EMG 81' & 85' in a EPI LP?


Sasuke199
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Sasuke199
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12/03/2007 12:11 pm
I want to buy the EMG Zakk Wylde set for my Epiphone Les Paul standard, but I have never seen a demo of them in this guitar. If anyone has used or owned an EPI LP with these pickups please tell me how it is!
# 1
Superhuman
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Superhuman
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12/03/2007 1:26 pm
I have a set in my Ibanez Prestige - at first I was dissapointed but they have steadily grown on me. I love the 81 for lead, realy clear and it also has a nice burn - very high output, great for solos. Don't like the 85 at the bridge though, its far too bassy, unless you have tone knobs that can mix the front and back pup and give individual tone shaping then the difference is too huge when you flip from neck to bridge.
As I said, active pickups are really starting to grow on me but I still favor Dimarzio. If you are set on EMG's then I would scrap the ZW set and look at a pair of 81's - Kirk Hammet among others use these. Remember Zak Wylde has a refrigerator sized rig behind him generating his tone.
# 2
elklandercc
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elklandercc
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12/03/2007 1:30 pm
I though the 81 is suppose to go in the bridge, and the 85 in the neck.
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# 3
Superhuman
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Superhuman
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12/03/2007 2:22 pm
No its the other way around, check the emg site -
http://www.emginc.com/downloads/wiringdiagrams/EMG-ZWset.pdf

Might make sense to have the bassier pickup at the bridge though... would give more clarity to the neck position for sweep picking etc.
# 4
BrokenJera
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BrokenJera
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12/03/2007 5:31 pm
but doesnt zakk use that same emg 81/85 in his gibson lp? i never really got into this emg active3 pickup stuff so i guess i shouldnht have posted at all.
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# 5
nbrothergtr
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nbrothergtr
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12/03/2007 7:21 pm
Active emgs in about anything are going to sound like active emgs. We used to joke that you could put emgs in a 2x4 and it wouldn't sound any different. In my opinion that's not far from the truth. The preamp in your guitar pushes the signal many times stronger than the signal you get from passive pickups. What this does is eliminate a lot of the subtle qualities your unique instrument may have. In the end you will have the aggressive scooped emg sound. Many people, myself included, find 81/85 tone sterile in a sense that your sound is scooped to the extreme. The mids you've cut out and the tone properties of your guitar shine when you run through a quality tube amplifier. However if you want a guitar that's going to haul ass all the time, this will do it. I'd look into the kerry king set if I was you. They're the same pickups with a boost. I know for a fact I can tell the difference in the tone of an epiphone and a gibson, but I wouldn't bet a dollar I could tell the difference in tone when both have emgs.
# 6
elklandercc
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elklandercc
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12/03/2007 11:35 pm
Originally Posted by: SuperhumanNo its the other way around, check the emg site -
http://www.emginc.com/downloads/wiringdiagrams/EMG-ZWset.pdf

Might make sense to have the bassier pickup at the bridge though... would give more clarity to the neck position for sweep picking etc.

Actually, I was right, so says that spec sheet. :cool:

If you want clarity/more bass for sweeping, why not just flip over to the neck p/u.
"During this line, the kid acted like he was pushing buttons on a calculator in the air. The kid played ******* air-calculator!"

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# 7
Sasuke199
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Sasuke199
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12/08/2007 4:06 am
I was also thinking about getting Dimarzio Evolutions, but there's one thing, I don't like the look of naked humbuckers on a les paul, can I put my chrome pickup covers on them?
# 8

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