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**toejam** · 12-13-2003, 12:27 PM

Re: favourite EMG matchup?

My first guitar with EMGs was an alder Dinky Reverse which I recently sold. It had the 81b/85n. It sounded nice, but I think I would have liked it better with the pickups reversed, which I never got around to doing. Since I've gotten older, I find a darker bridge pup works better with a brighter neck pup so they can sound better switching between the two without having to mess with my amp settings. My poplar string-thru Dinky has the 85b/60n, and I really love that one!! My Hamer has the chrome 25th anniversary 81 set, and that is really awesome, too, but it sounds darker than the Jacksons since it's mahogany. I think the lighter body woods like poplar, alder, swamp ash sound better with the warmer 85 in the bridge and the brigher 81 or 60 in the neck. Then again, you can't go wrong with any EMG in either position... it's all a matter of taste for the individual.

BTW, I play metal along the lines of Slayer, Overkill, old Metallica, Megadeth, Flotsam & Jetsam, The Haunted, etc.

**yabba** · 12-13-2003, 07:15 PM

Re: favourite EMG matchup?

I'll chime in on this thread too; I'm trying to decide what to put in my new soloist (it's a single hum model from 1988); the jackson pickup that's in it now isn't bad, but after spending most of my playing time lately on guitars with EMGs (a soloist with an 81, SA, SA combo; and a 7-string with dual 707s), it's seeming a bit lacking.

I really like the responsiveness and 'bite' of the EMGs, but I'm not necessarily set on them (or on actives at all, for that matter). I've been kinda leaning towards an EMG 85, what would people recommend? (keeping in mind that since this is a single pickup guitar, something that's at least a little versatile might be nice, cleans won't be a priority, but decent cleans would be good) Any good non-EMG suggestions would be great too [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

Toejam's list of bands up there would probably be a good one for what I'll be doing with this guitar too.

**metafaza** · 12-13-2003, 07:38 PM

Re: favourite EMG matchup?

My current setup on my Soloist SL2H is 81b/60n. In he neck position, before the 60, I had 85. I wanted something less bassy. I'm going to try 85 in the bridge position in the future, I'm sure it's going to sound good. I'll see if I like it.
On my other guitar I have 81b/Sm/81n. I like the sound of the single coil in the middle, however it is overpowered by the 81s. I think that 81 are superb for overdrive sounds, they are a bit too sterile for cleans, my opinion anyway. 60 is a great sounding pickup both overdriven and not. One of these days I'm going to put it in the bridge position and see what happens.

**Number Of The Priest** · 12-13-2003, 07:45 PM

Re: favourite EMG matchup?

On my rosewood-on-maple necked alder bodied KE3, I've got an EMG-89 in the neck, splittable with the single push-pull volume pot, and an EMG-85 in the bridge. I use this guitar for all the styles of music I play... versatility heaven, both the cleans and crunch tones I need. This guitar seems to see a lot of Iron Maiden action though. [img]graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]

On my rosewood-on-maple necked basswood bodied RG560, I've got an EMG-81 in the bridge and two EMG-S single coils in the remaining positions, as well as an EMG-EXG Guitar Expander control replacing the tone control. The tone of this guitar is fine, but it's not what I was looking for exactly, especially the bridge EMG-81. The crunch tones for the EMG-81 sound more "processed" than the "organic" tone of the KE3's EMG-85, but I can get a wicked "Painkiller" era Judas Priest sound out of it, which is a style and sound I don't usually play to.

For the ultimate in versatility: Three EMG-89s with their own volume push-pull pots.

**axeman81** · 12-13-2003, 09:40 PM

Re: favourite EMG matchup?

hey guys,

thanks for the input! and btw, great taste in music [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]
now, do you feel the 85 is too "fat"/"bassy" for the bridge in a mahogany body, toejam? I thought mahogany guitars were pretty lightweighted, like the SLS I've been raving about! I suppose you might've meant the density of the wood...

For the neck I'm leaning towards either 89 or 60, with the 89 it seems like I can have my cake and eat it too, with the push/pull switch toggling hum/single [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

Now, with the 89 running in humbucker mode is it just the same as a 85? It says on EMG's website that the 89 is "modeled" after 85...so I suppose there might be a difference in there..... [img]graemlins/scratchhead.gif[/img]

ah, decisions decisions! [img]graemlins/evilimages/icons/tongue.gif[/img]
I should just get one guitar per possible EMG combo that way I might get some sleep at night! [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

- Rune.

**Number Of The Priest** · 12-13-2003, 10:10 PM

Re: favourite EMG matchup?

The EMG-89 is an EMG-85 and and EMG-SA, two bonafide pickups in one housing. This is what makes this pickup so appealing to me, especially in the neck position where I can never decide whether I want a guitar with a neck single coil or a neck humbucker... this pickup solves the problem!

Or you can do what you said in your last sentence and get one guitar per different combination. [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img] More realistically, buy ALL of the latest EMGs since they are now equipped with the Quick-Connect cable things, and try out all the combinations since swapping pickups will be quick and easy. Then, sell off the pickups you don't need, or return them to the store if they'll let you! [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

**Number Of The Priest** · 12-13-2003, 10:14 PM

Re: favourite EMG matchup?

