EMG ZW

Pickup features: Humbucking
Impedence or other specs: Low imp.

Model of guitar or bass: 1989 Les Paul standard
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: stock gibson scary wound
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: zdub
You musical style(s): all
Reason for pickup change: Playing under massive light shows, now no noise-really!

Perceived output level: adequate
Tone: very balanced, with a neutral mid range
Sonic evaluation: I run stereo with an old mk2-b for tone and fender hr-d power in only. Assorted stuff (very custom, and toneful) on the floor. A rack with not normal junk, kinda old school. Awesome results.
I ran these babies for a year and loved them, then figured out that I could run them at 18 volts (check the website for details) with the most pleasing of results. Not louder, just more headroom, and when you're high gain it matters, breathtaking all the way.Clean and clear, you dial it in if you gotta hide, otherwise sheer beauty, through just about any amp.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play pretty much everything, been a session musician for many years. If it's real I'll play it, unless you pay me to be dumb.

Comments: Ripped off? hell the guitar police would have a field day, that just doesn't happen any more. I like em, they are quiet, without issues. The tone controls actually work without the mud, no high bypasses to fool with. Put em in and light it up. Get the pick-up height right and there is a wonderful sweet spot that just sings, add a tone-pros bridge and you have infinate sustain forever. 18 volts and you can sounds just like......YOU. The tonal possibilities are as endless as your imagintion-really.

Pickup features: Active 81/85 humbucker set with pots.
Impedence or other specs: dont know. the emg site lists them.

Model of guitar or bass: Epiphone Les Paul CUstom
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Dimarzio Super Distortion / Bill Lawrence L500-XL
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: Zakk Wylde (obviously, its a signature set after all), James Hetfield, Kirk Hammet, Kerry King (they dont use the ZW set but 81/85 combination)
You musical style(s): grunge metal
Reason for pickup change: wasnt happy with the existing set. they sounded fine (heaps better than the standard epiphone pieces of crap) but not what i wanted.

Perceived output level: these are a hot pick up but no where near as hot as some of the death metal pickups out there. they have a good balance between gain and definition.
Tone: Seem to be fairly nuetral and allow the woods natural tone to be heard. they dont really colour the tone much (compared to other pickups) but do have a growly bottom end and a nice smooth top end.
Sonic evaluation: I'm using a randall 120w solid state head and celestian quad. to be truthfull i'm not entirely happy with the tone of this setup, my old marshall 30watt valve combo sounded better but had no volume.
having said that the EMG ZW have improved my tone to the point where i am almost satisfied. a decent eq pedal to sort out the amp's basic tome a little and i'll be happy. you may expect these pickups to be a straight out metal pick up with not much subtlety but you'll be surprised. obvoiusly great for the almighty riff and for ripping leads but with a little bit of tone tweaking can pull a pretty good blues sound and even a useable jazz sound. i definetly recommend these pick ups for anything other than a U2 style band.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: i play a variation of metal, my band mates call it grunge metal (heavy drop tuned rythmic but not super fast riffs) this pick up suits me just fine. i'm thinking about buying another set.

Comments: i'd definetly get another set if these went missing. i was surprised to read in the literature that they expect 1500hr's operation from a 9v battery. id be happy with 50hr's. my main distortion pedal lasts about 3hr's before a battery is flat. one thing i did notice is that the neck pick up was a fair bit louder than the bridge, i've adjusted heights to compensate but its still not spot on overall very happy. the zakk signature pick just tops it off. the only thing that did annoy me was the wiring. these are advertised as a direct drop in kit for a les paul, i would expect to get a toggle switch as well as all the pots and would expect to do no soldering. the pickups use little plugs to connect and the rest all goes into the control cavity including the supplied output jack.

Pickup features: Active humbucking
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: LTD Viper 50 (lefty)
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Stock
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: Zakk Wylde, Nick Catanese etc
You musical style(s): Metal, rock etc
Reason for pickup change: Always wanted to try an active set

Perceived output level: Hot but not stupid
Tone: Nice balance, 85 has a fatter tone with more bass
Sonic evaluation: Set up as follows LTD Viper- Boss tuner- Boss AB box- Dunlop crybaby- MXR ZW44 overdrive- Boss noise suppressor- Marshall MG amps.
These things sound bloody great!!! I noticed the high output right away, what a great difference! The 81 has the tone a bridge pickup should have, it suites its position perfectly, you can hear the highs the lows and all in between perfectly balanced. Pinched harmonics just jump off the fretboard and are full of character, palm mutes sound full with alot of depth and the same goes for chords. The 85 has a fatter tone with bucket loads more bass so it sounds great as a neck pickup. Alot of people hear have said the 85 is way louder than the 81, I thought so to at first but when I really listened I noticed its just the huge amount of bass your hearing, the only volume difference is because of its postion (as with all pickups). Together they produce a great sound that just covers all the basses royaly. I was suprised how amazing the clean sound is with these things, alot of people were slagging it off but I cant see why, they sound great, just get your EQ right and add a little chorus and you get that authentic Metallica clean tone. As well as the difference in tone you also really notice how sensetive these things are, all my legato playing has become totally effortless, the notes just fly off the fretboard, fantastic!!!

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play metal and rock and yea these things match my style, but saying that through the right setup I think these things would suit any style of playing, just setup your amp correctly and you can nail pretty much style you want.

