99% of why people dont like EMGs is because they read on a forum and are following hype. Close to 90% of everyones favorite metal records are all recorded with emgs. It's not by accident.
I'm okay with the standard 9 Volt setup and have an 81/85 pair in my Schecter. But I don't use them in any other guitars. I am pretty much a Duncan player. I love the Nazgul, Distortion, Custom, Full Shred, etc. Actives have their advantages, but I don't feel they are great enough for me to go full EMG. I prefer the natural dynamics of passives most of the time.
Yep! And that goes for those who no longer listen to music with their ears but with their eyes. In other words, without a video to accompany your music you go nowhere these days. Fucking MTV is to blame.
I used to dislike EMG's too because I read everyone hates them. In my first guitar I had them but I got rid of them. Recently I aquired a Jackson RR24 with an EMG81 in the bridge. And I fell in love. Great pickups for me.
@@dudeguyman27 to be honest. Wouldn’t know anymore because another plottwist. There is a DP100 installed into it right now. Got a little tired of the fizz high end of the Warpig. Now considering to replace the dp100 for an evo2.
I love Emg's. I have them in every guitar I own. In the SG's I use one 9v battery due to space. In the others I use 2 9v for 18v. It lowers the amount of compression giving you more dynamics.🤘🏼😎🍺
Everyone loves the Fluence too! Watch the full video and check out that 24V boost dual battery thing I mention. Or click on the link in the description. It's $10 and works like a regular battery.
@@snapascrew same. They're good, but they sounded a little too "digital" for my taste, except for the "passive voicing". But, I felt silly having 2 voicings, and only using the "passive" one. And, why emulate "passive" tone with an active pickup? That just seems silly af.
I install EMG’s in all my builds. Have had people say they do not like them but they do not have any examples of songs or idea who has used them. Yeah, the battery sucks but you loose the hum in single coils. I love the ease of installation also. I put DiMarzio covers on a guitar with EMG’s and some thought it sounds better with those in it. They also think a black guitar sounds better than a red one , or some crap like that. I’ll keep my EMG’s! Man you got a lot of cool stuff!
Used to run the EMG 81s in basically all my guitars back in the day till i tried the EMG HETSET. They sound amazing, can be found for a good price and come in great colors. I'm more of a Bare knuckle Ragnarok guy these days but still use the EMG HETSET for recording.
I’ll always have a guitar with Emgs, are they my go-to? No, but they serve a purpose and they deliver a consistent, time-honoured tone. I’ve found that they’re super loud when I’m using amp-sims and they are one dimensional.
it's not that weird, what's weird is that most people are sheep and don't use their ears to decide if a tone is good and instead just listen to a bunch of people parrot the same thing. the punchline is that most people on the internet are terrible musicians giving their opinions on tone lmao
You can power EMG's through a stereo cable no? I'm still waiting for my first set to arrive, but if i feel i want more voltage i would go that way rather than trying to cram more batteries into my guitar that hasn't got enough space and I'm not routing.
Yeah man, I'm with you. You can go as high as 27 volts, as per EMGs website and manual, so doubling with 12v batteries is ideal. These make such a huge difference too!
Isn't that battery pack crazy!! Hahaha! I'm glad you got it! You can order replacement batteries on Amazon or at any Lowe's/ Home Depot! Glad you like it, it makes a big difference. :)
I always see ppl complain about having to change batteries all the time with EMGs but they last 1,000 hours according to their specs. If you played guitar for 2 hours every single day that’s 1 year 4 months before needing a battery change. Like seriously give up the battery argument. All you gotta do is swamp out a battery every 6 to 8 months at worst. It takes less than 5 mins. You have to worry more about your phone battery more than your guitar battery. Now if you dislike the tone, that’s a valid complaint. I personally think EMGs have their place like anything else.
@@louistorres Hey brother, just pull out the jack from the guitar when you're not playing. That saves the battery. Thanks for your tip and all the hard work you put into your videos.
Yo Louis Dam son your still kicking ass. I remember when I first started with you when you had 500 subs. Congrats on the 6,000 man!!! I just bought a guitar with EMGs 81&85 gonna try you advice. Thanks man San Antonio Texas
Nope, not my thing either. I do like the DiMarzio DActivator though, it’s a passive with some active dynamics. The 7 string version turned my Ibanez into a monster.
I have tried all 3 combos. Running my 81/85's on 9v, 18v, and 24v. The best sound is running on 18v. 24v you lose a lot of the low end. 18v gives you that true bone crushing sound.
This is super cool. After seeing your video I mentioned this to a buddy of mine who actually had one of those battery holders. He pulled it out of a guitar he bought and didn't want it so I grabbed it. I feel like my eclipse is so much more versatile now. I can go from the compressed emg vibe (which I do actually like) to a more open, passive feeling thing in 30 seconds with a battery change. Thanks for the tip!
I just got an LTD Deluxe in the mail today with EMGs, threw in the extra 24v boost and love it!! I'm glad you like it too! It's a big difference, right! Crazy!
@@louistorres wtf I just bought a LTD ec-1000 deluxe from guitar center (its used on hold) and i'm picking it up tomorrow. I really gotta get this mod now.
Is there more chord clarity with distortion after the mod? That's my biggest gripe with my 81-7/85-7 , absolute monster for chugs and pinch harmonics but somewhat muddy on the complex distorted chords
I like the mick Thomson black outs, got them on my Jackson. But I feel like ( for me ) they pick up a lot of “ outside noise” regardless. Awesome pick ups, they were my first active pick ups I’ve ever used so I’m still new to them.
EMG pickups are a selective taste however they are not only active they make passive pickups too and they smash however i find somthing like the Het Set from EMG is a good blend of passive and active id suggest you check them out
I spent 18 years avoiding them, I finally bought an Ltd EX-401 in white. It came with EMG’s and at first I thought they were shit (my main is a Gibson Les Paul Modern). But then I realize how to eq them and stuff like that. Now I’m actually addicted to it. I found love.
Pickups are definitely a personal preference, but most players I’ve talked to who were anti active pickups were mostly afraid to deal with 9v batteries and have little to no experience with the pickups.
Dudes need to use 24v power in their EMGs. I went from hating them and literally pulling them out of every guitar to loving them. It changed everything for me. :)
Dude! I got a few of these off of ebay about 2 months ago!! I love emg's and with this battery mod, I love them even more! It is a necessary improvement!
