EMG 85

EMG 85 in bridge position with 60 in the neck.
Please see other reviews for specs and the EMG site.

Gibson Les Pauls and PRS.
85 in bridge and 60 in neck.
Replacing stock Gibsons and PRS along with various hand wound after market pickups.
Wanted more clarity, quiet, transparency and power.

Output feels about normal. Not sure why so many feel these are that hot. I have had conversations with various tech at EMG and some great local players who prefer EMGs for their transparency and dynamics. Many of these players are blues and jazz players! These are not super hot and in fact t hey did not feel as hot as many of my Duncans and various passive pickups. I think a lot of the younger guys read from other reviewers that these are so hot...when in fact, they are not. Lots of players, including metal players us EMG because they are so clear and transparent, they allow heavy processing and gain. However, they really sound spectacular with a tube amp, for classic rock and blues. Cleans are the best you will hear. People need to move on from passive and embrace this technology. Much more responsive than passive. Wind down the volume and tone to get outstancing classic rock tones.
Tones are very balanced! I plays mostly classic rock to hard rock and metal but also like dabbling in jazzy styles and these are amazing. The 85 works in any positon.

See abaove, but these are FANTASTIC for ALL styles. Leave the old passive at home for the old guys...and I am 38! LOL!

Active humbucker. High output.

I have installed this in a ESP/LTD M-200 guitar and replaced a Duncan Designed pickup. It's in the neck position. The bridge pickup is an EMG 81. Zakk Wylde and Bj??rn from In flames are using this pickup and the 81/85 combination is very usual I think.

The output is high but not high enough to make my amp turn into overdrive when I play on the clean channel. The tone is fat and balanced. Sounds natural. I play rock and metal and it suits my playing style very well. This pickup can suit every style and works just as good in the bridge pickup but I have a 81 in the bridge which has a bit more output. I play on a 30 Watt Marshall and the sound is a nice, warm overdrive.

I would get another one if it got destroyed or something. I will maybe try the EMG 60 because it's very easy to switch between different EMG's with the quick connect cables. I wish it had a little tighter low end but it's not a problem. If you like EMG's and instrumental metal I suggest that you visit my myspace at
www.myspace.com/peterholmgren
and listen to the EMG 85 played on a 10" Marshall with a DOD YJM overdrive in front of it. It's my own compositions!

Update of my previous review :- Fitted a second 9 volt battery in series to give 18 volt supply, this has really improved the clarity and definition of the pickups - they were pretty good anyway but I finally have a sound that has stopped me looking at other pick-ups, guitars, effects and amps ( for the moment at least ).

JJ Jewel solid mahogany PRS style fixed bridge, 2 x EMG 85's. 18 volt mod is very easy, just use the spare 9v battery clip supplied with the second '85 and wire in series.

18 volts really increases headroom and clarity for clean playing, also improves the performance of acoustic guitar simulation patches on effects units. Very easy to overdrive amplifiers for sustain and distortion - I use a DigiTech Jimi Hendrix pedal and get a vast range of overdrive sounds from each patch simply by using the volume control on the guitar, the drive pot on the effects pedal is left at almost zero.

Nothings a 10 but the modded 85's are pretty close, if you've managed to install EMG's without probs the 18 volt mod is a very easy and cheap upgrade.

Active humbucker. Internal preamp and grounding which means no extra chips to install and absolutely no noise. Came with 1 vol 1 tone pot and pretty much everything u need.

Installed in my fender american strat bridge position with the HSH cutting. Had to shorten the mounting screws cuz the cavity wasnt deep enough.

I replaced the samarium cobalt noiseless cuz it was just too weak-ass.

Output: Very high, can distort the clean channel on some amps.

Amp: using it with my fender champ 30

Tone: Just fucking amazing. Where to start? First of all, its very quiet. Assuming that you have grounded ur amp properly, u wont hear a thing even if the gain is maxed. After you start playing, its just pure metal bliss. Just palm muting on 1 string can give you a massive sound. Sustain is very long and harmonics come out very easily. Its not as defined as i wanted it to be but it can handle leads quite well. Cleans are very nice surprisingly, i dunno why ppl say that the cleans on this sucks. Very clear and responsive.