Comments: If stolen I'd totally get another set, I absolutly love these things! I've been playing for six years and giging for 3 of them, over time Ive tried loads of different gear but I have to say these pickups (and my Zakk Wylde overdrive) are by far my best purchase, I tried a seymore duncan custom at one point as well as hearing a Bare Knuckle warpig in my mates guitar and my emgs totally blow them both away. Ignore all the crap other people say about these things, just buy a set and judge for yourself "different strokes for differect folkes" and all that.

Pickup features: Humbucking
Impedence or other specs: Dunno

Model of guitar or bass: 70's Epi Les Paul
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Pickups the guitar came with originally
Other pickups on guitar: None
Artists using this pickup: Zakk Wylde
You musical style(s): Hard Rock n Roll
Reason for pickup change: Shitty sound coming from the pickups, noise, no sustain, no nothing!

Perceived output level: Ver high and very clean
Tone: i?d say balanced i can hear, bass, mids, and trebles
Sonic evaluation: Epiphone Les Paul
Marshall jcm800 and 4x12 in the studio, Yamaha T100 and Marshall 2x12 at home.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Loud Hard Rock n Roll, Bridge

Comments: Yes i would buy again.
18 years, a Strat with EMG DG20, Boss, Dunlop, Digitech pedals
So far nothing!
No but i don?t need to, i bought at a good price and they sound great!
Nope.
I think i found the sound.
I am so very happy i bought them.

Pickup features: EMG 81 (bridge) and 85 (neck) active humbuckers
Impedence or other specs: Haven't a clue

Model of guitar or bass: Ibanez S540FM
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Stock Ibanez QM pickups
Other pickups on guitar: EMG SA
Artists using this pickup: Metallica, Zakk Wylde, Deftones, etc.
You musical style(s): Blues, Rock, and Metal
Reason for pickup change: Stock pickups didn't have enough output, wanted a versatile guitar, and I always wanted to hear EMG's.

Perceived output level: The 85 is VERY hot and bassy, the 81 is hot, but both pickups are very quiet considering
Tone: 85 - Bassy and punchy, a little too much output in the neck, the 81 is trebly but sounds great and crunchy when overdriven
Sonic evaluation: Using the Ibanez S through a Marshall AVT50 and a Fender Hot Rod Deville. Great output with little noise, good harmonics, but the 85 is a little too powerful. Nails that Metallica/Zakk sound through the Marshall if set right. They were a pain to install in the Ibanez S, however, since the body is so thin and the cavity is so small, but my father and I managed to get the pots in by clipping the connector and extending it, burying the wires behind the pickup selector, and cramming the battery (fully taped in electrical tape of course) through the pots and sealing the sucker up. It's been holding up for the past few months, and I wouldn't change them back.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Great for Metal, and suprisingly good for Jazz (esp the 85) since they are very clean and bassy.

Comments: I'd def replace them. Maybe try a 60 (like Het) in the neck instead of an 85, though. Been playing for almost 10 years, got an SG, LP, Strat, and the Ibanez S. I love the fact that they are so clean and have a great output, they are more versatile then people say. If your looking for more of a classic Zeppelin AC/DC tone though, go with the 57 classics, they sound unbelievable on my LP and SG. If you want metal though, I would recommend these. Overall, I'm satisfied with these pickups.

Pickup features: 81/85 humbucker set
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Epiphone Les Paul Custom
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Rio Grande BBQ bridge and Epiphone stock neck pickup
Other pickups on guitar: n/a
Artists using this pickup: Maybe Zakk Wylde? Eighteen Visions, God Forbid, Darling Sinister
You musical style(s): Metal/Hardcore some blues and jazz on occassion
Reason for pickup change: There are two guitarists in my band. I needed something that would cut through a thick wall of sound. He uses EMG's as well and after playing his guitar through my amp I was sold.

Perceived output level: The 81 is hot and the 85 is hotter.
Tone: They are both pretty balanced but the 81 has less low end.
Sonic evaluation: My set up is pretty simple. I run the guitar into a Boss TU-2 tuner, a Morley bad horsie wah, a Robert Keeley Ibanez tube screamer, a Boss super chorus and a Boss NS-2 noise supressor before going into a Peavey 5150 head. The head runs one Marshall JCM 900 1960B cab and one Marshall JCM 800 1960A cab. Everything is connected using Monster 500 cable. The guitar is tuned down a whole step to D or Dropped C using D'Addario strings gauges 13 to 56.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: These are great pickups for Metal and Rock but could be used for any style of music with the right amp/set up.

