Product: EMG 35HZ
Price Paid: N/A
Submitted
07/30/2005
at
03:16pm
by
Anonymous
Features
:
Pickup features: Humbucking
Impedence or other specs:
Instrument
:
Model of guitar or bass: ESP Ltd F-204
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: N/A
Other pickups on guitar: Second EMG 35-Hz in Bridge Position
Artists using this pickup: Anyone who hasn't upgraded their pickups in an Ltd #-100/#-200 Series bass.
You musical style(s): Pretty Much Anything I Like
Reason for pickup change: The pickups came stock on my bass, and were one of the reasons I bought the bass. They also run through an on-board EMG B64 Preamp for a hotter output and tonal manipulation.
Sound
:
No Opinion
Perceived output level: Hot enough to go into the active port with the preamp, but without the preamp I'd wager a Normal passive pickup output.
Tone: Kind of balanced, not a lot of brightness. Neck pickup is very responsive and bassy and slightly muddy, whereas the bridge is a lot more brittle, trebly but clear; perfect for slapping.
Sonic evaluation: Through a Behringer BX1200 combo, nothing else.
For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play mainly metal, for which this pickup is great for. I also play solo-y types of stuff along the lines of Stu Hamm, and Jaco Pastorius. The pickup isn't so great for these styles.
Overall Rating
:
6
Comments: Well, when I first got the bass I loved it. But since then, I've tried a bass with identical specs (A TA-600) that had the Active 35-DCs in, and I've also tried out basses with Bartolini p'ups in.
My main gripe with the pickups are their dullness. To really make 'em shine, you have to drop the mids and balance the tone towards the neck using the preamp. Without fiddling, they have excellent clarity, but they're also lifeless. They aren't inspiring tone-wise.
I think it makes a perfect pickup for someone who wants go out, plug in, and play in a Metal band. Lots of clarity, and if you drop the mids and balance towards the neck like I mentioned, it sounds great.
Compared to the Bartolini Mk. I, it outshines it with regards to harmonic capability and clarity, but the Bartolini had soul. This pickup leaves you feeling a little uninspired by your tone, whereas a good pickup should help your playing.
Compared to the 35-DC, it's really crap.
I do love the fact that if the pickup is wired to an On-Board preamp you can get a real sweet tone. But I hate it's lifelessness.
I'm satisfied enough by this pickup to use it, but if I had the chance, I'd replace it with DCs in a second.
