EMG 85

Pickup features: Humbucker
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Ibanez RG-520QS
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: Ibanez V-7
Other pickups on guitar: EMG-81
Artists using this pickup: Don't know
You musical style(s): Anything from jazzy stuff to hard rock
Reason for pickup change: I felt that the V-7 pickup was to bassy with very little clarity in sound.

Perceived output level: Very clear in clean sound.
Tone: With distortion it has a very nice full bassy clear sound, nice with power chords and open tunnings.
Sonic evaluation: I use a Marshall Valvestate, don't remember the model number, VS30 or something like that. (60W) I use a Marshall Jackhammer distortion pedal and a Dunlop Whammy Pedal.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: The EMG-85 fits my style perfectly, It has a wicked clean sound and sounds just as great with distortion. I play most hardrock mixed with clean jazz/funk like riffs.

Comments: I would deffinately buy an 85 again if it were stolen. I'm also thinking about replacing my bridge pickup which is an EMG-81 with a EMG-85. Lots of people say that the 85 sucks distorted, where as I think it has a much fuller sound compared to the 81, the 81 is too thin and trebly for my liking. You can really hear to full power of the 85 when distorted, you can feel the wave current on changes. I've been playing since '97. I'm very satisfied with this pickup, I've pretty much found the sounds I've been looking for!!!!

Pickup features: Active humbucker
Impedence or other specs: 3000 hours before you have to change battery...

Model of guitar or bass: A old Made in Japan Ibanez rg 450
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: I think it origianally had a V2 pickup wich is not as hot or noisefree but still ok for some kind or stuff but not tons of gain and pain...
Other pickups on guitar: V2 ( neck) Emp single - coil ( middle, dont remember the name of it )
Artists using this pickup: The Emg 85 is a underated pick up because it seems like every metal dude talks about the 81 ( the one Metallica use) when they are talking about EMG
You musical style(s): Heavy Metal, Blues, Rock, Punk, alternative, Neo - classisal, instrumental stuff
Reason for pickup change: It came with the guitar I bought and I totally love the guitar ( and think allot of that is the pic ups fault )

Perceived output level: Not as hot as a 81 people say ( but I dont give a shit cause im happy with it) Its of course alot hotter than my Strat single coils and is able the crunch the sound from a Ds/Od device allot more with less hum!!!!
Tone: Its middy I guess but thats the way I love it. The single coil on my strat on the othger hand is way to trebly and thin ( maybe ill slab a 85 on that one to)
Sonic evaluation: Im using it on A tech 21 Trademark 60 amp or a Marshall Jackhammer pedal and a Keyboard amp at band practising.
I like the the Tech 21( a Sans amp thing) much better with this pick up and this guitar.
Its is a loud pick up ( it cuts through like a chain saw)
And it is hot, thats why u have to keep the clean channel really clean so it stays clean when u play abit hard and with the guitar vol. all the way up....

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I switch to the single coil Emg when i want clean sound because it does that better than this one.

Comments: Ive been playing for 6 years I love this pick up, its not so warm but then it would not crunch that good and I would have to use more gain and pain in getting the sound I want.
I did get a battery pocket installed at the back of my guitar so it would be easier to change the batteries. Yes it needs batteries...

Pickup features: Active Humbucker
Impedence or other specs: See the site... I ain't a guitar tech, I'm a guitarist.

Model of guitar or bass: Jackson Dinky Style
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: Stock Jackson
Other pickups on guitar: EMG 81 in Bridge
Artists using this pickup: Who cares? (Metallica)
You musical style(s): PROG ROCK!!! Metal, Jazz, Fusion, Rock, everything.
Reason for pickup change: Buzzing and bad tone were killing me. Now my guitar is supreme.

Perceived output level: Extremelly high output. You can hear it clearly when the volume on my amp is set at 0
Tone: Middy, extremelly balanced overall, smooth as a baby's ass.
Sonic evaluation: Jackson Dinky through some flangers, chorus's distortions, wahs, etc. Now I'm playing strait through my fender pricneton 65 watter. Can get a very smooth sound with the mids on the amp at around 8-9. Very loud pickup... suprisingly warm and good for jazz.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play everything. This is pickup is excellent. You can also put it in the bridge, but I opted for the cliche neck position.

