Jivin Posted September 9, 2004 Report Share Posted September 9, 2004 Hi, Sometime in the near future ill get having my 'dream' guitar built by Ormsby Guitars, however im having a -lot- of trouble selecting pickups. I've done my best to get around town an listen to all of the pickups im interested in at guitar shops, but ive come up a bit short, and its really getting difficult! I play primarly metal music, however for band im playing in and my interests also require me to be able to muck around with clean sounds too, but we arent talking anything too amazing, just nice Same deal with a snappy blues sound. Basically, its a superstrat style guitar with the a mahogany body and carved maple cap, and im after a hum-sing-hum arrangement. Up until a few days ago I was certain (well as certain as you can be without hearing the bridge pickup) that i was going for a Dimebucker in the bridge, Custom Staggered in the middle and a Jazz in the neck. Ive heard the Jazz and the Custom Staggered in the positions I want and I liked what i heard... but unfortunately I havent been able to hear the Dimebucker... which is really ticking me off cause the bridge pickup would be my main pickup. I also love the idea of a set of EMG's, but my only worry has been how the clean sounds and neck pickup measures up. ahhh im sorry for such a long pointless post so ill sum up quickly: EMG 81/SA/??? or Dimebucker/Custom Staggered/Jazz the ??? in the EMG setup is cause im not sure what neck pickup... i havent managed to play anything by the 81 in the neck position, and im really worried the 85 will be too bassy and muddy in the neck position. What about the 60? Im desperate for opinions from some of you guys out there who've had significant experience with differnet pickups in this genre... i know there is at least a few of you out there. Im not naive enough to think i can get the perfect sound for every style of music in one set - obviously metal is the main goal, but versatility is second on the priorety list. ANY help would be so greatly appreciated - Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skibum5545 Posted September 9, 2004 Report Share Posted September 9, 2004 www.emginc.com has sound samples of their pickups. Have a listen, and see what you like! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Executioner606 Posted September 9, 2004 Report Share Posted September 9, 2004 IF you go with EMG's , i think its the EMG 90 that can be either a single or hum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted September 9, 2004 Report Share Posted September 9, 2004 emg 85 is sweet and warm in the neck,not muddy.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maiden69 Posted September 9, 2004 Report Share Posted September 9, 2004 IF you go with EMG's , i think its the EMG 90 that can be either a single or hum. You wer eclose it's the 89 the one that can be used as single or hum. I love the EMG's, I got the 81-81 and 85-81 combos. I will go with Wes to say that the 85 sound great on the neck, but Igot a LP, I don't know if it will be the same on a SStrat. But with your choice of woods is like a LP in strat clothing. I like the sound of the 60 too, so in my next guitar this will be the combination 60-81. On your guitar, I think (85 or 60)-(SA or SAV)-81. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jivin Posted September 9, 2004 Author Report Share Posted September 9, 2004 Thanks wes, thats good to know! Its so hard to think of because all of the sound clips from the emg site sound soo bassy, and the EMG81 i heard was also very very thick, and from what ive heard in the neck position the 81 would have more of a sharp attack than the 85? from the listen i had (2x 81's), im convinced that despite the naysayers, I will be able to get a nice enough clean sound from an 81/SA/XX set, especially running through my GT6, however I suppose my main question is, to someone who knows, how does an 81/85 compare to a dimebucker/jazz setup? In a metal sense, does anyone have an opinion on which one is more versatile? Ive heard the EMG's would be, but the Jazz would be more capable of clean tones than the 85 (which i can appreciate). Has anyone here ever used an 89 (as someone said, an SA and 85ish in the same casing)? Ive heard reports that the in humbucker mode its horrible muddy, and not like the 85 enough? I have no chance of finding one of these to play, so ill just have to live off opinions im scouring harmony central atm, but as usual, there is some fool on there who thinks a strat trem is a floyd rose saying "DONT BUY THESE PICKUPS, THEY WILL RUIN YOUR GUITAR" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted September 9, 2004 Report Share Posted September 9, 2004 Thanks wes, thats good to know! Its so hard to think of because all of the sound clips from the emg site sound soo bassy, and the EMG81 i heard was also very very thick, and from what ive heard in the neck position the 81 would have more of a sharp attack than the 85? those sound clips are too colored from the recording equipment they run through... yeah the 81 is quite sharp...i am not fond of it in the neck...love it in the bridge