Comments: Okay, so I don't want to hear anyone complaining about the hype of this pickup set. These are high output humbuckers, yes, but it's the guys who are leaving statements like "so hot you don't need an amp" and "these pickups blew my balls off" and "could start the next world war" that are giving these pickups unrealistic expectations. It's one thing to exagerate but don't blow smoke up anyone's ass. People come to read these things because they're about to drop some cash. They deserve to get the truth.
Okay that being said I got these pickups installed in my guitar after I A/B'd my other guitarist's instrument through my amp. It was loaded with EMG's and I liked the sound I got. I really liked the BBQ humbucker but it wasn't quite aggressive enough for me. Anyway, I think it's important to say that I did notice a difference in tone right away but I noticed more of a difference in feel. These pickups are really sensitive! They have a fast response and will really make you pay attention to your playing. The best way I can think to describe the tone of the 81 is this. It's like when you run an overdrive pedal in front of your distortion channel to increase the gain. Before you turn the pedal on you have a nice, warm and organic tone but you lack good definition and sustain. Then you go to turn the pedal on and now you have great sustain, awesome crunch and punch but you've lost a little of your low end and dynamics. For example with your od pedal on your tone won't clean up very well when you roll back on the volume. Having the 81 in the bridge is like having an OD pedal in your guitar. That's the best way I can think to describe it. You gain some but you lose some too. Because I'm using this guitar for Metal/Hardcore I'm not bothered by that much. It works great for what it does. They aren't kidding when they say the attack is razor sharp. It's almost too sharp in some cases. Palm mutes sound great, chords have great definition and the wide vibrato pinch harmonics a la Zakk are so easy to hit on any string and on any fret. Harmonic feedback is very easy to control as well. The pickup seems to be pretty well balanced but has a nice rounded midrange crunch to it.
I think the 81 was designed with the frequency range of guitar in mind, which is why it's a little dry in the low end. It get's you riding right on top of your bassist instead of competing with him. I didn't like this at first but the band sounds better because of it. It works well for clean but sounds better when used in combination with the 85. Very full and nice. I was pleasantly surpirsed because it's hard enough to get a good clean tone from the 5150 as it is.
The 85 has more low end to it and makes for a bad ass neck humbucker. You can get some nice blusey and jazzy tones out of this pickup. When you click on the distortion it gets really creamy and thick. Fast runs and wide vibrato sound great with this pickup. It cleans up a little better than the 81 when you roll back but still not as well as passives. EMG designed them so the tone doesn't change as you roll back. I think this my only complaint. So I give them a 9. Otherwise they sound great if your willing to spend a little time working with them and reconfiguring the settings on your amp, pedals etc. It's worth it.

Pickup features: active humbuckers
Impedence or other specs: not sure

Model of guitar or bass: les paul DC standard plus
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: stock
Other pickups on guitar: ZW
Artists using this pickup: the man ZW, and others but who cares
You musical style(s): classical, heavy, whatever
Reason for pickup change: wanted the clarity

Perceived output level: hot
Tone: AWESOME!
Sonic evaluation: 4 setups....XXX/5150 cab, Flextone II, 5150 cab, Zakk wylde JCM800zw/hughs and kettner cab with greenbacks, 86 red tolex jcm 800 with matching cabs...various effects...main guitars 2 les paul DCs one les paul supreme.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: i use it for all styles

Comments: I had to write this review for one reason...cause of the other reviews. I have an unorthodox approach to using my gear...let me explain. would you call me crazy if I told you that for all my clean channel recording for an album of all clean shit I used 2 les pauls both with 81/85 combo, through a ZWjcm800 into the H&K cab? And the clean tone has gotten compliments from all who've heard?? yeah sounds crazy but true..learn to use eq/volume/micing to get tone. And to the reviewer that says there was no bass you must have a broken set cause the bass is sick in both metal bands I play in..when we had auditions for bass players they kept asking me to turn down the bass. I love precise note clarity and thats what these give you. My two friends have each a less paul and a parker. One with a JB and Airzone...one with Pearly Gates and Duncan Distortion. Don't get me wrong they all sound good. but the tones are there in all, you just have to learn how to use your amp friends. Anyone in the Pa area can come check out the clean sound these pickups make through the 800 with the 85/81s...you'll be as surprised as I was!

Pickup features: active
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Jackson slsmg soloist
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: EMG-HZ H3
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: Zakk Wylde
You musical style(s): metal
Reason for pickup change: the factory HZ's are ok but i wanted the real thing. the real active EMG's.

Perceived output level: much stronger output than the HZ's
Tone: awesome
Sonic evaluation: i use an old Fender Quad-Reverb 4x12 300watt amp with digitech pedals (metal master, digidelay, and multichorus) and a Vox Clyde McCoy wah pedal.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: these pickups are perfect for metal and high gain music. unfortunately, not good for anything else.

Comments: only comments is that these pickups rock. i would highly consider these pickups if your into metal or high-gain applications.

Pickup features:
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Epiphone Les Paul
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Stock
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: Metallica, Zakk Wylde
You musical style(s): Metal, Hard Rock, Blues, Jazz
Reason for pickup change: Stocks are muddy and have shitty ass hiss, hum and feedback

Perceived output level: So Hot You Don't Need An Amp
Tone: Balanced Great for heavy metal
Sonic evaluation: Epip Les->Samson wirless->MetalZone->DOD Death Metal Distortion->MXR Smart Gate->Line6 Spyder 212(First edition)

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: All Styles, sound best with drive on and the distortion screaming. You hear every Cruch you play

Comments: If they were stolen, I'd kick the guys ass who stole them. Take them back, buy another 2 sets just incase they were stolen again and i could get the guy who did it.
I've been playing 6 years and this is by far the best sounding guitar and pickup set up ive had. Im a bit disappointed with my line6 though, ill never go solid state again. Id rather have a Mesa.
I love that i can hear every pick and cruch in a heavy chord and we you do a spacy, stop and go riff, its quite between crunches.
THEIR SHEILDED! This means they have virtually no hiss, hum or feedback. I mean if you've got a set up(amp, distortions, and effects) that a crazy on hiss,hum, and feedback it won't work miricles but will be better then all other pick ups(Thats why i have the MXR SMARTGATE). I got mine at Guitar Center in Carle Place for $139.95. The guys jaw dropped lol. The list was $259.99 on sale for around Christmas Time for $200.00 and i had a print out of 8Thstreet.com and they had it for $139.95 and he gave me that price.

Pickup features: Active Humbucking Set of 81 & 85s
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Epiphone Les Paul Custom
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Stock Epis
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: Those being paid to do so because any true tone pro will clearly shun them.
You musical style(s): Progressive Hard Rock ala' Mudvayne, Tool, Deftones
Reason for pickup change: The hype of EMGs by endorsing artists and user reviews here.

