bassey pickups

[truerussian558]

you guys should move this over to the slam thread....

[dcamp67]

you guys should move this over to the slam thread....

No slam needed Rus, I'm done.

[westhemann]

okay well i had to delete some posts...forgive me but there is a level of civility that must be kept in this and any of the other sections except the rant section...anyway to try to get back on track

Your bass was on 5. I said the low end was lacking. Please explain to me how those two statement are in any way contradictory and indicate that I know nothing. Really, go for it. I want to see you wriggle out of this one.

you asked for it,so i will tell you

you claim emg pickups lack low end...i used a clip with an 81(less low end than an 85)and the bass on 5 to show that there is plenty of low end in those pickups.you claim there is a lack of low end still...but anyone can plainly hear the clear and articulate low end in those clips....

you claim a lack of low end and AT THE SAME TIME "farty noises at 40 hz"

well how is that possible?i suspect maybe the speakers you are using have a treble bias and are worn out for you to have botha lack of low end AND farting noises

back to the lack of low end itself.i run through a full stack of 1960 vintage 30 280 watt marshall cabs(brand new)...the low end my emgs produce is enough that i have to back off the bass in order for my cabs to handle it..i purposely tweaked the eq on my recording equipment to get just that sound..."brittle"...be real,there is nothing brittle about it...i also expect that the way i record 2 seperate tracks of the same rythm in order to make the sound larger is confusing you into thinking you hear "farty sounds"...when i first started recording my tracks not too long ago i asked for opinions on the tone and i got alot of feedback with helpful suggestions and used it to shape my tone...the result is what you hear,which everyone who has heard it (except for you) says is huge

anyway....korn...i mentioned korn,not you,because i think that is a perfect example of a band who,in their relentless pursuit of low end,lost clarity.

which is why i like emg...they have low end without a loss in clarity...which is important in baritones especially

stock gibson pickups?i love em...they are my favorite passive pickups...but you didn't reccomend them...you said "invader" which i felt compelled to point out are mushy on extreme low end...

anyway i think the poster has enough opinions about emgs and invaders...maybe someone else has suggestions?

you just don't find more bass than Invaders have.

yeah you do...emg 85...like i said i swapped them in my sabre because of a lack of low end

[Black Mariah]

you claim a lack of low end and AT THE SAME TIME "farty noises at 40 hz"

well how is that possible?i suspect maybe the speakers you are using have a treble bias and are worn out for you to have botha lack of low end AND farting noises

In my full rig I use a Carvin 4x12 with stock speakers, a Jackson 4x12 with two Vintage 30's and two Eminence of an unknown model, and a 2x15 cabinet I built that has 300 watt Ross PA speakers in it. The only speakers that have a treble bias are the Vintage 30's, but that cab is the bassiest I own, so go figure.

No, it's not contradictory to claim a lack of low end and a prevalence of 40Hz farty noises. The best way I've heard it explained was Jason Broadrick from the band Godflesh said that he liked his tone to be just a lot of super-low end with a really fizzy top and nothing in the middle. If you take that and shift the 'nothing in the middle' down a couple hundred Hz, you get the tone you have. There's nothing in the low midrange. There's no body to the tone, it's all midrange and non-musical lows. This isn't bad, mind you, just not what I'm talking about when I refer to low end. I think that's where most of the problem is, we're just thinking of different things. You're talking about Metallica type thrash low end where you have that really tight WHOOMPH sound on palm mute (gotta love it), while I'm talking about SunnO))) style bowel-quivering low end.

EMG's have a practically flat response. They're designed that way. With the possible exception of the 85, they don't have that midrange bump that most passives have. Yes, the pickups themselves have a lack of low end. This doesn't mean your AMP has a lack of low end and can't compensate for it. I understand you're using a Mode 4, right? Those things are like low end monsters. A freaking single coil could rattle the walls. A WEAK single coil. That's out of phase. Or something, I dunno. Whatever the case, EMG's aren't bassy pickups and the dude asked about bassy pickups.

On to other crap, I've heard that these pickups are really good. I don't personally know, but a couple of guys I trust on matters like this have recommended them. They're expensive as hell, so I probably won't be picking any up soon.

http://www.bareknucklepickups.co.uk/ZH-warpig.html

[skibum5545]

The EMG DC series bass pups are just 85s in a bigger box. They work well on a bass; it seems they'd work on a guit. Maybe they're twekaed differently, but I'd reccommend EMG bass pickups!

[Slabbefusk]

the 81 has a bit less low end than the 85, but still id say you can get seriously low with the 81. It depends on what amp and what strings etc. you use too.

[Reaper]

carvin pickups man they have super clarity. and would transfer the tone to it.

Any recommendations, Ansil?

BTW, there are ways to express an opinion without coming across like an arrogant prick.

