EMG 60

Active Humbucking

Ibanez RG 560 custom made
Bridge
Not replacing any pickup it's a home made project
EMG SA x2
hetfield
I liked the 81 and wanted to try out the other EMG products

Hot output
Tonelab
Trebly, too trebly for a bridge pickup but most people use it in the neck so i'swap it with the emg 85 on my LTD EX 100. the 85 is probably better in the bridge anyway.
I play rock and metal. This pickup is very good, responsive and quite like all EMG's but it's tighter and has more treble than the 81 and 85.
I just wanted to try it in the bridge but no's i'm gonna put it in the neck of my other guitar. I think my final setup will be: 60 in the neck and 85 in the bridge of my LTD. i'm gonna sell the 81 and SA's and buy Seynour Duncans instead, because active pickups are good but i think having tjhem on 1 guitar is enough they tend to make every guitar sound the same.
You're free to play any style you want with this however the sound is very modern, hi-h??fi and it's a poor match for bles, rock or vintage style. I'm nnot saying you can't play vintage music but the crunch sounds and in-betweens are poor it has nothing to do with a dimarzio paf classic for example...
Great clean sounds, good for funk. Clean or fully distorted sounds.

I would buy one again for its clean hi-fi sound and tigh leads. It will probably be a cool neck pickup. I'll put the 55 in bridge because i like it massive sound. However on this guitar i'll remove the passive set because it tends to anihilate the natural sound of the guitar, so i will sell the 81 and SA's. the 81 is good for soloing but i prefer the versatility of the 85 and it's massive bassy sound. The sa's...
Welll to be honest i didn't really like the sa's.
I had many pickups including half od the dimarzio's and the 60 IS a really good pickup. I recommend a passive set for people who ave an average guitar but like the neck and want to give it a better sound, especialy for heavy metal or modern music.
However if you have an expensive guitar with quality wood, i think EMG's are the wrong choice because they don't let the natural sound of th guitar shine. So for expensive guitars, go passive, it's no use having such a great piece of wood for EMG's because they sound the same on any guitar.
To people who bought an expensive "ESP Kirk hammet" or so: your guitar is one of the best out there but please change the pickups, you'll get the same exact sound using the EMG's on a squier or LTD, no joking.

Minihumbucker in a standard EMG humbucking size, ceramic magnets.
Average to hot output.
Active.

ESP Eclipse CTM1, neck position.

Crystal clear, tremendous cut and very brilliant. I've not come across another pickup so suitable for quick clean chording. You can strum full chords across all strings and still hear every note or you can deliver brilliant single-notes with perfect ringing clarity.

The EQ is notched towards the bright side. The sound reminds me a lot of singlecoils in sound and fell, it's not as fat as other humbuckers.

The bad side?
Well first I'm not impressed how it works with gain; if you like the way singlecoils sound with gain you will like this pickup, for me it lacks smoothness and body with gain, but it cuts really well through a band context when soloing as I have to admit.
The other thing is that the pickup is somewhat cold and clinically, if not to say sterile to my ears. A decent tube amp can warm it up, but it will never match a true warm alnico-singlecoil or humbucker in warmth. Lastly, I think the dynamics are rather weak on this pickup; I know neck pickups tend to be like this but this is one of the worst I've come across.

It's perfect if you want the most clarity and cut, but not if you want warmth. Blueser would hate this pickup.

I have since replaced this pickup after using it for over a year with an EMG85; that pickup has some shortcomings as well but at least it has a warmer and bluesier feel to it. So I would NOT get another EMG60 but rather an EMG85 for the neck.

Pickup features: Active Humbucker
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Gibson SG Standard
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: Stock Gibson Humbucker
Other pickups on guitar: EMG 85
Artists using this pickup: dont know/dont care
You musical style(s): blues, rock, a little metal.
Reason for pickup change: Stock Gibsons sound soft and wooly.

