SeriesEMG Active

The thing I like most about EMG pickups in general is the absurd amount of clarity. The note separation is awesome and there is absolutely no mud. Its also dead quite due to the active preamp. What I like least about the EMG81 is the low end response. Its very very punchy, which is good, but its also tight to the point of stifled in my opinion. I have a very tight rig to start with, so that combined with the tightness of the EMGs pretty much takes away the low end from my rig. That said, the EMG 81 would work really well with a looser rig. Also, the EMG 81 is really bright, which adds to the clarity, but also needs to be compensated for with eqing on the amp or it can be too bright. A lot of people give say the EMG81 is a one trick pony, I don't agree with that. It definitely has more output than most passive pickups, but if you expect that and setup the gain on your amp with respect to it you can get great crunch and clean tones out of this pickup. I think the real trick to getting excellent tones out of EMGs is knowing that you'll have to eq your amp differently than you would for passives. Personally, I don't like them, but that doesn't mean they're bad. I've heard a lot of guys get amazing tone out of them.

The EMG 60 is probably the only pickup you should ever get if you decide to go active! It's clean, and it's dirty in the best ways! famous as a neck pickup only and never as the bridge pickup. I've never actually tried it in the bridge pickup. The cleans are glassy and shimmery yet not thin. It's VERY clean. Very very clean! Just listen to all the newer metallica or metallica S&M or EVERYBODY else that uses EMGs! 60s have been the trademark neck pickup for EMG. The EMG60 on the neck pickup is also, of course amazing. Clear, fluidy, not too muddy, not thin, and great for solos. I don't generally use the neck pickup on high gain for anything else as it's generally too thick for rhythms and chords etc. EMG pickups are one of a kind, and cannot be imitated. There has been many other companies making active pickups trying to match the EMGs but I've always been happy with them when I was into active pickups for years and years and years. Though this pickup sounds great. It again does have its faults. It being active, as I mentioned in my previous EMG reviews, cannot seem to be as dynamic as a passive pickups would be and do not clean up well with the volume rolled down. Thus the rating. And this is of course, aside from the fact that most non-active players don't like the whole changing battery thing. Though it's a very minor thing it's less often than changing strings! So this review is already assuming that one KNOWS it's an active pickup and does NOT base a review on the battery requirement. Overall, one of the better active neck pickups out there! Quiet, clean, tight, clear and smooth! Perfectly balanced and flexible!