EMG pickups - have they no soul?

Lucasite · Posted: Mon Aug 04, 2008 4:54 am Post subject: EMG Convert

I have been something of a pickup snob in the past, and since EMG's were popular in the 80's, I have always shyed away from them.

But since I have been shocked one too many times in venues that have dodgy wiring, I decided to install some EMGs in to a Warmoth Frankenstrat (it is almost impossible to get shocked using EMGs).

I have to say they sound great! Not vintage, very "Hi-Fi". Using the EQ the guitar can sit back in a mix really well for rhythm, but also cut through when you solo. They a stupidly versitile, and make the band sound much more "produced" like we have a great sound guy on the board.

I would say they make a great choice for a no nonsence, do-everything, guitar.

As for a lack of soul, I think that is a matter of fingers and heart, rather than gear. Too many people buy into the guitar magazine idea of "perfect tone", and forgetting to actually say anything. Why does everyone sound the same these days?

I'm not in love with the way they look, and they don't sound like your father's guitar, but my Frankenstrat is seeing a lot of action over many more expensive "desirable" guitars.

I'm not selling my passive guitars though!

Luke

showey · Joined: 08 Dec 2008 Posts: 2

glw wrote:

Yes, they might be loud, but my point is that they just have their own sound and don't transmit the natural resonance of the guitar, so it is pointless putting them into guitars such as Gibsons because you may as well put them on a cheap guitar and get the same sound.

Hey there folks... Just had to comment on this because I couldnt disagree more. Recently I have had the opportunity to install EMG's into three different guitars and a 4th coming up. All 81 / 85 combos and ALL sounded completely different. In fact I changed the 85 to a 60 for the
neck on an Explorer becuase the 85 sounded muddy butv the 85 blowes the 60 away in the Les Pauls. The Gibson LP sounded different than the Epi and different still than the Jay Turser. So, In MY experience. They DO sound different from one to the next. I also run them at 18v because it DOES make them sound richer.
Oh and a ^5 to the support at EMG as well. Those guys go out of their way to make it a great experience when they are needed.
Just my 2cents

1bassleft · Posted: Wed Dec 24, 2008 5:32 pm Post subject:

Your $0.02 is very welcome here, as indeed are you, showey. Nice to hear experiences having tried them out in several guitars. What I don't get is Lucasite's point about not getting shocks when using EMGs. Does anyone have more info on this?

showey · Joined: 08 Dec 2008 Posts: 2

Thanks for the kind words. To answer your question, its has to do with the way passive vs. active pickups are grounded. Passive p'ups are grounded thru the bridge and strings to you in most cases so as you can imagine if there is a ground fault on say a microphone system, or where your amp is plugged in there could be trouble. EMG's are internally grounded (battery has pos and neg) so your strings are no longer grounded thru you, the jack etc.
hope that makes sense.
see this link for all the infor you never really wanted to know but should!
http://www.guitarnuts.com/technical/electrical/safety/index.php

1bassleft · Posted: Fri Dec 26, 2008 7:48 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the link, showey, and I recommend ALL readers here click and thoroughly digest it. I get it now; the wire to the bridge (that my Jazz has but my active basses don't) is the difference.

Surprisingly, electrical safety in British venues is generally much safer than I hear from US players. Although we're less litigious, regulations and inspectors practically crawl over every public building in this country (I'm glad to say). No mention of RCCD in that link, though, and my big-blouse guitarist never plays anywhere without one (and I'm the one with the frightening, vintage valve heads packing 450V+)

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