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.

Pickup features: Active humbucker.........too bad it's not a "hissbucker" as well
Impedence or other specs: Bitch say WHAT?!?

Model of guitar or bass: Gibson Les Paul Standard (year 2000)
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Stock Gibson, I believe a 498T
Other pickups on guitar: EMG 60 in the neck position
Artists using this pickup: I'm sure you know this by now, but does it really matter anyway?
You musical style(s): Classic Rock, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, and some Blues
Reason for pickup change: Well, it wasn't that the Gibsons sounded bad. In fact, they sounded terrific; it was just that I thought I might be able to get a little more, and I had heard that EMGs provided great tone coupled with reduced background noise, as well as being very clear and articulate.

Perceived output level: Although the general consensus is that EMGs are "super fucking hot", I found the output to be more or less equivalent to the stock Gibson 'bucker.
Tone: The tone was pretty dark sounding, actually quite muddy (especially on the low strings), rising to a cut on the higher registers comparable to a dull butter knife. It is pretty much a shitload of flabby bass with a fair helping of mids and a little high end thrown in as an afterthought. Overall the tone was very bland, a little dead, with nothing really special about it at all. I tweaked my EQ every way imaginable and still struggled to hear the tone that others here have described. No matter what I tried, it maintained its horrid, flabby sound.
Sonic evaluation: I'm playing my afore-mentioned Les Paul (which, by the way, is my pride and joy) through a Marshall combo. I really, really missed the life and sparkle of the Gibsons after trying the EMGs. The Gibsons just had more punch, crunch, and....well, just more TONE. The Gibsons actually inspired me to play, whereas the EMGs made me want to blow my fucking brains out for wasting my hard-earned money on them. 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'll take the Gibsons any day of the week, hands down.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I really have no fucking clue. I suppose they might work for nu-metal (if you're into that kind of thing). I can't imagine it sounding decent in the neck position after how muddy it sounded in the bridge.

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. The only thing I liked about 'em was that they actually looked pretty sick, but that only gets you so far, especially on an INSTRUMENT. You know, an INSTRUMENT; they're supposed to make SOUND, and this SOUND is allegedly supposed to sound GOOD. I guess I should be thankful that they even worked at all, but come to think of it, it probably would've been a blessing if they didn't. I realize now that I had found "that" sound with the Gibsons, and I'm sticking to it. I'll give these things a 2. Why not a 1? Well, they looked cool and you might like 'em, but I thought they sucked. 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: Humbucker: active; Alnico-V magnet material; wax-potted; epoxy-sealed.
Impedence or other specs: Very low impedance; very low noise; extremely sensitive to string vibrations with low string movement interruption due to low magnet strength.

Model of guitar or bass: Epiphone G400
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: Stock
Other pickups on guitar: EMG-81 (bridge)
Artists using this pickup: Zakk Wylde (Ozzy Osbourne, Black Label Society; neck position with EMG-81 in bridge position)
You musical style(s): Hard/Classic Rock, 80's Metal
Reason for pickup change: Stock pickups were very weak, and I wanted a damn good, clean, powerful combo. Having saved money on my choice of guitar, price wasn't much of a matter for me. And it payed off. This is my favorite pickup in the world.