I had 81/85 or 60 in all of my guitars. Then I tried the Hetfield set and was impressed. Then I found the 57/66 set. I found even people that hate actives like those. The 57/66 set goes in all my guitars.
They still sound terrible, but I've been thinking; if the problem is clipping at the pre-amp, then moving the pickups farther from the strings should have a similar effect.
I equipped my ‘92 Les Paul Standard with EMGs about 17 years ago. 81 in the bridge position and 89 with coil tap in the neck position. I love them! They are great with high gain, yet sound clean and tight through the clean channel. They replaced a Duncan Distortion in the bridge and a Duncan Custom in the neck. I loved those too, but the EMGs are far more versatile.
I've turned more to passive these days. As others have said though, they do serve a purpose. I hate worrying about batteries and all I really want from actives is their chugging goodness in the bridge and the cleans can sound so good and clear, but you can pretty much get there with power in passives and the lovely cleans of passives as well anyways. There's just nothing like rocking out with those passives and the right amp though. It's an everyday struggle on finding a balance to what suits you in one guitar/rig as many others face.
Had tried 18V myself and i can admit it sounds clearer and better, so 24 volts should do even more. From what i see, this mod do use A23 batteries (like say, those they put into the auto alarm controls). I believe its won`t be hard to make a holder for those. Thanks for the hint!
@@louistorres Yes, i just mean the battery kind doesn`t seem to be mentioned, but I believe that should be useful. Guys would need new batteries sometime ...
Love my EMG's. I have 81/60 on a squier Jim root, I have the 57/66 on a Epiphone Les Paul pro, I have a het set on a Ltd ec401 and I am working on a cheap Les Paul SL by adding single coil EMG pups.
I use DiMarzio Super Distortion bridge pickups in all my guitars. They are a nice output but not too high and they split well. They can go from blues to death metal.
I love almost everything omg does. I grew up in the metalcore era and all my favorite albums were recorded with emg's. I can totally see why people wouldn't like them though. They have their place
That just means you need to get a twin of your guitar and install EMGs!! : ) I literally have two LTD EC1000s, both in black, one with EMGs and the other with Will Adlers. Trust that you'll love having the two to pick from! : )
Ive always liked the look of EMG pickups its probably because in my mind they were synonymous with Metal, typically you didnt load them in a guitar for grandpas country music 😂
I am not a fan of EMGs at all! I will say this, when amps were not so “ hot “ on the gain section, yes, I would use with my Jackson with EMGs but..... yes, but.... once amps got a bit more gain on tap I switched to my favourite pickup ( Seymour Duncan jb ) the jb is the Jack of all trades haha and sounds awesome with a decent clean boost with OD pedal. My friend Lars from the band Rancid does have a signature emg pickup ... the DMF model and its give or take based on a Dirty fingers pickup and its also passive! I will get one for one of my guitars out of support but all gear for almost 20 yrs has been Seymour Duncan and refuse to change !
Thank you! I've been saying for years there were no high gain amps back then, it was old 70s Marshalls driven with tube screamers and EMGs are a product of that time and thought process to push these amps. You don't need it anymore, unless you are playing through that type of rig.
I used active EMG's in a LP years ago and didn't like them, they lacked something tone wise and had hiss at even moderate gains compared to great passive PUPs. It is almost impossible to make a really good low noise, low distortion active amplifier circuit that has 80u amps current draw. This is a simple law of physics. The pickups amplifier chip's many dozens of transistors are running so low current they run much slower, ie the 'slew rate' and 'GBW' is much lower than normal HQ audio opamps. Further to this EMG's differential electronics use high value resistors which is a big part of the hiss that you hear at higher gains. That's called Johnson Noise. You could say it doesn't matter, we are driving a (usually) dirty tube amp but IME, from clean to moderate gains, it's surprising how much active electronics affect the tone. So if you love EMG's, great, keep using 'em, you may like any 'color' that the electronics are adding or - if you are using really high gain, it's probably not noticeable. But if you are wondering is there something I can't quite define missing from the sound of these PUPs at clean to moderate dirt, IME it's most likely the electronics. PS, running 24V supplies on a low current chip does in fact improve the dynamic performance to some degree. TCD
This is an excellent explanation, thanks. I hate the sound of EMGs, especially 81s. I think that this 18/24 volt battery hack is probably the same as just increasing the distance between the strings and the pickup to prevent clipping. Still won't make the pickups sound good though, for the reasons you have layed out.
The first pickup upgrade in went was EMG 81. I used to love it, I even experimented with the 85. Then i moved to SD and since 2016 I’ve been using fluences.
I got Edwards guitar with EMG-81 on it and I really loved it. If battery is gone, just change it… As a musician, you should’t judge just because of your personal sensational reason, buddy.
The 81 & 85's are the best pickups ever made. I have both in my schecter and id put them up against any other pickups. Hands down best ever! Ill never go back to passive pickups.
People that hate EMG's simply dont know how to set them up right. Most do the old school get close to the strings n go method which makes the clean sound on ANY pickup sound like sand paper ass. start at that height at set up them strum it thru a good clean amp. Lower them til they dont sound like ass any more. There is a sweet spot you'll know when you cross it. Ordering a set of Glenn Tipton Vengeance pickups for my new build this coming week if I can source them. If not Ill do the Zakk wild 81/85 set
Emg does sell passive pickups if you hate the active pickups, in my opinion I don’t find the swapping batteries that annoying or anything else that comes with owning emgs, I love the percussive sound they have to em very chuggy and I love it, have a kickass day man🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻
I suggest you to try out the fishman fluence modern pickups. Not only because are active pickups too, but also you have the option to install a rechargeable battery pack using an usb cable
I bought a guitar with EMGs, I was a bit disappointed, not very versatile, I read in a forum how to make them sound more "organic" by just replacing the potentiometers from 25k to 1Meg, this mod even allows you to combine them with passive pickups, to me this mod definitely makes a difference I used CTS pots and Russian paper in oil 0,1uf tone cap
What's up louis..good to see ya man.....I tried the 24v in my Esp but to me, it didn't have the same tone as 18v...but still cool...love the 81/60's @ 18v though...killer tone... from what I remember 24 seemed a bit harsh or maybe just to much juice if that makes sense..ha,ha..anyway, Thanks man..👍
I've been playing around with 24 volts as well on my LTD for a while, and the actually testable and audible benefit is that as long as the pickups aren't extremely close to the strings, when playing as hard as you can on clean with the volume rolled back on your guitar, you can hear that there is less hard clipping in the pickup built in preamps than at 9V because the voltage gives those preamps more volume headroom. Also you probably have by now already, but be sure to try the 57 or the Het or the 85 in the bridge, which is a whole different kind of tone. Most modern EMG guitars should have a solderless installation making them extremely easy to swap out as it's just a plug in cable connection. Right now I have a Het in the bridge and a 60 in the neck which is my favorite combo so far (haven't tried the 57 yet). Lastly the X series EMGs already have minimal clipping and very high headroom when run even at 9 volts because they have a redesigned preamp such that they don't need to run on 24 volts to avoid clipping like the older models. Your setup is incredible, keep it up.