[razzark]

Wow I didn't know such a simple question could get people so pissed off ..... For budget reasons I got the Super Distortions. I got a sweat deal on them because I asked the dude at the store (he also owns the store) if I could have a discount because I thought the price was a bit high. He said he had them for a long time and just wanted to get rid of them so I got a sweet price on them.

[nonamemx]

carvin pickups man they have super clarity.  and would transfer the tone to it.

Any recommendations, Ansil?

BTW, there are ways to express an opinion without coming across like an arrogant prick.

I have played several Carvins. The guitars are nice, but the pickups, IMO, are pretty bad.

[ansil]

reaper i use the m22 in the neck and the scorcher in teh bridge as it has a little more gain there. also to balance those two out you would need to get a bridge m22sd i think is what i had. and put it in the neck possition.. that way not much drop off without magor adjustment.

nonamex i agree with the orginal system. the active preamps they have in my opinion are crap they had some nice ones when they had the jrc's in them at least mine was that particular one. but it may have been aftermarket. for the record though i don't play carvin gutiars anymore cause of the small scale length i only play 25.5 or longer but for some reason carvin pickups always sound good in the studio made my guitar standout without beeing too bassey or too trebley or too anything kind of like the difference in using a bbe and not. of cousre this is my opinion. and opinions are like mother in laws most of have one.

[Noodle]

So when i want to reach a good Metallica sound with a Marshall valvestate, wich EMG's should i use?

I'm in love with Hetfield's sound for 6 years now. I'm going to build my own guitar my own guitar and i need the very best pick-ups. =]

I know that James uses E.S.P Explorer guitars with EMG's.. Beside that he uses a whole arsenal of Mesa/Boogie poweramps, preamp's and cabinets.

I hope the sound i'm looking for doesnt take an extra job

Thx..

my first post here by the way

[westhemann]

So when i want to reach a good Metallica sound with a Marshall valvestate, wich EMG's should i use?

I'm in love with Hetfield's sound for 6 years now. I'm going to build my own guitar my own guitar and i need the very best pick-ups. =]

I know that James uses E.S.P Explorer guitars with EMG's.. Beside that he uses a whole arsenal of Mesa/Boogie poweramps, preamp's and cabinets.

I hope the sound i'm looking for doesnt take an extra job

Thx..

my first post here by the way

emg 81...but i hear james has been using a 60 lately...

but for the good old days,81

[HeavnerGuitarWorks]

I am totally shocked that noone asked the questions that popped into my mind after reading this.

What type of low end are you trying to get?

You can't begin to compare the low end of KoRn to that of Metallica (Master of Puppets days). Two totally different styles of metal and totally different amp/recording technology. Keep in mind that a lot of the low end and clarity you here on albums is added in the recording/mixing/mastering process of making the album.

What style of music do you play and who are your influences?

I myself play blues/rock but go for more of a Steve Vai/Satriani type tone. Plenty of low end, at least more so than Muddy Waters.

What type of amp/effects are you using?

A Mode 4 definitly makes up the low end while a Peavey Rage doesn't.

What type of wood is the guitar made of?

Obviously, mahogany has more low end than maple.

There are many many factors that weigh in on acheiving low end from a guitar. More so than just a set of pickups. I would have to agree though that EMGs have never failed me. I personally wind my own pickups, but if I were going to buy pickups to play any type of metal, they would definitely be an EMG 85 and 81. Listen to Ozzy's No More Tears. Zakk definitely had tons of low end and clarity to spare in that song.

Just my 2 cents, and it ain't worth that though!

[westhemann]

A Mode 4 definitly makes up the low end while a Peavey Rage doesn't.

i play live through a mode 4.....i do not record through it

what i record through is NOT a low end amp

recording is a completely different animal than playing live

btw the mode 4 has 2 sides...the right hand side is very low endy...too much for what i like...the other side is modeled after a jcm 800...that is the side i play through live...but i do not use the in amp gain...i use a boss distortionpedal running through it while the amp is clean

it sounds similar to the recordings i made but with a little more brutal thump...and MUCH more volume

unfortunately recording with it sounds like crap and i would have to completely change my eq settings to do it and capture the good recorded sound...and i will not do that

[HeavnerGuitarWorks]

i play live through a mode 4.....i do not record through it

what i record through is NOT a low end amp

Lucky bastard! I have a blackface Fender Twin and a Dumble for my bluesy stuff, and a TSL60 for everything else. I play in a blues/rock band right now (Black Crowes meets Stevie Ray Vaughan meets Black Sabbath). But when I record my own stuff, which is about all I ever do, I need alot of versatility as I am influenced by all styles of music. I have a ton of obscure little tube amps from the 40s and up that I use for recording along with the above mentioned amps. But I still want more. I've been looking at the Mode 4, but just can't seem to make myself shell out the cash just yet.