Perceived output level: A very well-defined crunch at lower notes, very smooth bell-like Santana-like sound on higher notes.
Tone: A very well-balanced sound, with a lovely massive bottom end, perfectly-shaped middle (not too few mids but not overly warm or muddy) and a beautifully large top end without being sharp, shrill, or tinny--every girl in the world should look the way this pickup sounds, clean and driven or distorted.
Sonic evaluation: Crate BV120H/Crate 100W 4x12" head/cab amp combo; Vox Wah-Wah pedal; Ibanez TS7; Digitech Metal Master. With no effects, just decent EQ'ing and the right gain level, if I play a succession of quick 18p17p15's on the high-E string, then into a 18b20 and tremolo-pick while holding the bend, I get something that sounds phenomenally like Santana. This pickup is perfect for a balanced, bell-like shimmeringly-smooth clean sound, a lower, more mellow jazz sound, and an excellent bright-and-clear distorted/driven sound with that Les Paul-like punch at the forward edge of every pick attack and violin-like sustain. In short, with the right amp, you can get that wonderful sound like Slash's intro on GNR's Sweet Child O' Mine very easy, with each note having that sound that I can only put into one word: doong. That's just how it sounds, you get a strong little punch when you pick it, it rings out and sounds very clear and bell-like, then just fades away ever so slowly as you let it sustain like a violin. I'll probably be getting a Jackson DK1 Dinky soon, which has the exact same pickups as what I have now: an EMG-81 (bridge) and EMG-85 (neck). Due to the fact that these pickups have convenient little three-prong connectors instead of solder joints connecting the pickups to their wires, I'll be able to swap pickups around very easy, putting both 85's or both 81's in either guitar and switching them around as I like. I'm very much looking forward to this, plus being able to hear them in an alder/maple bodied guitar as well as being able to hear the 81 in the neck position and the 85 in the bridge position.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Hard rock, classic rock, 80's metal, some newer metal--this pickup, plus an EMG-81, can easily cover miles of territory.

Comments: This pickup is the love of my life, simply put. Buy this pickup, but an EMG-81 to go with it, and you can easily cover miles of musical and tonal territory just by choosing the right amp. Hot, active pickups like these go very well with Mesa/Boogie amps; I'm currently saving for a Mesa/Boogie Triple Rectifer head. If strong, hard, heavy metal is your thing, then get a 2x15" amp cabinet. I'm not sure what the advantages of a 4x12" cab are over a 2x15", if there are any, but a 2x15" will give you a very loud low-end thump. I have a Crate BFX15 15W bass amp, and with this pickup in the neck position, I still get a low-end thump that rivals the lowriders that cruise my street on a daily basis. Them: 2-75W 15" subwoofers. Me: 1-15W 8" speaker + EMG-85. Winner: ME! This is testament to the power of this pickup with the right amp.

Pickup features: Humbucking,active
Impedence or other specs: Dont know exactly,but comprable the 81

Model of guitar or bass: Kramer Pacer American
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Bill Lawrence XL-500
Other pickups on guitar: EMG SA
Artists using this pickup: Who gives a crap
You musical style(s): 80's metal,Classic Rock,Classical
Reason for pickup change: wanted a all active setup in this guitar and friend needed a xl-500 pretty fast so it was deal for both of us.

Perceived output level: Vey Hot like 81 almost
Tone: perfectly rounded from low to high e
Sonic evaluation: I love the clearness of the pickup even though its really hot it reacts well to all adjustments.It's my favorite active and the Xl-500 is still my favorite passive.It's like a super distortion on steroids in my opinion.Heck of alot better than 81,I plan to get a baretta w/ just a 85.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I love the 80's meta and of the the classic rock and classical.

Comments: Hell ya in split second .My search is finally over.

Pickup features: Humbucker, active one
Impedence or other specs: have no idea, not really interesting though

Model of guitar or bass: Charvel 750xl, which is really a one of a kind issue, because it is not made of mahogany w/maple top, but made of basswood with a maple top.
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: it was a test, replaced a tonezone and jackson J50BC, which will be put back in due time
Other pickups on guitar: EMG 85
Artists using this pickup: don't give a rats' ass, but if one wants to know, Steve Lukather and a lot of metalguys
You musical style(s): differen
Reason for pickup change:

Perceived output level:
Tone:
Sonic evaluation:
For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable:

Comments:

Pickup features: Active humbucker
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Jackson Dinky
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: DiMarzio Norton
Other pickups on guitar: stock single coils
Artists using this pickup: Steve Lukather
You musical style(s): Metal
Reason for pickup change: I was tired of the Norton it was very verstaile but not specially good for metal

Perceived output level: very hot
Tone: bass and low mids galore
Sonic evaluation: Jackson 6 string to ENGL Fireball to 4x12 ENGL V-60 cab.
Let me tell you I wasn't expecting such a dramatic change in my sound but it was for the better, just awesome, exactly what I wanted.
I heard a difference as soon as I hit the first chord, very agressive, big sounding and clear.
This pickup sounds huge, it's got a lot of bass and low mids and is a little lighter on the treble side. This is the best pickup I've tried for high gain heavy riffing period.