Comments: Incredible pickup. Stealing it from me would result in certain death for the culprit. If only I'd have a compressor I'd be satisfied. Damn, so close to ultimate smoothness....

Pickup features: aktive humbuker
Impedence or other specs: high output

Model of guitar or bass: Ibanez EX
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced:
Other pickups on guitar: ibanez standart S/H
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): METALLICA MISFITS SLAYER
Reason for pickup change: it?s are a good solo and rythem pickup

Perceived output level: High not so mutch as the 81 but high its fucking aktiv pickup
Tone: middy
Sonic evaluation: im jusing a samick amp and a ibanez guitarr the amp suck but the guitar rules

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Heavy "hot fuking" metal like METALLICA

Comments: its a good allruond heavy pickup solo/ rythm

Pickup features: Uh, the magical ability to remorph itself into any inanimate object. What do you think?
Impedence or other specs: Yes

Model of guitar or bass: Squier Strat cheap shit
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Shit stock squier pickup that is now an interesting fridge magnet
Other pickups on guitar: Two SA's
Artists using this pickup: Lil Bo Peep, her sheep and the small gwyndoline under the grassy hump
You musical style(s): PURE SATANIC METAL
Reason for pickup change: Well, its squier, chinease, and it looked gay.

Perceived output level: Slightly less than the 81, obviously, but being a class active pickup, the output is going to be quite hot!
Tone: Nice to complement the tone of a strat.
Sonic evaluation: I play it through a Marshall JCM 2000 TSL 100 through two 1960 cabs. I sometimes use a metal zone, but depends on mood, really!

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Anything from Pantera, to Scam 69. Sepultura to Emperor. All metal, really.

Comments: It think this is the best upgrade for a strat. It sounds really cool. I got a black scratchplate on it witht the white knobs and it looks killer!
Of course i have better guitars, warlocks, jackson vs, ibanez, but this is just something different i can fuck with! Im quite pleased with it. The 81 in hear sounded unusable, but the 85 is a little more sensible!

Pickup features: doesn't everyone know this?
Impedence or other specs: see above

Model of guitar or bass: Epiphone Korina Explorer
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: stock
Other pickups on guitar: stock
Artists using this pickup: I think Greg from Mudvayne and possibly Mikey Doling from Soulfly
You musical style(s): hardcore, metal
Reason for pickup change: Epiphone stock pickups are pretty infamous. Mostly I wanted something clearer that wasn't as prone to feeding back.

Perceived output level: really hot, I have to turn the amp down to below one to keep from annoying people..... plus if I strum hard, it distorts the clean channel..... yikes
Tone: I actually found it to be pretty balanced.... there's probably more bass than anything, but it sounds like it's based around a low-mids tone. it's not muddy or shrill or anything, it's just perfect
Sonic evaluation: I'm running it through a SansAmp GT2 through either my Peavey Bandit with a 1x12 extension cab or direct into my computer for recording and it sounds amazing. Took a bit of tweaking with the EQ and other knobs to get it sounding great, but that's just because it was set for the stock pickup I had it there before

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play hardcore/metal stuff.... bands like Glassjaw, Poison The Well, Eighteen Visions, Dillinger Escape Plan, etc. It sounds amazing for basically anything, but I like being able to go from really heavy distortion to a really sweet clean and this pickup rules for it. Even jazz stuff works on this thing, I don't really think it's anything but a great pickup overall

Comments: I've been playing for a little under 5 years, this guitar with this pickup is literally the best sounding guitar I've heard. It sounds alot better clean than an 81 and it sounds a little less digital when distorted, so it just kicks ass. This is the only time I've been able to play a guitar and have it sound exactly like I want it to. And this is through a frigging Peavey solid state amp, that's pretty awesome. I dunno, if you want a super good sound, check this thing out.

