Emg 89/60/60a

[thesoloist]

I'm currently putting together my own dinky (somewhat of a mutt) and i would like anyone suggestions on pickups.

I currently have an ESP LTD loaded with an 81 in the bridge and and 85 in the Neck. I love the clarity the EMG's provide but i really hate the tone of the 81, It's shrill, thin and lifeless. I only use the 85 at moment and quiet like the tone out of it, it's got dynamics and a kind of synthy, bluesy, midrange feel to it.

The Dinky takes two humbuckers so I'm quiet sure i defiantly want one of them to be an 85. The other i'm not so sure about, iv'e checked out the EMG site and the 89 looks similar to the 85 but it has the option of going from single to humbucker so it won't be exactly the same as the 85 (a good thing, some tone diversity or i might as well just chuck two 85's in there.) Iv'e also seen they have a 60/60A, after reading the description it looks kind of like 81's (more high end) but I'm not sure if thats how they sound. I like my tone to have a smooth top end with lot's of mids and tight lows (which the 85 currently provides.)

So could anyone who has experience with the 89/60/60A give me some insight into which one would suit me more. Also any suggestions on whether i should have the 85 in the neck or bridge positions would be cool. (I like it in the neck position on my ESP but if i go for the 89 would the single coil mode not be better in the neck? Would placing the 85 in bridge rather than the neck change it's sound much?)

cheers

[yard dawg]

Go with 89/89 and split both .. Or 85/85 either way youll like it I bet.

[necrotechno]

The 60 is actually EMG's version of the mini humbuckers found in Gibson Firebirds. If you remove the cover and cut into the resin mold (yes, this would destroy the pickup, so don't really do it) you'd see the actual coils are also the same size as a Gibson mini. If you're familiar with that sound, there's a general idea of what the 60 sounds like. Brighter than a standard PAF type (which the 85 is closest to), but not as bright as a single coil. It's also between the two power-wise.

Haven't tried the 60A. Looks like all they did was swap the magnets, which is an old trick. Alnico basically robs some of the highs and beefs up the mids, vs. Ceramic.

The story was that Fender was planning a Keith Richards sig model Tele featuring EMG active pickups, a specially designed mini in the neck position. The deal fell through but EMG had already developed the new pickup and decided to market it on their own. The decision to cast it in a large humbucker mold was to make it fit more guitars. Why they don't offer it in a mini humbucker configuration, I don't know.

[toejam]

The only way to go is the 85 in the bridge with either the 81 or 60 in the neck.

[Sunbane]

I love the clarity the EMG's provide but i really hate the tone of the 81, It's shrill, thin and lifeless.

+1
I hate the sound of the 81 as well.

If you can find one, you could try out the EMG-58 (the precursor to the 85). GuitarPartsDepot used to stock them. Its sound is similar to the 85, but is a little more "singlecoil-like", with clearer highs and a little bit of noise to it. Some people describe the sound as a "P90 on steroids". In the neck position, it is great for both cleans and fluid leads. It works as a bridge pickup as well, but it isn't as tight as an 85 in the bass register - which is why I prefer the 85 as a "riffing-pickup".

[thesoloist]

yeah after listening to some examples I'm pretty sure the 89 is for me. Should i put the 85 in the neck of the bridge (89 single coil output is low so that might be better in the neck.)

Does anyone have any wiring diagrams showing the 89 with an 85/81, iv'e looked at the wiring diagrams on the website but non seem to be what i'm after (I plan installing both pickups with just a volume control that push/pulls for single coil/humbucker mode and a 3 way switch to switch between the 89 and 85)

[Bengal]

60's are great neck pickups. I think they are the best EMG for the neck spot. A bit more bright, which suits the neck spot very well...

I like 81's. When playing balls out there is not much better...

I do have a guitar with an 85 in the bridge. A bit more rock sounding. But still good...

If I was you, I'd do the 85 in the bridge and the 89 in the neck...

[Dave Simpson]

The 60 is the Metallica clean sound. Great neck pickup. The 85 is great for the bridge, never liked the 81 much at all.

[jtr]

I have a 89 neck & 85 bridge. I also like the 85 better than the 81. Go with two 89 they sound very much like the 85's and give you a great sounding single also.

[thesoloist]

damnedest thing. I took my pickups out of my LTD and i discovered they were both 81's The placement of them makes them sound completely different though. I really like the sound of my neck pick-up so i guess i might put an 81 in the neck of my jackson. I guess i really haven't heard an 85 before then so what pickup would you suggest for the bridge? I really like the sound of the 707 (Rusty Cooley and Jeff Loomis) Whats the 6 string equivalent?

The only thing is i love the sound of the 81 in the neck of my mahogany LTD, i don't know if it would sound as a good in the neck of an alder jackson.

[Dave Simpson]

707 is a 85 for a 7 string guitar.

[Sunbane]

I've read someplace that the 707 is somewhere in between the 81 and the 85 in terms of sound. Definitely try the 85 in the bridge position.

[toejam]

damnedest thing. I took my pickups out of my LTD and i discovered they were both 81's

You can tell what they are by just looking at the logo color. Silver is an 81, gray is a 60, gold is an 85, red/copper is an 89.

[toejam]

I've read someplace that the 707 is somewhere in between the 81 and the 85 in terms of sound.

I believe it is. From what I remember, it was partly created by Dino when he was in Fear Factory, he wanted something that was a cross between the two.