Zakk Wylde EMGs

[Superfly]

Im thinking about picking up a set of these for my Lester.
Does anyone have them and what do you think?
pros...cons?

thanks a lot

[Superfly]

Re: Zakk Wylde EMGs

wrong area?

[Cleveland Metal]

Re: Zakk Wylde EMGs

I've seen pickup stuff here and in Tech Q&A, so seems ok to me!

I'm pleased with most EMG stuff myself and use 81 religiously. I believe tha Zak Wylde set comes with long shaft pots for the Les Paul deep face application, so if you're putting it in a strat or thin body app, I'd check on that.

I seem to remember that one of the bigger members here (I forget who) has that set, maybe he will chime in.

[sevser]

Re: Zakk Wylde EMGs

Exclusive 81 user myself, bridge and neck. [img]graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]

[straycat]

Re: Zakk Wylde EMGs

The Zakks are an 81 and 85 are they not?They do come with the long shaft pots so only usable on a les paul.

[LesPaulCustom]

Re: Zakk Wylde EMGs

I have the Zakk Wylde set in my Les Paul and I am totally satisfied with them.

They are high output, low impedence pups that sound really well I think. They kind of compress the sound a little bit...

I definately prefere the sound of tubes, both pre and power...but it sounds great through the POD too.....

I'd say go for it. Get em......If you don't like them, you could always post them here and somebody would snatch them up quick [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[metafaza]

Re: Zakk Wylde EMGs

Ok, I have a Zakk set in my Soloist SL2H. Actually, I had it for a while. I thought that 85 in the neck position was a bit too fatty, so I switched it for a 60. My set came with two sets of pots, short and long shafts, so whatever type of guitar you'd want to put it in it shouldn't be a problem. I know many people love 85s in neck position, other prefer it in brige position. I haven't tried it though. I used to have two 81s in my other guitar and I'm probably going to try this setup in the Jackson, too. EMG 60 is cleaner sounding and not so basy, which I like. I had no problem with 'pings' as Zakk calls them using 85 in neck position.
Hey, ClevelandMetal, what are your thougts about EMGs at 18 volts? I've heard that you prefer it to 9v. I'm thinking about it, too.

[Cleveland Metal]

Re: Zakk Wylde EMGs

I've used 18 volt EMG setups for years. It's not a mega difference, but I find it noticeable.

I've always looked for those small improvements, and that's one of them. Seems to give a bit more headroom for transients, and I perceive a slight bit of more vitality in the sound. Maybe that's just psychological, just knowing it's more power etc, arrrr!!

I also use their PA-2 onboard preamp and have it in all my axes. With my tube amps, it makes a noticeable impact. They tend to overload solid state stuff, but amps that have a tube front end will really grind and have more edge with that PA-2.

[finnman]

Re: Zakk Wylde EMGs

Oh, and don't forget about the Z.W. pick that comes with it. [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img]
Finn

[toejam]

Re: Zakk Wylde EMGs

Originally posted by Richard:
The Zakks are an 81 and 85 are they not?They do come with the long shaft pots so only usable on a les paul.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Yes, 81/85. You can put the 85 in the bridge and 81 in the neck instead of the opposite way that Zakk normally does... I think they sound better that way, but that's just me. And you can use it for any guitar, because it comes with 8 pots... 4 long shaft and 4 normal (some older Les Pauls use the shorter ones anyway). The 25th anniversary chrome 81 set I got for my Hamer also came with 8 pots for use with any guitar.

[Superfly]

Re: Zakk Wylde EMGs

im putting them in my LP studio Gothic.
i want to mod the living piss out of it.
new guard..tuners..etc.
i figured the first thing to do is change the pups.
thats interesting about switching the pups around opposite of what Zakk does. I may try that.
thanks for all the feedback guys. Looks like its pretty much unanimous (sp?). I want a total metal sounding guitar and this sounds like it will be a perfect fit. [img]graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]

[quiksilver]

Re: Zakk Wylde EMGs

I agree that it is a perfect fit for metal. I have the Zakk Wylde set in one of my SL4s (like an SL2H, but Japanese made and 22 frets), and I love them. The other SL4 is stock, with the Seymour Duncan pickups it came with (JB & Jazz, I think). I like the EMGs better. Better pick squeals. Nice distortion, perfect clean sounds. Dead silent when the music stops.

My ZW set came with 2 sets of 4 knobs, allowing for a wide variety of installation possibilities.

I also have a Seymour Duncan Custom Custom mounted directly to the body in a Kramer Focus (Japanese version of the 80s Baretta) that compares more favorably with the EMGs, in my opinion.

[Donnie]

Re: Zakk Wylde EMGs

I put the ZW EMG's in my little Epiphone LP because the stock pup's were total junk. I really like the sound I get from them. Nice fat metal tone that screams. I think it improved the LP 100%. I wouldn't replace my Seymour Duncan's in my SL2H with them though, only because I really like the pick attack I get from the SD's. But that is just me. [img]images/icons/cool.gif[/img]

[raymo]

Re: Zakk Wylde EMGs

I dont know if this has been covered so im gonna chime in anyway the set comes with 2v's and 2t's in both long and short shaft pots, for a total of 8 pots.

[slayer]

Re: Zakk Wylde EMGs

I prefer and EMG 85 in the bridge and an 81 in the neck, I think the 85 is a little to muddy in the neck position, but in the bridge it totally crushes for heavey rythim and plam muting and it only gives a little bit of highs up to the 81 in the bridge. I say try the 85 in the bridge if you like massive crunching tones, it does it well, but deffinately an 81 in the neck. I have an 81 in the bridge of my custom Jackson, and it can`t crush like my Hamer Chapp with the 85 in the bridge, so some day an 85 will go in the bridge of my custom Jackson [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] Also, what makes the ZW EMGs different than the regular 81 and 85? Thanks-Jack.