guitar2005 Posted February 19, 2008 Report Share Posted February 19, 2008 (edited) The EQ thing is BS if you ask me. EMGs sound fine on their own. For clean sounds... again... fine with me. The EMG clean is certainly different than a PAF, or PAF Pro or something like a single coil in a Strat. Different isn't necessarily bad. Different guitars and pickups for different sounds, right? The only thing with clean sounds is that the EMGs really hit the input of the amp hard so you might need to roll down the volume knob on your guitar. If you find that you need to EQ your sound with EMGs, don't buy EMGs. Just my opinion. Kind of a weirdly hardline statement. Whether with passives or actives, EQ is an important part of many guitarists' arsenal. It's "BS" to think that you need EQ to "fix" something inherent in EMGs... External EQ, that is, not EQ on the amp.... Geeezzz. That's what others were suggesting for the EMGs, an external EQ. I say you shouldn't need one. and I would agree wholeheartedly that if you don't like the core EMG sound, they're not for you regardless of any EQ. But that's a different statement, innit? That's what I meant. Edited February 19, 2008 by guitar2005 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted February 19, 2008 Report Share Posted February 19, 2008 I use an external EQ just like Greg says,post preamp...to scoop the mids...most amps are too mid-heavy to start with,but that is with any pup. No you don't need to "fix" emg with an EQ...think of it this way...all any pickup is is a starting sound...EMG just so happens to be great for clarity in high gain situations....other pickups work well too,but you have to back off the amp's gain to stay AS articulate as with the 81 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GregP Posted February 20, 2008 Report Share Posted February 20, 2008 Guitar2005: I WAS talking about external EQ. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guitar2005 Posted February 20, 2008 Report Share Posted February 20, 2008 (edited) Guitar2005: I WAS talking about external EQ. I think we agree, just don't understand each other. Wes said it best... "you don't need to "fix" emg with an EQ"... and you shouldn't have to. Now having an external EQ to place before or after the pre-amp to achieve a certain sound is another thing, but that's regardless of the pickup you choose. To me, an EMG-81 sounds just fine, external EQ or not. Edited February 20, 2008 by guitar2005 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted February 20, 2008 Report Share Posted February 20, 2008 I find the 85 to be nice and crisp in a clean setting...not like an S or SA,but still spankingly clean. If you can't get clean with emg,it is because either your amp is not really all that clean,or you have the pickups too close to the strings.Everyone wants to put the pups as close to the strings as possible,as though that makes it "higher gain" or something...all it REALLY does is add mush. Given that 85s are such high output, it would make sense to back them off a bit, true. It's not that everyone *wants* to put them closer to the strings, it's a case of they *have* to be closer (not as-close-as) to the strings because of the weak magnetic field exerted by EMGs. The balance between distancing your pickups from strings whilst tailoring your output levels is just as relevant as it is with passives. Shame EMG design precludes adjustable pole pieces to do this of course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted February 20, 2008 Report Share Posted February 20, 2008 Given that 85s are such high output, it would make sense to back them off a bit, true. It's not that everyone *wants* to put them closer to the strings, it's a case of they *have* to be closer (not as-close-as) to the strings because of the weak magnetic field exerted by EMGs Untrue.The weaker magnetic field is compensated for by the preamp boost in the active electronics...that is kind of the whole point.Noise reduction,etc... Look...back the pickups off of the strings...you are not supposed to get "wolf tone" from emg....the 81 and 85 are meant to be sparkling clean...until you ADD the gain. But what do I know?I have only been using them on 90% of my guitars for the last 17 years...Before that I used Duncan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guitar2005 Posted February 20, 2008 Report Share Posted February 20, 2008 Given that 85s are such high output, it would make sense to back them off a bit, true. It's not that everyone *wants* to put them closer to the strings, it's a case of they *have* to be closer (not as-close-as) to the strings because of the weak magnetic field exerted by EMGs Untrue.The weaker magnetic field is compensated for by the preamp boost in the active electronics...that is kind of the whole point.Noise reduction,etc... Look...back the pickups off of the strings...you are not supposed to get "wolf tone" from emg....the 81 and 85 are meant to be sparkling clean...until you ADD the gain. But what do I know?I have only been using them on 90% of my guitars for the last 17 years...Before that I used Duncan. +1 I have an 81/85 set and neither one "needs" to be closer. You can set them up like a passive pickup in terms of height and they'll sound just fine. Actually, There won't be a big difference if you do bring them in closer to the strings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted February 20, 2008 Report Share Posted February 20, 2008 I actually just checked the heights of my EMGs compared to my passives, and they're not really much closer, if at all. I've just never backed them real far back from the strings. I've been trying to find the source of information which advised me that EMGs needed whanging up closer to the strings than passives. Admittedly, it's probably years of accepting some fact like "you can put EMGs closer than passives" and it devolving into a "you must". Strange how you never usually question something you've been comfortable with for years. I'm going to make a point of moving my pickup heights tonight Wes just to regain the feel for doing so. I have an 81/85 set and neither one "needs" to be closer. You can set them up like a passive pickup in terms of height and they'll sound just fine. Actually, There won't be a big difference if you do bring them in closer to the strings. I think that's why I've dropped into the comfort zone guitar2005 - i've probably just not noticed the difference like you do with passives. So yeah anyway. Back on topic with a slight aside. Even though i've never had any appreciable problems with magnetic pull on strings from passives, I don't think this is even an issue with actives. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 The lower magnetics are supposed to be good for sustain...I never really notice that though. On height...I set mine 3/16" from the bottom of the strings,then I ear check the neck pickup with my amp on clean...if I get any "dirt",I back it off until I don't anymore... My guitar/amp is set up for the "fade to black" clean tone...so in other words it"s really clean.that's why I don't like most passive humbuckers in the neck,they won't clean up like the 85 will Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave I Posted June 1, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 1, 2008 Going with a pickup that has more definition and attack with the Vintage 30 could be interesting. Its all a matter of taste. The Vintage 30 could tame some of the in your face sound of a ceramic based pickup. I don't have V30s right now so I can't comment from A/B ing. I should have a new cab with V30s very soon though - 2-3 weeks time. I could post some A/B clips. The EMG 81/89 sounded horrible with the Greenbacks. Out of curiosity, any chance you can post some A/B clips of this? It has been a while, but I am thinking I might like to give actives a try, but I am not sure if I would like Ceramic pickups (active or otherwise). I tend to drift toward warmer, rounder, fuller sounds (even high-gain stuff), hence my propensity for the Les Paul and similar warm-toned instruments. However I am intrigued by the option of an EMG 89/SLV/81TW setup in a nice Mahogany-bodied guitar, or maybe an 85 in the bridge if I decide to go all-Alnico. Getting to the point, I would be interested in hearing the 81/89's through V30's. -Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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