To all you EMG users

nqabassist26 · #1 10-02-2006, 10:04 PM

I have been leaning very much to get 2 EMG active pickups because I am simply not hapy with my stock pickups and plan to record.

The 2 pickups I'm leaning for are the EMG-40P5 and the EMG-40J. Has anybody played with these pickups or have any idea how good they are in general, and which to put in the bridge pup spot and neck pup spot?

nqabassist26 · #2 10-03-2006, 12:50 AM

Bump, no body uses any EMG bass pickups at all? I just need a general opinion on them.

aunchaki · #3 10-03-2006, 06:00 AM

I have an EMG Select in my P-Bass. It's passive, not active, but the sound it great. I got it because the price was right, but I really like the sound.

12bass · #4 10-03-2006, 06:13 AM

What is it about your current pickups that you are unhappy with? What are you looking for in new pickups?

I'm not a fan of EMGs and would recommend looking elsewhere. Some people like them, but I find them harsh and sterile sounding, not natural at all. The only advantage they have IMO is that they are free from noise. If you do decide to go with EMGs, I'd say use the J at the bridge and the P at the neck.

As for other options, my recommendations would be to look at Bartolini's Classic Bass (CB) series, as well as Q-Tuners, Seymour Duncans, Aeros, and many others.

Baryonyx · #5 10-03-2006, 06:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aunchaki

I have an EMG Select in my P-Bass. It's passive, not active, but the sound it great. I got it because the price was right, but I really like the sound.

I know they're not "true" EMG's but the EMG Select Humbuckers in my Hohner headless are awesome!

I really like EMG's as a whole though, nice, clean sound that is very clear.

Relic · #6 10-03-2006, 07:26 AM

I have active EMG J's in my Warwick Corvette and I'm very very happy with them, they sound excellent.

azzyrazzy · #7 10-03-2006, 08:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 12bass

Some people like them, but I find them harsh and sterile sounding, not natural at all. The only advantage they have IMO is that they are free from noise. If you do decide to go with EMGs, I'd say use the J at the bridge and the P at the neck.

As for other options, my recommendations would be to look at Bartolini's Classic Bass (CB) series, as well as Q-Tuners, Seymour Duncans, Aeros, and many others.

Is there a "replacement" pickup that will sound more warm and unsterile and not harsh, but still is able to sound open and clear?

Andy Will · #8 10-03-2006, 09:15 AM

Hi there,

I use one EMG 35TW in my custom Adamovic Bass with an Aguilar OBP-3 pre-amp and the sound is fantastic!
Pics: http://www.adamovic.nl/xJU002finished.htm
I only use it in the Humbucker mode generally and the sound is huge! Thick defined bass, but able to pull out strong clear harmonics whenever I need them.

My next bass will probably use the 35CS which eliminates the single coil option to simplify things, along with the OBP-2 pre-amp to cut the whole thing down to one volume and one stacked Bass/Treble pot...........Have been planning this very carefully!

It's true the single coil EMG's can sound a 'little' thin without a touch of Bass boost (I have them in my Fodera Monarch, which I dooooo love too), but I would 100% recommend the 35TW or 35CS. Its just ashame not many people have had the chance to try these two out as they aren't in many 'stock' basses.

Go for it I say!

RevGroove · #9 10-03-2006, 09:21 AM

plus one, re: EMG CS/TW pickups, especially in the bridge spot...DCs are good in the neck position IME, but the treble is really harsh at the bridge.

My own experience with Bartolini's hasn't been that great, I've used active EMGs for almost 20 years in basses and guitars without any problems and with good results. Passive HZs are okay as well...not a fan of Selects myself, but some have good results with them, so who knows?

Stu L. · #10 10-03-2006, 11:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nqabassist26

The 2 pickups I'm leaning for are the EMG-40P5 and the EMG-40J. Has anybody played with these pickups or have any idea how good they are in general, and which to put in the bridge pup spot and neck pup spot?

I built Razor a Spector that has, among other goodies, a 35P and 35J. I was very happy with the sounds of the P. It sounded like MY EMG equipped P bass. I don't have much time with J pups, but the 35J sounded authentic to me.

In general, I think they are exellent pickups. Put the 40P5 at the neck and the 40J at the bridge. That will give you a traditional P&J setup, just with larger housings.

nqabassist26 · #11 10-03-2006, 03:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 12bass

What is it about your current pickups that you are unhappy with? What are you looking for in new pickups?