Perceived output level:
Tone: see my review
Sonic evaluation:
Lets get this clear from the start: EMG actives pickups do NOT sound anything like other manufacturers products.If you're looking for a "Gibson-but-with-a-bit-more-edge" kind of sound then these are definitely not for you and you should look elsewhere. These ones have a sound all of their own. If you are addicted to the cosy, syrupy sludge of stock Gibsons and similar types then the tight, focussed neutrality of the EMG 60 will come as a culture shock. Your usual amp settings are unlikely to sound right and you really need to take some time to work with your amp controls to hear the pickup at it's best. +++++Impatient people take note before you go criticising it out of hand. It has more mid-tone body than an 81, less than an 85 and it sounds fabulously crisp and articulate on a clean channel - chords chime out with a crystalline purity like I never heard before and it gets thick and ballsy when you crank up the gain. Every note stands out on fast runs without artificial slurring and you can actually hear exactly what you are playing. Sustain is excellent too and pinch harmonics ring out effortlesss - assuming you can already do them. It gives you an ideal combination of single-coil bite and clarity with humbucker punch and sustain. EMGs come packaged with their own dedicated 25k pots so installation is more than just a simple matter of soldering a couple of wires in place but it's worth the extra time and effort to enjoy such sheer clarity and brilliance. Thanks to the active system you can wind the guitar volume control all the way down without losing that clarity and what a pleasure it is to have a tone control that rolls off the highs gradually and smoothly without muddying up my sound. I'm not really a jazzer but you can get a cool, sweet jazzy tone this way. You can set your amp gain fairly high and clean it up from the guitar controls if you want to without any problem in effect using your guitar knobs to boost and cut your gain level. I can also dismiss the frankly preposterous idea that these pickups are noisy because they are without a doubt the quietest I've ever had and over the years I've used various Gibson, Fender, Duncan, Dimarzio, Kinman and Rio Grande units, among others. Ultra-low noise is an outstanding feature of EMG actives and I have to emphasise THE ONLY POSSIBLE WAY YOU WILL EVER HEAR ANY HUM, HISS OR OTHER EXTRANEOUS SOUND FROM THESE PICKUPS IS BECAUSE YOU HAVE WIRED THEM UP INCORRECTLY. DO NOT BLAME THE PICKUPS FOR YOUR OWN TECHNICAL INEPTITUDE.
I love this pickup. I accept its maybe not ideal for everybody but it's like nothing else on the market. I also rate the 85 very highly but I'm not totally sold on the popular 81 model which sounds great with heavy distortion but just a touch too thin and sharp for my taste when used clean. I currently have the 85 in the bridge position on my SG Standard but I'm going to try switching them round and see how that works out. With EMG's you don't have to rewire once they're installed as they have a plug-in connector system so that should take me all of 10 minutes to do.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable:

Comments:
I've been playing for 23 years. I'm not easily impressed and very few products get a straight 10 from me but this is one that does. It's the most verstaile of the EMG's and can easily cover jazz, blues and most styles of rock, even metal - although I'd admit it doesn't have the all-out attack of an 81 with heavy distortion.But this is still a 10

Pickup features: Active humbucker
Impedence or other specs: Dude, come on now, quit trying to confuse us

Model of guitar or bass: Gibson Les Paul Standard (year 2000)
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: Stock Gibson, I believe a 490R
Other pickups on guitar: EMG-85 in bridge position
Artists using this pickup: Like I care, right?
You musical style(s): Classic Rock, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, and some Blues
Reason for pickup change: The Gibsons were great sounding pickups. I just felt that, from what I had heard, I could get a little more out of EMGs. Yeah, it makes me laugh too.

Perceived output level: I suppose it was somewhat hotter than the stock Gibson, but believe me, it doesn't help.
Tone: This thing puts out a ridiculous amount of bass in the neck position...even more than the 85 in the bridge, which is no small feat. The bass was a little tighter than the 85, but the sheer volume of it rendered that fact inconsequential. The bass even overpowered the fact that there is less midrange than the 85, but the whole thing is such a muddy mess that it's hard to tell. Overall, however, the 60 in the neck really didn?t sound that much different than the 85 in the bridge, except that it was noticeably sharper and ?shriek-ier? on higher notes. And this is in the fucking neck position! I guess I have to give the 60 credit for being a little, and I mean just a LITTLE, more alive than the 85. Of course, that ain?t saying much; the 60 was pretty dead.
Sonic evaluation: I'm playing my afore-mentioned Les Paul (which, by the way, is my pride and joy) through a Marshall combo. I mean, honestly, I tried to like the EMGs. I worked hard at it. But I just couldn't find it in there. The 60 couldn't touch the Gibson in any respect; it was just so......blah! I really was mortified to hear my darling sounding like complete shit. I hope nothing has been permanently fucked up so that I can get my stocks back in and get my precious baby back.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Honestly I have no idea, but I really couldn't give a flying fuck either.

Comments: I wish the damn things had been defective so that I could get a refund. I will never buy an EMG again; I'll stick to Gibsons and Seymour Duncans for my Strat. I've been playing for almost 5 years, and have played everything from cheap-ass budget guitars all the way up to expensive high-end guitars, and I have never heard any guitar sound as bad as my precious Les Paul with the EMGs. I will admit, though, that they actually did look pretty sick, but trust me, that should be the last thing you consider when you purchase a pickup, if at all. I mean, the EMGs were terrible right from the beginning. The very first thing I heard when I turned on the amp was a loud and, frankly, disgusting hiss. Yeah, that's right, motherfucking HISS. One of the main selling points on EMGs for me was that I had heard they were quieter than passives. Wrong. The noise on these was literally about 2-3 times worse than the Gibsons. And things only went downhill from there when I started playing, because I ended up with that bullshit tone that could've brought tears to the eye. I must say that I have no idea what everyone on here is raving about as I thought someone was taking a shit through my amp. Just remember, this is only my two cents, and judging by the other reviews here, a lot of people like 'em. But, to each his own, I guess; I'll stick with my sound and you stick with yours. After all, I like variety in this world, we shouldn't all sound the same.

