RR 24 users (sound thing)

[sonicsamurai]

does anyone else here, think that RR24s sound really choppy and abit buzzsaw? i love the way mine plays and everything, but i have so much trouble getting any mid range out of it, and i find it difficult to do fast leads becuase the sound is so bight and choppy, i keep fucking with my eq on my marshall (which normally sounds quite befy and mid rangey even with my strat) but it seems to make very litle difference to the sound. I know floyds are very bright sounding anyway, but the emg is just all scoop it seems , and the two together compound each other it seems. the wierd thing is if i play through my line out into my pc, rather than through my 4 x 12, i have a shit load of mid range?? should that happen?? i wonder if it might be the cab....

Anyone else notice this? / got round it?/ thoughts?

[drockilles]

IMO the 81 has a naturally scooped sound. If you want more mids throw an 85 in there instead.

[Tho]

It could be the speakers indeed, but I think it's the EMG in your RR24. Like drockilles said, you could try a 85 instead of the 81. You can also try to put a second 9 volt battery in your guitar for some more headroom and punch. I love mine by the way. Very thight sound and no feedback at al. Mixes fine in the band too.

But nothing beats a SD JB

[Sunbane]

The EMG-81 is a really poor bridge pickup, especially when going straight into an amp with no other effects. Like the guys said; replace it with an EMG-85, or a Duncan Distortion, and you'll have a good guitar sound again.

[Drake S.]

I 2nd that ever since the 85 came out , I've been putting an 85 in the bridge & an 81 in the neck. Only other bridge pup I've used latley is the Dimebucker from Duncan.

[blackendvampire]

Heres what I found with my RR24, I was playing Les Pauls for the longest time. They have really muddy pickups, but I didnt know that, so to compensate on my amp, I would put the midrange really high like 2 o clock, and the bass at like 11 o clock and the highs at 1 o clock. Sounded great for the les paul. But when I tried my RR24 it was shrill with too much pick attack. Solution. I crank the bass up to 1 o clock, shoot mids down to 12 o clock, and highs down to 11 o clock. Its perfect for me now. I find the 81 to not so much be scooped sounding. Its just very high pitched, it forces you to play cleaner, which i am now very used to, and i like that I can plug into any amp and get the one I want with just a bit of EQ adjustment, and a gain pedal.

[Maximum_Crunch]

I pulled the 81 out, and put an 85 in it. Now it is perfection. Sounds really good through my v3 which is a mid heavy amp anyway.

[toejam]

What speakers are in your cabinet? If you've got G12T-75s, then they're also scooped in the mids.

[blackendvampire]

Dont do it. I thought my RR24 was a bit thin sounding at first too. Its not. The EMG 81 is designed as the ultimate bridge pickup. It is actually quite flat and very very responsive. The trick I found was to actually boost your bass up to about 1 o clock, mids to 12 and treb to 11 or 10. It will be nice and bassy, then turn down your gain to about 1, turn your volume to 10, then turn your gain up until its loud, then you will have good tone pretty much no matter what. The only thing is. When you play like this you have to be extremely clean, anything you screw up on will be noticed quickly. But the dynamics will come out. You dont have to do the gain and volume thing, I just do that because I like pushing the power section of the amp, it sounds better to me. But yes, if you find you cannot do this, this guitar is not for you, this guitar is for the player who relies more on their hands than their gear, thats why this guitar is so transparent, I can hear my hands on the wood when I play it, that is somthing truly special.

[Sunbane]

The EMG 81 is designed as the ultimate bridge pickup.

:ROTF: :ROTF:

[markD]

:ROTF: :ROTF:

yeah...that's what i said..."ultimate"...hmmmm

[minh80]

EMG 81's do sound thin from my experiences. You can change your settings on your amp to better the sound, but its very difficult to shape the tone of the 81 as the 85 is much more of a full sounding pickup than the 81 in my opinion. I find the 85 easier to work with on any type of setting.

[blackendvampire]

yeah...that's what i said..."ultimate"...hmmmm

Thats what it said on an EMG ad or somthing I remember. I love that pickup though and Ive had bill laurence, duncans, dimarzios, and even custom wound ones from a local guy here at summit guitars. Nothing can beat EMG for me, I havent tried an 85, but im sure its great, I just love the voicing of the 81. I also love my HZ's in my ESP MH 250. HZ's scream, and their passive. IMO HZ's are like passive 81's. Just not quite as responsive, but a similar sound and feel.

[3nz]

oh dude you need to try the SD Blackouts....EMG's with mojo baby!!

[charvel750]

Everyone has their opinions, and pickups are not the only factor in your ultimate end sound/tone, but the EMG-81 is a fantastic pickup, and excellent for metal and rock, no doubt.