Perceived output level: Less than stock
Tone: Muddy as a swamp and more midrange than a trailer park whore.
Sonic evaluation: Epiphone Les Paul Custom, Marshall DSL100 head, Mesa Boogie 4x12 recto-cab, Boss GT-5 with EQ looped into Marshall head.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Progressive Metal/Hard Rock.

Comments: I spent one year with this Zakk Wylde set in my Les Paul. I could never get rid of the muddiness and over-mid sound of my set-up whether in bridge mode, bridge/neck mode or just neck mode and in both distorted and clean modes. Full chords just sounded like ass. I changed batteries, replaced my pickup selector switch, replaced all the internal wiring and tweaked everything from my EQs to my nipples and could never clean up the over-mids and muddy tone. After a year of tweaking, I ended up having my luthier put back in the stock Epi pickups and my tone cleaned up immediately. The Epis may be crap compared to Seymour Duncans or other well-knowns, but they DEFINITELY were better than the ZW set. Out of the four guys in his well-known and respected shop, not one thought very highly of EMG actives. Additionally, my Boss GT-5 has an input meter and although everyone hypes how loud and hot these PUPs are, the input meter clearly showed less input than my passive guitars did. Electronics don't lie. In fact, my luthier even showed me on his multimeter the output being a touch less than my stock Epi PUPSs. As far as I am concerned, that's all this active EMG-ZW set is---hype. If you are a two-note barre chord player, this set might sound good for you but the second you introduce more notes into the chord, expect a swamp of mid-mush.
They were sold on eBay to the highest hype-sucker---I mean bidder.

Pickup features: Active Humbucker
Impedence or other specs: what the ?

Model of guitar or bass: Gibson Gothic Explorer
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Gibsons 496 and 500
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: Metallica , Zyck and a bunch others
You musical style(s): Heavy Metal
Reason for pickup change: All the Hype about these Active EMG's and the fact that Metallica uses them.

Perceived output level: Sweet spot ! Blew my mind. No pedal can do what these Pickups do.
Tone: Butter Sweet ! The Hype is for a good reason, the pickups are incredible.
Sonic evaluation: Pitched down $1250 for a Soldano Hot Rod Head and Cab. Talk about Tone. I never knew how important tone was until I turned it on in my room. Those Yuppie 'old school' guitarists talking down about the poor quality of Marshall's really hurt my feelings. I love my Boss metal Zone and Ibanez hooked up to the AVT100 Marshall. The distortion drowns out all of my errors and no one can tell I really suck. Those yuppies were right though about Soldano, "If you want tone so you can here your errors and get better then Soldano is hands down the best Amp out their today. What you here on the radio is not what it sounds like live. Throw away your Metal Zone he says. Unless you buy a Marshall made in 1974 or earlier and some of the 800's are OK." Anyway I should talk about the EMG's. I love them. If I had to do it all over again, I know now that all one needs are EMG's and an Ibanez Tube Screamer to rock.

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

Comments: Ofcourse. I got the ZW set so I think that is the 85 & 81. Butternuts. These things are sweet. Love em'. Paid a Pro $40 to install. This is critical. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO SAVE A BUCK AND DO IT YOURSELF!!!!! I had to shop around the Twin Cities for awhile and some guy wanted $85 just to put them in without adjusting the hight. Then I found some guy selling Soldano's to do it for $40. And he adjusted the hight and raised part of my bridge for free. These active pickups are worth the money hands down. You got to pay to play!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pickup features: Active humbuckers
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Jackson DXMG
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: EMG-HZ
Other pickups on guitar: EMG-HZ
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Thrash Metal
Reason for pickup change: The HZ's really didn't have any balls to them at all. They are good pickups for the price, but just not sufficiant enough for the type of music I play.

Perceived output level: The EMG-85 in the neck seems to have more output than the EMG-81 in the bridge.
Tone: As good as it gets
Sonic evaluation: I tested my pickups out on my Jackson through a Marshall AVT50 head with a 1960B cabinet. They really sounded great. There was a huge difference from the HZ's that were in the guitar. As people have previously stated they are dead silent when the strings aren't vibrating.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Since I play thrash, this pickup was a perfect match to my style.

Comments: If it were stolen, I would have to buy them again. I have been playing for about 10 years now and I was seriously impressed. They sure know what they are doing at EMG. I also have a Gibson Explorer which has an unbelievable crunch to it, and this guitar now compares. I really wanted to submit this because most everyone else has a Gibson Les Paul Custom, and more power to them, nothing beats a Gibson. I just wanted to show that even a realitivaly cheap guitar can greatly benifit from purchasing these pickups. They supply the regular pots, wiring, and diagrams for any type of guitar, not just the Les Paul.

Pickup features: Active Humbuckers
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Epiphone Zakk Wylde Les Paul
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: EMG HZ
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: Zakk
You musical style(s): Rock, Blues, Avant-Garde Jazz, Polka
Reason for pickup change: The stock EMG HZ passive pickups that came with the guitar sounded nice, but lacked the "punch" that I desired.

Perceived output level: Hot, but not too hot.
Tone: Balanced and clear
Sonic evaluation: I am using the Epiphone Les Paul Zakk Wylde model with these EMG ZW pickups. The amp I use is just a lower end Marshall practice amp. I have the 81 at the bridge and the 85 in the neck. I highly recommend this particular setup. It sounds great.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: This guitar/pickup combination is extremely appropriate for playing Rock music. The sound really isn't as hot as I expected, though it is right at the border of losing its ability to be "clean." You can also get some really nice blues tones with this setup too.

