EMG DG20

Pickup features: active...
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: I NEVER FINISHED!!!
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced:
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s):
Reason for pickup change:

Perceived output level:
Tone: doesnt get too middy. with my setup anyways. gets glassy when it wants to be, but i love that. clean, it sounds amazing.
Sonic evaluation: Lamia (guitar)>hendrix wah (bypass modded)>dod YJM 308>pre dunlop MXR Distortion+>dod EQ>old boss noise supressor (japanese made)>vintage dod chorus>Rock Amp Studio lead with crate 4x12 with greenbacks. thats only the setup with this guitar, my rig changes between guitars.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: metal, blues, and shred. does blues GREAT. does some awesome malmsteen shred...not so hot on metal, but you get the idea.

Comments: if it were destroyed or stolen...id prolly cry for a while. along while. i would go and find another. these are definitely a thing to own. even if you dont put it ina guitar, its just great to own. i dont hate anything about it. i dont like emg...but i love this. to me, i dont get what all the hype about 81s and 85s are. theyre not THAT great. i personally love passive. but this system is great.

Pickup features: active...
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: gibson custom "strat"
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: original pickgaurd with stock single coils (neck and middle) and dimarzio dp100 (bridge)
Other pickups on guitar: mmm...
Artists using this pickup: david gilmour
You musical style(s): blues (SRV), shred (malmsteen, vai, becker, satch), metal (megadeth, iron maiden) and well...pink floyd.
Reason for pickup change: volume pot got thrashed, so i had to change it, or get whole new pickup system, since i had the money anyways.

Perceived output level: well...i wouldnt say that theyre so hot. but i love that, especially for malmsteen. nearly nails his tone. i love this pickup system.
Tone:
Sonic evaluation:
For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable:

Comments:

Pickup features: single coil active
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: warmoth strat rear routed
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: new installation
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: david gilmore
You musical style(s): blues , rock, metal
Reason for pickup change: this was a guitar built for me and these are the pickups i chose to go in.

Perceived output level: hot
Tone: balanced
Sonic evaluation: warmoth strat , maple neck/fretboard, fender usa bridge, line 6 ax212 amp or art sgx 2000 processor.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: i play from clean to blues to metal, i find no problems getting the right tones from any position

Comments: im very satisfied with the tones i get , i can almost get an acoustic sound in the neck position and the right tone pot settings,in the bridge i can a great distortion for any metal playing, very precise attack. alot of people complain about these pickups being steril sounding, i think they need to learn to adjust their amps i can get very warm sounds out of these and they are very quiet. i took the pickups out of the pickguard and mounted them directly into the wood since my guitar is rear routed. i would buy again if i had too.

Pickup features: single coil, spc, exg
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Fender Classic Series 70's Stratocaster
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: stock vintage single coils
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: DAVE GILMOUR, me
You musical style(s): BLUES, BLUES ROck, rock, alt
Reason for pickup change: looking for something different

Perceived output level: very high output, but the pu.s arent what i consider "hot"
Tone: very balanced and sonic; very glassy and clean
Sonic evaluation: took some getting use to. They come off as being sterile at first, but after doodling with my friends vintage Fenders, they do indeed sound very vintage. Compared to my uncles Buddy Guy Strat, I dont think it can pull the mids like the BG, but the BG cant get as "glassy" as the DG20 setup. Through my effects, (Jimmy Hendrix Wah, Boss eq20 eq, MXR 151, Holy Grail, Boss Chorus) it makes my distortion just sing. Can get very sonic highs and mids.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Rock, alt, (I still perfer my passive pu's for my blues)

Comments: These are the very good pickups for Strat based rock or early Buddy Guy based blues (He is GOD) I love how clean they can get and can push through any amount of effects. They are not as bassy as i would like but the handle any modern music pretty well. They do take some getting use to, but once you do , you start to really favor them as oppose to passive pu's

Pickup features: Single
Impedence or other specs: low impedance, active

Model of guitar or bass: Standard Strat US, 1989
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: standard stock
Other pickups on guitar: no
Artists using this pickup: Guess...
You musical style(s): broad
Reason for pickup change: Noise, experiment.

Perceived output level: Nice, good level.
Tone: Clean
Sonic evaluation: Lots of pedals, a few rack items and then into my computer.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: blues in the large sense of the word, improvisation. Like to experiment.