The eq on this is well-balanced. My guitar has a maple neck and alder body, a naturally bright sounding guitar. So the pup really helped in balancing the tone since its quite bassy. I string my guitar in BEADGB, and it picks up the low B pretty much effortlessly. No loss in tone sustain or whatever.

I play progressive metal namely, Opeth, Dt, Meshuggah etc. This pup is pretty much perfect for my style.

As mentioned above, i installed this pup in the bridge position and it can get quite muddy on sum amps so i dun really suggest putting this is the neck.

Im giving this a 9 because the leads are not as smooth as i want, good nonetheless.

I would definitely get a another 1 if sumthing happened to the current pup.

Ive been playing for 3 1/2 yrs. 3 1/2 years of weak-ass single coil sound.

All in all, this pup is great for rhythm, slightly less great for leads(still awesome tho) and just fucking fantastic for metal.

Washburn X50 Pro w/ Natural finish
Bridge position
No replacement, came with guitar
I have an 81 in the neck position
Killswitch Engage, Zakk Wylde (BLS/Ozzy), In Flames, Arch Enemy

The output is very hot . . . it's active for God's sake
Right now I'm using the VOX AD50VT Combo through a Marshall 2x12 Cab. With tweaking of the amp and such everything is beautiful for me. I play hard rock & metal with classic rock and jazzy influences mixed in. For a dirty sound this pup kicks ass. Note articualtion and rhythm sound is great. Sustain and nasty pinch harmonics.

I've been playing 7 years and triedf lots of pups. Dimarzio Evolutions / D-Sonic, Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates / JB / Customs and this is my favorite. It's all subjective though. But if you want a great hot pickup with no noise, this is it.

Active alnico humbucker with built in battery powered preamp.

Pair of 85's installed in my JJ Jewel solid mahogany guitar replacing OE chinese humbuckers. Decided on 85's instead of the classic 81Bridge 85Neck config 'cos I'm not a shredder - sound is balanced, clear and defined from each pickup with a glassy, out of phase type stratesque sound with both on together, nice! Installation was tight but they do fit without woodwork, the 9 volt battery just fits in the control cavity with about a mil either side.

Level is hotter than stock HB's with a wonderful hi-fi sound, the neck position is suprisingly clean and clear with excellent string to string definition, bridge is very bright and clean. The sound with both pickups together is very similar to a friends kinman equipped custom shop strat neck and middle combination but with more low end - brilliant for Hendrix "Little Wing" etc.

I play all styles, mainly with fingers, and use 11 - 52 strings. The EMG's have transformed the guitar and sound great through my Digitech RP150 pedal direct into a PA system. Highly recommended but take care with the installation ( 3 pin plug must have the little arrow visible when connected to the pickup! ).

Brilliant pickups which have transformed the guitar. I considered Gibson, Seymour D and DiMarzio but couldn't hear much difference between the various types, the EMG's give me a new sound not available from any other make of pickup

I Play All kinds of metal and "softer" rock. Killswitch, Unearth, Black Label, AlexisOnFire, 30 Seconds to Mars, In Flames, Soilwork and way to many others but you get the drift.

Guitar: Warrior Generation X Single Cut
Pair of 85's are the pickups that came in the guitar.

I run through a 5150 and a Mesa cab. Ive played guitars with 81's and i always thought they sounded thin and fake for some reason, so i never gave any other EMG's a chance. To my surprise the 85's are amazing. Thick and tight bass for an insane chunk in the bridge. Every string and note is perfectly balanced. The pinch harmonics are sick. Never thought my favorite pickups would be EMG's but they are now.

Ive played and owned a million different pickups and a million guitars and the 85's in combination with a quality guitar will give your that thick modern metal sound and the cleans are really nice to.

Pickup features: Active w/alnico magnets
Impedence or other specs: Low impendance, requires 9V battery

Model of guitar or bass: Ibanez SZ
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Seymour Duncan JB
Other pickups on guitar: EMG HA
Artists using this pickup: many
You musical style(s): blues, rock, metal, shred, nu-metal (sue me), fingerstyle
Reason for pickup change: Wanted to enhance live performance with quiet operation and accurate tone. Not that Duncans are bad, but...

