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OMG! OMG! OMG!

#21
The tone on the EMG video seems to be a bit "fuzzy", as if there's some kind of overdrive or fuzz box in line. Is that added after the pickup, or is that the sound right from the pickup? Or is it my computer speakers, which seem to do OK with all other music?

Further, in the video from Clouz, there seems to be quite a bit of hum, which I find unusual for a P bass pickup. Less fuzz though.

And I too want to know what kind of "problems" were encountered with the Fender stuff.
 
#22
mapleglo said:
The tone on the EMG video seems to be a bit "fuzzy", as if there's some kind of overdrive or fuzz box in line. Is that added after the pickup, or is that the sound right from the pickup? Or is it my computer speakers, which seem to do OK with all other music?

Further, in the video from Clouz, there seems to be quite a bit of hum, which I find unusual for a P bass pickup. Less fuzz though.

And I too want to know what kind of "problems" were encountered with the Fender stuff.
Click to expand...

lol. in my defense:hiding: i used a cheap little camera and that hum you hear i believe is coming from the drum set. i just got a great little recorder and am still trying to figure out how to record on it and get a good sound where we practice in a garage. when we play our next gig i am going to put up a video and see if it sounds a little better then this $30 dollar credit card cam i'm using here.
 
#23
Nobody except the parties involved and their lawyers know the particulars of a business deal like this. Current net worth has nothing to do with anything, several layers of tit for tat, etc. may be involved.

I can go to the shoe store and buy a pair of Air Jordans but I doubt if it will help me achieve a slam dunk.
 
#25
Clouz said:
fact: they are in my bass that i own and sound more like Geezers sound in the early years of sabbath then the pick ups that were in it.

game>set> match
Click to expand...

bass_case said:
Nobody except the parties involved and their lawyers know the particulars of a business deal like this. Current net worth has nothing to do with anything, several layers of tit for tat, etc. may be involved.

I can go to the shoe store and buy a pair of Air Jordans but I doubt if it will help me achieve a slam dunk.
Click to expand...

But the ad got you to buy them didn't it?
There are dozens of pick up winders out there that can wind you a P pick up to sound any way you want.

If you are happy with them that is cool but don't try and tell me that their marketing didn't have anything to do with your decision to buy them.
 
#26
mapleglo said:
OK, makes sense. Is that fuzzy sound built in to the pickups, or do you find the sound to be pretty clean? It's difficult to tell from either vid.
Click to expand...

with the volume and tone cranked it does sound a bit distorted which is the reason i like them so much. when i roll back the tone to about half way it sounds more like a stock P bass pick up. i had the gain turned to about 1/4 and the master was on 3/4 so i wanted to show what a clear sound from my amp was and just kind of high light the pick up. if you were in that room when i played you would say they sounded like Geezer in that video. i was very surprised to hear them because like some have said celebrity endorsed products usually spell $$$$ schemes and i don't blame people for thinking like that at all. but these pu's really do sound like Geezer playing in that video. i seriously doubt even Geezer himself can perfectly replicate the sound he got on his first album but they do sound a lot closer than anything else i have heard.
 
#27
hdracer said:
But the ad got you to buy them didn't it?
There are dozens of pick up winders out there that can wind you a P pick up to sound any way you want.

If you are happy with them that is cool but don't try and tell me that their marketing didn't have anything to do with your decision to buy them.
Click to expand...

no i won't try and tell you that the video EMG came out with didn't raise my eyebrows but isn't that how a business brings attention to a new product? all i am saying is that not all companies will use these tactics and not deliver what they promised. so don't try and tell me that they didn't, because in my opinion they did.
 
#28
Clouz said:
my thoughts on your statement are this:

let's say you were Geezer Butler and had his wealth. would you lie to your fans and say a product that you endorsed was all bs? think about it. he is worth 65 million and you're saying that for a sum of money or whatever deal he has with EMG or DR strings or Lakland or Hatke that he would say he likes their products just to make more money? i don't buy it for one minute. now, do i believe that there have been celebrities in the past and present that have done endorsements just to make money and do not really like those products? absolutely without a doubt.
Click to expand...

I never said he was lying to his fans. I'm simply saying that the production cost of making the pickup doesn't change just because they put Geezer Butler's name on it. However, people who buy them will pay more because EMG is paying Butler for the use of his name. For that reason, I will not buy signature products. I really don't care what anybody else uses or endorses nor will I buy anything just because a celebrity likes it. I am intelligent enough to make up my own mind. The problem with signature products is that many people buy them thinking they will somehow become a better player and achieve the same sound as the endorsing artist. In reality, it doesn't happen. They buy it because they think its cool to say I use the same thing that (insert artist here) uses.
 
#29
hdracer said:
But the ad got you to buy them didn't it?
There are dozens of pick up winders out there that can wind you a P pick up to sound any way you want.

If you are happy with them that is cool but don't try and tell me that their marketing didn't have anything to do with your decision to buy them.
Click to expand...