I'm not a fan of EMGs and would recommend looking elsewhere. Some people like them, but I find them harsh and sterile sounding, not natural at all. The only advantage they have IMO is that they are free from noise. If you do decide to go with EMGs, I'd say use the J at the bridge and the P at the neck.

As for other options, my recommendations would be to look at Bartolini's Classic Bass (CB) series, as well as Q-Tuners, Seymour Duncans, Aeros, and many others.

Well what I am upset about my pickups are, ah I can't describe clearly, just plainly they are cheap active electronics in my low end Ibanez soundgear, they sound really bad, I compre them to my Pbass with seymour dun basslines and, well there is no comparison. What made me want the EMGs is that I heard they are amazing for recording because of the fact that they have very low noise, I was planning to run them through effects. Also, alot of the musicians in the genre I like use EMGs, thought they had to be atleast decent haha.

Stu L. · #12 10-03-2006, 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nqabassist26

Also, alot of the musicians in the genre I like use EMGs, thought they had to be atleast decent haha.

As you can tell, "decent" is a subjective term. For me, they are more than decent. For 12Bass, they are not.

nqabassist26 · #13 10-03-2006, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stubi19

As you can tell, "decent" is a subjective term. For me, they are more than decent. For 12Bass, they are not.

Good point, I guess ill never find out fully till I install them on my bass and see how it sounds.

12bass · #14 10-03-2006, 05:55 PM

It's hard to say what is holding your Ibanez back. Could be the pickups or electronics, or even the inherent sound of the bass itself.

Back in the 1990s I thought EMGs were great, that is until I tried several other pickups. IMO, they tend to give every instrument that they are installed in the "EMG sound". They are probably better than many of the cheap pickups that come installed in low end instruments. Lots of people seem to like them, and as I said previously, they are free from noise.

However, given that I'm rather discerning by nature, I soon found EMGs lacking in tone because they tended to sound harsh and sterile, especially with bright instruments. I tried swapping between the EMG 35P and 35DC in my Hamer 12-string and neither satisfied me. They really brought out the worst in that instrument. Once I installed a set of Lane Poor M3.5Ws, the sound of the bass was transformed. With the new pickups, it no longer sounded harsh. The LPs brought out a much more open and natural sound, without the brash upper mids/lower treble that seems to characterize the EMGs. Recently I've found the Q-Tuners to have a similar extended range response to the Lane Poors, perhaps even more so.

Then again, some might tend to label me as some sort of pickup connoisseur.....

sedan_dad · #15 10-03-2006, 06:11 PM

I have Selects in both a Jazz and a Precision.I really like them.

JJBACOOMBA · #16 10-03-2006, 06:43 PM

I used the EMG active P/J config on my Ibanez. Absolutely love them. I got them I think in 87 or 88. The Ibanez came with stock,passive P/J pickups.I havent used it since around 99 as got an Alembic. I really do miss the sound the EMG's gave me.

Stu L. · #17 10-03-2006, 08:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 12bass

Then again, some might tend to label me as some sort of pickup connoisseur.....

That is, IMO, in no way a bad thing. I have many times thought of replacing my EMG P for some Fralin's. But, then I remember how much of "my" tone comes from that bass, as it is.

Are EMG's the best? No. But then again, is there a best? Again, no. The same thing just doesn't work for two different people. Luckily, for someone with a stock P or J route in their bass, they can go to the TB classifieds and try many different pups. If you have a rectangle route, well you're much more limited as to what you can do. And EMG's fit those routes, and have a few models to choose from.

nqabassist26 · #18 10-03-2006, 10:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stubi19

If you have a rectangle route, well you're much more limited as to what you can do. And EMG's fit those routes, and have a few models to choose from.

Which is another reason EMG's were appealing to me, I have the rectangle route. Not saying there arent any other brands to fit it, but EMG had a nice selection.

Stu L. · #19 10-04-2006, 07:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nqabassist26

Which is another reason EMG's were appealing to me, I have the rectangle route. Not saying there arent any other brands to fit it, but EMG had a nice selection.

Then, if you can afford to, try 'em. They have a few things that you like, you've heard them on recordings, go for it. Let us know what model(s) you choose.

Stormin70 · #20 10-04-2006, 01:29 PM

Last month I put a pair of EMG HB's (which are tonally like a P) in my Carvin. 2 weeks later I added the BTS control, which is +/- 12dB Bass and Treble. Next week I'm gonna up the system to 18v, so we'll see how that goes.

Anyway, I happen to like the EMG sound, so I think they sound awesome. They turned a mediocre sounding instrument into one that sounds like "angels singing" - I couldn't be happier for my $250 investment.

That being said, your mileage may vary.

Stormin!