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EMG 81 Active Humbucker Pickup

The EMG-81 is a high output pickup designed especially for the lead guitarist. The 81 is at its best for high volume overdrive and amps with a master volume. Whether you're playing power rock and roll, or overdriving your amp, there's a razor sharp attack, and incredible sustain for brilliant soloing. If you're looking for exceptional qualities in a rock pickup, the EMG-81 is the one. Learn More...

    • New $105.00
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Overall User Ratings

Overall:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Features:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Quality:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Value:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
I Want It:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Sound:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Ease of Use:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Support:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10

Individual User Ratings

Overall:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Features:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Quality:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Value:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
I Want It:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Sound:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Ease of Use:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Support:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10

Feature:
lots of features with the sound.

Quality:
Emg in my opinion makes the best active pickups for metal! I'm sure passive might be better for other styles. How do i know emg makes the best active pickups for metal? Because for one i know esp makes the best guitars for metal. I look at the roster for musicians and they got the guys from metallica, alexi laiho, will adler from lamb of god, stephan carpenter from deftones, the guys from chimara one of the guys from slayer, and tons more. And most of those guys all use active emg pickups with there esp. Except i know will adler uses passive for some reason and alexi uses a seymor duncan blackout on his bridge and he has nothing on his neck. I think thats because he never has a clean tone ever in his music or something.

Value:
These are priceless

Desirability:
They look mad sexy on a dark guitar

Sound:
Sound is great. I have an emg 81 on my bridge and 85 on the neck which is a great setup that a lot of people use. For instance one of the memebers of slayer, Zackk Wyld and kirt hammit from metallica. Also james from metallica uses an 81 on the bridge but a 60 on the neck. I havent tried that setup. I love how the harmonics flow out. the amp makesa huge diff on how the pikcups sound. The better the amp the better the sound of the pickups. I recommend a randall those are great for metal and the emg 81 and 85 is mostly used for metal. A good guitar has a lot to do with it to. I reccoment just buying a guitar with the emg setup. U would have pay at least 600-700 for a guitar with the emg setup since a active emg set is worth 200 bucks. the comapny wont put a 200 set of active pickups and a 300 dollar guitar. I reccomend a esp or a esp ltd for these kind of pickups. I use the ltd mh400nt(the best one in its class). It was 680 and it came with the 81 85's. Esp class is very expensive. If your going to buy an esp ltd which are the cheaper ones but still great.(mostly your paying for wood in the esp class) If your goign to buy a ltd get the best one in its class which would be around 700. Or go for a ltd deluxe which is around 850-900. Yes the active pickups use a battery but dont worry one 9v gives u a lot of hours. If your worryd about if actives give more noise than passive just get a noisegate pedal. I dont like passive pickups it really takes away from the sound. Don't mix active with passive.

Ease of Use:
Sound comes easy out of these. Espically pinch harmoincs or regular harmonics. so much eaiser to hit them with active pickups.

Support:
im sure its good never used it yet

Overall:
Ill never use another set up than emg active pickups. I'll always use an 81 on my bridge. I might experiment with another emg active on my neck such as a 60 like james hetfield but probably not.

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Overall:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
I Want It:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Sound:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10

Feature:
The noise impedance really works. I use mine with cabs and head and play in large venues with lots of interference and yet when used in combination with a noise gate it stops humming the second you turn your guitar volume down. It

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Overall:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Features:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Quality:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Value:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
I Want It:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Sound:
* * * * * * * * * . 9 out of 10

Feature:
This is a mean nasty pickup....must have for any metal guitarist

Quality:
Totally solid. Absolute quality

Value:
I paid $79 a piece. That's about $50 less than I expected to pay when I went "shopping"

Desirability:
Solid black...they look badass

Sound:
Mean, crushing. This is the best rock pick-up ever. High output and absolute crunch removed the necessity of an outboard pre-amp for me. The sustain is unbelievable. My only complaint would be that they are sooooo powerful that they pickup every little noise. Every pickup hole in ALL my guitars will soon be plugged with EMG 81's

Support:
Unknown

Overall:
I expect to be using EMG 81 pickups for a long time. I use them in conjunction with Marshall heads and cabinets. Its definitely the best pickup I've ever tried in 25 years of axemadness. It has given me the tone I want for every note I need to play.

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Overall:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Features:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Quality:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Value:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
I Want It:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10
Sound:
* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10

Feature:
The Switchcraft knobs are silent and spread their effect over the entire potetiometer spectrum. There are no "sensitive spots." Just a smooth mix.

Quality:
It hasn't broke yet and has that solid-weight letting ya know that it ain't gonna break

Value:
Costs about as much as a good pedal but does way more for your sound

Desirability:
Black is a standard look-good color

Sound:
It's like an after-market turbocharge for guitar. That's how significant the change is compared to stock pickups. These pickups open up the midrange allowing you to cut through the mix. Articulation and definition is achieved which is a miracle when going heavily distorted. Oh yeah... I forgot... It's heavy.

Overall:
All future guitars of mine will have the 81 installed or I'll install it myself

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