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

Comments: Excellent pickup the best 100 ? I've ever spent in guitar gear.

Pickup features: active humbucker
Impedence or other specs: .2 decibles higher than the emg 81

Model of guitar or bass: Jackson archtop soloist pro
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: EMG 81
Other pickups on guitar: EMG 81
Artists using this pickup: James Hetfield, Shadows Fall, Killswitch Engage
You musical style(s): Speed Thrash Metal
Reason for pickup change: Just wanted to try it

Perceived output level: Just a little more than the 81
Tone: balanced with a low mid presence
Sonic evaluation: My Jackson thru a Boss NS-S and a Tube Works Real Tube Overdrive into a Ampeg VH-140C halfstack.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Excellent for metal and probably for other styles as well.

Comments: Now Im not going to diss the EMG-81 because that is a kick ass pickup in a different way. The EMG-85 is beefy as all hell and pretty defined as well. Not as defined as the 81 though, the 85 just screams in the bridge. I find that the harmonics jump out just like the 81. I know that the 85 has more low end and the 81 has more high end, but the highs are still there in the 85. Not muddy what so ever. Great pickup over all. Plus the 81 in the neck is badass, but thats another review.

Pickup features: humbucking active
Impedence or other specs: no clue

Model of guitar or bass: dean evo dragster
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: seymour duncan distortion
Other pickups on guitar: none.
Artists using this pickup: who cares
You musical style(s): metal, metalcore, hardcore
Reason for pickup change: just wanted to see what all the hype was about.

Perceived output level: fricken insane.
Tone: bassy....very cutting...
Sonic evaluation: sounds insane....be warned...it has lots of cut....i couldn't get a good sound out of it for a week or so....then i discovered the presence knob on my amp....put that baby down to about 1-2 and it fixed my problem...it had a problem with the highs...it just hurt my ears and i couldn't get any chunk...turned down that little knob....now my amp sounds like god...i have a marshall avt150h by the way.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: hardcore, metal, metalcore,suits my style perfectly

Comments: i would by it again in no-time flat. i've been playing for two years and am in a recently signed hardcore band...this is THE pick-up for heavy music, that's all there is to it....check out my band...www.destined2fight.cjb.net

Pickup features: Active Pickups
Impedence or other specs: www.emginc.com check the site for info

Model of guitar or bass: CV Custom soloist (Local Montreal Luthier)
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: EMG 81
Other pickups on guitar: EMG SA
Artists using this pickup: Soilwork, In Flames, KIllswitch Engage
You musical style(s): Progressive, Death, Thrash, Black Metal
Reason for pickup change: 81 was too thin sounding, wanted a more balsy bassy heavy sound

Perceived output level: pretty fucking hot
Tone: balanced and bassy,
Sonic evaluation: Right now i am using a Crate GFX120 Solidstate Head but i am soon to be buying a Koch Powertone 2(since i have a dislike for solidstates). The EMG 81 is a great pickup, so great in fact i'm having it put into my Les Paul's neck position but for a meaty heavy sound that i am looking for the 85 was perfect for me, i heard an immediate difference.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play different styles of metal, ranging from Progressive, Death and Black metal as well as some jazzy stuff as well. This isn't the best pickup for jazz tho BUT it does a WONDERFUL job at the rest!