Pickup features: Active Humbucker
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Ibanez EX series
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: EMG Select Humbucker
Other pickups on guitar: Two EMG-SA Singles
Artists using this pickup: Zakk Wylde
You musical style(s): Heavy
Reason for pickup change: Needed to get some real pickups in my guitar

Perceived output level: Slightly Lower than the 81
Tone: Less muddy than the 81
Sonic evaluation: Guitar:
Ibanez EX series
Amps:
Marshall VS-15R
Peavey Express 112
Effects:
Big Muff Pi Distortion/Sustainer
DOD Grunge Dist.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I'm not bound to any style, but I usually play on the heavier side

Comments: If it were destroyed or stolen, I'd probably just get another guitar. I've been playing for 4 years. I like its output level and clarity, i don't like how trebly it sounds on the Peavey 112, but that's probably just the amp. I didn't want to get an 81 because thats what EVERYBODY gets so they can sound like Metallica, I think it's pathetic to strive to sound like someone else. I chose the 85 because the tone is unique and helps my creative process.

Pickup features: Active Humbucker
Impedence or other specs: ?

Model of guitar or bass: BC Rich Warlock
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: Stock BC Rich neck pickup
Other pickups on guitar: EMG 81 on the Bridge
Artists using this pickup: Lots of metal and hard rock artists
You musical style(s): metal and hard rock
Reason for pickup change: Wanted a pickup which works well with the 81 I have on the bridge. You can't go wrong with the 81, 85 combination.

Perceived output level: Very high output and well balanced
Tone: Clean, smooth leaning towards the middy sound. Very glassy and bassy
Sonic evaluation: Running it through a Marshall G80RCD with a Zoom GFX-707 effects processor.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Good match for my style, but you can also get a great blues and jazz sound out of it.

Comments: I would buy this pickup again if it were stolen. Been playing around 8 years. Like everything about this pickup.

Pickup features: active humbucker
Impedence or other specs: check their site

Model of guitar or bass: Ibanez QS470
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: stock ibanez ah2
Other pickups on guitar: i put the ah2 at the neck
Artists using this pickup: no clue
You musical style(s): classic rock mostly
Reason for pickup change: ah2 was really weak... i love this guitar, and putting this pickup in made it sound one thousand times better

Perceived output level: not as hot as the 81 obviously, but it is balsy hot compared to the passive stocks
Tone: better highs than my stock, much better lows, overall very clear throughout
Sonic evaluation: i am running just through an old morley pwb, right into a trademark 60. i think it sounds great... clean is really clear and crisp, dirty is really balsy, palm mute is like the chug of an old 396. the harmonics are excellent, i am really happy with this setup.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: this is a good setup for the zeppelin i like to play, but it gets a lot heavier if i want it to

Comments: i would buy the 85 again. i have been playing 3 years. i have a metal zone i rarely use. it was kinda a diock to install on my ibanez, i guess it is made more for a gibson or copy. the biggest problem was the input jack, which i had to liquid nails in, and then staple. a lot of solder and a little macguyvering was all it took. works fine now, i plan to install an emg 60 in the neck when the cash presents its self. until then i am more than satisfied with this setup.

Pickup features: Active humbucker
Impedence or other specs: n/a

Model of guitar or bass: LP custom
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: EMG 81
Other pickups on guitar: Emg 81 in bridge
Artists using this pickup: Zakk Wylde
You musical style(s): metal. I use a Strat for blues and rock ( Gonna put EMG's in it soon )
Reason for pickup change: It has BIG BAWLS! I can't believe how good this pickup sounds. I don't like having to use pedals to get good distortion.

Perceived output level: HOT HOT HOT
Tone: Bassy. Palm mutes rattle your balls. Diads dissolve kidney stones.
Sonic evaluation: I'm playing into a 130/200w Peavey Special 212.( I'm going to add a 4X12 so I can wake the dead ).
I'll never buy another pickup!

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

Comments: Coupled with a EMG 81 in the bridge, you can't go wrong. I can get everything from SRV to Godsmack between these two pickups.