so I put a emg 85 in my dinky ss

[Number Of The Priest]

Re: so I put a emg 85 in my dinky ss

[ QUOTE ]

It sounds like 85 has brighter sound and 81 has more bottom.

[/ QUOTE ]

No no, it's generally thought to be the OTHER way around. The 85 has a lot of low-mids, and the 81 is geared more for the highs. But I guess it depends on how you hear it. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

Ahh, the 85 bridge cult is growing. You can tell how much influence Kirk and Zakk have when everybody puts the EMG-81 in the bridge, but me always going against the grain, I decided to go with the 85 in the bridge. Holy mother of crap, it's a crushing pickup, and I don't even play "crushing" metal styles that often. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

I find that both the 81 and 85 have very similar output. Strum hard and you will get a slight overdriven sound on your clean channel from both pickups. Good enough for me. Not too hot to be unbearable, but not too weak to sound, well, weak. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

To the guy above who switched the pickups around in his DK1... nice! It was probably easy, right? I mean, the newer EMGs have the quick clips, so it's always nice to try it for curiosity's sake. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[dinkyjacksonman]

Re: so I put a emg 85 in my dinky ss

I should try one.
In fact,I have a BC Rich Explorer equipped with 2 EMGs and never checked what they are.... [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[Number Of The Priest]

Re: so I put a emg 85 in my dinky ss

You can usually tell which EMGs you have just by the color of the logo on the face of the pickup.

The most popular EMG humbuckers:
-Silver = EMG-81
-Gold = EMG-85
-Red = EMG-89
-Gray = EMG-60

The most popular EMG single coils:
-Silver = EMG-S
-Gold = EMG-SA

If you can't tell, perhaps the logo is faded or rubbed off or whateverm there's usually a sticker underneath the pickup that tells you exactly what it is.

In the case that both the sticker and the front logo are gone, well, I don't know how to identify it. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[dinkyjacksonman]

Re: so I put a emg 85 in my dinky ss

OK, it seems like 81 in the bridge and 60 in the neck.
I should try to check the back of the pickups next time when I change the strings.

[Number Of The Priest]

Re: so I put a emg 85 in my dinky ss

Hmm, sounds like the James Hetfield influence there - EMG-81b/60n and the Explorer shape. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[dinkyjacksonman]

Re: so I put a emg 85 in my dinky ss

Yea I think so too.
Probably the original owner of the guitar ordered this to be like Jame's Explorer.
I don't dig the neck pickup..
[img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

[Number Of The Priest]

Re: so I put a emg 85 in my dinky ss

Hmmm, since I will probably never get to hear what an EMG-60 sounds like in a korina guitar (I think I remember your Explorer being korina, forgive me if I am wrong), what does it sound like? Too shrill and high? Very thin? Too glassy?

[dinkyjacksonman]

Re: so I put a emg 85 in my dinky ss

My Explorer is mahogany body/neck and Koa top.
The neck pickup sounds ok, but kind of thin and cold(isolated).
I expect neck pickup(hum) to have more sweet and warm sound.
Not sure if I have 81 or 85 in the neck position, that would change or maybe this is something has to do with all the EMG pickups.
They sound bit cold...
Actually this is the first guitar for me with the EMGs.
I always prefer passive pickups.

[toejam]

Re: so I put a emg 85 in my dinky ss

[ QUOTE ]
The 85 has a lot of low-mids, and the 81 is geared more for the highs. But I guess it depends on how you hear it. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]


[/ QUOTE ]
The 85 has more high mids. At least that's the way I hear it... not to mention EMG also mentions this about the high mids more present in that pickup. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[Number Of The Priest]

Re: so I put a emg 85 in my dinky ss

Click here:

http://emginc.com/text/faq.html#PQ2

I tend to agree. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img] The EMG-81 brightens up my dark RG560, and the EMG-85 adds some warmth to my bright KE3.

[toejam]

Re: so I put a emg 85 in my dinky ss

[ QUOTE ]
Click here:

http://emginc.com/text/faq.html#PQ2

I tend to agree. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img] The EMG-81 brightens up my dark RG560, and the EMG-85 adds some warmth to my bright KE3.

[/ QUOTE ] That link does say it's got more low end than the 81, which is true, but its midrange sound is definitely focused more in the high mids... and both of my EMG catalogs mention that fact. I don't have the catalogs by me at the moment, but I remember them saying something to the effect of it being great for the lead player who likes a lot of midrange, sound being focused in the high mids, great for rhythm, too. I'll try to dig them out tomorrow and get the exact quote.

[InflamedMonkey]

Re: so I put a emg 85 in my dinky ss

I like 85's over the 81, it has more warmth and balls! \m/

[Hamner1]

Re: so I put a emg 85 in my dinky ss

Could be that toejam is right. It would make sense to increase some high mids to help keep the lows from making the pickup muddy. Just my thought.

[Number Of The Priest]

Re: so I put a emg 85 in my dinky ss

I do agree with the EMG-85 being a wicked pickup for slicing through a mix like warm urine through a block of ice (that's where mids, and especially HIGH-mids, come into play). It just so happens that it's also a very boomy thunderous (low-mids) pickup. Man, the EMG-85 has EVERYTHING over the EMG-81 except ear-piercing trebles. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] No wonder I love it so much. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]

...I'm still going to try the APC Persuader Lead soon though. [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[joblo1978]

Re: so I put a emg 85 in my dinky ss

[ QUOTE ]
I do agree with the EMG-85 being a wicked pickup for slicing through a mix like warm urine through a block of ice (that's where mids, and especially HIGH-mids, come into play). It just so happens that it's also a very boomy thunderous (low-mids) pickup. Man, the EMG-85 has EVERYTHING over the EMG-81 except ear-piercing trebles. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] No wonder I love it so much. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]

...I'm still going to try the APC Persuader Lead soon though. [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

I would say it slices through more like hot urine through loosely packed snow.