I yank out EMG and I stuck a DIMEBUCKER in there and problem solved. That pick up is a monster... you already know that though, I remember you did a video on it
i just replaced those volume knobs from 25k ohms to 100k ohms and it changes the sound on more head room and punchier tone and installed additional treble bleed.
I played the EMG 81 since 1985 with zero issues through pretty much every amp made. I switched to the 57 5 years ago and now use them exclusively. Battery issues? I gig 40 to 50 times a year and play everyday and change my batteries every January. Never had one fail.
They just sound sterile, without certain dynamics. I just replaced a set with a 59 neck and a Voodoo Custom Krueger bridge. That is an amazing set of pickups together. The Voodoo Custom pickup just blows me away.
I love all kinds of pups... BUT - If I am in front of 40,000 people (and I have been) I want the rig quiet. SO Fishman Fluence or EMG's >> to pedals to amp and even then it may need a hush type pedal for high gain madness (center dry zone) and time based effects (fractal) left and right cab stacks to FOH (via UA ox box) The main problem is,,,,, I love tubes.... and tubes do not like the road and they break..... unexplained rumble on stage is a sign u have a microphonic tube etc.... the fix for that is take tubes out after every gig and that is what brings us to the kemper (randall dimez rg100s are still killer) (the 2nd guitar sounded better for sure (nice string sound on bottom and sizzle on top))
Everyone loves their Fishman pickups! Looks like I should probably try them out. Thanks for taking the time to share, Michael! Have a great Monday!! :) How great, you were the guitarist in House of Lords. That's awesome, of course I remember you guys.
@@louistorres I would watch the uncle ben video on kemper evh top jimmy pack (not that it is EVH we want... it just shows the pups we want to listen to at their best) if I remember its the classics on switch setting 2. I play all 7 strings now but I take old school riffage and move it down an octave. It makes a 3 pc sound HUGE.
I almost wonder if that red HSH ESP was for Michael Angelo Batio. Only famous guy I’ve ever seen w/ EMG HSH configuration (only seen it on some home-mod Ibanez RG’s) Yeah it doesn’t split for position 2 and 4, and the middle pickup has to be very high to balance. I crudely 18v modded my RG and am fighting parasitic battery drain rn, but the guitar does sound AMAZING. Between 18v and lowering my humbuckers to get a useable position 2 and 4, the 81 behaves more like an angry Duncan JB, and the 85 is showing a sweet side, still boomy but the treble is less squished. I like it a lot, if only I can figure out what’s wrong with my circuit. It seems like the 18v adds headroom without removing gain. That means your harder picks can peak over the top more than they “should” but your pickup is still gonna overdrive your amp with lighter stuff. This seems to be a difference between modding your older EMGs and buying an “X series” pickup, but someone who’s done both should weigh in.
Never used active pickups until I bought a Kirk Hammett V with his signature Bonebreakers. After playing it for a week, I friggin hate them. They just don't have the dynamic range and harmonic richness I'm used to. I swapped them out for SD JB&Jazz
but i do agree with what you say, changing 9vs becomes annoying because it happens at anytime or anyplace and can ruin a jam session. but i’ve been looking to get RE-chargeable 9v batteries so i can save money
Active pickups have no noise way better than passive there's no comparison EMG pickups are the best pickup you can buy besides Seymour Duncan Blackouts active pickups.
People will say they hate active pickups and then go on a hunt for boost, EQ and compressors just to end up with what an active would give them signal wise. There is a reason why sound engineer really like to record with actives.
I recently picked up an LTD ST-1 with EMG’s (stock). First time using EMG. I was pleasantly surprised. They certainly sound more compressed than passive pups and offer better sustain. I did notice the amp settings need to be adjusted for actives. String Clarity on wholesome chords, like D G E, is fantastic.
It's not an exaggeration. When you record with emg and passive and put the waveforms side by side to compare you can really see how compressed the actives are. It's not a bad thing in my opinion because I end up with less post processing. The passive waveform is all over the place with spikes and valley's and I end up having to add compression to the guitar tracks. With the emg's all I have to add is some minor eq in the mix.
My LTD E401 has EMG's and I'm constantly changing batteries. I swear I can hear the loss in dynamics as soon as the battery starts to get weak. My buddies say I'm nuts but I can tell the difference. Thanks for the video Lou, I'm going to look into the 24volt upgrade. \m/ \m/
I tried them for the first time (EMG JS) when I installed the Jet Set on my guitar and became my main guitar now I wanna put them in all my guitars, instantly fell in love with them!
The batteries last around 3000 hours of use. (When the guitar is plugged in) Personally I have never found the batteries to be a problem. They last long enough that by the time you need a new one it doesn’t really matter. Who doesn’t have a few extra batteries lying around?
I use EMG selects whenever I can, reason being as an 80's kid I thought they were so cool and different once I got 3 of them I really just kept enjoying them. I just enjoy their dark sounds, and they remind me of a BC rich and super strat time period of my life.
I play in a metalcore band and EMGs just fit the sound I'm looking for. I paired a EMG 35DC with a 35CS. I could of splurged a little more and got Fishman pickups though.
