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  • 81 or 85?

    Which do you guys prefer in bridge position?? 85 or 81?? I can't decide between the two, and the sound files on EMG's official site doesn't really give a good example.. help please...

  • #2
    Re: 81 or 85?

    I lie 85's in the bridge spot. It has a bit more ass to em.

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    • #3
      Re: 81 or 85?

      Depending on what you want to play, the 81 and the 85 are voiced differently. I tend to prefer the 85 for its fat, saturated, thick tone that's full of low-mid frequencies, perfect to me for classic metal and classic rock styles. It's absolutely ballsy and growly for thick crunchy chords and wails for leads.

      I also have an 81 in the bridge position of another guitar, but I find that it lacks low-end balls and growl, instead having more high-end bite but generally sounds "flatter" and more "lifeless" than the 85. I really have to play with the mid-sweep controls on my amp in order to get a tone that's similar to the massive tone of the 85, and even then, the 81 still lacks this certain "fatness" that I want.

      I've heard that the 81 really comes alive with downtuned darker-wood (mahogany, basswood) guitars and if you're playing with massive amounts of gain. That's not my style, so I wouldn't know. I don't tune any lower than D at the moment.

      There are quite a few converts on the JCF who recently have switched over from the 81 to the 85, citing the 85 as the better bridge pickup due to the massive low-mids that it kicks out for thick rhythm work in the bridge position. The pickup crushes. [img]graemlins/headbang.gif[/img] We're spreading the word. To me, it's just because big name players like Zakk and Kirk are using 81s in the bridge that people equate the 81 as a bridge pickup and the 85 as a neck pickup. If you do get the Zakk kit, try swapping them around. You might be surprised. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

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      • #4
        Re: 81 or 85?

        It used to be 81 for me. Right now it's 85. I think I'm going to A/B them one day, but then on the other hand you have to adjust your amp for each of them. When I put 85 instead of 81 in the bridge position, at first it sounded dull, but after a while when I played with eq it sounds very good. It's thicker than 81, yet at the same time it does have everything (or almost everything) that 81 has.

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        • #5
          Re: 81 or 85?

          I have a RR1 with an 81 in the bridge.
          I have a Rhoads Pro with an 85 in the bridge.

          The 85 in the bridge get's my vote. As the other guys said above, the 85 adds more body to the tone - a fatter tone without gettin' muddy.

          I am running a pretty overdriven/distorted amp setup, and that suits the 85 bridge the best i think. The 81 bridge is simply too much, too bright and 'high freq fizzle' like, if that makes any sense...

          /Henrik
          Henrik
          AUDIOZONE.DK - a guitar site for the Jackson and Charvel fan

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          • #6
            Re: 81 or 85?

            I agree with everyone else. The 85 in the bridge is a very full tone, while the 81 lacks a bit in fullness. Unless you have a heavy wooded guitar, go with the 85.

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            • #7
              Re: 81 or 85?

              Yet another 85 vote here. I prefer a darker tone, and the 85 is better than an 81 at that.

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              • #8
                Re: 81 or 85?

                I vote for the 85 as well, but I'm more into the 80's and classic rock tones.

                Has anyone compared the 85 to the 89 and how close are those in humbucking mode? I read they are similar on the EMG site, but wanting opinions from people who actually used both pickups.

                Regards, JD...

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                • #9
                  Re: 81 or 85?

                  Just put 85 in the bridge and 60 in the neck of my old Model 3A... The 85 changed my mind overall concerning EMG's in general.
                  I vote 85! [img]graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]

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                  • #10
                    Re: 81 or 85?

                    [quote]Originally posted by Number Of The Priest:
                    Well, in my KE3, I've got the 85 in the bridge and the 89 in the neck which is splittable using the push-pull volume pot. It's not really fair to compare the sound between them since one is in the bridge and the other is in the neck, but I can certainly tell you that they complement each other very nicely. [img]graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]
                    <font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Thanks for the info!

                    Anyone compared both the 85 & 89 models in the bridge position?

                    Regards, JD...

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                    • #11
                      Re: 81 or 85?

                      I'm building a Zakk L.P.and I am of the opinion the 85 needs to be in the bridge and the 81 in the neck.I know Zakk has it the other way but in a L.P.(MAH/Maple top)it sounded like ASS.IMO.The 81 has no balls in the bridge of a mahogony guitar plain and simple.I did switch them and the sound is MUCH better still not MY choice of pickups for a L.P. but thats what the customer wants.
                      Really? well screw Mark Twain.

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                      • #12
                        Re: 81 or 85?

                        So now we know that Zakk's massive sound is the result of his technique, cord, pedals, and amp, and not the EMG-81 in his guitar. [img]images/icons/tongue.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

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                        • #13
                          Re: 81 or 85?

                          Originally posted by Richard:
                          The 81 has no balls in the bridge of a mahogony guitar plain and simple.
                          <font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I actually think the 81 sounds better in mahogany and does have more balls! [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] I've got the 25th anniversary chrome 81 set in my Hamer that's mahogany body, mahogany set neck, 3/8" maple top. The pickup is still a little bright, but not as much as in an alder or poplar guitar.
                          The first Dinky Reverse I got had the 81 bridge and 85 neck (I think it was an alder body, but it could have been poplar), and it was cool, but I tend to like my neck pups a little brighter. I never did switch those pups around and wound up selling the guitar anyway, but they did sound pretty good. My string-thru Dinky has the 85 bridge and 60 neck, and that's a great combo in the poplar body. I've also got a Les Paul Studio that's all mahogany, even the carved top is mahogany, and I've been thinking of the ZW set and whether I should go with the 85 in the bridge or if it will be too dark without the maple cap or if the 81 will just sound even better in the bridge without the brightness of maple. I do usually prefer an 81 or 60 in the neck, so I guess maybe I should do the 85 bridge and 81 neck if I get that set. Decisions, decisions...
                          I feel my soul go cold... only the dead are smiling.

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                          • #14
                            Re: 81 or 85?

                            Well the all mahogony studio would be cool to try with the Zakk set up it might sound good.I was just voicing my opinion of the set up on a maple capped L.P.I had an 81/85 combo in a fusion H-H and it sounded huge. [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img]
                            Really? well screw Mark Twain.

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                            • #15
                              Re: 81 or 85?

                              EMG 25th anniversary set (chrome) is what i'm gonna get [img]graemlins/headbang.gif[/img] BTW, i've read it somewhere that only 2500 of these were made, is that true?? I doubt it though...

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