Perceived output level: Very hot, slightly more than the JB
Tone: Well balanced
Sonic evaluation: Overall sound is very clear, articulate and loaded with overtones. Also, it's dead quiet. The alnico magnets do their job at providing a warm, natural tone and the internal preamp takes care of the rest. It loves distortion and clean w/chorus. Even without effects the clean sound is pretty good. Every note is crystal clear no matter how high the gain is, and there is a very balanced quality to full chords. Power chords sound amazing with long sustain and, again, perfect balance. In fact, balance is the defining word for this pickup. Also, it's very honest in terms of either letting your technique shine through or letting it be seen for what it is. I usually run my guitar through a Pod XT Live into a Fender Bassman or directly into a Marshall JCM900 that my bandmate owns. Both sound incredible, but the combination of Pod XT and this pickup seems to be a perfect match with great versatility and overall tone. Which brings up another point: if you need authentic warm vintage sounds they're not there; if you want a clear, balanced, modern sound that you can mold into whatever you like with great results then this is your ticket. I wouldn't put these into a high-end guitar that I was planning on using in the studio, but for playing live you can't beat EMG's for their versatility, quietness and the way they cut through the rest of the band without drowning them out. Best LIVE pickup ever!

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

Comments: I've been playing for seven years, in a band for three. We play rock/metal in bars and small clubs around town, nothing fancy. I've streamlined my gear collection to only the stuff I need and ended up with the gear mentioned above, an Am Strat and a Tubescreamer. Changing pickups to EMG's has improved the band's sound dramatically. If you have a solid mid-level price guitar that you want to play live with great results go with EMG and you can't lose.

Pickup features: Active Humbucker
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Gibson SG Standard
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Stock Gibson Humbucker
Other pickups on guitar: EMG 60
Artists using this pickup: dontknow/dont care
You musical style(s): blues, rock and metal
Reason for pickup change: Stock Gibsons are bland and mushy

Perceived output level: Higher than average
Tone: very well balanced
Sonic evaluation: First off, EMG actives pickups do NOT sound anything like an "enhanced Gibson" and if that's what you want then you should look elsewhere. Seymour Duncan and DiMarzio will readily oblige. If you're only used to the undemanding syrupy tone of stock Gibsons and similar types then the tight, powerful bottom end and focussed midrange punch of the EMG 85 will come as a nasty shock (or possibly a pleasant surprise if you have an open mind and can follow a simple wiring diagram without screwing up). Your normal amp settings may not sound right and it's worth to taking some with your amp controls to hear the pickup performing at it's best. There's more warmth and mid-tone body here than with the 81 and 60 models. It doesn't quite match the crisp articulation and crystalline purity of the latter but every note stands out on fast solo runs without slur or overhang and you get to hear exactly what you are playing for a change even when you crank the distortion way up. Sustain is better than average, power chords have a massive chug factor and pinch harmonics are a piece of cake. This makes a terrific combination with the 60 in the neck position. The 60 gives a single-coil type clarity which works great for rhythm AND soloing in the neck position and the 85 delivers all-out raunch and guts when you need it. EMGs come complete with their own matching 25k pots so installation is more than just a matter of re-soldering a couple of wires but it's worth the extra time and effort. Just remember - the instructions state that you must NOT reconnect the bridge ground wire.
The active system lets you turn the volume pot all right down without loss of clarity and the atone control rolls off the highs in a smooth gradation without affecting the mids. You can set your amp gain fairly high and clean it up from the guitar controls if you want to, effectively driving your amp from the guitar. You can also forget any ridiculous ideas that these pickups are noisy because they're easily the quietest (along with other EMGs) I've ever used including various Gibson, Fender, Duncan, Dimarzio, Kinman and Rio Grandes. Whether you like the sound or not is a matter of personal opinion but it's a matter of fact that low noise is a feature of all EMG active designs and I must emphasise that YOU WILL HEAR NO HUM, HISS OR OTHER SUCH SOUNDS FROM THESE PICKUPS - UNLESS YOU HAVE INSTALLED THEM INCORRECTLY. DO NOT BLAME THE PICKUPS FOR YOUR OWN INABILITY TO FOLLOW BASIC WIRING INSTRUCTIONS. Battery life is quoted as 3000 hours for a fresh alkaline 9v which equals 4 months continuous use. Just don't forget to pull your lead out of the jack socket when you're not playing or the battery will stay in circuit and continue to drain.This is a great pickup. I like the superb model 60 even more but I'm less keen on the 81 which sounds excellent with heavy distortion but a little thin and trebly to my ears when used clean - maybe a great choice if you play nothing but metal, but I prefer the tonal versatility of the 60 and the 85. At present I'm using the 85 in the bridge of my SG Standard but I'm going to switch them round and see how that goes. With EMG's you don't have to rewire to try different models once they're installed, they use a mini-plug connection system so that should take me less than 10 minutes.