Comments: I have to say that I'm extremely pleased with the EMG ZW set. They should have come in the Epiphone Zakk Les Paul as the stock pickups, because the passive HZs were a little to inadequate to be in a Zakk model guitar. These active pickups are the real deal, and can play pretty much anything you need in term of Rock and Blues tones. If you run your guitar through effects pedals, you can easily create the kind of heavy "crunch" that will help you lose friends and alienate your neighbors. But who cares? You will have a damn good time doing it.

Pickup features: Active pickups (EMG-81 and -85)
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: 1999 Gibson Les Paul Standard
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Stock Gibsons
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: Me, and also Zakk Wylde
You musical style(s): Classic rock, southern rock, heavy metal
Reason for pickup change: I like the way Zakk's Les Paul sounds, and I thought the pickups would improve my sound overall.

Perceived output level: Hotter than stock PUs, but not as hot as I expected. Doesn't overdrive clean amp.
Tone: Very, very balanced and uncolored. The 81 is brighter than the 85, but both are very transparent.
Sonic evaluation: The 81 goes in the bridge and the 85 in the neck, though some have good results reversing this. The Les Paul goes into a POD (for metal I often use the Modern Hi-Gain [Soldano] model with middle and treble dimed, presence boost, bass at 5, and gain at 8). After the POD is a Fender solid state bass amp. Sometimes I use a Boss SD-1 for a boost on the lower gain amp models and a Dunlop wah for solos.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play older hard rock, like 70s and 80s, and some modern metal stuff. These pickups are honestly great for ANY style, I'm not kidding.

Comments: The installation was fun; I burned myself with the soldering iron and stabbed myself with a screwdriver. It was actually pretty easy, and the instructions were very good.
I was ready for enormous output after what everyone else said, but it's not that much higher than the stock pickups. It seems to get harmonics more easily, which is good. I love doing that Zakk "squeal" on the low-E string. The clean sound is surprisingly good, and the clarity stays the same as the gain is turned up. The volume balance of the pickups depends on your amp. If you change amps, you have to readjust the pickup height to keep the output of the two pickups balanced.
The string-to-string clarity and definition are excellent. The stock neck pickup was nice for leads, but useless for chords. The EMG-85 is not muddy at all for chords and keeps the same sweetness for leads. The stock bridge pickup had an element of harshness that the EMG-81 gets rid of (while still being trebly). Thanks to the bar magnets, you don't lose output when bending a note.
I've been playing for six years, pretty seriously but not professionally yet. I had just started to prefer my new Kramer-style Mean Street guitar and the nice Seymour Duncan pickup in it, but now I'm in love with my Gibson again. I don't anticipate another pickup change. These pickups seem to let the strings, wood and amp do the talking, rather than adding their own color like passive pickups do. Some people think that means they lack character. I think it means they are simply better pickups.

Pickup features: Active
Impedence or other specs: See EMG web site

Model of guitar or bass: Gibson Les Paul Custom
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Stock pickups
Other pickups on guitar: n/a
Artists using this pickup: Zakk Wylde, possibly Metallica
You musical style(s): Heavy
Reason for pickup change: I wanted a heavy, saturating sound like Zakk's, but I just couldn't come off the hip enough to but a Zakk Wylde model Les Paul.

Perceived output level: The highest output pickps I've ever encountered.
Tone: Tones between the neck and bridge pickups are distinctly different.
Sonic evaluation: I plug into a Peavey 5150 II that drives a Mesa Boogie Recto cab. My effects come from a t.c. electronic G-Major. Both pickups sound as thick and rich as anything I've ever heard. The neck pickup has a very thick, singing type of tone to it; well balanced EQ. The bridge pickup has the high end frequencies accentuated much more than I normally care for, but the high end doesn't take your head off. These pickups are also the most articulate that I've ever heard as well. Every note is distinct, whether you're playing a full complex chord or a spine cracking power chord. Some have stated in their reviews that the bridge pickup is not as loud as the neck. Well, remember that the neck pickup is closest to the center of the string where the vibrations are the most vibrose, so you have to compensate by moving the bridge pickup closer to the strings. My neck pickup has about a quarter inch distance from the strings, whereas my bridge pickup has about a 12th of an inch distance. Since there are no exposed poll pieces to these pickups, string pull shouldn't be much of an issue. You just have to just how close to get the pickup to accommodate your own playing style.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: These pickups are definitely NOT for playing music in front of Mom and Dad.

Comments: For the harder types of music out there, EMGs may not be the only ones out there, depending on the tone you're looking for. For some reason, I own several guitars. And those guitars have stock Fender, DiMarzio, EMG, and Duncan pickups. Each one suits a certain style of playing and has a unique tone. But for this particular guitar, and the sound I wanted it to generate, there is no other choice but EMG.

Pickup features:
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Les Paul Custom
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Factory
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: You probably already know
You musical style(s): Heavy Music
Reason for pickup change: I always wanted to put them in my guitar because they sound great.

Perceived output level: So hot you don't need an amp!
Tone: Any
Sonic evaluation: I am using a epiphone Les Paul custom through a Marshall AVT50 halfstack. I run a zoom gfx8 and a dimebag darrell crybaby wah pedal to the halfstack.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play metal. These kick ass for any style you may play.

Comments: i would buy them again if they were stolen. I never want any other kind of pickups in my guitars from now on unless they are EMGs. I also have two 81s in my warlock that sound really good but still dont compare to the 81 and 85 set up. I love everything about these pickups. I am definately satisfied with these babys. go out and get these pickups.

