Let’s Learn About EMG Pickups

Everyone loves pickups, right? This time, I’m going to introduce the EMG pickups loved by players worldwide!

For the background music, let's watch Crazy Train performed by Zakk Wylde, inspired by EMG. (I was torn between Lukather and...)

History of EMG

While there was a predecessor brand in 1976, it wasn't until 1983 that it adopted the name "EMG." The abbreviation “Electro-Magnetic Generator” is not widely known. It gained recognition through adoption by Steinberger and is used by renowned musicians, establishing itself as synonymous with active pickups today! Notable users include Steve Lukather, James Hetfield, Kirk Hammett, Zakk Wylde, and many others. In Japan, it's been used by Tomoyasu Hotei and SUGIZO, but personally, I'm impressed by Masahiro Ando from T-SQUARE. Surprisingly, his heavy rock solo guitar work is really cool.

Installation and Precautions

Thinking about switching from passive pickups to EMG? First-timers might find it confusing. For conventional pickup replacements, soldering is usually required, but current EMG products are socket-type! Simply connect each connector like patching cables—easy if you've ever built a PC yourself. Once connectors are wired as is shown in the diagram, installation is complete! However, powering the onboard preamp of the pickup requires a battery.

Connect the connectors as shown in the wiring diagram and the wiring is complete!
However, a power supply is required to run the pre-amplifier built into the pickup.

If you opt for a pre-assembled product, it includes a rectangular 9V battery box as shown in the picture. But when converting a passive guitar to active, woodwork is needed to install the battery box. If there's no space in the control cavity for the battery, additional costs may occur for woodworking or buying a battery box. So, always check if there's room for the battery before installing.

Recommended EMG Products

EMG / 81 BLACK

If you want to try EMG, start with this! A classic pickup trusted by metal guitarists. Often installed on the bridge side, it provides a crunchy sound with high gain, making playing riffs enjoyable. It also has a clear sound characteristic of EMG, with good response to spatial effects and is suitable for various sound creations.

EMG / 85 BLACK

Since I introduced 81, I can't forget to mention 85. While 81 uses a ceramic magnet, 85 uses an Alnico 5 magnet. Compared to 81, it's easier to handle and can adapt to various genres. Among EMG products I've played, I think 85 offers the most versatile sound creation for all genres.

85 is often used in the neck position, and combining it with 81 in the bridge position is a classic setup. Of course, it can also be used on the bridge side and pairs perfectly with models like SA introduced later!

EMG / Zakk Wylde Set Black

EMG / SASA85

EMG / SA SET BLACK

SA, famously used by Steve Lukather from TOTO. It achieves a powerful single-coil sound with EMG's low-noise design. It doesn't have the sharp high-frequency quality typical of traditional single-coils, offering a thick midrange sound that's easy to use and low noise. I recommend this one for those looking for a practical single-coil sound. It's also great to combine with 85 for SSH configurations.

If you want to add a battery box, this is the way to do it!

If you find "The battery doesn't fit inside the cavity!" or "It's troublesome to remove the back panel every time I change the battery," adding a battery box might be a good idea. Adding a battery box requires woodworking to create a cavity in the body, so I recommend having it done at a repair shop or music store. Battery boxes are also available for sale, so be sure to check them out.

GOTOH / BB04

This simple design makes it easy to understand how to use it just by looking at it! It's a straightforward mechanism for simply changing batteries, much easier to manage than storing batteries in the back panel!

ESP / BATTERYBOX

The ESP looks cool with a solid appearance! The body is made of stainless steel, a durable material that resists physical damage, unlike plastic battery boxes that sometimes break. Plus, it rotates easily for simple battery replacement!

Summary

This was a quick overview, but I hope you've grasped some of the allure of EMG pickups. I'm planning to replace my Stratocaster with an EMG for a locking tremolo, so I decided to write this article. Connector-style wiring? Low impedance? Built-in preamp? Some may be puzzled by unfamiliar terms when researching, but the replacement itself is simple, offering a sound not achievable with passive pickups. Give these a try!