Suggestions for EMG 81/85 replacement

[sakeido]

I'm tempted to try the 85 bridge/81 neck too. All I have to do to change my pick-ups is take off all my strings, unscrew the pickup bezels, unhook the little harness and flip them around, right?

[CharvelRocker]

I'm tempted to try the 85 bridge/81 neck too. All I have to do to change my pick-ups is take off all my strings, unscrew the pickup bezels, unhook the little harness and flip them around, right?

Thats what makes emgs awesome. Besides the tone

[Shwayman11]

why dont they make all pickups with quick connects?

[kelly user]

I had a guitar with an X2N and Super 2... awesome! The Super 2 is one of the best high output pups to use in the neck, IMO. It's also good for the bridge, from what I've been told, but I've never used it there. It's a little on the bright side, and I dig brighter pups in the neck, so it worked well for me. I also love the Duncan Jazz neck because it's brighter, but it's lower output than the Super 2.

A regular Super Distortion or Super 3 paired up with a Super 2 is also a good choice.

how is that set up for cleans i can just roll back the tone knob if its to harse right...... i want creamy cleans from the neck dammit......... i dig the high gain but sometimes you gotta mellow out, right?

[kelly user]

the gibson pick- ups that come stock in the explorer are pretty bad ass those things are HOT!!!!

[sakeido]

the gibson pick- ups that come stock in the explorer are pretty bad ass those things are HOT!!!!

I played my buddy's explorer New Century through my mesa and I definitely agree with you. They sound great! but hard to find..

[CharvelRocker]

BTW if you're interested in what an 85 in the bridge sounds like, listen No More Tears by Ozzy

[MountainDog]

Decent price on JB/Jazz set:

http://cgi.ebay.com/SEYMOUR-DUNCAN-JAZZ-NECK-AND-JB-TREMBUCKER-SET_W0QQitemZ220067796413QQihZ012QQcategoryZ41430QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[toejam]

how is that set up for cleans i can just roll back the tone knob if its to harse right...... i want creamy cleans from the neck dammit......... i dig the high gain but sometimes you gotta mellow out, right?

They sound pretty good clean if you're on a dedicated clean channel. If you're using a single channel amp and want to roll back your volume control to clean it up a little, it might not be so great since they're pretty hot pickups.
Though, since they're very hot pickups, they will sound closer to a single coil when split/tapped off of a mini switch or push/pull pot.

[sl2lover]

Don't switch out the EMG's!! Duncans suck compared to them!! Just slap in a 60 or get some effects running!! Get an eq to spice it up like someone else said!! Or get another amp!! Maybe you just need to put in a new 9volt battery too?? A dead one will kill your sound!!

[sakeido]

Add effects to my rig? Never.
This was mostly to try and get a more unique sound, since almost every metal band since the mid-90s has used EMG pickups through a mesa rectifier and it is just is a total staple of the genre now.

I'm going to try switching the 81 and 85 tonight and I'm probably going to look into changing my recto for an orange, engl or marshall now.

[AfterForever]

I don't like Duncans.. I'm a dual EMG 81 guy.. or! try dual Dimarzio Evolutions.. can't go wrong with that.

[sl2lover]

Add effects to my rig? Never.
This was mostly to try and get a more unique sound, since almost every metal band since the mid-90s has used EMG pickups through a mesa rectifier and it is just is a total staple of the genre now.

I'm going to try switching the 81 and 85 tonight and I'm probably going to look into changing my recto for an orange, engl or marshall now.

Try a Rivera if you have any in your area!!

[kelly user]

They sound pretty good clean if you're on a dedicated clean channel. If you're using a single channel amp and want to roll back your volume control to clean it up a little, it might not be so great since they're pretty hot pickups.
Though, since they're very hot pickups, they will sound closer to a single coil when split/tapped off of a mini switch or push/pull pot.

well lets say i do have a clean channel, which i do, are we talking like 60 in the neck good or 81 in the bridge good, i want creamy, actually milky would be even better


those coil taps where do i get them at are they prices, and how hard are they to install im a when it comes to ol' solder gun

[sakeido]

I don't think you can coil tap a EMG. If you want to use your neck pickup try a 89.. it has a single coil and a dual coil in the same pickup! Sounds cool, but I can't really personally vouch for one.

If you are bent on coil taps you need to get four conductor passives which I think seymour duncan offers for all of their pickups.