EMG 89

Pickup features: Active Singelcoil and Humbucker (Dual mode)
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Handmade guitar
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: From the birth of the guitar
Other pickups on guitar: EMG 81
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): 70 Rock ....
Reason for pickup change: I had it on another guitar that I was rebuilding, so I took this pickups to the new guitar

Perceived output level: HOT. My JTM45 combo (Bluesbreaker) start to distort real early with this pickups
Tone: Balanced
Sonic evaluation: Guitar: Body- Mahogany with a top of Oak. Neck Mahogany with a fretboard of Ebony.
Amp: JTM45 combo (Bluesbreaker) and a Marshall Powerbrake
Effects: TS9 and a Marshall Guv'Nor

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

Comments: I have heard that this pickups (Active Pickups) sounds the same whatever guitar they are in, it dosen't matter how the guitar sound whitout an amp. This is not thrue, when I moved this pickups to the new guitar (The guitar has nearly the same sound as an LesPaul if you compared it without an amp) it sound different than on the other guitar

Pickup features: Dual Mode: Single/Humbucking, Active, Powered Preamp (LOUD)
Impedence or other specs: Check it out at www.emgpickups.com

Model of guitar or bass: 1985/86? Kramer Focus 1000
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Stock Kramer
Other pickups on guitar: None
Artists using this pickup: Metallica!!!
You musical style(s): Rock, Heavy Rock, mostly I am still learning
Reason for pickup change: Guy who pawned it said he liked the stock pickups but had some money to burn so he picked up an EMG.

Perceived output level: Output? We're talkin major; You know those little Johnson 8watt practice amps? Boom! One lick and it was through with
Tone: Whatever you want!
Sonic evaluation: No comment - my amp sux; Friend's amp is huge though - bigtime noise

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: This is a good match for my music style... the neck positions are not a good idea for this growling beast

Comments: If my EMG were destroyed or stolen, I would KILL and RAPE the offender - all that needs to be said.

Pickup features: Active Single/Humbucking Pickup
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Fender Am Std Strat
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Stock Fender Single Coil
Other pickups on guitar: EMG-SA Single Coils
Artists using this pickup: I think Steve Lukather
You musical style(s): Hard Rock & Acoustic Style Rock
Reason for pickup change: I needed something with a lot more growl than stock Fender
single coils.

Perceived output level: I would say about twice as loud, if not more, than the single coils
Tone: Very Balanced, you can get a wide variety of tones
Sonic evaluation: Right now, I am running it through a Johnson Millenium 250 head for
the hard rock stuff. This pickup just cuts through everything. I have this pickup in 2 of my Strats, and they are the only guitars I play most of the time. From monstrous power chords to singing leads to crystal clear clean sound (with the single engaged), this pickup does it all

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play hard rock and acoustic style rock.

Comments: I was introduced to EMG's a few years ago, and I am hooked. I just recently came across the 89 a little over a year ago, and what a difference! I love it so much that I put another one in another strat that I just bought. My bass player said he never thought he would hear that huge sound coming out of a Strat. It is a very quiet pickup, compared to others that I have heard. All I can say if you are looking for versatility, this is the pickup for you. You have the single and humbucker all in one!. The one thing I don't like is that you lose a little gain if you just use the single coil by itself. But if you use it together with the middle pickup (my favorite!), it really compensates. I have been playing for about 12 years, and i play a lot of different types of music. Having 2 guitars fitted with the 89, I think I have all my bases covered!

Pickup features: Dual-mode active humbucker
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Fender Standard Stratocaster
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Seymour Duncan Hot Stack
Other pickups on guitar: EMG SA neck, mid
Artists using this pickup: Well, Steve Lukather uses 85
You musical style(s): Blues, rock, Gospel
Reason for pickup change: Wanted a humbucking in the bridge for lead. Single-coils just aren't fat enough for this job, and I have heard great reports of the 89s. The single-coil mode is just like an EMG-SA and I wanted this function to retain a single-coil mode for my bridge.

Perceived output level: tons more than stock, nearly 3 times
Tone: Very balanced
Sonic evaluation: Running a MIM Strat into BOSS ME-8 then into Marshall DSL-401. Read my SA review for details on the SA mode. It is a little weak in single-coil mode but I use the position 4. When I use bridge alone I push down the pot and turn the humbucker on. Since my Strat has one master tone control, I can use it on this pickup. Rolling off the tone makes this pickup sound more mellow and middy, just like an 81. Turning up the tone will make it quite trebly and at 10, this boy is like a soprano singer. Not the right way to use it! For lead work it is fat enough and you can turn up the tone a little and down the volume a bit to use it for rock rhythm.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: This is definitely the pickup for every style. I think it can even manage heavy metal!

Comments: Destroyed? You must be kidding. I won't allow that to happen. If God forbid that comes my way, I will not hesitate to go to the lad at the shop and ask for an exact installation of what I had. Even if I am going to get a new guitar I will get the 89 on it unless I want to make a vintage kind of axe.

