EMG 85 Active Humbucker Pickup

The EMG 85 is one of EMG's first pickups and is the slightly more sophisticated and well rounded half of its famous twin, the 81. Featuring close aperture coils loaded with Alnico V magnets, the 85 is a powerful pickup with exceptional organic tone and versatility. Most often used in the rhythm position, the alnico magnets of this model provide a muscular growl and smooth lead tones to enable you to play the muddiest of blues to the most extreme metal. Try it in the bridge position for exceptional smoothness and soul. This pickup pairs well with just about every other humbucker in our line.

During their search for sourcing the best available "chrome" finish cover cap, EMG found that the available products could not be ordered with any consistency. Most importantly, since the manufacturing process would not be controlled by them, there was no way of knowing how the sound and tonal performance characteristics of our pickups would be affected. This characteristic was something that also could vary from batch to batch. Finally, they could not find any US manufacturers. EMG knew at that point, that the "buy" solution would not work for us.

Since putting a nickel or chrome plating on a common base metal is just a low cost way to simulate polished stainless steel, EMG decided to look at the feasibility of doing the real thing. This was the "build" solution. EMG engineers worked out a way to produce a one piece, high quality, mirror polished, stainless steel cover cap while maintaining comparable pricing to the plated versions. In addition, the sound and tonal properties were virtually identical to our molded cover caps, and controlling the process guarantees the consistency and high quality level of the products. We are pleased to now offer humbuckers in the real deal, mirror polished stainless steel, known as "Chrome EMG's".

The "gold" version is the same polished stainless steel cover cap with a gold colored finish that is commonly used to harden machine tools. It is a finish that both hardens the cover cap surface and penetrates the stainless steel substrate, rather than surface coating it as a plating would. This assures a durable, longer lasting surface finish that will stand up to your pounding riffs and all the abuse the road can dish out.

Designed and produced in the USA.
Package Includes: EMG's exclusive Quik-Connect(TM) cable, prewired split shaft volume/tone control set, output jack, battery clip set, screws & springs.

Technical Info

Specifications

Logo Color: Gold

Resonant Frequency: 2.55 kHz

RMS Output Voltage: 1.25

Peak Output Voltage: 1.75

Output Noise: -89 dBV

Output Impedance: 10kOhms

Current @ 9V: 80 Microamps

Battery Life: 3000 Hours

A Brief FAQ

What's an active pickup, and why would I use one?
An active pickup is one that uses electronics to improve the sound and enhance its operation. There are a variety of ways to "Activate" a pickup. A simple "buffer" pre-amp will do the trick, but it will also amplify the hum and buzz the pickup produces. Just because a pickup is "active" doesn't guarantee you'll get great results. EMG pickups utilize an internal pre-amp (inside the pickup), which not only makes the pickup louder, it also reduces the noise!

What are the advantages of an EMG pickup?
The greatest is reduction in noise. No longer will the dimming of the house lighting system cause your guitar to buzz incessantly. You can use an extra long cable, or a wireless, and you'll get the same great tone every time.

Why an internal pre-amp?
It's the most efficient way to create an active pickup. All the coil connections are shielded, the pre-amp is shielded, and the output of the pickup cable is low-impedence, which makes it less susceptible to noise. Also, it avoids a spider web of wires and possible loose connections in your guitar and the installation is simple. All the benefits with none of the hassle.