though,especially with mahogany body and maple cap...what wood for the neck?might i suggest honduran mahogany for it as well? i think you get more versatility from the emgs...they do clean up quite well...just don't put them too close to the strings im scouring harmony central atm, but as usual, there is some fool on there who thinks a strat trem is a floyd rose saying "DONT BUY THESE PICKUPS, THEY WILL RUIN YOUR GUITAR" ummm...yeeaahh..i think that is a little silly of him...don't you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jivin Posted September 9, 2004 Author Report Share Posted September 9, 2004 IF you go with EMG's , i think its the EMG 90 that can be either a single or hum. You wer eclose it's the 89 the one that can be used as single or hum. I love the EMG's, I got the 81-81 and 85-81 combos. I will go with Wes to say that the 85 sound great on the neck, but Igot a LP, I don't know if it will be the same on a SStrat. But with your choice of woods is like a LP in strat clothing. I like the sound of the 60 too, so in my next guitar this will be the combination 60-81. On your guitar, I think (85 or 60)-(SA or SAV)-81. Thanks for you input Maiden What would you describe as the difference between the 60 and 85 in the neck? Would i be right in saying the 60 is a bit less fat in the bottom end? Ive read on the EMG site they have a EMG60A now, which uses alico magnets for a slighly fatter sound, any comments on this baby? they just had to add that one to their lineup to confuse me even more right now im thinking the 81/SA/85, so that way I can mix in the SA with the 5way switch or use it on its own for cleaner sounds as well as bluesey stuff, and if im after a fatter blues sound i could use the 85. But the thing is, I dont want something TOO fat in the neck, like i want it to still be articulate and have a little bit of bite, but generally be rolled off on the high end and fatter on the bottom end for smoother solo's Does that sound like its the 85 im after? omg, i really wish i could find a guitar shop near me that has a guitar with these babies in it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jivin Posted September 9, 2004 Author Report Share Posted September 9, 2004 those sound clips are too colored from the recording equipment they run through... yeah the 81 is quite sharp...i am not fond of it in the neck...love it in the bridge though,especially with mahogany body and maple cap...what wood for the neck?might i suggest honduran mahogany for it as well? i think you get more versatility from the emgs...they do clean up quite well...just don't put them too close to the strings Thanks Wes, Actually up until now I was settled on a maple neck. My reason was mainly becuse my original thinking was that the maple cap on the body wouldnt be particularily thick, despite being carved (carve would only be shallow), so because im although I dont want a ridiculously trebly guitar, I want to be careful not too make it too fat Thanks a lot for the suggestion though, since youve brought it up ill definitely give it more consideration. Maybe ill get the cap thickened up a touch and go for a mahogany neck. Then again, im quite impartial to the feel of a nice clear satin finished maple neck... heh. haha yeah, I dont take any notice of those fools on harmony central, but my point was, it seems like there is a good and a bad review of -everything-, and most of hte bad reviews are from people who sound like they wouldnt know good gear or good tone if it bit them in the backside Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted September 9, 2004 Report Share Posted September 9, 2004 But the thing is, I dont want something TOO fat in the neck, like i want it to still be articulate and have a little bit of bite, but generally be rolled off on the high end and fatter on the bottom end for smoother solo's Does that sound like its the 85 im after? that sounds exactly like the 85 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darren wilson Posted September 10, 2004 Report Share Posted September 10, 2004 For what it's worth, Zakk Wylde uses an 81 in the bridge and an 85 in the neck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MzI Posted September 10, 2004 Report Share Posted September 10, 2004 personally i would not use emgs, i have one guitar with an 81 in the bridge and a 60 in the neck and then another guitar with a 60 in the bridge and an 81 in the neck, i really dont like them anymore, the lead sounds from the neck pickup are too muddy on both, and lead on the bridge is just way way too bright, as far as clean sounds they arent great, my other 2 guitars i have duncans, best thing i ever did for my sound was get duncans, in my custom strat which is mahogany with a maple cap i have a jazz in the neck and a jb in the bridge, i can get any sound outta those two pups imaginable my last guitar i have just a jazz is the bridge and even with just that i can play clean and distorted perfectly, so i guess id say go with the duncans but if ur set on emgs at least ull save a lil bit of money MzI ps the duncan website has sounds of pretty much all their pups in the different