Your take on EMG active pickups

[johnthebrucelee]

What's your opinion on EMG's? Also what is the tone difference between 81 and 85? The sound of active pickups over passive?

[skezza]

EMG's are great pickups. Especially the active ones, very powerful and give an awesome tone in my opinion, but im still a Di Marzio man myself, oh and lets not forget Seymour

[Charvelised]

I put an EmG in My Charvel Surfcaster,,it sound awful,I likened it to trying to see in Muddy Water!

[Moose6]

It's the difference between crawling and flying. I put them in my strat with the EMG presence control (allows me to add more mid-range for a humbucker sound) and they are WONDERFUL!!!!

[mrmetal]

I had an Ibanez with an EMG 81/85 set up and it was great. I have a JB in a Ibanez now and I really don't like it all. I want to try a DiMarzio next.

Pretty much, I stick to the Epi-Les Paul with stock humbuckers.

[MetalHead]

EMGs are good but BL's are better

[Jiver]

Hey, I'd like some input from the gunslingers here:

I received for XMAS some months ago, a Dean Vendetta XM electric guitar. My family had it sent to me for Xmas. I know they got it from Musicians Friend, and I know they only paid $99.99 for it. Anyway, it's the thought, I know. But it's not really a bad 'lil guitar. Some things could be improved: New Tuning Pegs, Sperzels, Grovers, etc.. and new pups. It's 24 frets, which I like. The body is made from this Paulowia wood, never heard of it. Ltwgt. Maple/Rswd neck, et al. Should I make the upgrades? Go on the cheap, buy the pegs from Ebay, maybe the pups too, or from MF? What would you do? Got my eye on a Dean reissue on Ebay for around $470 or so, with free S/H. Any thoughts? Thanks...

[Fretman]

The EMGs are pretty good. I don't have them, but a friend of mine uses them. I played through one of my older guitars last night that has a SD George Lynch Screamin Demon in it. Damn, I forgot how that thing smokes.

[skezza]

Hey, I'd like some input from the gunslingers here:

I received for XMAS some months ago, a Dean Vendetta XM electric guitar. My family had it sent to me for Xmas. I know they got it from Musicians Friend, and I know they only paid $99.99 for it. Anyway, it's the thought, I know. But it's not really a bad 'lil guitar. Some things could be improved: New Tuning Pegs, Sperzels, Grovers, etc.. and new pups. It's 24 frets, which I like. The body is made from this Paulowia wood, never heard of it. Ltwgt. Maple/Rswd neck, et al. Should I make the upgrades? Go on the cheap, buy the pegs from Ebay, maybe the pups too, or from MF? What would you do? Got my eye on a Dean reissue on Ebay for around $470 or so, with free S/H. Any thoughts? Thanks...

not sure whether i would purchase tuning pegs etc.
However, i would purchase a Motherbucker pickup and whack that in there. That would beef it up hellish. They are very very loud and I reckon would make the guitar give a great sound if you put it through a good amp, say a Marshall.

Something like http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/FRONT-BLACK-MOTHE ... dZViewItem would make it sound awesome!

[frethead]

I hate active pickups. It's like . . . "Hello?! Hello!!! Would you care for some guitar with those pickups?!" They're the C.C. Deville of pickups!
LOL
I'm pretty much a "leave-it-like-it-is" kind-of guy when it comes to my Gibsons. Dirty-finger humbuckers in all three, but I have been sniffing around Seymour Duncan's website, and I like what I see in the Seth Lover and a pickup that Slash happens to use, which I don't recall the name of, offhand. I sort-of like the George Lynch Screamin' Demon as well, it sounds pretty good to me, except that it's too damn loud. So, I guess I'm pretty much sold on the scope of frequencies, in my control, afforded me by my Cry Baby 535-Q. Hey Jiver, Stewmac.com is the place for you, man.

[Jiver]

I hate active pickups. It's like . . . "Hello?! Hello!!! Would you care for some guitar with those pickups?!" They're the C.C. Deville of pickups!
LOL
I'm pretty much a "leave-it-like-it-is" kind-of guy when it comes to my Gibsons. Dirty-finger humbuckers in all three, but I have been sniffing around Seymour Duncan's website, and I like what I see in the Seth Lover and a pickup that Slash happens to use, which I don't recall the name of, offhand. I sort-of like the George Lynch Screamin' Demon as well, it sounds pretty good to me, except that it's too damn loud. So, I guess I'm pretty much sold on the scope of frequencies, in my control, afforded me by my Cry Baby 535-Q. Hey Jiver, Stewmac.com is the place for you, man.

Thanks, Uncle Fretty, I've been to a few sites. I'm going on the "cheap" b/c putting several hundreds of dollars into a $99.99 guitar seems sort of dumb. But some upgrades would make it a "decent" guitar, and one I could gig in clubs with and not feel like it was exposed to dangerous elements. SO, in "thrifty" mode, I'll order from MF: 2 $25 Duncan Performer Buckshot pickups. Neck and Bridge. Got decent reviews, so. 2 Gibson 500K potiomiters, knobs, spelling's off I know. 3x3 Grover Black Pegs. A Gibson bridge, black. Maybe a 3 way selector switch. Should be into it under $100, and afterwards, something better than what I have now. And still will have enough to buy that Dean Cadillac I've wanted. IMO, Dean Guitars are just as well made as any out there. I've come around to them. Peace....

[Deansolo]

Isn't Fretman "Uncle Fretty"?

I thought Frethead was COUSIN Fretty......

[Rock]

I am with frethead on active pickups....I have personally never used EMG's I have always put SD's in.

[mrmetal]

My bass player has an EMG in his Gibson bass and it totally smokes. The pickup is 15 years old and still has that "to die for tone".

[Jiver]

Isn't Fretman "Uncle Fretty"?

I thought Frethead was COUSIN Fretty......

Sorry, Dean, can't seem to get 'em straight. I'll go with yours. I just look at their pics for cueing.