Pickup features: Active 3-Coil pickup, 1 single and a humbucker
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: epiphone les paul standard
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: Stock
Other pickups on guitar: Emg 81
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): various kinds of metal, some hard rock and blues
Reason for pickup change: Stock neck pickup in the epi les paul was the biggest piece of shit I've ever heard. Completely unusable. Wanted a good clean sound.

Perceived output level: More than stock
Tone: Somewhat bassy in humbucker mode. Balanced in single coil mode.
Sonic evaluation: I love this pickup. The single coil sounds great for playing clean, although the volume level is lower than in humbucking mode, but its not enough to bother me. Im humbucking mode(which is actually like an emg 85) its a little too bassy and not clear enough for me when played clean. The humbucking mode is great with distortion when wanting to fatten up a solo. This pickup sounds great when split with an emg 81.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Good match for my style. Doubt this would sound too good in the bridge.

Comments: I would definitely buy this again. It's just what I wanted. I've been playing for around 11 years. I did a lot of research before buying this and read a lot of reviews. It paid off. Wish it wasn't quite so bassy in humbucking mode. Overall, an excellent pickup though.

Pickup features: Active humbucker
Impedence or other specs: ?

Model of guitar or bass: Ibanez RG470
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Stock
Other pickups on guitar: Dimarzio Duel tone
Artists using this pickup: Reb Beach..... Me
You musical style(s): Hard Rock, Jazz, Funk, just about anything...
Reason for pickup change: Stock pickup suched!

Perceived output level: Hotter the regular passive pickups. About average for an active.
Tone: BALANCED! Nice bottom end and mids, high end rolls off just a bit.
Sonic evaluation: I have a Mesa/Boogie Studio Pre amp and a PV mono block 60 tube power amp. I push a 4X12 cad loaded with Celestion GK1285 speakers.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I think that you could use this pickup in either bridge or neck. I mostly play hard rock and jazz with my band. I've never had a problem getting the sound I wanted.

Comments: If it were stolen....? I might buy another one. However I also like the Duncan Live Wires. They are alittle hotter. But this pickup is very good for my playing style. I really like that fact that the highs don't bite your head off.

Pickup features: Both Single and humbucking
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: ESP custom M-II
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced:
Other pickups on guitar: EMG 81
Artists using this pickup: Don't know
You musical style(s): Everything but Country/western, death/thrash metal.
Reason for pickup change:

Perceived output level: Humbucker-as hot as the 85 (a little louder), Single coil as hot as the S (exactly)
Tone: Humbucker-same as 81, Single coil-same as SA
Sonic evaluation: Check the EMG 81 submission for my setup. To tired to write. It sounds like the 81 or the SA...take your pick.

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

Comments: Excellent pickup. Sounds unbelievable.

Pickup features: Dual + singel coil ACTIVE!!!
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: ESP Eclipse Custom
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced:
Other pickups on guitar: EMG 81
Artists using this pickup: Don? really know... ME!
You musical style(s): Hard Rock! of course...
Reason for pickup change:

Perceived output level: Hot hot hot.. but not as hot as the 81...
Tone: Its a very balanced pu in both modes and also when distorted and clean.
Sonic evaluation: Actually my rigg is under development so I must get back to you on that one. The overall soud I get out of this baby is really great, withe crunchy distortion in neck position and really great cleans.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I bet this pu suits all kinds of musicstyles... so...

Comments: It?s just great and I will never part from it... and on being stolen... I?d probably buy it again...

Pickup features: active - coil splitting
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Epi Les Paul Custom
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: stock Epi Les Paul
Other pickups on guitar: EMG passive humbucker
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): blues mostly
Reason for pickup change: came with guitar!

Perceived output level: louder than stock
Tone: GREAT! ballsy, sweet, singing tone
Sonic evaluation: using Fender Blues Junior and this baby sings. I've never used a Les Paul until now. I won't put this down. Amazing!

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Great match for blues player/hacker (like me)

Comments: never heard anything that sounded so fine, so powerful, so controlled

Pickup features: Dual Mode
Impedence or other specs: ?

Model of guitar or bass: Jackson PS-2
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Stock
Other pickups on guitar: Stock Single Coil
Artists using this pickup: Don't Know
You musical style(s): Anything
Reason for pickup change: Stock was to weak and developed a dead spot.

Perceived output level: UltraHot
Tone: balanced
Sonic evaluation: I'm using a Jackson PS-2 Through a Marshall VS100 Combo and 4x12 Cab.
The pickup made a dramatic change in the overall tone, to sum it up, "It Kicked Ass".

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play usually Metal and this pickup is perfect for it. Even when a clean part comes the single coil is awesome.

Comments: If it were destroyed or stolen I would destroy the person that did it and kick some ass to get another one that cheap. I think it is a very versatile pickup that will suit my needs. But it is always best to hear first then buy.