All user reviews for the EMG 81TW

These are great custom made pickups, made by EMG. I have mixed feelings about their pickups in general, some of their stuff sounds awesome to me but a lot of it is really lifeless. These pickups are examples of the latter. I think that Steve Vai is a tremendous player, but his tone is really incredibly 80s sounding and cheesy. Unless you came of age in that era, and have never left or realized the glory that was the late 60s, 70s, and even this decade, there's a chance you might like this pedal. However, there's nothing remotely bright about this pedal. The emphasis is all in the scooped mids, which I really hate as it ruins a lot of the character. This is especially true in the neck position, good luck getting a half-decent blues sound. This wouldn't be so bad if I just needed a distorted lead sound. Considering that Vai never plays rhythm, this isn't so bad for him, but I do play rhythm and need a pickup that sounds half decent when playing clean. Forget that, it's horrible. I doubt if I've ever heard anything so lifeless. The only time I ever really get a rush from these pickups is if I crank the gain and start wailing. At that point yeah, these pickups sound great, but I need more versatility than that. A Les Paul's humbuckers will certainly give you all that and much more, so I'd say go with those types of pickups rather than these.
Granted, I'm not in the demographic that would want these pickups anyway. But my advice to players is never to take one players trademark pickups, as they are custom-made to do only what that player wants. Especially since that guitar player probably has multiple guitars with multiple different settings, he probably doesn't care very much about having a pickup in his name that barely does anything more than what he wants. Trust me, go with something more diverse.

The EMG 81tw is one of the later evolutions of the classic 81 design. Nowadays people are demanding more versatility out of their guitars. Not many people want a one trick pony anymore and the 81 was a one truck pony until now. The 81tw takes the concept EMG introduced with the 89 and puts it in their most popular model. The 81tw is really two pickups in one. Since you cant really split an active pickup EMG literally puts another pickup in the case. With this pickup you get an EMG 81 with an EMG SA in the same pickup case. This essentially gives you humbucker and single coil tones in an active pickup without splitting anything, and these are true single coil tones. With this design you get the classic 81 sound unmolested with true single coil tone. The 81 tone needs no introduction. It has a crushing high end sound that can cut through the thickest gain or the muddiest mix. The 81 has been the benchmark metal pickup since the late 70s. You can put it in just about any guitar and that guitar will instantly turn into a metal machine. Its voice more on the high end so you get a razor sharp sound good for fast riffing. The EMG SA is one of their best single coil models. It has a very fat sound. It is almost like a single coil EMG 85. You still get the single coil twang but with this pickup the twang has some body to it. It is a very cool design. Not many people use active single coils so with this you get a very strong single coil sound. The 81tw gives you both pickups together in the same case. This was a great idea from EMG. Since you cant really split one of their pickups just include 2! If you are an 81 fan but are looking for more versatility in your sound the 81tw was made for you.

Original equipment on my helraiser Shecter diamond series,
it is a micro active splitable apparently would have the same characteristics as the 81, plus the possibility of moving in single coil, something I'm not sure because by comparing the characteristics of two microphones on the site emg, I see a lot of differences.

In any case, on a guitar that does not have a quality wood like mine that sent severe micro! Compared to my godin LGXT equipped with Seymour sh4 my decision is not is clear:
the sound is sharper, the palm mute sound much better defined. However, the games lead the 81 sent fewer than sh4 and harmonic palette seems less rich, but the gains in precision and 81 is what I was looking for. Particularly on the descents or climbs ranges fast micro Seymour drool a bit and loses its sharpness clearly while 81 retain its definition.

Only it should be compared with two or blackouts ahb1 range Seymour and I'm not sure the comparison turns to his advantage. Second case of negative points I must say that this micro consumes much more than the 81 so battery changes are more frequent.

On the other hand, it is the what matters, the possibility of the split appears to me not really interesting, both the split 89 is great because you get crystal clear sound beautiful, both the 81 split into microphones simmple me seems not really useful. Despite this reservation I have to admit that this microphone sounds great it is not too keen crillard possesses good low and medium it wrong to finally pay attention to what they want to fit this guitar microphone, you have to think the increase as close as possible to string it delivers its full potential.

I have this mic since June 2008.
I have mounted on my Vigier Ultra side handle instead of the original 81.
Please note the size of this microphone is not the same as the 81 it took a little further trapping of origin.

This micro has the distinction of containing an "s" (single) and a 81.
After testing I say that we are dealing here with an excellent micro and not a real m ... as 89 (I will put a notice on this one as soon as possible)

Position "S" is really the same as comparable see "s" to be clearer sound you hear is really the sound of a single coil.
The sound is meant to position "81" is exactly that of the "81".
A split position + "SA" is the sound that is expected stratabound is pretty good but with my Vigier was 24 box so the sound is not quite the same as a Start but that's great anyway.

The value for money is good and I think will qu'EMG box with the microphone.
This choice I would do without hesitation.

Conclusion:
Its twofold: that of a true 81 so I put 9.5 / 10, I find that lack of body in relation to position 85 in acute and I think it is ready top of the handle.
Its simple: that of a real simple I will put 8 / 10 because I love him a little warmer.
Overall Rating 9 / 10

right now, I can not stop playing on guitars that have this microphone easel on a DBZ (B.zelinsky dean) and now a solo schecter hellraiser 6.
I almost tried most of the pickups sold in the market apart from Suhr, microphones and other rarely encountered in our region (in fact, logic must be able to sell such expensive instruments in our country mentality "fender / gibson or nothing" rampant ..).
for me is to put the mic on a guitar mahogany because it marries beautifully with the warmth of the wood and brings the precision and the edge it lacks.
it really is perfect for the metal to metallica, rage against the machine and everything else, he has all of a great, no complaints, it's perfect for me, there is everything I expected from a micro, presence, build sound, grain, or malice niaque characteristic of good metal to tear the slip, serious ....
it still costs some money (between 80 and € 100 depending where you buy it ...) but it is well worth the long-term investment ...
for me, I think it is high time that I turn my DiMarzio of my guitar I have too long supported the poor sound .... next month's spring cleaning!
I'll finally be able to enjoy this grain I was looking for ages!

I mount the microphone on a WSL Barybone (baritone), which was equipped with a Kent Armstrong MotherBucker quad micro coils which was certainly a good mic but not so versatile!

The EMG 81 TW has the typical sound of 81 no difference with the 81 "normal" in short, so we know what to expect! it is perfect on the baritone.
Split mode, the microphone is crystalline without parasite, it has a very similar tone stratocaster EMG S but due to the hot ceramic magnet, in short a very good sound simple microphone and without any parasite!

I think a configuration micro EMG 89 + EMG 81 TW would be a perfect and versatile guitar!

In short I recommend the 81TW to those who love the sound of 81 typical metal but also has sought to have a good clear sound to play more cool stuff!