positions Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maiden69 Posted September 10, 2004 Report Share Posted September 10, 2004 (edited) personally i would not use emgs, i have one guitar with an 81 in the bridge and a 60 in the neck and then another guitar with a 60 in the bridge and an 81 in the neck, i really dont like them anymore, the lead sounds from the neck pickup are too muddy on both, and lead on the bridge is just way way too bright, as far as clean sounds they arent great, my other 2 guitars i have duncans, best thing i ever did for my sound was get duncans, in my custom strat which is mahogany with a maple cap i have a jazz in the neck and a jb in the bridge, i can get any sound outta those two pups imaginable my last guitar i have just a jazz is the bridge and even with just that i can play clean and distorted perfectly, so i guess id say go with the duncans but if ur set on emgs at least ull save a lil bit of money MzI ps the duncan website has sounds of pretty much all their pups in the different positions I got 2 Seymour Duncan SH-6 match one for neck and one for the bridge, I will trade then for the 81-60 combo that you got! Let me know because I love the EMG's but hate the SD. here are pics http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/Maiden69/DSC00868.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v195/Maiden69/DSC00017.jpg Also I think that the 60 will saund bore bassy on the neck than the 85. I think it could be a good compromisse for the "clean" work you might do. Edited September 10, 2004 by Maiden69 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jivin Posted September 10, 2004 Author Report Share Posted September 10, 2004 Hmm so much to think about... Ok so say worst scenario I pick one of my options (SD or EMG) and I really hate them and decide to swtich them out... would i be better off starting with the EMG's and moving to the SD's (work wise), or the other way round? Do the EMG's require a special route for the battery? If so i imagine it would be smartest to try the EMG's first? Ok the burning question then... Anyone got an opinion on how the Dimebucker compares to the EMG 81 in the bridge position? Thanks again for all your help guys, its truly invaluable to get quality opinions from people I trust more than random blokes from harmony-central. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maiden69 Posted September 10, 2004 Report Share Posted September 10, 2004 Do the EMG's require a special route for the battery? If so i imagine it would be smartest to try the EMG's first? Jivin, it all depends opn the type of guitar, LP and strat you just stick it inside the control cavity! I guess if you want a custom look you can make a battery pocket, but Depending on the guitar you probably won't have too. If you are making your body just make the control cavity deeper or a bit wider to accomodate the battery, then use the foam that the EMG's come with and wrap th ebattery and stick it in there! I haven't heard the Dimebucker yet, but my bet is that most of that great (harsh) sound you hear out of Dimes Wah is the Wah and the Amp that he uses. If enybody got one and will like to post a sound clip with the dime and a different kinda pup it would be great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Executioner606 Posted September 10, 2004 Report Share Posted September 10, 2004 Isnt the dimebucker the same thing as a bill lawrence XL500 ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jivin Posted September 11, 2004 Author Report Share Posted September 11, 2004 Do the EMG's require a special route for the battery? If so i imagine it would be smartest to try the EMG's first? Jivin, it all depends opn the type of guitar, LP and strat you just stick it inside the control cavity! I guess if you want a custom look you can make a battery pocket, but Depending on the guitar you probably won't have too. If you are making your body just make the control cavity deeper or a bit wider to accomodate the battery, then use the foam that the EMG's come with and wrap th ebattery and stick it in there! I haven't heard the Dimebucker yet, but my bet is that most of that great (harsh) sound you hear out of Dimes Wah is the Wah and the Amp that he uses. If enybody got one and will like to post a sound clip with the dime and a different kinda pup it would be great! Thanks Maiden, only reason I asked was because the few guitars id played with EMG's had a special battery compartment routed into the back of the guitar... I was just wondering if that was a necessity or not. Obviously it isnt, so thanks for the help. Well... without hearing the dimebucker (im still rinign around places to see if they have a guitar with either that or the XL-500 in the bridge) I cant make a properly informed decision, but so far neither option stands out as being the best, so it might just come down to just making a random choice and seeing how it goes... I guess worst case I could always sell them, cut my losses and try the alternative. Tough decision Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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