I don't like to gush about stuff but feel some obligation to fight against the stereotypes that get repeated over and over. After 5 installs of EMGs I can say that every time it's:
Exactly what I wanted
Exactly what is described on the website
Super easy to install, fun even
A killer sound that adapts to whatever style I'm throwing at it. This is amazing for me as I'll regularly go between funk and punk and metal and P&W in a jam or recording session and don't want to switch guitars for different styles
Sure, there's the 81 which is of course a monster at high gain, but quite frankly sounds better at that style than anything I've been doing previously.
The passive Rev set sounds like a classic PAF set but slightly more articulate and clear. Got rid of the nasty mid honk that my SG had with 57 Classics but kept that beautiful PAF touch and chimeyness.
The passive Geezer P cleaned up some mud from my P Bass, but was still not quite what I was looking for, so...
The EMG P makes my P Bass finally responsive
The 35TWX bass pickups make my jazz bass super versatile for a bunch of different scenarios (they're splittable and combine basically a single coil with a humbucker/MM style).
Seriously if you're a swapper, maybe try 'em out. Look past the well known metal pickups and into their entire selection... read the descriptions and pick out what you're looking for! People tend to fixate on the 81 and 85 but you have to realize how many different pickups they make... vintage, modern, passive (they have a LOT of passives), active, high output, low output, humbuckers, single coils, bass pickups, etc. Plus when you buy a pickup from them they include all the controls and cables you need WITH quick connects, even the passive pickups. It's so much easier than getting a pickup, figuring out pot value and audio/linear taper and ordering those, firing up the soldering iron, getting everything hot enough but not TOO hot, dealing with incredibly random wiring jobs, desoldering, chasing down ground noise, etc. I've literally never found value from swapping an audio pot for a log pot or dialing in different capacitor values. And then the Reverb Outlet store. Are you kidding me. Seconds at a discount... often for just a logo that doesn't look perfect. That's special, y'all.
Anyways. Just a PSA. The bad rap for EMGs is unfounded and they offer a ton of pickups with different vintage and modern voicings. I'm not going to start showing up to every pickup-related thread and start suggesting EMGs for everybody, but I do think they're absolutely worth a spot at the table when discussing aftermarket pickups.
Exactly what I wanted
Exactly what is described on the website
Super easy to install, fun even
A killer sound that adapts to whatever style I'm throwing at it. This is amazing for me as I'll regularly go between funk and punk and metal and P&W in a jam or recording session and don't want to switch guitars for different styles
Sure, there's the 81 which is of course a monster at high gain, but quite frankly sounds better at that style than anything I've been doing previously.
The passive Rev set sounds like a classic PAF set but slightly more articulate and clear. Got rid of the nasty mid honk that my SG had with 57 Classics but kept that beautiful PAF touch and chimeyness.
The passive Geezer P cleaned up some mud from my P Bass, but was still not quite what I was looking for, so...
The EMG P makes my P Bass finally responsive
The 35TWX bass pickups make my jazz bass super versatile for a bunch of different scenarios (they're splittable and combine basically a single coil with a humbucker/MM style).
Seriously if you're a swapper, maybe try 'em out. Look past the well known metal pickups and into their entire selection... read the descriptions and pick out what you're looking for! People tend to fixate on the 81 and 85 but you have to realize how many different pickups they make... vintage, modern, passive (they have a LOT of passives), active, high output, low output, humbuckers, single coils, bass pickups, etc. Plus when you buy a pickup from them they include all the controls and cables you need WITH quick connects, even the passive pickups. It's so much easier than getting a pickup, figuring out pot value and audio/linear taper and ordering those, firing up the soldering iron, getting everything hot enough but not TOO hot, dealing with incredibly random wiring jobs, desoldering, chasing down ground noise, etc. I've literally never found value from swapping an audio pot for a log pot or dialing in different capacitor values. And then the Reverb Outlet store. Are you kidding me. Seconds at a discount... often for just a logo that doesn't look perfect. That's special, y'all.
Anyways. Just a PSA. The bad rap for EMGs is unfounded and they offer a ton of pickups with different vintage and modern voicings. I'm not going to start showing up to every pickup-related thread and start suggesting EMGs for everybody, but I do think they're absolutely worth a spot at the table when discussing aftermarket pickups.
