EMG 81 or 85

[wulfe13]

I'm want to go with EMG's in my Charvel model 6 or in my Jackson Pro when it arrives. I'm gonna go SA/SA/81 or 85. What is the main difference between these 2? I have always liked the sound of an 85 but it seems everyone is using these in the neck position on HH guitars. Why? Which do you think would sound better? I like a wide range of styles...

[straycat]

Re: EMG 81 or 85

IMO 81 neck 85 bridge is the way to go.The 85 has more bottom end and more mids.81s are great in a 1 hum guitar.I have installed this combo on Les Pauls and put the 81 in the bridge and 85 in the neck and IMO again I thought it sounded like ass but thats what the customer wanted.If you play a wide range of styles and need a combo that can do what you need maybe try a duncan JB,59 or Jazz in the neck and a duncan distortion,custom or custom 5,in the bridge these combinations cover a very wide range and work very well together.

[ June 24, 2004, 05:16 AM: Message edited by: Richard ]

[Brad]

Re: EMG 81 or 85

Hey Matt~

I agree with Richard. I put an 85 in the bridge of my 3A with a 60 in the neck and realy couldn't ask for a better combo/sound.

[Immortal]

Re: EMG 81 or 85

Hm, I haven't tried 85 in the bridge yet, but I have 81 in bridge and 85 in neck. For me it's a nice combination.

Speaking about the brightness of 81, you can tweak it a bit and get good rough tones out of it.

IMO the differences are very small, but some people have the ear to notice them, and some don't.
I must admit, 81 is more tighty on the bottoms, and 85 is for lower sounds, but I won't resolder them and replace in a short period.

Here are some numeric specs if that helps:

EMG 81/85 (values are separated with slash for each pickups):

</font><ul type="square">[*]<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Resonant frequency (kHz): 2.25/2.55</font>[*]<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Peak output voltage: 3.55/3.0</font>[*]<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">RMS output voltage: 1.25/1.00</font>[*]<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Ouput noise: -91dBV/-89dBV</font>[/list]<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">
I hope this helps and that this is correct. I have them written on a paper, so I am not sure if they're accurate.

If numbers mean anything to you, then judge pickups by them, but I would rather go and listen each pickup.
Good for those, who have quik-connect cables ... But I like my oldschool pickups more. [img]graemlins/evilimages/icons/tongue.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[toejam]

Re: EMG 81 or 85

Yep, 85 bridge with either an 81 or 60 in the neck. I just had a ZW set put in my Les Paul Studio (it's all mahogany, including the carved top) and the 85 rules in the bridge with the 81 in the neck. The 85 is bright enough, the 81 would be too bright. I've got the 25th anniversary chrome 81 set in my Hamer, and the 81 in the bridge is definitely a little too bright for my tastes.

[CZSER]

Re: EMG 81 or 85

It's been already disscused, use "search" function.
BTW There are many 81-&gt;85 "converters" @ JCF
Consider 89 also, It has same 85 sound but single coil split ability

[wulfe13]

Re: EMG 81 or 85

Thanks guys, I was wanting to go with an SA/SA/85 setup but I keep finding SA/SA/81 setups available. Well I'll see what I can find. Thanks again.

[delt]

Re: EMG 81 or 85

what does "SA" stand for?

[Sancho]

Re: EMG 81 or 85

I've always used 81s in both positions, and was mighty pleased with them.
The 85 in the neck position was waaaaay too woolly for me, and in the bridge I felt it lacked the attack of an 81.
I'm currently fasing out EMGs in favour of Seymours and DiMarzios. I like the addded warmth of the passives, but NOTHING has the definition of an EMG 81, so I'm pretty sure they'll find their way back into my setup.

[straycat]

Re: EMG 81 or 85

If you run across an EMG set HI/HI/81 grab it.I used this set up in a model six and it screamed when pushed hard but very articulate when the vol was rolled back.To me EMGs get kind of mushy when you back them down, not this set it was by far the best I've found so far.

[Immortal]

Re: EMG 81 or 85

Originally posted by delt:
what does "SA" stand for?

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">EMG's SA and S models are singles. SA has an alnico magnet bar, S has a ceramic one.

[SITHV]

Re: EMG 81 or 85

Hey I just got 2 steinbergers, with H/S/H set up

I put a 81 in the neck & bridge , & on the second I got the Zakk set up. I haven't set this one up yet I was curious about the 81 neck 85 bridge deal myself. I thought the 81 was suppose to go in the bridge? I got SAs for the mid pup on both.
If somebody can host pics I have them before the EMGs.

Oh forgot these are the steinberger spirit guitas not the USA models.

[fuel0707]

Re: EMG 81 or 85

If you really want a wide range of tones, you might want to consider an 89 in the bridge and having a push-pull pot put in for either a volume or tone control. That way, you could have a single-coil sort of sound available from the bridge pickup in addition to the regular humbucker tone. My Valley Arts originally came this way and I thought it worked out pretty well.

[ApeDosMil]

Re: EMG 81 or 85

On the EMGInc.com they have the 81 and the 85 at bridge clips.

[Immortal]

Re: EMG 81 or 85

DRAKE, send your picture to [email protected], I'll host them for you.