Comments: I've been playing elec. guitar for 14 years now (double period for classical). I just love the sound of my Strat and will replace stock pickups soon. Just to check the difference.
I admire the chord quality and definition with these pick ups. Its simply quite amazing. For a lead tone, I could get a very nice deep bluesy sound out of the pick ups with the help of the EXG and SPC, but contrary to what most ppl here say, I find it quite difficult to dial in a *soulfull* tone. Effects help, but i miss my original tone. BTW, for those mimicking the DG tone: for me personally, the best DG is all before "The final cut". My personal guitar highlights (not Pink Floyd highlights, which includes all the really old stuff) are: WYWH, Animals and The Wall (and i know every record at heart!) These albums have been made mostly with standard strat pick-ups, some others, but none with the EMG-SA coils. I made myself a faithfull copy of an Orange Treble and Bass booster, and it brings me a lot closer to this original sound than these pick ups.
And yes, these pick ups do help to define your sound "in the mix".

Pickup features: 3 singles
Impedence or other specs: extra EMG circuitry. read the other reviews for specs

Model of guitar or bass: Squier II Stratocaster
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: stock pieces of crap
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: Davey Gilmour
You musical style(s): rock, blues, jazz, metal
Reason for pickup change: I liked the playability of my guitar, but the electronics SUCKED, so I just replaced everything with something with better quality. Plus, the DG approval helped.

Perceived output level: CLEAN. Surgically precise. I haven't had the chance to plug into my normal rig yet, but through my practice amp... mighty nice. You have to fiddle with the tone knobs to get the cleanest, clearest sound.
Tone: Depends on the settings on your guitar and amp. Ranges from muddy to crystal clear. Warm and wide to thin and brittle. Really flexible little buggers.
Sonic evaluation: I've so far run into my Digitech RP-100, into my computer, through Altec Lansing speakers. I have an ADA MP-1 and a Roland JC-120 that I have to get to still, but their packed away to get moved right now, so that's out. So far, though, clean picking is very precise and dynamics are great. I used to have a horrible problem when sitting in front of my computer with hum... but that's all gone now. I certainly like the lead tones that I can get out of it, and it makes my RP-100 actually sound decent.
Plus the pickguard makes it look pretty sweet.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: As above, there's rock, blues, jazz, and metal. The only thing this isn't SO great for is metallica-style rhythm work. It's too muddy at the bottom end and to brittle when the SPC is turned down.

Comments: I would buy it again in an instant if stolen.
I've been playing about 10 years, with just over a year of being in a band. I have 3 other guitars; an Epi Les Paul with an EMG 81, an Epi Goth Explorer with stock pickups, and an Ibanez acoustic. With the new pickups, the Squier finally competes with my other electrics. The hum used to be so bad I'd want to throw my guitar across the room... now I'm clear and loud and almost totally noiseless (depending on amp settings). The only problem I have with it is remembering which pot does what. I still can't think of it, just sitting here. Hm. Actually, there's two problems. My pickguard holes didn't line up with the ones already drilled in my guitar. I don't know if that's because of the Squier part or because the holes were in the wrong place on the pickguard, as they're only off by like an eighth of an inch.
I think this pickup combo is probably about the closest I'll come to getting a good sound (to my ears) without overhauling my entire amp rig... even though I'm going to do that anyway. ;)

Pickup features: Single coil active
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: '03 American Strat
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Stock American Pups
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: Uncle Dave
You musical style(s): Classic rock, blues
Reason for pickup change: Liked the tone of the stock pups but really aggravating 60 cycle hum

Perceived output level: Loudest single coils I have ever used
Tone: Clear - clean - ice-pick clean.
Sonic evaluation: Strat/Pod XT/Fender Stage 100

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Blues/Classic Rock.

Comments: I can see users attempting to emulate the DG tone (as I was) flocking to this set and I was impressed with the range of the tones the two EQ pots allowed, but these active pups were simply too sterile for my liking. 'Warm' sounds could be achieved tweaking the EQs, but was too surgical and cold for my liking. I prefer these slightly over the Fender Lace Sensors I had in my Strat Plus Deluxe as they offer more range, but they are simply too loud and cold for my liking (even with the pups way low in the body.) Sadly, these are going back to the store.

Pickup features: Active Single coils, SPC and EXG, you know by now.
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: 2003 MIA Strat
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Stock single coils
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: David Gilmour (Live)
You musical style(s): Rock, pop, blues, jazz, country, ambient, electronic, modern, experimental......
Reason for pickup change: Single coil noise, wanted better distortion tones.

