What's with the EMG bashing?

[Xplorervoodoo]

Alright guys, I'll be the first to admit that I don't really have much of an ear for tone.  I can pretty much plug into any amp and find what I want.  And I'm definitely no Eric Johnson - I could never tell the differences in tone by changing brands of batteries in my stompboxes...

So I guess I just don't understand why the majority of this forum does not like EMG pickups.  I mean, I can understand not liking actives in general, because of having to change batteries.  But I've heard them being called everything from "sterile" to "flat" to "uninspiring."

Maybe I'm missing something.  I put the DG20 pickguard in the strat I built (which is essentially 3 SA's) and when I play that strat, it sounds great.  It sounds like a strat should sound, to my ears at least.  Played dry through my amp, I got a pleasant range of tones out of it, and adding a touch of reverb just made it sparkle.  I felt the distortion tones were a tad lacking (which seems to be the opposite of what most people think of EMG's), but that's probably because I am used to playing dual humbucker guitars, and the single coils just don't have the same drive, I guess.

Sorry for the rant.  Most of the bands I love get great sounds, both clean and distorted, out of their EMG's, and I've had a pleasant personal experience with my first EMG equipped guitar.  I plan on building more guitars with EMG's....

Maybe I'm just biased?  Help me out here guys!  lol  :dontknow:

 

[GearBoxTy]

I like EMGs but only have them on my Steinberger from the early 1990s.  For the most part, I prefer high-impedance pickups and all my planned builds except one will have Seymour Duncan or Rio Grande pickups.  The one that won't have high-impedance pickups will be a Steve Lukather Valley Arts tribute guitar using his EMG assembly.  I think it will give pure, powerful tones regardless.

 

[GoDrex]

I had a bad EMG experience once. I'd rather not talk about it hahahaha

Seriously though I put them in my V many many years ago and I couldn't figure out how to get a sound I liked from that guitar again. I then had a SD JB put in my other crapo guitar and it sounded great so I've been pro SD and con EMG ever since. To be fair I also don't care for the sound of those new D-Activator pickups that are passive but designed to sound like actives. I think they're too dry and trebly for me. They sound great for high gain metal though, but even when I played metal I didn't care for that tone for me. Like the Kirk Hammet sound. It works for what he does, but it's not for me  - at least I think it's not. hehehe  :toothy12:

 

[dbw]

I've called EMGs sterile-sounding before... maybe it would be fairer to say they sound very transparent.  They don't have much to say, they let the strings do all the talking.  I like a bit more sass from my pickups.  :icon_biggrin:

 

[Ted]

Errr...the only thing that matters is that you like em.

 

[Fish Out of Water]

They are simply opinions my friend.  I don't think anyone on this site is bashing EMGs. 
I was only relaying my experience to a fellow who asked.  I didn't mean to insult anyone and I certainly don't wanna start a verbal war with anyone over pickups either.  It's all about what your ears tell you, not what someone else tells you.   
If you like 'em, that's great!!  More power to you. 
I like my steak cooked rare, does that make me wrong?? 

 

[DocNrock]

I've got a rear-routed Strat body on order that is also being routed for a battery box.  It's getting EMGs (85/81).

 

[dmraco]

I am going thru pickup selection right now for my current build.  I have used SD JB with an older build and liked it a lot, but I wanted something with a little more PUNCH when playing dirty thru a high powered tube amp.  I also currently own a Charvel with active pickups and the battery is not a deterrant to me.  After about 2 hours of playing every guitar at the Local Sam Ash, I decided on the EMGs.

The EMGs are SO impressive when playing distorted.  The 81 in the bridge and 85/neck produce a great sound where every note is heard and never seem overwhelmed.  I was mostly impressed with the 85 being played dirty in the neck position.  It never 'washed out" (sorry I do not know the correct terms) like other pickups can.