Comments: I've been playing for 8 years and this is my first custom made guitar (based on a Jackson Soloist and Caparison Dillenger) and the EMGs make this beauty sing, i am very happy with my choice of using this pickup. I think i have found my sound, i thought i found it with my Les Paul but it gives too much excess noise where as the EMGs are virtually noiseless and gives a more fuller heavy sound, thats why i am fitting my Les Paul with the Zakk Wylde setup

Pickup features: Active Humbucker
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Les Paul Classic
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Stock 496R and 500T to Zack Wylde set then replaced the 81 with 85
Other pickups on guitar: 85 NECK 85 BRIDGE
Artists using this pickup: many
You musical style(s): Hard Rock
Reason for pickup change: Searching for the tone to call my own...The stock Gibsons are pretty darn sweet but I found them to be fuzzy in live performace I found I could get them to sound pretty great in the studio. I started to jam with a band who was tuned a whole step down and the Gibsons just turned to mud. so I went for the Zack Wylde set. The 81 is so scooped with barely any bass output. Though with a LP and Dual rectifier I was able to EQ it and coax bass it was not the presence I wanted. The 81 is a straight up sick pick up. But it made me sound like a metal lead guitarist and not much more...It is a great lead pick up...with the output of the 85 in the neck I could not resist trying that out in the bridge. It is almost overpowering sometimes in the neck which is great ... It is the sweetest sounding pickup I have ever played in the bridge position.

Perceived output level: Many brindge pickups have aharshenss in the high end to my ear that has to be backed off and eq'd. The 85 doesn't do that. great for modern distortion, classic, or clean
Tone: Equal...I don't find it bassy at all. The highs are exactly what I want. It is the perfect weapon for my LP
Sonic evaluation: Les Paul to Morley Bad Horsey (depending on my mood either no FX at all or Line6 stomp Filter and/or Modulation modeler) The future holds analog pedals only. INTO the 2001 Dual Rectifier halfstack. DR EH-11 tight fit. Duncan SH5 in another guitar that smokes the 500T but not my 85...
As candid as I can be. I love the 85 in the bridge and neck.
They work well together for me....for now anyway

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Hard Rock, Metal, Funk, Jazz, Rythm and Blues

Comments: IMAO - I have to agree with those who say that if you don't like EMG's you might want to check your technique. These pickups honestly report exactly what they hear. I kind of like that because it makes me practice more. I have a Duncan SH5 in the brindge on a Heritage LP and as amazing as that sounds the 85 in my LP beats it. I put one on play a riff or proggression...take it off put the other on play the same riff or proggression. I did it for my band and a couple of strangers ... 85 wins...If I were reviewing the SH5 Custom I would be singing its praises. I love the thing BUT ... The EMG 85 matches it in character and there is an added presense and sweetness. There is a thicker sound. It gets a 9 because there is no 10. But if I found a pickup that sounded better I would be so surprised...
www.nurturedinpurple.com - band site

Pickup features: active humbucker (non splittable)
Impedence or other specs: see other reviews

Model of guitar or bass: Charvel 750xl archtop soloist (rare one of a kind since mine is made of basswood and maple instead of the mahogany and maple standard). rather well built guitar
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: EMG 81 and 60
Other pickups on guitar: both are 85s
Artists using this pickup: lots of. most famous are Steve Lukather (developer of this PU if I'm correct) and Zakk Wylde
You musical style(s): everything between jazz and metal
Reason for pickup change: the 81 is really not my cup of tea and the 60 was also to shrill IMO. actually nothing changed here (see rest of the review)

Perceived output level: rather hot, not really hotter than a high output passice HB. something like the DiMarzio Steve's Special or Tonezone
Tone: rather high voiced to my ears
Sonic evaluation: Charvel 750xl -> Mesa quad/fifty:fifty -> 1*12" cab with eminence spearker.
I really am disappointed in the sound. My amp is already rather tuned with a focus on the darker sounds to balance my other guitar better, but this guitar with EMGS still sounds shrill. I tried it on other amps and alway I had to roll back almost all the highs and a lot of mids. I mean how can you ever get a decent tone out of this when you have other guitars as well?