Hey...was there a picture of him with the aforementioned pick-ups, universally accepted "thumbs up" sign, and obligatory "Get Your Slam On!" slogan in Bass Player magazine? If so, sign me up for a set now!

Riis
 
#30
Interesting thread (hate the title).

My first bass many years ago was a Schecter with EMG soapbar pickups and preamp. I liked it but soon got hooked on the vintage Fender jazz and pbass pickup sound. Sold the Schecter and bought Fenders. Then I started dropping Barts into my Fenders and eventually started leaning more towards the Stingray and G&L Humbucker sound. Which eventually led to an addiction in the Alembic electronics world.

Over the last couple of years I've discovered the Spector sound which utilizes EMG electronics for a lot of what they do. So here I am, full circle and back to looking at EMG for a lot of my future work. The good news is they make a great product (as many other PU builders do) and they keep innovating to expand their products into areas of the market I wouldn't have thought they could succeed in 10 years ago.

EMG is a reputable company. If they claim they've created a vintage metal pickup I'll give them the benefit of the doubt. If a TBer claims he's installed one and it does a darn good job of capturing that vintage tone then I'll give him the benefit of the doubt as well. If other TBers who haven't tried or heard these pickups first hand jump in to call him a sucker or a marketing target or just completely discount anything he has to say I'd have a tendency to assume they are the ones spewing bull since they have no first hand knowledge on the topic.

Am I going to run out and replace all my pickups with these, no. I'll continue to wait and hear the INFORMED opinions of others. Informed Pros and Cons will surface and that will probably answer any purchasing questions I might have. Who knows, if they really do deliver I might just drop a set in my Spector Euro LX.

PS - just found them on the EMG website. For those accusing EMG of gouging us players by putting a Signature product out there and jacking up the prices - wrong - the GB P/J set is actually their second cheapest set of pickups at $150 for a full P/J set. That sounds like a pretty fair deal compared to some other popular brands out there.
 
#31
I do t get why this whole thread has turned into a slam fest, for the most part anyway, against geezer and EMG. The OP is excited that a set of EMG's that geezer butler is endorsing are coming out and wanted everyone to know. I don't think it was necessary to go off on EMG for selling a pickup that tries to capture a certain sound. Marketing, for sure. But a scam or garbage, I don't believe that. Everyone has their opinion and is entitled to that just like I am. I just think it's sort of bogus that so many of you are knocking the pups before you've even tried them yourself and are, IMO, knocking the OP's excitement down for being stoked about them. I do agree, the title could be better, I learned that the hard way as well when I first joined TB, but man, let's give those pups a chance to get out into major circulation before condemning them.
 
#32
Clouz said:
with the volume and tone cranked it does sound a bit distorted which is the reason i like them so much. when i roll back the tone to about half way it sounds more like a stock P bass pick up. i had the gain turned to about 1/4 and the master was on 3/4 so i wanted to show what a clear sound from my amp was and just kind of high light the pick up. if you were in that room when i played you would say they sounded like Geezer in that video. i was very surprised to hear them because like some have said celebrity endorsed products usually spell $$$$ schemes and i don't blame people for thinking like that at all. but these pu's really do sound like Geezer playing in that video. i seriously doubt even Geezer himself can perfectly replicate the sound he got on his first album but they do sound a lot closer than anything else i have heard.
Click to expand...

Thanks, this clarifies my original confusion. I usually prefer a pickup with a super clean output, which I believes allows any kind of an effect or tone mod to be added on later. I'll admit that these do seem to sound pretty good for their intended use and application.
 
#33
Fact: most demo videos are practically worthless with respect to demonstrating objectively the qualities of whatever product is bring demoed. There are typically far too many variables at play - bass, pickups, strings, amp, microphone (quality and placement), compression codec - all of these will color the sound. The better demos will use a direct line into an unaffected DAW track. And in all circumstances there is the player and his/her nuances.
 
#34
ctmullins said:
Fact: most demo videos are practically worthless with respect to demonstrating objectively the qualities of whatever product is bring demoed. There are typically far too many variables at play - bass, pickups, strings, amp, microphone(quality and placement), compression codec - all of these will color the sound. The better demos will use a direct line into an unaffected DAW track. And in all circumstances there is the player and his/her nuances.
Click to expand...

You forgot to add the listeners computer sound card and speakers.

Wow!, This pick up demo sounds great on my lap top!
 
#35
hdracer said:
You forgot to add the listeners computer sound card and speakers.

Wow!, This pick up demo sounds great on my lap top!
Click to expand...

AND YOU BOTH HAVE NEVER TRIED THESE PICK UPS

i have.

this forum is here to help other bass players. at least for me it has been a great tool that helps me formulate my opinion based on the opinions of others who may have first hand experience. i have given you my opinion on these pu's. take it for what it is worth. the only opinion that you are offering is that because these pu's are endorsed by a well known bass player it has to be bs. thanks for your opinion. :rollno:
 
#36
I have never offered any opinions on these pickups. Ever. I did offer a strongly-held opinion regarding the usefulness of demo videos.
 

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