Pickup features:
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: 2001 Gibson Les Paul Smartwood Exotic
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: 490r/498t
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s):
Reason for pickup change: Experimenting - felt the 490r accentuated and muddied the bottom end, and wanted more harmonics from the bridge.

Perceived output level: Gotta roll off the volume or you could clip the input on your tuner!
Tone: The 85 neck is full, the 81 is shrill and has no bottom end. I find the 85 to be significantly louder.
Sonic evaluation: I play the exotic into various amps. Peavey C30, Roland JC120, Mesas and Marshalls. Played a couple of Fenders also. I love the hot clarity of these pups, and the way the 81 just burns notes. The 85 chugs like a diesel locomotive, and even the 81 can kick out a good chunk if the volume is up and the amp is bassy. These really are very cool, but they are not really warm and rich. I hear some of the guys I play with sounding so sweet and warm, and I can roll off the volume on the guitar and hang with 'em, but these pups are more suited to just cranking it up and blowing that sweet sounding axeman's head off. Overall these pickups are incredibly accurate, very hot, clean and quiet, and while you can play anything through them, they are not sweet and warm.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I'm playing hard edged blues, classic rock and heavy metal.

Comments: I'm irritated by the volume difference between pups. Some say their 81 is louder, but my 85 at the neck is louder. I tried a 10k resistor on that pup on EMG's recommendation, and also a 15K, and the 85 was still louder. I pulled the resistors due to the tone loss so I'm living with the volume change. It prevents me from just flipping the pickup switch - I gotta hit the volume somewhere also. I love not messing with pole pieces, and even the pickup height is whatever you want it to be. The magnetic field is weak, so you can and should place the pickup as close to the strings as you like. I've gone back to the stock pups a couple of times, but ended up putting the EMGs back. You get used to the accuracy and quietness of these things - they are silent when not playing. The volume on the guitar becomes a necessary control - you can vary the tone greatly, and you need to roll back to get clean. The tone of the pickup doesn't change when you work the guitar's volume, but the tone of the amp changes as you give the input some relief. All the amps I play are tubed, and you can overdrive any section easily with these pups, which helps me get a useable overdrive at lower volumes when practicing. I also like that the bridge is not grounded with these pups - no connection from my fingers to the power in the amp. These are great pups, particularly for the heavey shit, but sometimes I want that beautiful sweet fullness that I don't have. I usually forget about it when I start catching some of the intense pinched harmonics that these things promote...

Pickup features: Active humbuckers - 81/85
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: 1998 Gibson Les Paul Studio
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Stock
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: Zakk Wylde
You musical style(s): blues/rock/metal
Reason for pickup change: The stocks were muddy, my idols use EMGs... oh and they look good too

Perceived output level: Incredibly clear. For everyone who thort pickups didnt make that much difference, you're sooooo wrong! These pickup both high end screams AND low end rumbles.
Tone: 81 (bridge) trebly, loud - 85 (neck) bassy, not quite as loud
Sonic evaluation: I use my Les Paul thru a Line6 Flextone 2 combo and also a Marshall JTM60. Ive been using digital equipment now for 3 years and Im beginning to wander back into valve territory >:c]

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play stuff like Ozzy, Metallica, Alice In Chains and these pickups are definitely a good match, however messin with the tone and volumes can result in some cool dirty blues tones on the 85

Comments: If I lost them or had them nicked? Well, lets say Id buy EMG again in no time. Ive been playing for 8 years, EMG seem to be frowned upon here in the UK, very few people use them and I dont know why. They're simple to install and hum free. When I got enough cash Im gona buy the 81/81 set (KH-21 I think) and place them on my ESP.

Pickup features: Active Humbucker Kit, EMG81, EMG85
Impedence or other specs: Think I remember this stuff?

Model of guitar or bass: Gibson SG SPecial Faded
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Stock Gibson 490 pickups
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: Zakk Wylde, Kirk Hammett, Jeff Hanneman, Basically anyone who plays Kick ass metal.
You musical style(s): Hard Rock, Metal, Blues, Light Rock
Reason for pickup change: The Stock pickups were just plain too muddy and lacked clarity.

Perceived output level: HOT but extremely clear
Tone: EMG81 - Trebly, EMG85 - Bassy
Sonic evaluation: I play through a Mesa Dual Rectifier Solo Head, and Marshall 1960TV cab with Celestion 70's in it. I use a Tubescreamer, Phase90 and a Boss DD-3. Have other pedals, but when you play live you gotta keep it simple.
Sonic evaluation - These pickups are GREAT. I had some before, and sold them with a guitar (smacks head on desk). The Stock pickups in my Gibson SG were way too muddy, I needed some clarity and bite. I knew exactly were to go. I have played Seymour Duncans in the past, and they are great pickups too, but for the sound I want, EMG's are the only way to go.
This rig, with EMG's gives you THAT metal sound. You can go from old Metallica/Slayer/Maiden to new metal with no problems.
But, can they do blues??? Yup. All you have to do, to make them sound like passive pickups, is to roll the treble off on the guitar a bit (like to 6). Voila, blues tones. The nice thing about these pickups is that they are so clear that everything you do comes out. Every little nuance of your playing gets amplified. Even your mistakes. So you are forced to play better. Dead quiet pickups with no hum.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Hard Rock. These pickups are good for all styles, but excell at hard rock and metal. You have to roll the treble off a bit to get good blues tones, but they are in there.