A set of two EMG 85's are great; I'd prefer an active/passive switch tho because I hear active is good for a live setting but passive is better suited for recording
I've been an emg user for 15 years. Finally got a guitar with a passive (black winter), and now I can finally hear how compressed the emgs are. Ewwww lol
@@thedonylama the neck gets really single coil like when split too and sound very round for leads. Favorite duncan set for high gain for sure. Like a less fizzy distortion.
I've been using a Black Winter for about two years. It's does a variety of tones and slams for heavy stuff. Very clear and punchy to my ears. I used to be all about the Duncan Distortion but the Black Winter just wins me over...
@@DR440 same here I went from the jb(boring and sterile sounding) to the distortion. The distortion is great if you play standard and maybe as low as d standard but anything below it has too much low end. The black winter was the best 7 string pickup I’ve tried. It works great for 6 in b standard as well
Are they that good? I've never used Fishman pickups before. Which ones did you get? Let me know when you get the chance and thank you for the comment, brother! Have a great weekend!!
@@louistorres I have the Fishman Modern Humbuckers. And yes I absolutely love them, they don't have that muddy sloppy sound that EMGs sometimes have. Very crisp, Plus they have alot of versatility. 👌
@Louis Torres bro tell me why I just went and bought two of them, also left a message for the seller letting them know I bought them after I saw (TH-camr Louis Torres) video. 🤘🏼keep coming out with this good content bro. I use to watch Jared Dines because he had good stuff but now it’s all you my brotha don’t stop, keep it moving!
I buy most every old emg 81 I see, just the ones with the dull yellowy white wax potting from the early 80’s (I think, I’ve never actually researched it) favorite pickups by a mile for getting fat thrash tones and b standard or c# death metal sounds.
@@louistorres They run on a 9v Battery (Lithium Ion version coming soon) making them super punchy. They also have Soundhole Pickups which work great on a Bajo Sexto.
Active EMGs are cool and all but they just have this certain sound to them. Too chuggy with the lows while the highs are just muffled. Not that I don't like the sound, just not my preference. I actually quite like passive EMGs with an active preamp, which is to this day the best guitar sound I've managed to produce hands down. That setup has been on records from Children Of Bodom to Santa Cruz and it sounds killer without fail.
When I first started playing guitar all I wanted was emg. Now I know what I want out of my tone and I can't stand them. They have no dynamics (in my opinion) and everything sounds the same. Just trying to figure out what pickups I want now.
Hahahaha!! I was the same way! Yes, I feel like they're missing something but try out the 24V mod battery link that I added in the description. I actually like EMGs again but with that mod it's 1,000 times better!!
@@louistorres I was actually looking at it. Just out of curiosity do you have any experience with the mojotone sledgehammer or the lollar db humbucker. Those are two im looking into and all the TH-cam videos are coming out of digital processors. I want to hear them in an actual tube amp.
99% of why people dont like EMGs is because they read on a forum and are following hype. Close to 90% of everyones favorite metal records are all recorded with emgs. It's not by accident.
I agree with you, for metal, it has to be the most popular pickup of all time
I'm okay with the standard 9 Volt setup and have an 81/85 pair in my Schecter. But I don't use them in any other guitars. I am pretty much a Duncan player. I love the Nazgul, Distortion, Custom, Full Shred, etc. Actives have their advantages, but I don't feel they are great enough for me to go full EMG. I prefer the natural dynamics of passives most of the time.
Yep! And that goes for those who no longer listen to music with their ears but with their eyes. In other words, without a video to accompany your music you go nowhere these days. Fucking MTV is to blame.
@@pteeng1 But MTV doesn't even show music videos anymore, let alone metal artists...
@@louistorres Zakk Wylde is probably _the_ main metal guitarist who put EMG pickups in the spotlights back in the 80s
I used to dislike EMG's too because I read everyone hates them. In my first guitar I had them but I got rid of them.
Recently I aquired a Jackson RR24 with an EMG81 in the bridge. And I fell in love. Great pickups for me.
Plottwist. I still think they are great. But.... I ordered a Bareknuckle ceramic Warpig to replace it :D
@@JasperPost46how does the noise floor compare between the two pickups? Is the Warpig hotter?
@@dudeguyman27 to be honest. Wouldn’t know anymore because another plottwist. There is a DP100 installed into it right now. Got a little tired of the fizz high end of the Warpig. Now considering to replace the dp100 for an evo2.
Randy Rhoads had EMGs lol? 🤔
@@noahchasinguitar5831 How did you jump to that conclusion?
I love Emg's. I have them in every guitar I own. In the SG's I use one 9v battery due to space. In the others I use 2 9v for 18v. It lowers the amount of compression giving you more dynamics.🤘🏼😎🍺
I can fit 2 9V’s in my SG
I also love emg pickups this guy is crazy I love does pickups
EMGs have never let me down. I really wanna try some Fishmans tho.
Everyone loves the Fluence too! Watch the full video and check out that 24V boost dual battery thing I mention. Or click on the link in the description. It's $10 and works like a regular battery.
I tried fishmans . Went back to emg 85
@@snapascrew same. They're good, but they sounded a little too "digital" for my taste, except for the "passive voicing". But, I felt silly having 2 voicings, and only using the "passive" one. And, why emulate "passive" tone with an active pickup? That just seems silly af.
I install EMG’s in all my builds. Have had people say they do not like them but they do not have any examples of songs or idea who has used them. Yeah, the battery sucks but you loose the hum in single coils. I love the ease of installation also. I put DiMarzio covers on a guitar with EMG’s and some thought it sounds better with those in it. They also think a black guitar sounds better than a red one , or some crap like that. I’ll keep my EMG’s! Man you got a lot of cool stuff!
Used to run the EMG 81s in basically all my guitars back in the day till i tried the EMG HETSET. They sound amazing, can be found for a good price and come in great colors. I'm more of a Bare knuckle Ragnarok guy these days but still use the EMG HETSET for recording.
I’ll always have a guitar with Emgs, are they my go-to? No, but they serve a purpose and they deliver a consistent, time-honoured tone. I’ve found that they’re super loud when I’m using amp-sims and they are one dimensional.
I really love EMGs, i play a dsl 100 and it sounds great with those, real oldschool
Such a great amp
Old school and active pickups dont work in the same sentence 🤪
@@idontgivea1769 so like early metallica, slayer, exodus these guys arent oldschool?
