give them a try. Buy a used set off ebay. If you don't like them, sell them and get your money back.

I'm a BIG EMG fan.  :icon_thumright:

Wow, that guitar sounds amazing.  I have a feeling a lot of it lies in the player playing it, but still.  I am not looking for low output pickups, I actually want something a little hotter.  I just don't know if active is right for me.  I may have to take a trip to a local guitar store and try some active pickups out.  I have to admit I came into active pickups with a bias that they are only for really hard metal.

 

[Strat Avenger]

I have no use for active pickups. I have heard passive EMGs that sounded pretty good.