Comments: >If it were destroyed or stolen, would you buy it again or get something else?
If these pickups were stolen, I would be very sad indeed because that means either some dumbass pulled them out of a Gibson SG, or they just plain stole the guitar. I would probably get an EMG89 for the neck because it is the same as an EMG85, but tappable.
>How long have you been playing? What other gear do you own?
I have been playing for 13 years. I also own a Line6 POD, Line6 DM4, Boss DS-1 Distortion, Boss BF-2 Flanger, Ibanez SC-9 Chorus, DOD Grunge, Jimmy Hendrix Wah, and a Mesa 1x12 cab for home play. In addition to the SG, I play a US Standard Strat, and an Ovation Acoustic Electric.
>What do you love about it?
I love that the pickups retain clarity at the highest gain levels. This gives them a gritty tone that cuts through the mush that distortion can produce.
> What do you hate?
They can be a bit sterile with the treble all the way up. But, you can always roll it off a bit to make them sound like passive pickups.
>Did you compare it to other products? Which ones?
I compared them to Duncans, and Gibsons. Neither of which can do what these can with high gain.
>Why did you choose this one?
Great kit. Comes with long and short shaft pots for installing into a Les Paul, or an SG/Strat. Everything came in the kit, and I even got a totally useless EMG pick that says 25th anniversary (gee thanks). I look forward to actually hearing Zakk Wylde at Ozzfest in August 2002.
>Anything you wish it had?
It would be cool if they came in silver instead of black. (the EMG81's come in an anniversary set, but I like an EMG85 in the neck, not another EMG81.)
>Are you satisfied with this pickup or still searching for that
>sound?
I'm set.
>Anything else you'd like to share?
Great deal for the money. If you are looking for that great high gain sound, get ANY tube amp and these pickups. Put a DS-1 ($39) in front of the amp, and you are set. Of course nothing beats a REAL Dual Rectifier!!! MUHAHAHAHAHAHhahahahaha!

Pickup features: Active humbucking
Impedence or other specs: Snazzy looks! very classy!

Model of guitar or bass: old Epiphone Les Paul in discontinued heritage sunburst color (that should tell you something)
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: old crap Epiphone stock pickups
Other pickups on guitar: just the 81 in the bridge and 85 in the neck
Artists using this pickup: Zakk Wylde, Kirk Hammett... need I say more?
You musical style(s): any kind of rock basically... i love hard rock and classic rock the most.
Reason for pickup change: My Epiphone had horrible sound. I wanted to turn it into a something. I also wanted to gain experience with modding guitars and soldering... I wanted to know the ins and outs of a guitar and no better a choice than to start with a guitar that is cheap and of no real loss.

Perceived output level: very, very "hot"... these are loud... they have POWER!
Tone: punchy, powerful... clean... could hear every note ring out even with distortion!
Sonic evaluation: I play my new Epiphone through a vintage Fender tube amp - the Vibrolux Reverb, a Boss AC-2 acoustic pedal, an Ibanez TS-10 *TS-808 modded*, and a MXR Phase 90. My other guitars include a Mexican Fender Strat (I will be putting in DG20s very soon... ;) ) and an all original Gibson Les Paul standard. My Epiphone now sounds better than my Gibson... it's unbelievable!

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: the 81 is flawless in the bridge position, the 85 was rather impressive in the neck

Comments: I would buy this again in a heartbeat. I've been playing every single day for the past 4 years. I love these pickups. I chose them because I love Metallica and Zakk Wylde. This is "my sound". Through a tube amp and classic distortion pedal it perfors "like buttah". These pickups are great for just about every style of music, but country. With or without distortion these pickups are winners!

Pickup features: Active Humbuckers
Impedence or other specs: Dunno

Model of guitar or bass: Gibson SG Gothic
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: The stock Gibsons
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: Sepultura, Machine Head, Dimmu Borgir, Mayhem, Deicide, Slipknot, Metallica, Zakk Wylde, Ill Nino, Old Man's Child, Halford,Soulfly ,etc.
You musical style(s): Metal(Sepultura, Pantera) a some prog rock.
Reason for pickup change: The stock PU's were a bit lame.EMG's have a great reputation so I decided to try them out. Now I know where the reputation comes from!!!!

Perceived output level: The 81 is hot'n'crunchy.Lots of distortion. Low noise(No noise at all.Even with high gain and high volumes)), long sustain, clear so you can hear every note you play.The 85 is everything mentioned before excpect it's perfect for the bridge position.
Tone: Balanced. Brigth with great low end.
Sonic evaluation: I play my Gibson Gothic Sg through a Marshall JCM200 DSL100 all tube head and I have to say, my guest for the TONE is over. The EMG's really make the difference. They really woke the gear up. Everythings better with these PU's.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play mostly Metal(Sepultura, Pantera)(that's what i have been playing for years) and some prog rock.

Comments: The bottom line is, these PU's kick major ass, I have been playing for years so i know what I'm talking about. After changin these PU's to my Gibson, everything got better. Longer sustain, NO noise, A LOT MORE gain yet they are so clear that you can hear every note you play, it doesen't turn in to a big mosh, better clear tone, I mean everythings better!!

Pickup features: Active Humbucker
Impedence or other specs: 25k pot etc

Model of guitar or bass: Left Handed Fender Stratocaster
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Stock Fender Pickups
Other pickups on guitar: EMG
Artists using this pickup: anybody associated with metal (zakk wylde)
You musical style(s): Metal, Classical, Blues, Rock
Reason for pickup change: wanted to fix up my axe and give it an awesome tone

Perceived output level: Alot more beefier than stock pickups.
Tone: EMG81 is fairly trebly but still provide a full sound. The 85 has a very deep full sound.
Sonic evaluation: LH Fender Strat>Boss DS-1>DOD Tec 8>Randall RG75
Sounds much better than old pickups. A fuller sound is present now. The bass and treble both are outstanding.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play mostly metal and it works quite well for this. I've never tried any other pickups on my guitar so i'd recommend it. Seems to work good with the 81 in the bridge and the 85 in the neck.

