Old vs newer EMG 81

  • Thread starter Thread starter peterc52
  • Start date Start date
peterc52
peterc52
Well-known member
Changed the stock 81’s in my KH-2.

And let me tell you. The old ones are much better. Putting passive in the LPC.

They are fatter more chunky. The KH being a lighter guitar and with Floyd rose shines with these! Really great sounding.

IMG_5626.jpeg
IMG_5627.jpeg
IMG_5624.jpeg
 
There’s another thread here on active pickups where someone explained why: they changed the preamp in 2017. I thought my jackson was made out of pine at first with the new 81s. Swapped out and it sounds great.
 
denialist said:
There’s another thread here on active pickups where someone explained why: they changed the preamp in 2017. I thought my jackson was made out of pine at first with the new 81s. Swapped out and it sounds great.
Click to expand...
The others are from early 2000’s. Still very very different
 
interesting, i didnt notice much difference when i got my kh2 from my newer ones, they seemed slightly "softer" with maybe a little more low end than my other 81 guitars, but i do have the tone knob disconnected on those.
 
I agree with you The Rohs Laws suck lol The older Emgs are def better. I find they originals sound better the bottom end bigger and less compressed they give the impression of a bigger Chugg and the top is less fizzy I feel the fundamental of the top is better on old ones.
There is a few older guys who been saying this for a while now. I recently did a change like this and we were all blown away. Took my old esp from the 80's and took the emg out and placed it into a cheap Wylde audio guitar and we were laughing how different it was.
 
denialist said:
So what era are you saying is good and bad?
Click to expand...
This seems to be the question that deserves some research. I do find the newer ones meaning from last two years alot better then 2008-2013's ?? But who knows i have had success with mid to late 90's stuff too. its tough cause the company doesn't give you too much info
 
JR-OZ said:
This seems to be the question that deserves some research. I do find the newer ones meaning from last two years alot better then 2008-2013's ?? But who knows i have had success with mid to late 90's stuff too. its tough cause the company doesn't give you too much info
Click to expand...
I have a '22 that sounds horrible — hollow, and synthetic (More than usual), and a '16 that sounds good. I heard that 2017 was when they switched preamp. But I'm sure there have been other changes over the years.
 
denialist said:
I have a '22 that sounds horrible — hollow, and synthetic (More than usual), and a '16 that sounds good. I heard that 2017 was when they switched preamp. But I'm sure there have been other changes over the years.
Click to expand...
There ya go. I have some in old guitars if I get the time I’ll take an 80 90 and 2000s and see what’s up. There’s a guy somewhere who did this research online I just forgot who.
 
Doesn’t this mean that it is from 05? If so. So are the pickups. They are quick connect.

IMG_5629.png
 
I have a Zakk Wylde set, from the late 2000s, on my RR-5 and they do sound really good. Been told many times to give the older Ones a try, but this set sound so good on this guitar that I don't even want to try anything else on it.
 
SBlue said:
I have a Zakk Wylde set, from the late 2000s, on my RR-5 and they do sound really good. Been told many times to give the older Ones a try, but this set sound so good on this guitar that I don't even want to try anything else on it.
Click to expand...
I also have a set in an eclipse and they sound good as well. But not as fat as the old ones.
 
Is it hard to install the old EMGs? I see some for sale, but it's just the pickups. Do I need anything else, like the battery clip, or different pots and tone cap?
 
I noticed the EMG’s in my 1986 Schecter also being better. I swapped them for Fishman Fluence’s, which was a big mistake, then went back to the stock EMG’s and there it was again. So much better
 
SBlue said:
Is it hard to install the old EMGs? I see some for sale, but it's just the pickups. Do I need anything else, like the battery clip, or different pots and tone cap?
Click to expand...
You can easily find the instructions and diagrams online. Prior to the solderless electronics, regardless of whether the pickups were wuick connect or the original hardwired ones, you had to solder the wires to your guitar’s electronics just like any other pickup.

It isn’t very complicated, but yes you need different components. You can’t wire them into a passive pickup wiring scheme as for instance the jack has to be stereo and the pots a different value. The only “weird” thing about them is they don’t have a separate ground wire, but rather a shield that acts as a ground, so you have to make the ground connections to those similar to how you would with a 2 conductor braided shield wire.
 
SBlue said:
Is it hard to install the old EMGs? I see some for sale, but it's just the pickups. Do I need anything else, like the battery clip, or different pots and tone cap?
Click to expand...
Easy. Especially if there is EMG to begin with first :)
 
Y'all convinced me to give them a try!
What should I look for? Any 81/85 non-solder less set? Or is there any era in particular of the non-solder less set I should look for?
 
SBlue said:
Y'all convinced me to give them a try!
What should I look for? Any 81/85 non-solder less set? Or is there any era in particular of the non-solder less set I should look for?
Click to expand...
Tan colored backs where the sticker is. NOT black. It’s the only case of anything associated with tan being better
 
Perfect.
Thank you all for the help. Going to try to find a set of those.
Cheers
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
 
Back
Top