I did notice that when playing clean, the 81 in the bridge lacked some punch when played.  However I rarely use that set up.  Also, when playing clean, I did hear some differences in the body woods when playng EMGs.  The Gibson's (mahogany) and the Jackson's (Alder) sounded different.  The Jacksons had a little more punch/tone when clean.  My guitar wil be Korina so it should provide a nice mix with tones a little closer to Alder.

Bottom line is it is good to have choices...that why we build these things in the 1st place...right??? :rock-on:

 

[Xplorervoodoo]

Thanks for the replies guys!

I didn't mean to come off as seeming offended or angry.  Just confused is all.  I mean, EMG's seem very popular, and I was just surprised at how many people just plain don't like 'em.

I'm not faulting anyone's opinion, I guess I just don't hear what they do  :laughing7:

Cheers guys

 

[Soloshchenko]

Sorry but it's an opinion. I find active pickups in guitars a pointless exercise when there are so many brilliant passive pickups around that to my ears sound far superior. . Non of my guitar heroes use active pickups and neither do I.

I've only tried one EMG loaded guitar and I wasn't much of a fan of the tone. It sounded too "glassy" to my ears but some people may dig that tone.

 

[Fish Out of Water]

Ted said it best..."as long as you like 'em..."  That's all that really matters.

They're just not for me.  Sorry to anyone who I may have inadvertantly offended.

 

[Chris_Lohmann]

Xplorervoodoo,

You should check out this thread:

http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=4106.0

No EMG bashing there. After I posted it, I thought to myself, "Jeez, people are going to think I'm on EMG's payroll!" :icon_biggrin:

 

[jackthehack]

I don't recall seeing a lot of "EMG bashing" on this site. A number of people like myself  have tried the DG-20 Strat "loaded pickguard" setup and been seriously underwhelmed. It may just be that we're old farts. Or we don't have David Gilmour's rig to play it through, or Peter Cornish stopping by the house to tweak things....

 

[Xplorervoodoo]

Xplorervoodoo,

You should check out this thread:

http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=4106.0

No EMG bashing there. After I posted it, I thought to myself, "Jeez, people are going to think I'm on EMG's payroll!" :icon_biggrin:

Yes, I saw that.  Beautiful mockingbird there, dude.  And I like how you swapped the 81 and 85 from their "traditional" positions.

And Jack, I can understand about not having Dave's rig.  I realize that not everyone shares tastes in pickup brands.  I guess I was just surprised that EMG's were less popular than I was led to believe.  But anyway, I do like them, and though most people here do not, I can understand that too!  ccasion14:

 

[ildar]

As always, trust your ears, not what others say.
In my opinion, some things are popular because they are very vanilla. Duncans fall into that category for me, but again, it's about what YOU want to hear coming out of YOUR rig.

 

[shanejw]

I guess I was just expecting a lot with my EMG's (81&85) that came in my ESP.  They didn't seem to have much low end, and the thing I liked the least about them was that it was a lot harder to get pinch harmonics out of them than my passive pickups.  But on the good note they had a very tight focussed sound that was great for palm muting, that and i like the look of them, simple and flat.  Thats why i went with my Bartolinis without hearing much about them, and was happy with their tone.  If youre into EMG's, buy them.  Its your axe.  Everyone has their own preferences.

 

[dbw]

i like the look of them, simple and flat.

+1... however they sound, they definitely look cool!

 

[TexxasJam]

i like the look of them, simple and flat.

+1... however they sound, they definitely look cool!

I like the white ones on a white axe.  :glasses10:

 

[SrDeMaFp]

i like the look of them, simple and flat.

+1... however they sound, they definitely look cool!

I like the white ones one a white axe.  :glasses10:

Kinda like this?...

I wish I hadn't sold that...

I guess I was just expecting a lot with my EMG's (81&85) that came in my ESP.  They didn't seem to have much low end, and the thing I liked the least about them was that it was a lot harder to get pinch harmonics out of them than my passive pickups.

Maybe you had them set up wrong or something? I get PH's by accident with EMG's. :dontknow: :icon_scratch:

 

[GoDrex]

That's a sweet V. I'd learn to love EMG's for that one.  :icon_thumright: