New Love for EMG Active

[oldstar1975]

I've used Duncan Custom Custom pickups for years. I've tried EMG actives in the past, and thought they sounded flat and lifeless.

Well, I just bought a Schecter with an EMG and discovered that the 81 model, while horrible-sounding on its own (to my ears), takes to the PEQ block extremely well. It's lack of pronounced resonant peaks and balanced response (which makes it sound bland IMO) is the very thing that allows effective manipulation with PEQ. I can cut and boost wherever I want to create a wide variety of high-quality raw pickup tones from vintage to modern.

Straight into an amp, I'd have no hope with the EMG. But the PEQ block makes it sound amazing.

May I ask you - what exactly you are doing with PEQ? Which amp you are using? Can you share the patch? Thanks!

 

[steadystate]

May I ask you - what exactly you are doing with PEQ? Which amp you are using? Can you share the patch? Thanks!

I'm generally adding a presence peak using a peaking filter at a frequency anywhere from 2kHz to 4kHz. The exact frequency, amplitude, and Q depends on what type of tone I'm looking for and what amp model I'm using. I also may cut in the 200 Hz to 500 Hz range with a wider Q and lower amplitude. The PEQ is the first block in the chain, and I use it with any amp sim.

Regardless of what pickup I use (active or passive), I always tailor the raw pickup eq with a PEQ block. I started this thread simply because the EMG 81 has no overpowering signature of its own and can be easily manipulated with eq to achieve the response of a wide variety of pickup types. I've used other passive pickups with pronounced frequency peaks that require more thought and experimentation with the eq to change their tone. I have to cut the unwanted peaks before introducing new ones. The 81 is so far the easiest pickup I've used in regard to amplitude response modification.