Perceived output level: Loud, but clear with the EXG. Turn the SPC up and it sounds very hot/slightly dirty.
Tone: On their own, muddy. VERY muddy and flat. The SA's are pretty poor, I must say, sound like Strat pickups with the tone rolled all the way down, only with less character. The EQ to my ears does what its meant to do, but doesnt really improve the sound and "feel" of things. The SPC turns your pickups into humbuckers, but they dont sound much like humbuckers, or any other guitar pickups really. The EXG makes things very clear and clean, FAR too much for my liking. The sound is so sterile it hurts at times. Theres no real character or definition here at all, they dont sound like guitar pickups at all, even though they cost twice as much.
Sonic evaluation:
For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable:

Comments:

Pickup features: Active Single Coil
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Mex made Strat
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: the stock pickups
Other pickups on guitar: n/a
Artists using this pickup: David Glimour, hence the DG
You musical style(s): Jazz, Punk
Reason for pickup change: My teacher raved about them, EMG pickups. Said they were the only ones he puts in any of his guitars and stands by them. He'd always bring a strat with EMGs for my lessons and when we soloed he just blew me away because his guitar was so much more powerful and had a wider range of sounds (due to the eq pots). I could also never get the right sound out of my high end and low end that I wanted when I played. Even though it is a strat I could never get the right sound for my leads from the guitar and my low end was too twangy for my taste in jazz.

Perceived output level: Compared to me old pickups these have a lot more force like I said, they are just louder. Not to mention it is a lot easier to do dynamics now because they pickups respond better to the strength of my sturmming.
Tone: Crisp and clean in all positions I play.
Sonic evaluation: I play through my own Fender Hot Rod Deluxe and my Dad's Roland Jazz Chours - 120. The Deluxe is a tube amp and it sounds amazing on the clean channel, but the built in tube distortion leaves something to be desired (of course I haven't really turned up that channel past about 3 yet). The jazz chours just sounds warm and welcoming, very liquidy if that makes any sense.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play Jazz, Punk, Rock... pretty much everything aside from very hard metal. This guitar sounds great with everything I have tried, it just requires you to set your amp up. People complain about the sound from EMGs has no soul, I found that to be the same till I played with my amp. I found a new sweet spot for all my settings and I love it.

Comments: These would not get stolen or destroyed because I am never parted from this guitar I love it so much. Still I would go out and but them again if they got lost or stopped working. I have been playing for three years, mostly jazz standards and in my schools jazz band. So really I only own this guitar, my Deluxe, and the Jimi Hendrix Wah Wah (which sounds even better with the EMGs now). I love everything about these pickups, the only part that I didn't like was solidering everything together in my guitar. It freaked me out because I didn't want to ruin my guitar. I didn't have to compare to other products because only active ones reduce the hum and the old pickups hummed like crazy. Not to mention my guitar teacher, who is phenomonal, recommened them. I am very statisifed with my gutiar, it has brought me the sound I want, however I still need to find the approriate gear to support it now. When you go to buy these or any EMGs, don't get railroaded. Go to 8th street music's site and see how much the pickups cost there and then haggle with the guys at the store. Mine were listed at 260 and I fought them down to 215. Granted they are great pickups, but don't get over charged.

Pickup features: SA Single Coils
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: 54 Reissue Fender Stratocaster MIJ
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Fat 50's and Texas Specials
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: David Gilmour
You musical style(s): Sloppy
Reason for pickup change: Just wanted to try something new, I've owned a strat with Texas Specials for around 7 years, and have another strat with Fat 50's so I was looking for something that was different. Gilmour is one of my favorite all time guitarist and I use a lot of pedals so I chose these.

Perceived output level: Very clean and quite to pretty warm and fuzzy. Not good for metal, mainly alternative or blue, country.
Tone: Pretty full spectrum of tone, seems to sound more acoustic but if may be due to a Callaham trem block I'm using?
Sonic evaluation: Two MIJ strats (Fat 50's & DG-20's) > Maxon (PH350, CS550, DS830, OD820, AD900), Captain Coconut II, Teese Pic Wah > Victoria Soul Cactus. I have enjoyed pretty much all my equipment but the DG-20's would be my first pick over all the single coil pick-ups I've owned.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Sloppy version of Blues, Alternative and Rock

Comments: These are the best pickups I've owned, however the others were good in their own way. Changing batteries is a pain and if you forget to pull the cord out, plan on changing them quick! They don't sound lifeless to me and I like the decrease in noise since I use a ton of effects. I'm never really satisfied with anything and I enjoy trying out different gear so I'd probably buy something else next time around. I still want to try out the Fralins to see if the hype is true? I've been playing since the late 80's and I'm fairly content with my current set-up. The pick-ups are very sensetive to your attack, so is my amp, which unfortunately have amplified my sloppy playing :(