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: play lots of styles. mostly rock and metal, but I have a coverband which goes from country to metal so rather broad. I don't know. If one only has EMG equiped guitars it might sound great for a lot of styles, but to my ears it does not fit anything special

Comments: these babies are going to be replaced. Totally dissapointed. The sterile thing EMGs are always accused of is not really true, it is clean, but not sterile. thats the first point I want to make.
As said it might be a really cool PU with the right guitar/amp combination and right dialling of the amp, but not with mine. This does not mean it is a bad PU, just nog my thing.
most likely it is going to be replaced by a Tonezone - Air Norton set. this suits me better.
I'd give it a 7 for it does what it promises: quiet, clear tone, but a 5 to my ears so that makes a 6

Pickup features: active humbucking
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: carvin dc-127
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: duncan custom 5
Other pickups on guitar: EMG 81
Artists using this pickup: lots... go to www.emginc.com for more info
You musical style(s): hard/heavy rock
Reason for pickup change: the carvin dc-127 is very bright guitar, and although duncan pickups sound great in general, they just weren't cutting it in this guitar (also tried pearly gates, pearly gates plus and a custom custom in the bridge of this guitar, in addition to the custom 5 )

Perceived output level: to my ears, the output is fairly comparable to a duncan jb, but definitely a bit louder than the jb.
Tone: very balanced... very clear. tighter and more focused bottom end than the 81 (in the bridge position, that is).
Sonic evaluation: carvin dc-127 into the following pedals: a dunlap 535q cry baby - line 6 modulation modeler - boss tuner - boss dd5 digital delay - boss digital reverb/delay into a mesa 2x12 trem-o-verb dual recto combo

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: i play in an all-originals band influenced by tool, deftones, a perfect circle and chevelle. this pickup works quite well in both the bridge and neck positions for heavy rock, metal and even classic rock when the mood hits.

Comments: this pickup would be replaced immediately if destroyed or stolen. i've been playing for 18 years now and only keep gear that i am currently using, which aside from an acoustic and a carvin sc-90, is what I mentioned above (although i've onwed/borrowed guitars and amps made by most of the major companies at one point or another).
what i love about this pickup is how clear and tonally balanced it sounds in my dc-127, which was in desperate need of some "beef". i bought the zakk wylde set which includes the 81 and i like them right where they are... 85 in the bridge and the 81 in the neck. for my ears, my gear and what i play, the 85 is definitely better in the bridge position.
my other carvin has a duncan jb in the bridge and a pearly gates in the neck and these pickups are much more clear in tone. (i've also owned numerous other duncan models, as well as dimarzio, gibson, fender & tom anderson replacement pickups) the emgs also have the edge in output. the jb happens to be one of my all-time favorite bridge pickups for an all-mahongany axe, but the emg 85 recently replaced it. (the jb still runs a close second, which why it hasn't been replaced by an 85 yet. it still gets the job done.)
this is hopefully the last bridge pickup that i'll put in this guitar for a long time. if i found a better bridge pickup for this ax, it'll be astounding.
for those think that emg pickups sound "sterile", check your technique. no offense, but that's the only sterile thing about these pickups, unless by "sterile" you really mean "transparent". (seriously... these pickups will bring out all of your flaws if you're not well-practiced, and i don't mean that in shredding context either. i'm talking good old-fashioned riffing here... fingering, picking, etc.) also, these pickups sound beautiful on the clean channel. with a slight touch of chorus and dab of delay, these things really sound good clean. i'm kinda puzzled by some of the "emgs sound like shit clean" remarks, but to each his own, i guess. i think that humbuckers, in general, really aren't ideal for a truly "great" clean sound as it is, but emgs are the best ones that i've played yet. see for yourself.
(i gave it a 9 instead of a 10 because nothing is perfect, but a 9 is pretty damn close to perfect in my book :)

Pickup features: active humbucker
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: gibson LP custom
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: replaced both original gibson pickups with 85's
Other pickups on guitar: EMG 85
Artists using this pickup: zakk wylde, kirk hammond, and a whole lot of other people
You musical style(s): hardcore, metalcore
Reason for pickup change: original pickups sucked. They were super bright, had no tone depth, and made wierd noises when distorted.

