Anyone Using a EMG 81or 85 In Bridge of Your SL1

[BSHARP]

I'm wondering if I should try the EMG pups in my HSS soloist and curious to know how they would compare with the TB-4. [img]/images/graemlins/eviltongue.gif[/img]

[Greg Crowe]

Re: Anyone Using a EMG 81or 85 In Bridge of Your SL1

I have both and both kill! The 85 sounds brigher while the 81 sounds more low/deep/mean. Comparing either EMG pickup to a Duncan JB is like comparing a Chevy Corvette to a Chevy Cavalier.

[Number Of The Priest]

Re: Anyone Using a EMG 81or 85 In Bridge of Your

Let me say this first: TONE IS SUBJECTIVE.

Now that THAT'S out of the way, I find the EMG-81 and EMG-85 OPPOSITE in tonal characteristics to what Greg Crowe describes, but those are just my ears. Mileage may vary! Go with your OWN ears. Try both pickups and pick the better one for YOU! I've had experience with both pickups along with the EMG-89 and EMG-S. I have my opinions about each one and each pickup suits different needs.

[xenophobe]

Re: Anyone Using a EMG 81or 85 In Bridge of Your

Yeah, the 81 is very clean and sterile, though it can get a solid crunch... the 81 is best suited for heavy processing, IMO, like through a rack of effects. The 85 is dark, growly and very distorted, and sounds much more brutal plugged directly into a good tube amp.

Personally, the 85 more suited as a bridge pickup, even though most people put it in the neck.

[axeman81]

Re: Anyone Using a EMG 81or 85 In Bridge of Your

whatever you say, whatever subjective tonal differences let me just say this:
the 85 can NOT be described as brighter than the 81 under ANY circumstance; UNLESS you HEAVILY changed woods/amp settings/tuning/hearing ability/[insert more erratic choices here]

Sorry for the "doc dryer", but I strongly feel to get my point across here as I've done a fair share of first-hand experimenting on the subject.
Also I'd like to add that you should assert what music style you want to play before you change pups, if you want to do rock/metal with plenty overdrive, going for actives will probably make you happy, but if you want to roll back and do more classic and cleaner rock sounds with less distortion, I'd say you might wanna try a few more passive pups.
That's not to say EMG's are bad for clean sounds, they are actually great, but some pups do some things better than others...there will always be some kind of compromise if you're playing more than just one style.

And at last, remember there are so many variables in achieving a certain tone, some of them include: string gauge, pick size, pick style/attack, palm mutes vs open strings, instrument woods, amp settings, effects, eq, etc. etc. the list is endless.

Good luck,

-Rune.

[slayer]

Re: Anyone Using a EMG 81or 85 In Bridge of Your

No way the 81 is deeper sounding than the 85, isn`t possible as they are voiced way differently. I agree, 85 straight into a good amp, 81 with peddels and effects and I only use bridge pickups. Jack.

[OnlineStageGear]

Re: Anyone Using a EMG 81or 85 In Bridge of Your

I had both and played them side-by-side for over a year and definately prefer the 81/85 combo over the TB4. The 81 may be a bit brighter than some like, but I am in no way going for the Death Metal growl sound. I think the only place an 81 may be a bit lacking is with a clean sound, but as soon as you kick in some Chorus or switch to Distortion the 81 really comes alive. I won't knock the TB4, it is a great pickup and I probably would have been perfectly happy leaving the TB4 in.

Matt

[Jim Shine]

Re: Anyone Using a EMG 81or 85 In Bridge of Your

I have and have had a few Soloists with EMG's and my favorite setup so far is the 81/SV/SV system.

[MOSHWITZ]

Re: Anyone Using a EMG 81or 85 In Bridge of Your

i have an 81 running at 18 volts in the bridge of my 91 skully SL1, it kicks ass. i would however swap an 85 into it if i had a spare, i dig them both over a TB4 anyday,,,,but tone is subjective so, Y.M.M.V.
MOSH ON
DAVE

[sambencuda]

Re: Anyone Using a EMG 81or 85 In Bridge of Your

When the limited chlorine SL2T gets here, I plan on swapping the 81 and the 85 so that the 85 is in the bridge. I'm curious to here it running 18 volts.

If I can get my sound card to work again, I'll create a new post when I get it and record some samples of the 81 in the bridge and then the 85 in the bridge. Should make for an interesting comparison.

[xenophobe]

Re: Anyone Using a EMG 81or 85 In Bridge of Your

EMGs definitely sound the best in 18v config. That's how I have my Custom KV set up... 85b/81n 18v.

[lantz_c]

Re: Anyone Using a EMG 81or 85 In Bridge of Your

I have an 85 in the bridge position on an old Larrivee electric, it has a really nice fat mid rangy sound to my ears. I much prefer the 85s sound in the bridge position over the Duncan JB. The EMG 85 is a great pickup for classic metal/old school thrash tone.

[YetAnotherOne]

Re: Anyone Using a EMG 81or 85 In Bridge of Your

I had an 81/SA/SA/EXG/SPC setup in my Fusion for a while and loved it. I'm in the process of moving it to a Soloist.

[Number Of The Priest]

Re: Anyone Using a EMG 81or 85 In Bridge of Your

Okay, I can picture the EMG-81 in use with the SPC to make it fatter. But, alone, to me, it doesn't quite cut it. But your setup is cool, very David Gilmour like and super-versatile.

Some of you have heard me talking about using the EMG-81 for cleans. I did use it for exceptional cleans. It was quite amazing at it, actually. And it's supposed to be a high-gain lead guitarist's searing pickup. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] Meh!!! [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[ZuliaArmy]

Re: Anyone Using a EMG 81or 85 In Bridge of Your

I've never tried the EMG 85 in the bridge position, but in the neck. I'd love to, though. The 81 has been my bridge pickup of choice since the first time I tried it!