Honestly like the tsl more than the dsl
I’m that weird guy who likes the clean tone out of the 81.
it's not that weird, what's weird is that most people are sheep and don't use their ears to decide if a tone is good and instead just listen to a bunch of people parrot the same thing. the punchline is that most people on the internet are terrible musicians giving their opinions on tone lmao
You can power EMG's through a stereo cable no? I'm still waiting for my first set to arrive, but if i feel i want more voltage i would go that way rather than trying to cram more batteries into my guitar that hasn't got enough space and I'm not routing.
Yeah man, I'm with you. You can go as high as 27 volts, as per EMGs website and manual, so doubling with 12v batteries is ideal. These make such a huge difference too!
Hey man big thanks for this. bought it and it works famously. World of difference.
Isn't that battery pack crazy!! Hahaha! I'm glad you got it! You can order replacement batteries on Amazon or at any Lowe's/ Home Depot! Glad you like it, it makes a big difference. :)
I always see ppl complain about having to change batteries all the time with EMGs but they last 1,000 hours according to their specs. If you played guitar for 2 hours every single day that’s 1 year 4 months before needing a battery change. Like seriously give up the battery argument. All you gotta do is swamp out a battery every 6 to 8 months at worst. It takes less than 5 mins. You have to worry more about your phone battery more than your guitar battery. Now if you dislike the tone, that’s a valid complaint. I personally think EMGs have their place like anything else.
For some reason, my batteries would drain OR maybe I thought they were drained and really weren't. Hahaha
@@louistorres maybe that’s a lot of what it is for people, they replace it way sooner. The old battery on the tongue test never failed me.
@@louistorres just check stereo jack, and remove cable after play.
Yep and unplug the guitar when done playing
@@louistorres Hey brother, just pull out the jack from the guitar when you're not playing. That saves the battery. Thanks for your tip and all the hard work you put into your videos.
Yo Louis
Dam son your still kicking ass. I remember when I first started with you when you had 500 subs. Congrats on the 6,000 man!!! I just bought a guitar with EMGs 81&85 gonna try you advice. Thanks man
San Antonio Texas
Nope, not my thing either. I do like the DiMarzio DActivator though, it’s a passive with some active dynamics. The 7 string version turned my Ibanez into a monster.
I have tried all 3 combos. Running my 81/85's on 9v, 18v, and 24v. The best sound is running on 18v. 24v you lose a lot of the low end. 18v gives you that true bone crushing sound.
I'll have to try the 18v then. I love the 24v but my bass is always set to ten, so maybe that's why it sounds good to my ears. :)
This is super cool. After seeing your video I mentioned this to a buddy of mine who actually had one of those battery holders. He pulled it out of a guitar he bought and didn't want it so I grabbed it. I feel like my eclipse is so much more versatile now. I can go from the compressed emg vibe (which I do actually like) to a more open, passive feeling thing in 30 seconds with a battery change. Thanks for the tip!
I just got an LTD Deluxe in the mail today with EMGs, threw in the extra 24v boost and love it!! I'm glad you like it too! It's a big difference, right! Crazy!
@@louistorres enjoy the new axe!
@@louistorres wtf I just bought a LTD ec-1000 deluxe from guitar center (its used on hold) and i'm picking it up tomorrow. I really gotta get this mod now.
I’ve always liked EMG pickups. Great for classic metal tones which is what I like although people don’t like it anymore.
Ordered mine today!!! I have an 81/60 set in my Schecter Hellraiser. Thanks for the vid!!!
Is there more chord clarity with distortion after the mod? That's my biggest gripe with my 81-7/85-7 , absolute monster for chugs and pinch harmonics but somewhat muddy on the complex distorted chords
Where is the link for the battey box? Twentyfour volts huh. I'm gonna convert a preamp stomp to 24 volts.
Dude, I was the same. Till I came across the X and Retroactive series. Also, I do love the Mick Thomson SD blackouts.
I like the mick Thomson black outs, got them on my Jackson. But I feel like ( for me ) they pick up a lot of “ outside noise” regardless. Awesome pick ups, they were my first active pick ups I’ve ever used so I’m still new to them.
Louis also don’t discount trying the 85 in the bridge at 9V and at 24V. The 85 is warmer and less fizzy.
EMG pickups are a selective taste however they are not only active they make passive pickups too and they smash however i find somthing like the Het Set from EMG is a good blend of passive and active id suggest you check them out
You Might hate them but I freaking love them
Read the title again and watch the video. It's actually the opposite. So, watch the episode when you get a minute.
I spent 18 years avoiding them, I finally bought an Ltd EX-401 in white. It came with EMG’s and at first I thought they were shit (my main is a Gibson Les Paul Modern). But then I realize how to eq them and stuff like that. Now I’m actually addicted to it. I found love.
The Skull frets are so cool... I really like the EMG81's on my E-II M-II but that 24v sounds great.. gr8 vid
Pickups are definitely a personal preference, but most players I’ve talked to who were anti active pickups were mostly afraid to deal with 9v batteries and have little to no experience with the pickups.
Dudes need to use 24v power in their EMGs. I went from hating them and literally pulling them out of every guitar to loving them. It changed everything for me. :)
Dude! I got a few of these off of ebay about 2 months ago!! I love emg's and with this battery mod, I love them even more! It is a necessary improvement!
I had 81/85 or 60 in all of my guitars. Then I tried the Hetfield set and was impressed. Then I found the 57/66 set. I found even people that hate actives like those. The 57/66 set goes in all my guitars.
Thank you so very much for that info . I bought 2 of them AWESOME. Thanks brother
They still sound terrible, but I've been thinking; if the problem is clipping at the pre-amp, then moving the pickups farther from the strings should have a similar effect.
It just needs more power to pull in the string's vibration.
I equipped my ‘92 Les Paul Standard with EMGs about 17 years ago. 81 in the bridge position and 89 with coil tap in the neck position. I love them! They are great with high gain, yet sound clean and tight through the clean channel. They replaced a Duncan Distortion in the bridge and a Duncan Custom in the neck. I loved those too, but the EMGs are far more versatile.
I've turned more to passive these days. As others have said though, they do serve a purpose.