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

Comments:
I've been guitar playing for 23 years and Im not easy to impress and few products would ever get the full 10 points from me but this one sure deserves it. Putting EMGs in my SG was an experiment which I'm glad I tried and I'll be using in all my Gibbys in future. I can't go back to that stock pickup sludge.

Pickup features: Active Humbucker
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Gibson SG Standard
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Stock Gibson Humbucker
Other pickups on guitar: EMG 60
Artists using this pickup: dont know/dont care
You musical style(s): blues, heavy rock, some metal
Reason for pickup change: Stock Gibsons lack real balls

Perceived output level:
Tone: See my review
Sonic evaluation: First off, EMG actives pickups do NOT sound anything like an "enhanced Gibson" and if that's what you want then you should look elsewhere. Seymour Duncan and DiMarzio will readily oblige. If you're only used to the undemanding syrupy tone of stock Gibsons and similar types then the tight, powerful bottom end and focussed midrange punch of the EMG 85 will come as a nasty shock (or possibly a pleasant surprise if you have an open mind and can follow a simple wiring diagram without screwing up). Your normal amp settings may not sound right and it's worth to taking some with your amp controls to hear the pickup performing at it's best. There's more warmth and mid-tone body here than with the 81 and 60 models. It doesn't quite match the crisp articulation and crystalline purity of the latter but every note stands out on fast solo runs without slur or overhang and you get to hear exactly what you are playing for a change even when you crank the distortion way up. Sustain is better than average, power chords have a massive chug factor and pinch harmonics are a piece of cake. This makes a terrific combination with the 60 in the neck position. The 60 gives a single-coil type clarity which works great for rhythm AND soloing in the neck position and the 85 delivers all-out raunch and guts when you need it. EMGs come complete with their own matching 25k pots so installation is more than just a matter of re-soldering a couple of wires but it's worth the extra time and effort. Just remember - the instructions state that you must NOT reconnect the bridge ground wire.
The active system lets you turn the volume pot all right down without loss of clarity and the tone control rolls off the highs in a smooth gradation without affecting the mids. You can set your amp gain fairly high and clean it up from the guitar controls if you want to, effectively driving your amp from the guitar. You can also forget any ridiculous ideas that these pickups are noisy because they're easily the quietest (along with other EMGs) I've ever used including various Gibson, Fender, Duncan, Dimarzio, Kinman and Rio Grandes. Whether you like the sound or not is a matter of personal opinion but it's a matter of fact that low noise is a feature of all EMG active designs and I must emphasise that YOU WILL HEAR NO HUM, HISS OR OTHER SUCH SOUNDS FROM THESE PICKUPS - UNLESS YOU HAVE INSTALLED THEM INCORRECTLY. DO NOT BLAME THE PICKUPS FOR YOUR OWN INABILITY TO FOLLOW BASIC WIRING INSTRUCTIONS. Battery life is quoted as 3000 hours for a fresh alkaline 9v which equals 4 months continuous use. Just don't forget to pull your lead out of the jack socket when you're not playing or the battery will stay in circuit and continue to drain.
This is a great pickup. I like the superb model 60 even more but I'm less keen on the 81 which sounds excellent with heavy distortion but a little thin and trebly to my ears when used clean - maybe a great choice if you play nothing but metal, but I prefer the tonal versatility of the 60 and the 85. At present I'm using the 85 in the bridge of my SG Standard but I'm going to switch them round and see how that goes. With EMG's you don't have to rewire to try different models once they're installed, they use a mini-plug connection system so that should take me less than 10 minutes.

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

Comments: I've played guitar for 23 years,owned a hell of a lot of gear in that time, and I'm not easy to impress and few products would ever get the full 10 points from me but this one sure deserves it. Putting EMGs in my SG was an experiment which I'm glad I tried and I'll be using them in all my Gibbys in future. I'll never go back to that stock pickup sludge.These baby's blow every Gibson pickup ever made out of the water IMO though I understand now why sloppy players often prefer them to EMGs.