what do you mean when you say EMG's are sterile???

[Mewmender]

No offence but I feel that EMGs lack warmth, at least to my ears

[D-EJ915]

If EMG made real 7-string pickups I'd consider them, but alas they seem to miss the whole point.

As far as EMG-81s go, anytime I've played a guitar with them (LTD MH100FM, Jackson Kelly, Ibanez 7-string) they just sounded plain and ordinary, and definetely not quiet...a very nasty buzz to them, quiet, but definetely apparent.

They didn't have the searing high sounds that I'm used to out of passives, it just sounded predictable and boring imo.

[ranalli]

a very nasty buzz to them, quiet, but definetely apparent.

.

There's no buzz to EMGs.....they are the quietest pickups out there. That's why people use em.

[Zerberus]

....., and definetely not quiet...a very nasty buzz to them, quiet, but definetely apparent. .....

Interesting, the noiseless operation under adverse conditions is one of the main reasons people like Gilmour use them.....

[MikeS]

I'm scratching my head on that one, too. At one time my 81 was making a lot of noise, but the problem went away, completely, when I saw I had a bad solder connection

I'm tired of worrying about the people that present their opnions on EMG (or any other manufacturer) as though it was fact. You like them, or you don't. Simple as that. I need to get my Ibanez finished so I can actually remember what it's like to have EMGs again.

[adrian]

Don´t know if "sterile" is the right word for EMGs. I would rather say they are an one-trick-pony. Their 81 and 85 sound perfect for heavy metal, but nothing else. Compare to an ordinary Gibson humbucker: they have made so many different sounds - it´s incredible.

[Benjy_26]

... the 85b/60An combo is good for classic rock and dirty blues too, though the cleans were a bit funky.

[Lewguitar]

I've never been a fan of EMG's in guitars although they work fine in basses. I've used the term "hi fi" to describe them and probably have called them "sterile" at one time or another too. In truth, I think those descriptions are simplistic. Steve Lukather has used them...David Gilmour has used them too. I wouldn't call thier tones "sterile".

When I play through them I don't hear the vintage tones I'm used to hearing...that's all.

The tone is a little to even and predictable for my tastes...just not what I want to hear. Not enough warmth, "space" and breath, and although all pickups are electronic devices, the EMG's sound more modern and electronic than the passive pickups i prefer.

But they're fine pickups if that's the tone you want to hear.

[Luke Duke]

I've never played a guitar with EMG's, I always wanted to play a LP loaded with an 85/81 combo simply because I think the No More Tears tone is amazing. I sincerely doubt I could make any noise even resembling that though. I always say the same thing, if that's the tone you're after that's cool, at this point I'm not but I might be later down the road.

Luke

[Skarekrough]

I still dont hear it in my EMG's?
they have plenty of character?

Your gear setup in your sig explains everything......



The set I had in my Telecaster were abysmal. They lacked that really nice Telecaster tone. They lacked the "dirt" and feel that Telecasters have and instead seemed like bad recreations of what a clean Tele was supposed to sound like.

Now...the caveat is that not everyone uses pickups the same way. Personally, I was looking for a very vintage vibe from them and got nowhere near it. The best decision I made was to unload them and put in Duncans. Immediate tonal nirvana.

[fenderiarhs]

...................lol...........people saying emg's are sterile usually mean that emgs do not sound like a duncan 59...... .....................or that they play numetal crap..........................

[Texas Swamp]

I don't mind EMG's, things like the David Gilmour set are badass. I just get tired of the standard 81 at the bridge and 85 at the neck. To me, a 85 at the bridge and 89 in the neck sound alot better than the previous combination. Plus maybe it's JMO that I feel today with how hot the amplifiers can get, you don't need to high output of a p'up. Sure over 10 years ago I would say different but now, amps can get such brutal distortion it does most of the output work for you. Maybe thats JMO though...

[pinto79]

I find that EMG's work well with digital amps and expecially whan you are driving a lot of effects. I used to have EMG's in EVERYTHING, I practically had stock in the company But I'm down to one EMG'd guitar. They stay there bcause they've been there so long that anything else sounds wrong. But I do love the sound I get from them.

A note to anyone wanting to "open" the tone of EMG's, run 18 volts. I makes a noticable difference.

[Benjy_26]

how exactly do you convert to 18v, and, is it reversible?

[saladin]

It is in the clean sound that they R sterile. They just don't sound "Right".

[some_dude]

how exactly do you convert to 18v, and, is it reversible?

Here's the ghetto way....completely reversible...

[MikeS]

The tone is a little to even and predictable for my tastes...just not what I want to hear. Not enough warmth, "space" and breath, and although all pickups are electronic devices, the EMG's sound more modern and electronic than the passive pickups i prefer.

That's probably the best negative critisism I've ever heard towards EMG. They do seem to lack the open vocal quality that most PAF type pickups have. It's not a bad thing, it's just different.

Although, I will say that the EMG60 in the neck does a decent job at getting a nice, open throaty sound. You wouldn't mistake it for a true PAF, but many of the qualities we like about PAFs are apparent, to some degree, in the EMG60.

[ksmith63]

Compared to Duncans, EMGs have no soul. But I still like the sound have have a 85/60 combo in my schecter....

[theodie]

I would to have to agree with Lew. They are not bad pickups at all but, they dont have that classic kind of tone to them. I have owned them (81/85 and DG-20) and have liked them but, after a few weeks they seem like they are missing a tad bit of mojo somewhere??? I am still gassing to try an EMG 60 though! Has anyone ever tried one in the bridge position? I have heard they are very nice in the neck.

[H8Red442]

My LP Custom had a 81 in the bridge and a 60 in the neck. The 60 was a bit smoother than the 81 in the neck. The clean tones are my biggest gripe with EMG. They don't sound smooth no matter where you put them. I maybe shulda tried the 85 inthe bridge. I figured the 60 would be good as I was trying to emulate James Hetfield's sound and that's his configuration. Oh well... happy with my Duncans now.