I hate worrying about batteries and all I really want from actives is their chugging goodness in the bridge and the cleans can sound so good and clear, but you can pretty much get there with power in passives and the lovely cleans of passives as well anyways. There's just nothing like rocking out with those passives and the right amp though.
It's an everyday struggle on finding a balance to what suits you in one guitar/rig as many others face.
Had tried 18V myself and i can admit it sounds clearer and better, so 24 volts should do even more. From what i see, this mod do use A23 batteries (like say, those they put into the auto alarm controls). I believe its won`t be hard to make a holder for those. Thanks for the hint!
24v sounds clearer for sure and yes, you can create a holder for the A23 batteries easily.
@@louistorres Yes, i just mean the battery kind doesn`t seem to be mentioned, but I believe that should be useful. Guys would need new batteries sometime ...
If you swap to passive pickups, can you just solder onto the original pots, etc?
No , EMG pots are 25k and pots for passive humbuckers 500k so u need to swap everything in the control cavity. And also the jack...
Love my EMG's. I have 81/60 on a squier Jim root, I have the 57/66 on a Epiphone Les Paul pro, I have a het set on a Ltd ec401 and I am working on a cheap Les Paul SL by adding single coil EMG pups.
I bought this mod cant wait to hear the difference.
You'll hear a much wider range that's much more manageable with your amp. You're going to love it!
@@louistorres dude it kicks ass its amazing 👏
I use DiMarzio Super Distortion bridge pickups in all my guitars. They are a nice output but not too high and they split well. They can go from blues to death metal.
I love almost everything omg does. I grew up in the metalcore era and all my favorite albums were recorded with emg's. I can totally see why people wouldn't like them though. They have their place
I swapped my 81-85 out with fishman will Adlers. As great as these Fishmans are, I miss the emg’s.
That just means you need to get a twin of your guitar and install EMGs!! : ) I literally have two LTD EC1000s, both in black, one with EMGs and the other with Will Adlers. Trust that you'll love having the two to pick from! : )
Ive always liked the look of EMG pickups its probably because in my mind they were synonymous with Metal, typically you didnt load them in a guitar for grandpas country music 😂
Hahahaha!! EMGs in a banjo would be fun to hear! Hahaha!! : )
EMG 81 bridge and EMG 60 Neck pickups sound beyond good. i have emgs in a lot of guitars
Glenn Tipton has used EMGs since forever, and if they're good enough for him, then, you know the rest.
I am not a fan of EMGs at all! I will say this, when amps were not so “ hot “ on the gain section, yes, I would use with my Jackson with EMGs but..... yes, but.... once amps got a bit more gain on tap I switched to my favourite pickup ( Seymour Duncan jb ) the jb is the Jack of all trades haha and sounds awesome with a decent clean boost with OD pedal. My friend Lars from the band Rancid does have a signature emg pickup ... the DMF model and its give or take based on a Dirty fingers pickup and its also passive! I will get one for one of my guitars out of support but all gear for almost 20 yrs has been Seymour Duncan and refuse to change !
Thank you! I've been saying for years there were no high gain amps back then, it was old 70s Marshalls driven with tube screamers and EMGs are a product of that time and thought process to push these amps. You don't need it anymore, unless you are playing through that type of rig.
I used active EMG's in a LP years ago and didn't like them, they lacked something tone wise and had hiss at even moderate gains compared to great passive PUPs.
It is almost impossible to make a really good low noise, low distortion active amplifier circuit that has 80u amps current draw. This is a simple law of physics.
The pickups amplifier chip's many dozens of transistors are running so low current they run much slower, ie the 'slew rate' and 'GBW' is much lower than normal HQ audio opamps.
Further to this EMG's differential electronics use high value resistors which is a big part of the hiss that you hear at higher gains. That's called Johnson Noise.
You could say it doesn't matter, we are driving a (usually) dirty tube amp but IME, from clean to moderate gains, it's surprising how much active electronics affect the tone.
So if you love EMG's, great, keep using 'em, you may like any 'color' that the electronics are adding or - if you are using really high gain, it's probably not noticeable.
But if you are wondering is there something I can't quite define missing from the sound of these PUPs at clean to moderate dirt, IME it's most likely the electronics.
PS, running 24V supplies on a low current chip does in fact improve the dynamic performance to some degree.
TCD
This is an excellent explanation, thanks. I hate the sound of EMGs, especially 81s. I think that this 18/24 volt battery hack is probably the same as just increasing the distance between the strings and the pickup to prevent clipping. Still won't make the pickups sound good though, for the reasons you have layed out.
The first pickup upgrade in went was EMG 81.
I used to love it, I even experimented with the 85. Then i moved to SD and since 2016 I’ve been using fluences.
I got Edwards guitar with EMG-81 on it and I really loved it. If battery is gone, just change it… As a musician, you should’t judge just because of your personal sensational reason, buddy.
noise gate pedals are a must anyway, theres no reason to ever hear the small noises...this is something so many people overlook
The 81 & 85's are the best pickups ever made. I have both in my schecter and id put them up against any other pickups. Hands down best ever! Ill never go back to passive pickups.
Yes bro! Get that battery pack for your EMGs, it's so great! I hated EMGs for a long while, now I'm back to loving them!
Everyone loves the 81/85 set. I gave them a go and meh....
Them I got the 57/66 set! Bang! Love em.
I feel like there are two EMG clans, the 81/85s and the 57/66s. :) And each side hates the other! Haha! :)
People that hate EMG's simply dont know how to set them up right. Most do the old school get close to the strings n go method which makes the clean sound on ANY pickup sound like sand paper ass. start at that height at set up them strum it thru a good clean amp. Lower them til they dont sound like ass any more. There is a sweet spot you'll know when you cross it. Ordering a set of Glenn Tipton Vengeance pickups for my new build this coming week if I can source them. If not Ill do the Zakk wild 81/85 set
Emg does sell passive pickups if you hate the active pickups, in my opinion I don’t find the swapping batteries that annoying or anything else that comes with owning emgs, I love the percussive sound they have to em very chuggy and I love it, have a kickass day man🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻
EMG 81X 85X 60X..
GREAT PICKUPS BRO..
Rathen than noisy passive pickups..
I suggest you to try out the fishman fluence modern pickups. Not only because are active pickups too, but also you have the option to install a rechargeable battery pack using an usb cable
i have them. im having trouble getting the tone i like on them.