Pickup features: Active Humbucker
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Ibanez SA S32FM
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Stock Ibanez Axis pickups
Other pickups on guitar: EMG 60 both Neck & Bridge
Artists using this pickup: Me, Josh Rand (Stone Sour) lots of others using as neck pickup
You musical style(s): Rock, Jazz Fusion, Funk, Blues
Reason for pickup change: Needed more clarity and expression. Stocks were on the muddy side but not too bad.

Perceived output level: Fairly Hot in neck and bridge
Tone: Very nice mid range, not too bassy or too trebly. Good Balance.
Sonic evaluation: EMG's loaded into my Ibanez SA plugged into a Yamaha MagicStomp II modeler/FX unit. Very clear sound both on clean settings and distortion. With Distortion I can hear the notes I play at speed which is very important. Exellent bone crunching rhythmn sounds with neck and bridge, palm muting sounds great and chunky. The neck sound can sound really clean and glassy when volume is rolled back a it, Voume and Tone controls actually have a big impact on the sound of these pickups which is a first for me, I never used to use the tone control, just had it turned all the way up, but with these EMG's it changes the sound quite well. EMG describes these pickups well on there website, The most versatile pickup they make but not that many people using it especially at the bridge where it is awesome.Cannot fault these pickups at all. Great for all styles.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play mostly rock, metal, jazz fusion and some blues thrown in and these are great as said before for all genre's.

Comments: I will be buying these 60's again when I get another guitar. I'll most likely get another Ibanez and put EMG60's in that as well. My current axe is the only one I have at present so a backup would be good. I've been playing on / off for about 12 years but the last 3 years solidly. I love everything about these pickups, they sound awesome in my guitar which is Mahogany body/neck with maple top. I would love to plug into a full stack and blast out with these pickups. These EMG's will be the pickups I'll always use now, I love that much and I obviously recommend them. Thanks for some of the reviews here.

Pickup features: Active
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: ESP M-II special
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced:
Other pickups on guitar: emg 81 (neck)
Artists using this pickup: Metallica, SlipKnot, ...
You musical style(s): Heavy Metal
Reason for pickup change: I wanted to sound great. And now I do!

Perceived output level: It will blow your ears!!!
Tone: Really powerfull and well balanced
Sonic evaluation: I use an Engl Thunder 50 (REAL GOOD sound, go check one)and a Boss GT-3 (which is a crap...)

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: It?s PERFECT for my music style! Suits bridge position perfectly

Comments: I?ve tried it recently and imediatly decided to buy it! I will put this pickup in all my guitars for shure!!!
Everybody?s using it in the neck position with an emg 81 in the bridge, trying to copy James Hettfield, but that might be a not so good solution due to diference in output levels. I?m no expert on this subject but my set was installed by a fender?s oficial technician who sugested this combination. Make no mistake: James and others might HAVE USED it that way, but they had a great, big team behind them doing the sound...
For the neck position I would rather use an emg 85 than the 81 but it?s good anyway.
However, in the bridge, I think the 60 is a better solution than the 81. The other guitarist in my band has an 81 and we agree on this subject. Go try it yourself! You won?t regreat it!
I would rate it 11!!!

Pickup features: HB. Active
Impedence or other specs: ???

Model of guitar or bass: Peavey V-type EXP
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: stock ceramic passive
Other pickups on guitar: EMG 81
Artists using this pickup: James Hetfield was for a while, idk who else.
You musical style(s): Metal, Blues, Experimental, Classical, Shred
Reason for pickup change: I needed tone, character and dynamics.

Perceived output level: decent medium bucker range.
Tone: scooped. gives an awesome jazz like clean
Sonic evaluation: Crate Blue Voodoo, Kalamazoo Model Two, Roland Micro Cube and a Fender studio lead that I rarley use. First off, if any 1 is thinking "ohh its an EMG and it has a scooped tone, it must be fore metal only!" That is very VERY wrong. I actually bought this Pup bc the guy at my local shop said of the EMG Pups offered it provided the best jazz like tone in the neck. He was right, but it isnt your traditional jazz tone. It is a very clear articulate pick up. The scopped mids make it sound almost like a stacked single with more output. Clean it has alot of character and definition, it wont clip a tube till very late, later than the PAF Pro on my dinky. When it coems to driving an amp quick, it is the mids that do it. I run it in the neck now, but i did have it in the bridge for about a week. This is THE BEST shred pickup out there if you have the technique to use it. AKA you can't be sloppy. On high gain settings it sings like no other Pup i have ever heard. Claritoy out the wazoo, neck or bridge. it likes ell of my amps and evffects bc it is so clean crisp and clear. I really fell in love with this Pup as soon as i got it installed and heard it play. Incredible, thats all there is to it. You would Have to paly it to apreciate it. I run it in an 18 volt configuration as well, it makes all EMGs sound more full.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play just about any thing, and I love it, It will work any where. no joke!