Perceived output level: very loud, but clean at high levels.
Tone: a little bassy, but with a good amp, that can be fixed a bit.
Sonic evaluation: Using a marshall JCM800, and a Marshall 2x12 cab. Using the dirty channel on this thing made my guitar scream. These pickups sound amazing under any effects.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Perfect for metal/punk riffs. So much more character than the Strat sound.

Comments: If these were stolen i would replace right away, in the same guitar. I have been playing for 5 years, and have a few other guitars, and whole crap load of pedals. The only thing i might do if these were stolen, would be go with a 85 and 81 combo instead. The 81 is a little brighter than the 85, but still both sound amazing. I played guitars similar to mine with Seymour Duncan, and Dimarzio pickups, and NOTHING compared to these. Seymour Duncan pickups wounded like crap.. they were super bright with no lower tone character. I have found THAT sound, anbd will never play another brand of pickup ever. EMG make the best pickups money can buy, don't sell yourself short and get something that tries to imitate the real thing

Pickup features: Active Humbucker
Impedence or other specs: Low impedence boosted by active preamp.

Model of guitar or bass: 85' Carvin V220 All maple setneck Kahler trem ebony board
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Tonezone (B), Super Distortion (N)
Other pickups on guitar: EMG 85
Artists using this pickup: alot
You musical style(s): All styles, specialized Hardrock, 80's metal, Prog metal shred, Alt. rock, Jazz fusion
Reason for pickup change: Wanted to try out EMGs. TZ and SD sounded unbalanced.Wanted a more dynamic 3d sound. Needed nore pinch harm goodness.

Perceived output level: It's hot but doesn't sound like it due to low they're impedence pups boost by a built in preamp. The SD sounded hotter than the EMGs.
Tone: Balanced, Just enough of everything.
Sonic evaluation: Again, this is a 1985 Carvin V220, all maple, set neck, ebony fretboard, kahler trem. I do not use any effect pedals. I run straight into either a Fender Deluxe 90 or a Marshall JCM800 combo. The neck 85 is the best neck humbucker i've ever use. the clean and distorted tones out of this thing is amazing. the perfect shred neck tone. you can nail slash's tone with it too. You can also nail some nu-metal tones with it. it's a really nice pup to solo with as it's fat but also clear and articulate. Clean it's very glassy and just beautiful sounding, has a lot of depth to it. the bridge 85 is alright. it's definitely better than the TZ but it's nothing really to drool about like the neck. Clean it's alright, honestly i've never heard a godly sounding bridge humbucker on clean. And the 85 is better than most pups on clean. like the neck pup, it's very articulate and clear. The bass is very tight on it. people who want that nu-metal sound woun't like it as it doesn't provide that palm muted sound they're looking for. also sometimes the emg in the bridge can sound too distorted for some styles of music so it's not as versatile either. I use a lot of sweeps, tapping and other technique in my playing and these pups can definitely handle them. I find that passives are too sloppy sounding for shred stuff dimarzios or duncans. I've tried a lot of pups and the 85s i have on this guitar are the best combo i've ever tried. BTW. these pups definitely do not sound sterile especially the neck pup. probably the 81 would sound sterile but not the 85s. I get a very consistent sound with these pups on whatever amp i'm using, live or at home. The clarity of these pups can't be beat. Also it's not totally quiet, but it's definitely much quieter than passives. Regardless what you use. there will always be some noise. that's the nature of using distortion.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: These pup it's good for all type of music except maybe stuff with lighter distortion. You can definitely nail some great jazz tones with these.

