EMGS and the IV

[bryan_kilco]

can anyone describe the tone you get with EMG actives and a Mark IV?

I realllly wanna drop some dough on some EMGs but Im afraid they wont mesh nicely with the IV.

 

[kiff]

I would suggest you get 85's. 81's imo are thin and too bright through most amps and that will be even more so using a m4. I have 85's on all my axes and they sound awesome on my m4

tone-wise, I think 85's sound pretty much like the average humbucker, but with tons of gain.

 

[user 16490]

Can you borrow or rent a guitar that has EMGs in it and try it out?

 

[ryjan]

Unless your passives are pretty hot running EMG's will be similar to running a boost in front of your amp. The input signal will be stronger, tighter, and more compressed. Like anything else, its a matter of taste.

 

[Platypus]

tighter, way more compressed, less definition to your notes compared to passives

 

[jjblacksheep]

For what it's worth......I have have 2 guitars, one with EMGs, the other with Anderson pickups. Anderson kills the EMG clean for great tone then as you go up the gain scale they blur into a tie for tone then once you get to the heavy end of the spectrum, I prefer the EMGs. This is the case in quite a few tube amps I've played on and more noticeable and true the higher quality of the amp.

 

[kmanick]

I've got 707's in my Ibanez J-Custom 7 string.
Very tight ,I love it for rhythm playing, the lead tone is passable but my BareKnuckle loaded gutiars
sound way better playing lead.
I usually don't like EMg's but in this particular guitar they sound pretty good.
I can really nail the whole Nevermore "Dead Heart in a Dead World" tone with them.

 

[gplex]

I like EMG's in Les Paul's, I think the 81 may be to bright in a bolt on basswood/alder guitar. Maybe the 85 is the solution for those guitars. I have been running EMG's 81-85 in a Les Paul Axcess. I am way happy with the sound. I have a MKV so I think the results would be similar with the IV. The trick I have found is in the adjustment height. If I swap out to a guitar with passives it takes a few minutes for my ears to adjust to the difference. EMG's are compressed but also tight, sort of like running a TS9 with the level up and drive down. I am still learning with the V, as it's somwhat new to me. But I think they are worth a try. Some love em' some hate em'. Try a guitar out similar to yours, through a similar amp, then switch guitars to a passive design. Pinch harmonics are effortless with EMG's that's for sure.

 

[guitardude05]

i have a musicman luke, which is alder, with an emg85 in the bridge. and i hate it with the mark iv. but love it with a dual rec. the single coil EMG's in the luke sound great through the IV.

my mahogany body guitars + actives = thick and ballsy through a IV. wild.
alder guitar + EMGs = brighter and less low end. crunchier. sterile.

it is more likely to do with the wood of the guitars i would suspect.

 

[jjblacksheep]

Something I forgot to mention re: loving my EMGs with high gain stuff. I HATED them at first (Ibanez RG570) as they were shrill and bright, almost ice picky highs. As a last resort I put the 85 in the bridge and instant love. Much fuller and deeper tone.

 

[bryan_kilco]

well, the only reason I ask is because my buddy had the 85 (pretty sure) in the bridge and it sounded reallll nice. not exactly sure what kind of wood it was, but it was some Fender Custom Shop guitar.

the EMGs would either be going in my S-Series (mahogany, i believe?) or a new guitar (Jackson or ESP).

 

[jjblacksheep]

Another thing.........EMG will recommend putting the pickups as close to the strings as possible since their magnetic pull is so weak and it won't interfere with your strings as a passive would. That's true but because of the high output, especially going into a high gain amp, try backing them down some. Once I got the Boogie I ended up having to put them as low or a hair lower than my passives and it resulted in a much improved tone.

 

[SeasonOfPain]

I have a few higher-gain recordings I made with my Hellraiser 6 (mahogany body + EMG 81) through my Mark IV:

Holy Diver
Judas Kiss

I think they do just fine, though I personally prefer Dimarzios.

 

[bryan_kilco]

hmmm sounds good!

 

[kiff]

well, the only reason I ask is because my buddy had the 85 (pretty sure) in the bridge and it sounded reallll nice.

in case you don't already know... 85's have gold "EMG" lettering and the 81's use silver

 

[jjblacksheep]

I have an SD Blackout neck on the way and should be able to compare it to the 85 next week on my Mark III (both in bridge position) if anyone is interested.

 

[espmaster1]

I use the two combined and I think it's awesome. I use active EMG's and it is super thick, and super articulate. So it definitely modifies the mark IV lead, further compressing it and pushing it. Good stuff.