EMG hate

[hammeron]

Why so much hate for EMG active pickups. Reaction here (and elsewhere) to them seems to be tantamount to farting in a reception line to see the Queen.

I just picked up a stunning CU24. It has a set of EMG 89s in it (their double coil/single version of the 85). It was a huge bargain (probably because of the EMGs) and I was all prepared to yank them out immediately upon receiving it, but I plugged it in and gave it a test drive...and I didn't hate them at all. I should say here that I am NOT a metal head by any definition. My lead tone does use a lot of overdrive, but it's more to get a sustaining violin quality. I really loved the added sustain, and although a little more ragged in the distortion area, backing off the amp gain helps that.

But the big surprise, and the reason I'm really thinking of hanging on to these, are the single coil tone. When clean, these things just sparkle...damn near Tele like. I've never cared a whiff about the coil-tapping setting for any of the PRS pickups I've had, but I'm over the moon with these 89's.

So what am I missing? Is it the battery. I used to own a Gibson RD Artist; it wasn't the end of the world. Is it the horrible tone that the metal hordes spew forth? I agree, but Homey don't play that. I know the decision is ultimately mine, but I'm curious if I'm missing something:dontknow:

 

[vchizzle]

Totally a taste thing. EMG's work great for some people. I find them sterile and not dynamic enough for how I play. I ride my guitar volume knob a lot to tame my full on heavy distortion tone and that's where I find EMG's don't perform an act the way I want them to for what I want to hear. There are plenty of people who use them and get great tones. If you like 'em and they work for you, don't worry about the hate.

 

[swede71]

I think the DG-20 set for strats is absolutely fantastic.Ok perhaps don't sound like a 50 or 60 s stratpickup but the versatility is great.Especially the mid boost I love.And no hum.Great pickups!

 

[Suppalak Klabdee]

I have 2 guitars equipped with EMG 81-85 set and both are great for what I use them for, i.e. Metallica and beyond.

For others, I prefer my PRSis

 

[TroyBaer]

I think the DG-20 set for strats is absolutely fantastic.Ok perhaps don't sound like a 50 or 60 s stratpickup but the versatility is great.Especially the mid boost I love.And no hum.Great pickups!

The only Strats I've ever been able to bond with over the long term were ones that had a DG20 or something similar in them.

 

[sleary]

The Emg james Hetfield set is one of the best pickups out there imo. They roll off nicely, organic mids and the low end is unreal. Contrary to popular belief, these eggs sound like a passive pickup and very close to the prs m pickups. Only draw back is no coil split however you can put an out of phase on them. Wish Emg had more coil splits but only have one humbucker set so far.

No hate here at all....

 

[ChrisCst22]

My opinion, why people tend to scoff at the idea of EMG's in a PRS, is the notion that the sound of EMG's tend to pickup a lot more of the strings themselves than the woods of the guitar. Many people have said they sound very similar regardless of being in mahogany, alder, or basswood. Since your typically paying good money for a PRS which is using high grade tonewoods, as oppose to the say, the lower end lines from a company like Ibanez or ESP LTD, people tend to use passive pickups which are thought to pickup string and woods evenly.

I'm not saying they're right, I'm not saying they're wrong, just what I have heard with my ear from a community of musicians for well over 10 years.

 

[hammeron]

..Since your typically paying good money for a PRS which is using high grade tonewoods, as oppose to the say, the lower end lines from a company like Ibanez or ESP LTD, people tend to use passive pickups which are thought to pickup string and woods evenly.

The wood looks pretty nice on this one

 

[László]

This may be a little off topic but I had a very nice Modulus bass equipped with EMGs and it sounded very clear and also very woody.

A lot lot of folks aren't crazy about active pickups but then again some engineers love dynamic mics and others won't use anything but a condenser. Different strokes.

 

[Pfloyd57]

Along the lines of what Les said, I have EMGs in my Steinberger, and they give me a wide range of tones. Wouldn't think of swapping them out.

 

[gwardealy]

i like them in my strat. they have great response. i wouldnt put them in my PSR because I like the way it sounds already. Battery can be pain...have to unplug the guitar...not always sure if it's losing power. and a pain under the pickguard, but i can deal with that. here's a short clip of one sound i like from them....the strat is in the bridge/middle position. The strat is a late 80s Deluxe Strat Plus.

 

[jimistephen]

Love them and the new 66/57 set sounds like a hot PAF passive set, they're awesome.

 

[hammeron]

i like them in my strat. they have great response. i wouldnt put them in my PSR because I like the way it sounds already. Battery can be pain...have to unplug the guitar...not always sure if it's losing power. and a pain under the pickguard, but i can deal with that. here's a short clip of one sound i like from them....the strat is in the bridge/middle position. The strat is a late 80s Deluxe Strat Plus.

Great tone...EXCELLENT style :adore:

 

[mojo1fan]

i like them in my strat. they have great response. i wouldnt put them in my PSR because I like the way it sounds already. Battery can be pain...have to unplug the guitar...not always sure if it's losing power. and a pain under the pickguard, but i can deal with that. here's a short clip of one sound i like from them....the strat is in the bridge/middle position. The strat is a late 80s Deluxe Strat Plus.

I have an old FrankenStrat with three single coils out of an EMG Steve Lukather set. My tremolo is blocked down, so I crammed the battery in the trem pocket.

Great clip BTW.

 

[Dizzyg12]

I put 81/85 in my Sant....er...frankentana. I would agree that they are a bit sterile, but I use it for the Metallica and other angry white music tones. To be honest I am about to trade it in and get try to get a tremonti Se custom because I don't okay a lot of that style anymore and figure if I'm going to drop a couple hundred on pickups I might as well spend the extra and get a new guitar lol

 

[Rich2016]

i'm new to the forum, not sure what the sentiment around here is regarding EMG but if you like 'em, leave 'em in for a while. Some say they sound the same in every guitar, but I think it's similar to any other pickup which would have general characteristics that shine through no matter the guitar. I've played ESP for years and always gravitated to EMGs...even though most had the 81 (18 volt mod) in the bridge, they all sounded different due to wood, construction, bridge, etc.

In the end i'd just go with what you like. If the EMGs sound good to you, just leave them because you may wind up not liking what you swap them for.
I picked up two PRS recently (SC 58 and Custom 24 10-top) and while my favorite passive and one of my favorite pickups of all time is the 57/08, I didn't gel with the VB/HFS in my Custom so I actually sent the guitar off to the PTC for a swap for my EMG het set along with some other minor work.

 

[sleary]

If Emg would split the het set, they'd be in all my guitars...

 

[ecalcagnino]

Seek out an EMG 57/66 set. They are incredibly versatile and very dynamic. There are some great clips on YouTube.

 

[solacematt]

In a PRS it just doesn't make sense. As someone else mentioned, you are paying for a good piece of wood that is voiced and paired with particular pickups to match it. It isn't like an ESP, LTD, Jackson, Epiphone, Fender, Squier where they pretty much use the same thing in everything. Though recently I have to question PRS using pretty much the same two pickups in everything. I highly doubt that those one or two sets just happen to work for all of these other guitars that are very different. The only reason to stick an EMG in a PRS that I can see is just that you've always used it in other guitars, love the sound and want it in your ridiculously comfortable PRS

 

[sleary]

So let me get this straight... Emg pickups all sound the same in every guitar? So putting active pickups in basses makes them all sound the same?