Wait... I think the EMG-89 has a different wiring scheme than the other EMG pickups since it's quite the different pickup itself... this is if I remember the wiring diagram correctly... my tech threw out all the packaging after he installed my pickups for me.

**RR_1525** · 12-13-2003, 10:18 PM

Re: favourite EMG matchup?

I have an 81\85 combo in my 750XL and an 85\85 combo in my RR. I like both setups and I think you would definately be happy with the 85\85.

**StuTDavis** · 12-13-2003, 11:05 PM

Re: favourite EMG matchup?

The EMG-81, from everything I ever read and saw, was always the most commonly used EMG bridge pickup used in thrash. Though the bands above themselves didn't all necessarily use EMG-81s, it was kind of a common standard, in both rhythm and lead. If you have a good setup and like the EMG sound, it's kinda hard to go way wrong with the 81. It should give you that really tight, cutting, hard-edged sound that thrash was all about.

However, if your guitar is a REALLY bright guitar, and/or if your amp setup blares out a thinner kinda sound already, then you might want to consider the 85 to beef it up a little. I have dual 81s in all of my dual-hum guitars, aside from my newer Carvin--its stockers do a bangup job on some particular stuff I play.

If you're talking about versatility, you can't really go completely wrong with either, it just depends on what kind of general sound you want in that versatility, and the general sound overall. Just ask yourself a few questions... If you need really mellow, more Santana or Vai/Satch kinda sound and/or leads, the 85 might do a better job for you. If you want the most screaming, cutting leads, the 81 would probably be the better choice. If you want spanky, bright cleans go with the 81, if you want more mellow, rounded cleans go with the 85. If you play other stuff that needs a really fast attack sound and high articulation with a tight edge, you might want to go with the 81. If you play more stuff that needs a tad of bluesy edge on it, you might want to consider the 85. That kinda stuff. It's just a general difference in the sound, you just have to think what your overall tendencies/needs are sound-wise, and pick the one that more closely relates to those general characteristics.

Stu

**Sunbane** · 12-14-2003, 07:29 AM

Re: favourite EMG matchup?

I currently use an 85(b) and a 58(n) in my Rhoads, and an 81 in my Mahogany Flying V.

I agree that the 81 is very "thrashy". If you're looking for the sort of sound Hetfield had on Justice, that's the pickup to use. It has a flat frequency curve (low mids), but the best thing is the super-tight low end. It's also very clean despite the high output - each string sound is well defined and clear, whereas with other pickups you'll get more of a mushy "wall of noise" type of sound. The 81 sounds absolutely killer in my Flying V. I mainly use it for downtuned stuff, and the pickup is ideal for this.

The 85 is more versatile in my opinion. It still works for heavier thrash/death type stuff, since it also has that tight, well defined lower register. It is voiced differently than the 81 tho', and will let you do great heavy metal and hard rock tones. It is not as clean as the 81 in my opinion, and will sound a little closer to a Duncan pickup.

A favorite of mine is the 58 - precursor to the 85. I currently use it in the neck position and it's superb for both clean sounds and leads. People say it sounds a lot like "a P90 on steroids".

'bane

**toejam** · 12-14-2003, 02:14 PM

Re: favourite EMG matchup?

Cool. I'll have to check one out one day. Hopefully they make that one now with the quick disconnect cable, too! [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

**Sunbane** · 12-14-2003, 05:04 PM

Re: favourite EMG matchup?

I just checked it out and yes, there is a noticeable difference in noise level. It does hum a bit more - I guess I just never paid any attention to it. =P

'bane

**toejam** · 12-15-2003, 01:01 AM

Re: favourite EMG matchup?

Originally posted by Sunbane:
A favorite of mine is the 58 - precursor to the 85. I currently use it in the neck position and it's superb for both clean sounds and leads. People say it sounds a lot like "a P90 on steroids".

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I've heard that about the 58 and have always wanted to try one. I know EMG will still make it in the custom shop, so maybe I'll order one some day. EMG also says it was a little noisy like the single coil P-90 pups and that's why they made the 85. Do you experience any extra noise or hum with it?

**Sunbane** · 12-15-2003, 01:55 AM

Re: favourite EMG matchup?

Originally posted by toejam:
I've heard that about the 58 and have always wanted to try one. I know EMG will still make it in the custom shop, so maybe I'll order one some day. EMG also says it was a little noisy like the single coil P-90 pups and that's why they made the 85. Do you experience any extra noise or hum with it?

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Not that I've noticed, but I usually play in my room - next to the computer - and I get a lot of intereference there from all the electrical equipment, so it's hard to notice a difference. If there is one, it's certainly not big.

However, back when I got my first guitar with an EMG in it (also a 58), I noticed that my guitar was somewhat more noisy than my co-guitarist's Ibanez (which had the 81/85 combo). In return, my Vantage had a much fatter tone though, but I don't know if that was due to the pickup, the miswiring (250k pots instead of 25k) or anything else. [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

Whenever I talk to that guy now, he will always talk about it. "Do you still have that Vantage? Man, the tone that guitar had!" [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

I'm reluctant to do any extensive sound testing with my 58 though, because all my EMG's are the old kind, without the quick connect cables. Soldering isn't quite that fun. [img]graemlins/baby.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

'bane

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