What do you use to record with? If you don't mind me asking.

[Noodle]

Thx for the tips evryone!

I'm waiting for a quotation from the wood shop. I noticed that mahogany is a little more expensive than maple.

There are alot of fairytales about wich wood for what sound, even more because i want to use active pickups, people say the wood loses a bit of it's contribution to the sound. Is that a fact?

I'm looking for a nice piece of flame maple for a PRS-style body.

[Black Mariah]

There are alot of fairytales about wich wood for what sound, even more because i want to use active pickups, people say the wood loses a bit of it's contribution to the sound. Is that a fact?

Yes. It's an absolute and total fact... depending on who you ask.

EMG's don't have as dramatic a change in tone from guitar to guitar as a lot of pickups do, but they do sound different in every guitar. I had an 81/85 combo for a while and tried it in both of my V's. With the 81 in the bridge, one V was kind of thin sounding, the other was just fine. With the 85 in the bridge, things we so nice and smooth. My black V, the one that sounded thin with an 81 in the bridge, actually sounded fatter than my other V with the 85 in the bridge. I still haven't figured that one out.

So, in short, the wood does lose a bit of contribution but it still sounds like a guitar. And pickups act strange. I think they do it just to mock me.

DAMMIT! All this EMG talk is making me thirst for my precious 85... AND I SWORE OFF BATTERY-POWERED GUITARS! I think I'm having withdrawls... mmm... better...

[Noodle]

Ghehe okay.. i see i hit a soft spot there

I also see that a lot of metal guitars have jazz-pickups. Why, i don't know, but i have a Hamer Slammer series sunburst arch top with Duncan's jazz thingy's.

I get alot of bass en treble and only a little middle. The body is made of Koa.

It is good from punk to heavy-metal to grunge and so on.

Only the output lacks i think. The drive isn't so much and the sustain leaves questions.

Emg-85 $124.00

including:

EMG's exclusive Quik-Connect™ cable, prewired split shaft volume/tone control set, output jack, battery clip set, screws & springs.

I also found this little thing, they claim to gain up to 20dB...

EMG-AB The AB (Afterburner) is a push/pull booster with up to 20dB of preset variable gain, perfect for having fun with clean overdrive and distortion.

Anyone experienced with it?!

[westhemann]

There are alot of fairytales about wich wood for what sound, even more because i want to use active pickups, people say the wood loses a bit of it's contribution to the sound. Is that a fact?

and i have quite a different opinion...they do not sound any more similar from guitar to guitar than any other brand...a pickup(ANY pickup)is only a starting point....the wood,bridge,strings,etc all affect the final output to the same degree as any other pickup...think about it logically and you will see that it must be so.yes it colors the sound...so does any pickup,active or passive

http://www.emginc.com/support.asp

go here to learn more about them

[Noodle]

Hmm... so ashamed i didn't notice the faq

Thx mate, it really helped me there. =]

[Black Mariah]

I'd have to say they do. There are differences, of course, but you can usually tell when someone uses EMG's. More than any other pickup, they have a sound of their own.

[westhemann]

okay,well lets think about this as an example

you have 3 glasses of water 1/2 full....mark one bass,one mids,one highs

you have a device which,when turned on,adds 1/4 cup to the bass,none to the mids,and 1'2 cup to the highs.

what happens when you start with glasses of water that are only 1/3 full?do they end up with the same amount of water as the others after the device is turned on?

no they do not

woods of different types have different starting points....and ANY pickup only works with what the wood has

modeling amps are the same...that is why they don't sound like what they are supposed to when used as a preamp through a head

is that clear enough?

[Black Mariah]

So you're trying to say that EMG's do not have a definable sound on their own? That there is no difference between an EMG and a Duncan Distortion? That EMG's don't have an output level, tonal balance, and clarity that defines them as pickups, because somehow the wood is more important or something?

EMG's have their own sound, just like Lawrences and old PAF's and any other pickup you care to name. Of course the tone changes from one guitar to the next, I NEVER SAID IT DIDN'T, but it's much less pronounced with EMG's.

[skibum5545]

He's not saying that, as far as I can tell. He's saying, to use his analogy, that while an EMG might have a bass/mid/treble rating of 1/4, 0, 1/2, and Duncans have 0, 1/2, 1/3, a guitar with EMGS that starts at 1/3, 1/3, 1/3 is going to have a rating of 7/12, 1/3, 5/6, and a guitar that starts at 1/2, 1/2, 1/2, will have a rating of

3/4, 1/2, 1. Even though both use EMG's, they're sound is DISTINCTLY DIFFERENT. It is shaped exactly the same by the EMGs, but what you put in affects what you get out.

[Black Mariah]

But they'll still sound like EMG's, only EMG's in different guitars.