Not sure why u don't like them, then EMG in my stingray is massive 🤔 and no battery draining issues for me
Watch the full video, I literally talk about how I love them now. :)
I bought a guitar with EMGs, I was a bit disappointed, not very versatile, I read in a forum how to make them sound more "organic" by just replacing the potentiometers from 25k to 1Meg, this mod even allows you to combine them with passive pickups, to me this mod definitely makes a difference I used CTS pots and Russian paper in oil 0,1uf tone cap
Yes, replacing the pots to 1M opens up the pickup just as much as pushing the power. It basically does the same but you're not soldering anything.
What's up louis..good to see ya man.....I tried the 24v in my Esp but to me, it didn't have the same tone as 18v...but still cool...love the 81/60's @ 18v though...killer tone...
from what I remember 24 seemed a bit harsh or maybe just to much juice if that makes sense..ha,ha..anyway, Thanks man..👍
"Beep. Boop... Beep"
- Louis Torres, 2020
Love your vids, mate!
I've been playing around with 24 volts as well on my LTD for a while, and the actually testable and audible benefit is that as long as the pickups aren't extremely close to the strings, when playing as hard as you can on clean with the volume rolled back on your guitar, you can hear that there is less hard clipping in the pickup built in preamps than at 9V because the voltage gives those preamps more volume headroom.
Also you probably have by now already, but be sure to try the 57 or the Het or the 85 in the bridge, which is a whole different kind of tone. Most modern EMG guitars should have a solderless installation making them extremely easy to swap out as it's just a plug in cable connection. Right now I have a Het in the bridge and a 60 in the neck which is my favorite combo so far (haven't tried the 57 yet).
Lastly the X series EMGs already have minimal clipping and very high headroom when run even at 9 volts because they have a redesigned preamp such that they don't need to run on 24 volts to avoid clipping like the older models. Your setup is incredible, keep it up.
Can you give me a brand to check out for emg potentiometers. I want to replace mine with some new ones to see if it makes any difference too
I yank out EMG and I stuck a DIMEBUCKER in there and problem solved. That pick up is a monster... you already know that though, I remember you did a video on it
I have old walkie talkies and old amfm handheld radios from the 1960s some have those double A 9-volt battery adapters
i just replaced those volume knobs from 25k ohms to 100k ohms and it changes the sound on more head room and punchier tone and installed additional treble bleed.
I played the EMG 81 since 1985 with zero issues through pretty much every amp made. I switched to the 57 5 years ago and now use them exclusively. Battery issues? I gig 40 to 50 times a year and play everyday and change my batteries every January. Never had one fail.
They just sound sterile, without certain dynamics. I just replaced a set with a 59 neck and a Voodoo Custom Krueger bridge. That is an amazing set of pickups together. The Voodoo Custom pickup just blows me away.
The EMGX are the 24modded EMG with a 9volt
Duncan Dimebucker is my favorite high output pickups
Such a great pickup, bro! I'm glad you like it too!
I love all kinds of pups... BUT - If I am in front of 40,000 people (and I have been) I want the rig quiet. SO Fishman Fluence or EMG's >> to pedals to amp and even then it may need a hush type pedal for high gain madness (center dry zone) and time based effects (fractal) left and right cab stacks to FOH (via UA ox box) The main problem is,,,,, I love tubes.... and tubes do not like the road and they break..... unexplained rumble on stage is a sign u have a microphonic tube etc.... the fix for that is take tubes out after every gig and that is what brings us to the kemper (randall dimez rg100s are still killer) (the 2nd guitar sounded better for sure (nice string sound on bottom and sizzle on top))
Everyone loves their Fishman pickups! Looks like I should probably try them out. Thanks for taking the time to share, Michael! Have a great Monday!! :) How great, you were the guitarist in House of Lords. That's awesome, of course I remember you guys.
@@louistorres I would watch the uncle ben video on kemper evh top jimmy pack (not that it is EVH we want... it just shows the pups we want to listen to at their best) if I remember its the classics on switch setting 2. I play all 7 strings now but I take old school riffage and move it down an octave. It makes a 3 pc sound HUGE.
I never could get the chug I was looking for until I got single 81 in my jackson warrior
I almost wonder if that red HSH ESP was for Michael Angelo Batio. Only famous guy I’ve ever seen w/ EMG HSH configuration (only seen it on some home-mod Ibanez RG’s) Yeah it doesn’t split for position 2 and 4, and the middle pickup has to be very high to balance.
I crudely 18v modded my RG and am fighting parasitic battery drain rn, but the guitar does sound AMAZING. Between 18v and lowering my humbuckers to get a useable position 2 and 4, the 81 behaves more like an angry Duncan JB, and the 85 is showing a sweet side, still boomy but the treble is less squished. I like it a lot, if only I can figure out what’s wrong with my circuit.
It seems like the 18v adds headroom without removing gain. That means your harder picks can peak over the top more than they “should” but your pickup is still gonna overdrive your amp with lighter stuff. This seems to be a difference between modding your older EMGs and buying an “X series” pickup, but someone who’s done both should weigh in.
Never used active pickups until I bought a Kirk Hammett V with his signature Bonebreakers. After playing it for a week, I friggin hate them. They just don't have the dynamic range and harmonic richness I'm used to. I swapped them out for SD JB&Jazz
@justaguy2365 EMGs need more power, that's all. Next guitar with EMGs use 24v. It's mindblowing! :)
@@louistorresI own another guitar with Retro Active Fat 55s. I actually like them
Have you considered putting your emgs up for sale?
but i do agree with what you say, changing 9vs becomes annoying because it happens at anytime or anyplace and can ruin a jam session. but i’ve been looking to get RE-chargeable 9v batteries so i can save money
Active pickups have no noise way better than passive there's no comparison EMG pickups are the best pickup you can buy besides Seymour Duncan Blackouts active pickups.
Damn I would love to have an HSH configuration ESP
Bro, trust that you're fine without the single in the middle. I have it cranked to the bottom, so I don't hit it when I'm picking. :)
People will say they hate active pickups and then go on a hunt for boost, EQ and compressors just to end up with what an active would give them signal wise. There is a reason why sound engineer really like to record with actives.
