Well, I think the EMGs are history.

[zeegler]

That was me. I didn't want it to look like you were thinking with your thing. :ROTF:

Thanks Joe

[shreddermon]

Good on you for the Custom. A '59 will sound cool in the neck, too. You might want to consider a Pearly Gates there too, though. A little less "warm" than a '59, but I really dig the clean tones of the Pearly Gates and how harmonics just jump out of it. IMHO, it's a real nice match with a Custom in the bridge. ...I've got that set-up in my custom Kelly, and will be swapping out to it in my Y2KV.

[zeegler]

I just finished swapping the pickups. I don't have a 59 for the neck yet, but I just threw some generic pickup in that I had sitting around to fill the hole. The guitar sounds kickass now. I won a 59 on Ebay last night, but I didn't notice until too late that it's a bridge 59. Now I gotta get a neck 59. What the hell am I going to do with a bridge 59 now?

[FreddyG]

Hi Guys,
I'm the guy that painted the camo for Zeegler. I know you've just swapped the EMGs out for passive pickups so this is a bit of a moot point now but, nope, there was nothing wrong with the emgs or the way they were wired (I'm a pro, I wouldn't let it out of my shop if there was)....I just don't think they suited your set-up and expectations from what a pickup should give you. Yes they are high output, but you also have to remember that they are really clean too, (and with the 85 in the bridge position, you'd get a lot more sparkling highs than if the 81 were there...fried assholes! haha) so if you're used to high output passives these really do take some getting used to.
Cheers,
Freddy

[Nazgul]

I raised the EMG85, but it's still not how I'd like it to sound. I'm getting a CS Jackson Stars in a month or so and it will have a S&D Custom in it and I'm thinking of putting it in my (at the moment) EMG-ed guitar....and get a 59 or something for the neck position .

[Dreamland_Rebel]

i currently removing ENG;s from my gibson V. the stock pups seemed to dull when i first got the guitar. but i'm gonna try replacing the electronics with an RS guitarworks upgrade kit and see how the stock pups sound then.

[zeegler]

Hi Guys,
I'm the guy that painted the camo for Zeegler. I know you've just swapped the EMGs out for passive pickups so this is a bit of a moot point now but, nope, there was nothing wrong with the emgs or the way they were wired (I'm a pro, I wouldn't let it out of my shop if there was)....I just don't think they suited your set-up and expectations from what a pickup should give you. Yes they are high output, but you also have to remember that they are really clean too, (and with the 85 in the bridge position, you'd get a lot more sparkling highs than if the 81 were there...fried assholes! haha) so if you're used to high output passives these really do take some getting used to.
Cheers,
Freddy

Really, that was my issue. I like a nice thick sounding pickup, with plenty of mids and lows, and a smooth top end. The EMGs probably require a setup with much higher gain saturation than I'm used to running. Another thing I noticed was that they seem to be a lot more sensitive to string buzz than passive pickups. I had lowered the action, and due to some minor fret unneveness at the higher frets, I had a bit of buzz. Normally this wouldn't be a problem, but with the EMGs it came out sounding very brittle and metallic.

Anyway, it's all good now. The Custom I put in sounds perfect.

[toejam]

and with the 85 in the bridge position, you'd get a lot more sparkling highs than if the 81 were there...fried assholes! haha

The 81 actually has more highs than the 85 and seems to have a little bit of a scooped midrange. The 85 has more mids and is definitely not as bright, not really as sparkly sounding as the 81, IMO.

[jtr]

The 85 has a higher resonant peak than a 81. The 81 has always sounded darker to me. If you want more sparkle ,EMG has a RSP control that'll add 5k to your pickup's sound.

[yabba]

you swapped the pots too, right? (if you didn't need to, that could explain the EMGs sounding crappy...)

[gemini8026]

How ironic, the two best sounding pickups I have had the pleasure of dealing with were both a Duncan Custom, and an EMG 85.......

The EMG was in a mahog warmoth, and it was so tight and clean, and the Duncan Custom was in an Ibanez RG421. It just sounded so well balanced!!!

Ive got a new Ibanez RG2620 on the way, and It has an 81&85 combo in it currently. I'm either gonna go that way, or toss in a Custom & 59 combo in!

[mab8485]

I won a 59 on Ebay last night, but I didn't notice until too late that it's a bridge 59. Now I gotta get a neck 59. What the hell am I going to do with a bridge 59 now?

Try it in the neck anyway. I've got a maple bodied tele with a 59b in the neck. Sounds great.

[toejam]

I won a 59 on Ebay last night, but I didn't notice until too late that it's a bridge 59. Now I gotta get a neck 59. What the hell am I going to do with a bridge 59 now?

Use them both together! I think the '59 set in my Mark Morton model sounds excellent.

[shredmonster]

Custom in the bridge, 59 in the neck. Be done with it. You can't go wrong.