Comments: I would def purchase these again. Once i went active i can't think about going back to passives. i've been playing for a while and owned some gear. I'm a very simple guy. All i need is just an guitar and a amp for playing gigs or whatever. these pickups are very clean sounding, very clear and articulate. If your playing sucks, you're gonna hate them. Active pickups are the only thing i found that can keep up with my playing speed and technique. these are the perfect pair of pups i've ever tried and you really need to hear how the 85 sounds in the neck. best neck pup ever. the bridge met my expectations and nothing more to it. if you're just using a 85 in the bridge however it surely won't justify going active unless you hate the noise that passive pups put out. overall i'm happy with these pups and i def. recommend them to people with discriminating ears. you won't be dissapointed. i'll give these a 9 as the bridge pup coul sound a little better, i'm just picky.

Pickup features: humbucking active
Impedence or other specs: check the specs on www.emginc.com

Model of guitar or bass: Mayones SePro lizard
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: none
Other pickups on guitar: EMG-81
Artists using this pickup: Iike I care
You musical style(s): anything but techno
Reason for pickup change: I did not change the pickup, at least not then

Perceived output level: it's not much louder than a passive pickup but it likes gain.
Tone: quite clear but somewhat muffled with relatively slow attack, rather middy
Sonic evaluation: I use POD v2.1 line 6 and Laney HCM120R. When distorted the pickup sounds shit with my amp, but clean- is a whole different story. It sounds very clear with every string having the same output. It really needs no effects. It's an excellent pickup but it must be set correctly otherwise you'll be disappointed.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: funk, rock, metal, pop, classical anything really. If you prefer to play rhythm it's ok to put it in neck, but it sounds cool in brigde as well. Wouldn't recommend it in bridge if you like metal solos.

Comments: If someone was stupid enough to steal the pickup without the guitar then I'd probably buy seymour duncan for a change. But if someone stole my PRECIOUS guitar I'd kill the bloody bastard!

Pickup features: Active Humbucking Pickup
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Epiphone Les Paul Special "Bonneville" (My Signature guitar!!!)
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: Epiphone Special Humbucker
Other pickups on guitar: EMG 81 Active Humbucking Pickup In The Bridge
Artists using this pickup: Zakk Wydle
You musical style(s): Metal/ Southern Metal
Reason for pickup change: The Epiphone Special Neck Humbucker was really muddy and not very bright or clear. It lacked tone big time. The bridge was okay but that still had to go.

Perceived output level: Very very high output pickup.
Tone: This thing is okay. There are times when it's a little to "Overdriven" sounding. I don't want to say "Muddy" because that's not exactly the tone, but otherwise it's a perfect neck pickup
Sonic evaluation: Epiphone Les Pauls with BOSS Pedals and Randall Amps. A very wide range of tones can be made from these pickups with any setup.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: This thing does exceptionally well with blues style solos.

Comments: If it were stolen I might buy another one. The EMG 60 active pickup might be a better choice for the neck.

Pickup features: Active Humbucker
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Ernieball Luke
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: n\a
Other pickups on guitar: Emg slv
Artists using this pickup: Steve Lukather, In flames, Shadow's fall, Zakk Wylde
You musical style(s): Heavy Metal
Reason for pickup change: n\a

Perceived output level: fairly hot, more output than my 81 in my other guitar
Tone: Very good bass response, nice balanced mids and highs
Sonic evaluation: I am using this pickup in my Luke through a Peavey Triple XXX into a Marshall 1960b cab. This pickup has tons of output, compared to my 81 it has a lot more lows and a lot less highs. The two pickups are voiced completely different. The 81 definitely has more of a metal sound, but the lows put out by the 85 are phenomenal. Also the midrange growl that this pickup produces really allow you to cut through the mix. As I said earlier there isn't a lot of highs coming out of this pickup, so pinch harmonics are a little tougher than on an 81. Overall I would say it is more suited for rythm.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play pretty heavy music and this pickup is great for this, I have it in the bridge of my guitar, but I am sure it would make an excellent neck pickup

Comments: Overall, I am very satisfied with this pickup. I have been playing for 13 years now and have owned a few guitars. I am a diehard EMG man as I haven't heard any other pickups that give you this much clarity. I know there are a lot of people out there that swear by passive's, but for my money EMG's are the only way to go.

Pickup features: Humbucking
Impedence or other specs: I dont'