Comments: If it were stolen i'd pray that I could get my guitar back just how it is. I have been playing for four years and this is my first and only guitar so far.

Pickup features: Active Humbuckers
Impedence or other specs: Go to the Web Site.

Model of guitar or bass: Gibson Les Paul Custom
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Stock Gibson Pickups
Other pickups on guitar: Uhh, That's it
Artists using this pickup: Zakk Wylde, Kirk Hammett, James Hetfield, Me
You musical style(s): Heavy Metal, Classic Rock, Blues
Reason for pickup change: Gibson pickups were VERY weak and NOISY as a Son-of-a-Bitch, and would Feedback out of God-Given Control!!! Good for Classic Rock and some blues, but DEFINITELY NOT High Gain modes!!!

Perceived output level: ULTRA MEGA HOT, BAD ASS, WOW!!!
Tone: Beautiful Well-Balanced Tone, A+++++++++++
Sonic evaluation: 1986 Black Gibson Les Paul Custom (With EMG ZW set), Marshall JCM2000 DSL50 Head through Marshall JCM900 1960A (at 4 ohms), Signal sent to a Boss SD-1 Super Overdrive pedal, and sent right to amp, NOT TO effect loop!!!

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: GREAT FOR HEAVY METAL, ROCK, BLUES, COUNTRY, CLASSICAL, ANYTHING YOU WANNA PLAY!!! Good For both Rythm and Treble Positions!

Comments: These Pickups COMPLETELY changed my shitty weak sound that the Stock GIBSON pickups provided for my HIGH GAIN approach. I can get that Zakk Wylde BLS, DOWN sound PERCECTLY, or I can get that early Metallica sound if I want. Also, I can get a GREAT SRV blues sound if I run through my SD-1 through my clean channel. One bad thing is that these bastards were kinda difficult to install, infact, the instructions were wrong about a couple wires, and caused my pickups to be controlled in opposite, (which kinda sucked), but a couple quick solders and it was easily fixed!!! (Hey, Guitar Center wanted $60, YEAH RIGHT!!!) Hey, these pickups REALLY quiet my amp, Which is run at a VERY high setting, and they sound great. If I broke these pickups, I'd probally beat myself senseless, If they were stolen, I'd find the asshole and shove my Guitar Case up is ass. In both situations, I'd DEFINITELY end up buying a new set. Hey, GET OFF YOUR LAZY ASS, GET OFF THE INTERNET, GO TO GUITAR CENTER, AND BUY THESE PICKUPS, you'll like them!!!!!!!!!!!

Pickup features: Two active Humbuckers
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Ibanez RGDX320
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: Neck and Bridge position Humbuckers
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: Me, other people, Zakk Wylde...
You musical style(s): metal, classical, reagae, rock, blues....
Reason for pickup change: The stock pickups just werent cutting it. Id been hearing good stuff about EMG's, so I went for it.

Perceived output level: Ultra Responsive, dead silence at the drop of a dime. The sound is crystal clear.
Tone: Bassy, Trebly, crunchy, hot, fuckin bad ass,
Sonic evaluation: I play my Ibanez through a POD Line six, which I run through a Marshall Valvestate 65 watt amp. Ive played it through a half stack as well, I couldnt ask for a better sound.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I like to play aggressive, trasparent, melodic, heavy music. EMG's are pretty versatile for the most part. If you turn the tone down, they sound good clean.

Comments: This EMG's are the best investment Ive made since I started playing about 6 years ago. If I lost them (knock on wood), I would definitely buy more. Pf course, if someone steals the pickups, theyd probably steal the guitar to. In that case, Id have to buy a Gibson Les Paul Custom, and Id eventually install some EMG's. EMG's are dope as fuck. If you like hot, crunchy, trebly, sound, with alot of sustain and harmonics, get these pickups.

Pickup features: 2 Active humbuckers EMG81 & 85
Impedence or other specs: site

Model of guitar or bass: Epiphone Les Paul
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: stock pick ups
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: zakk wylde? metallica, slayer, cold, tim narducci & adam ruppel(systematic),Max Calvera , steph carpenter, godsmack, dope(they suck), fear factory
You musical style(s): Metal; old metallica to nu-metal
Reason for pickup change: i bought the guitar from guitar center adn i always wanted the ZW set so i just put em on. i didn't even hear how the stock one's sounded!

Perceived output level: HOT HOT HOT, the 81 is by far one of the loudest pickups out there and the 85 is a little (verrrrrrrry little) lower but the bass makes up for it
Tone: perfect, balance
Sonic evaluation: my set up is quite simple but sweeeeeeeeeet. Les Paul >> Mesa Boogie TRIPLE rectifier >> 4X10 Recto cab. no gadgets or pedals. that just fucks evrything up. strait up tube distortion and with these puppies my guitar sounds like a million bucks

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: i would be stupid to say that this p/u set is UNsuitable for ANY genre of music. just because most metal and hardcore guitarists use it dosent mean that thats its only purpose. its gets the job done for anything from blues to country to jazz to classic rock to deftones. VERY versitile pickup set

Comments: if this was stolen i'd prolly shoot myself in the face with a shotgun. i'd definetly buy it agai