Comments: I would be very upset if I lost it some how. I would buy another 1 in a heart beat. I am debating making my SL3 a HSH config so i can put a 60 in the neck, SA in the mid, and an 81 in the bridge. I also want to get another guitar and set it up as a SA SA 60. I am a huge fan of coil tapping and paralell wiring, but it is so amazing, it doesnt need it. This IS one of "those sounds" only thing i wish it had was a buy 1 get 2 free deal going on :-( I almost bought an 85, but i compaired my 60 to my friends 85 later on, and mine kicked his ass
;-) go buy 1. NOW! If you want sound clips or have questions Email me. I dont bite and I am normally pretty friendly.

Pickup features: Active, low impedance
Impedence or other specs: check out www.emgpickups.com

Model of guitar or bass: Gibson Les Paul Custom 1990, Gibson Les Paul Classic 1993
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: stock Gibson 498R pickups (I think...)
Other pickups on guitar: EMG 81 (on the Les Paul Custom) , EMG 85 on the Les Paul Classic
Artists using this pickup: Beats me.
You musical style(s): progcore (Meshuggah, Textures, Mr. Bungle)
Reason for pickup change: I changed pickups because the stock Gibson pickups are a bit too full-bodied and fuzzy. Looked around for the clearness of a SC with the output of a HUM, and found it in the EMG60.

Perceived output level: Output level is difficult to measure. The resonant peak is higher than the EMG81 (and that's saying a lot), but overall, it's quite balanced.
Tone: trebly/midranged with strong harmonics response.
Sonic evaluation: Setup:
Either guitar>>Dunlop Crybaby-Wah>>Dunlop Rotovibe>>Chorus>>Delay>>Splitter box: 1 signal to Laney GH100TI Valve Head (100 watt), 1 signal to VHT Pitbull.
Well, I run a lot of long cables, and quite a heavy setup as you can see. I found in the EMG60 (and the active series of EMG in general) an output that I can use without needing signal boosters. For sound definitions, look below.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play a variety of styles, mostly described as 'racket' by other bands. This pickup pulls through. I wouldn't recommend using it in a bridge position, as the sound would become too trebly.

Comments: - Destroyed? Replace it. And who the fuck steals a pickup?
- Been playing 11 years, professionally. Have a ton of guitars, an endorsement with Laney and tons of stuff.
- I like just about everything about this pickup, HOWEVER, watch your battery life. If you keep the guitar plugged in, the power will drain. And use Duracells.
I've always been satisfied with my sound.
Later people.

Pickup features: Humbucking active
Impedence or other specs: see their website

Model of guitar or bass: ESP LTD MH-301
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: EMG-HZ H-4
Other pickups on guitar: EMG 81
Artists using this pickup: Various
You musical style(s): Any
Reason for pickup change: Single Coil sounding humbucker in the neck position

Perceived output level: Hot (not something to die for...)
Tone: Amazing full-range violin-on-guitar
Sonic evaluation: Rocktron VooDu Valve Online
BBE 362 Sonic Maximizer
2x12 combo (various)

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: any style

Comments: Trebly neck PUP with single coil sound... no sounding one, but actually putting ALL neck pickups behind...

Pickup features: Active Humbucker
Impedence or other specs: Low impedance

Model of guitar or bass: esp ltd f-200
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: emg hz-4
Other pickups on guitar: emg 85
Artists using this pickup: james hetfield, me
You musical style(s): rock, metal
Reason for pickup change: needed more variety of sound

Perceived output level: high output
Tone: pretty well balanced
Sonic evaluation: LTD F-200 85(bridge)60(neck)--->Morley Bad Horsie II---->1. Carvin MTS3200 into Behringer cab for practice and gigs 2.Zoom GFX-8 patched with Digitech Metalzone for home practice.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I mainly play metal and rock. This pickup works well with leads and cleans that the bridge normally can't handle.

Comments: The EMG-60 is an amazing neck pick-up. I am really happy with my buy and whenever I get more guitars, I'll probably consider this to be the neck pick-up for them. My only complaint with it was the installation because there was a lot of problems with wiring it(probably my fault lol) so I had to take it in and get professionaly done, but I won't complain. Use this in conjunction with an 85 in the bridge and you got a nice sounding guitar.