EMGs are AWFUL unless you power them with more than 9Vs then they're amazing. Such a huge difference at 24V than at 9v.
The 80s emgs that were hardwired sound better to me and i agree about changing to new pots
I recently picked up an LTD ST-1 with EMG’s (stock). First time using EMG. I was pleasantly surprised. They certainly sound more compressed than passive pups and offer better sustain. I did notice the amp settings need to be adjusted for actives. String Clarity on wholesome chords, like D G E, is fantastic.
I have a set of 81-89 on an old Jem555 from the mid 90s, did the 24V mod. I think people over exaggerate how compressed they sound
It's not an exaggeration. When you record with emg and passive and put the waveforms side by side to compare you can really see how compressed the actives are. It's not a bad thing in my opinion because I end up with less post processing. The passive waveform is all over the place with spikes and valley's and I end up having to add compression to the guitar tracks. With the emg's all I have to add is some minor eq in the mix.
Great stuff. Thanks Louis!
My LTD E401 has EMG's and I'm constantly changing batteries. I swear I can hear the loss in dynamics as soon as the battery starts to get weak. My buddies say I'm nuts but I can tell the difference. Thanks for the video Lou, I'm going to look into the 24volt upgrade. \m/ \m/
The battery will still drain if you leave the cord in the input jack, even if your amp is turned off.
I tried them for the first time (EMG JS) when I installed the Jet Set on my guitar and became my main guitar now I wanna put them in all my guitars, instantly fell in love with them!
I can't get over needing batteries though man. Lol sounds killer though
The batteries last around 3000 hours of use. (When the guitar is plugged in) Personally I have never found the batteries to be a problem. They last long enough that by the time you need a new one it doesn’t really matter. Who doesn’t have a few extra batteries lying around?
@@whiskeya1207 valid point for sure
I got Active EMG,s 81 and I fkn love them!!!!
Get the 18v or 24v battery boost and you'll love them even more! I hated EMGs for years, now I love them but only with extra volts.
Nice. I’ll have to try swapping the pots on my EMGs to see if their sound improves
What about the passive EMG? Alexi Laiho uses Passive EMGs.
I use EMG selects whenever I can, reason being as an 80's kid I thought they were so cool and different once I got 3 of them I really just kept enjoying them. I just enjoy their dark sounds, and they remind me of a BC rich and super strat time period of my life.
I play in a metalcore band and EMGs just fit the sound I'm looking for. I paired a EMG 35DC with a 35CS. I could of splurged a little more and got Fishman pickups though.
A set of two EMG 85's are great; I'd prefer an active/passive switch tho because I hear active is good for a live setting but passive is better suited for recording
I've been an emg user for 15 years. Finally got a guitar with a passive (black winter), and now I can finally hear how compressed the emgs are. Ewwww lol
I feel the same way with fluencies
Black winter is literally the best Duncan bridge pickup for metal
@@thedonylama the neck gets really single coil like when split too and sound very round for leads. Favorite duncan set for high gain for sure. Like a less fizzy distortion.
I've been using a Black Winter for about two years. It's does a variety of tones and slams for heavy stuff. Very clear and punchy to my ears. I used to be all about the Duncan Distortion but the Black Winter just wins me over...
@@DR440 same here I went from the jb(boring and sterile sounding) to the distortion. The distortion is great if you play standard and maybe as low as d standard but anything below it has too much low end. The black winter was the best 7 string pickup I’ve tried. It works great for 6 in b standard as well
I just had Fishmans installed in my Eclipse and I will NEVER go back to EMGs
Cheers from🇨🇦🤘
Are they that good? I've never used Fishman pickups before. Which ones did you get? Let me know when you get the chance and thank you for the comment, brother! Have a great weekend!!
@@louistorres I have the Fishman Modern Humbuckers. And yes I absolutely love them, they don't have that muddy sloppy sound that EMGs sometimes have. Very crisp, Plus they have alot of versatility. 👌
Get ya some black winters
I love EMG Blackouts and Fishmans
Fishmans are monsters! EMGs are great too, get the 24v packs, you'll love them even more!
@Louis Torres bro tell me why I just went and bought two of them, also left a message for the seller letting them know I bought them after I saw (TH-camr Louis Torres) video. 🤘🏼keep coming out with this good content bro. I use to watch Jared Dines because he had good stuff but now it’s all you my brotha don’t stop, keep it moving!
Hey cool! I just did the exact same thing. Ordered 2 and told them Louis Torres sent us 🤘🏻
I buy most every old emg 81 I see, just the ones with the dull yellowy white wax potting from the early 80’s (I think, I’ve never actually researched it) favorite pickups by a mile for getting fat thrash tones and b standard or c# death metal sounds.
Now I have to find an old set!! Argh!! Hahaha! Thanks, brother!! I'll try a set to hear the difference.
EMG's have much more punch than normal pickups
They really do.
@@louistorres EMG Pickups aren't yuck anymore, they're fantastic & they make them for alot of instruments.
@@louistorres They run on a 9v Battery (Lithium Ion version coming soon) making them super punchy. They also have Soundhole Pickups which work great on a Bajo Sexto.
Active EMGs are cool and all but they just have this certain sound to them. Too chuggy with the lows while the highs are just muffled. Not that I don't like the sound, just not my preference.
I actually quite like passive EMGs with an active preamp, which is to this day the best guitar sound I've managed to produce hands down.
That setup has been on records from Children Of Bodom to Santa Cruz and it sounds killer without fail.
Just ordered the 24v battery mod! i'll edit this when I get it to let others here know how I like it.
When I first started playing guitar all I wanted was emg. Now I know what I want out of my tone and I can't stand them. They have no dynamics (in my opinion) and everything sounds the same. Just trying to figure out what pickups I want now.
Hahahaha!! I was the same way! Yes, I feel like they're missing something but try out the 24V mod battery link that I added in the description. I actually like EMGs again but with that mod it's 1,000 times better!!
@@louistorres I was actually looking at it. Just out of curiosity do you have any experience with the mojotone sledgehammer or the lollar db humbucker. Those are two im looking into and all the TH-cam videos are coming out of digital processors. I want to hear them in an actual tube amp.
just got a used pair of Seymour Duncan Blackouts off ebay. was actualy considering EMGs at foist, though... 57s over 81s.
Wow, good tip! Thanks!