Someone tell me what I should do...

[RobRR]

You can never go wrong with a set of EMG's. While it takes other guys trying 2, 3, 4 or more pickups to find one they like, EMG's are one and done!

[ZZB]

+1 for 85 in the bridge!

[xenophobe]

18v EMG 85 is the best. Love the tone, add the 2nd 9v and you get rid of the clipping... dark and sparkly. lol

[METAL MANIAC]

If you want serious Metal Tones you need to try old school SD Heavy Metal LiveWires (18Volt system)............nuff said.............

[xenophobe]

I've had the Live Wires and I couldn't stand them. 18v on EMGs just gives you more headroom, it doesn't make them more brutal, it opens them up a little more so they don't clip so much.

[Grim]

If you want serious metal tones... Grim said y'all better go with bareknuckles

[xenophobe]

If you want serious metal tones... Grim said y'all better go with bareknuckles

I'll give them a try.

[METAL MANIAC]

I've had the Live Wires and I couldn't stand them. 18v on EMGs just gives you more headroom, it doesn't make them more brutal, it opens them up a little more so they don't clip so much.

Each to their own....The SD HM Live Wires are heads above the EMG with 18 volt mod in my opinion.

[xenophobe]

Each to their own....The SD HM Live Wires are heads above the EMG with 18 volt mod in my opinion.

They're two completely different things. If you want to try to get Live Wire tone out of EMGs, you wouldn't add the extra battery, you'd take it out and then you'd add a PA2 or AB.

Maybe the Live Wires are better now. I owned them when they first came out.

[METAL MANIAC]

They're two completely different things. If you want to try to get Live Wire tone out of EMGs, you wouldn't add the extra battery, you'd take it out and then you'd add a PA2 or AB.

Maybe the Live Wires are better now. I owned them when they first came out.

Well don't get me wrong The Live Wires are a one trick pony but nothing is better than them for metal...the only way they will half-way clean up is with the volume knob OFF and yes I do mean off you can still hear the guitar through the amp even with the volume knob off. It is not just the sheer gain that I love but also the voicing of the pickup to me is just killer...there again everyone's taste is different. SD claims the new Blackouts Metal are the same but that is not true not even close...............MM