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Hatsubai « Alnico EMG 60 »
Published on 04/11/11 at 18:48The EMG 60A is a revision of the original EMG 60 that they have offered for quite some time. While it looks the same, the biggest difference is the magnet inside of it. Instead of using a ceramic magnet, they swapped it out for an Alnico one. This helps change the tone to a more vintage, sweeter sounding pickup.
Like all EMGs, this pickup is housed inside an epoxied cover with no pole pieces showing. The pickup has a built-in preamp inside it which runs off of a 9 volt battery. This allows the pickup to remain quiet under even the brightest stage lights, allows the ability to run long lengths of cable without needing a buffer and helps prevent any grounding dangers normal pickups may pose.
The EMG 60A is physically the same winding as the original 60, but with the new Alnico magnet installed, it sounds much sweeter. It’s a bit fatter sounding than the 60, and it seems to be a bit more round as well. Output is roughly the same, and the overall tone is mostly the same. It still has that extremely clean sounding, almost single coil-ish tone going on, but the magnet seems to boost the lows a touch and help kill some of that “fakeness” that I experienced with the original 60.
The EMG 60A should work in most woods, but I prefer it in darker woods like mahogany. To me, it really shines in those woods. Some people have used it in the bridge, but it’s mostly a neck pickup. The cleans are great, but the distorted tones are still not my favorite. I still prefer the EMG 85 or 89 overall as a neck pickup for both cleans and leads.
If you were a fan of the EMG 60 but want a bit more warmth to it, check out the 60A. It still features the same characteristics of the 60, but it seems to be warmed up a touch and not as “clangy” sounding.
Like all EMGs, this pickup is housed inside an epoxied cover with no pole pieces showing. The pickup has a built-in preamp inside it which runs off of a 9 volt battery. This allows the pickup to remain quiet under even the brightest stage lights, allows the ability to run long lengths of cable without needing a buffer and helps prevent any grounding dangers normal pickups may pose.
The EMG 60A is physically the same winding as the original 60, but with the new Alnico magnet installed, it sounds much sweeter. It’s a bit fatter sounding than the 60, and it seems to be a bit more round as well. Output is roughly the same, and the overall tone is mostly the same. It still has that extremely clean sounding, almost single coil-ish tone going on, but the magnet seems to boost the lows a touch and help kill some of that “fakeness” that I experienced with the original 60.
The EMG 60A should work in most woods, but I prefer it in darker woods like mahogany. To me, it really shines in those woods. Some people have used it in the bridge, but it’s mostly a neck pickup. The cleans are great, but the distorted tones are still not my favorite. I still prefer the EMG 85 or 89 overall as a neck pickup for both cleans and leads.
If you were a fan of the EMG 60 but want a bit more warmth to it, check out the 60A. It still features the same characteristics of the 60, but it seems to be warmed up a touch and not as “clangy” sounding.