I asked questions to EMG about the VLPF. Essentially the VLPF rolls off more highs than the passive tone. The passive tone is subtle when used with the X series pickups and the VLPF is more noticeable. Doesn't mean you can't use the passive tone with them though. it would be cool to compare the LJAX to LJCSX
I'd like to see a side by side comparison of the frank bello signature pj set and the geezer butler signature pj set. I know one's active and one's passive, but it'd be cool to hear them side by side.
The Bass Chanel: Based on the strength of this review I dropped a set of these in my Frank Bellow LTD bass and my Ibanez RGB bass. Did you notice a significant volume difference between the J pickup and the P? In both of my examples the J is at a far lower volume than the P. The P is 3.5mm from the bottom of the string, the J 2.25mm away (with the string press down at the last fret). Batteries are new and I checked the wiring several times to be sure. EMG is saying this is how it is, but my GZR sets don't do this. Would love to hear your thoughts.
love the channel guys, question on the F. Bello EMG PU's in the LTD Surveyor,, PU's are active but theres no battery compartment on the LTD, so did you have to squish the battery into the control cavity? and if so, then ya gotta remove the pickguard everytime it's time for a new battery? sounds kinda pain in the A??? just curious, thanks guys!!
My issue with pairing these at home is would you go with the x series or just standard emg stuff bc im building a jazz bass with 2 jazz pickups and I love the sound but at the same time the dave ellefson set is standard emg but configured like these and then these have the x preamp kinda hard to choose lol would be a good comparison video to find out
What Metallica song is that at the end of the video (13:58)? I just went through their entire catalogue in my computer and didn't find it. It's driving me nuts... and thanks guys, the video was helpful too!
Thanks for this killer review. I'm confused about the magnet marking, on the emg site for the PCSX magnet, it doesn't have the EMG X marking, but it's for the PX series. can you explain that to me?
I own a Spector Euro LX 4 with active EMG J-Single Coil / Reverse P Split Coil and the active EMG BTS 2 Band EQ. Do you think that the FB Set would be a significant upgrade?
I recently bought a Charvel San Dimas Pro Mod, has stock Dimarzio PJ pickups. It’s my first time with Dimarzio bass pickups. I’m not too big a fan of them, not enough punch for me. Would you recommend the Frank Bello set, or regular EMG X PJ set? I’m not sure the difference between his signature and the regular set.
Hey man. I'm also on the tone quest. Both sets are X series and that means they have more headroom than the usual PJ set. X PJ are also ceramic just like the original PJ set. They sound similar to original EMG PJ. EMG PJ X has more top end ping to my ears and is said to be less compressed, sort of like a passive pickup. DiMarzios in your bass are also Ceramic. This set in the video here is Jazz Alnico X in the bridge, and Precision Ceramic Steel X in the neck. These are also X series but different from the previous ones. PCSX is a little warmer, fatter and smoother on the top end. The JAX, is Alnico which sounds completely different from other ceramic EMG. Of course, Alnico is what is used in older P basses so the sound is closer to that. They have a ton of mids and a lot of "ping" also. I am going after PCSX into the neck and PAX in the bridge of my Yamaha.
Kind of surprised Dimarzios there don't have enough punch. I love that set. They sound like a hammer everywhere i have hear it. Funny enough Charvel just made a Frank Bello PJ model with this emg set in it.
@@iamgribs I appreciate all that information! That’s definitely a big help to me. I had a fender p bass with the Geezer Butler EMG Pbass pickup set, and loved them. They had a big smack to them, especially not being passive. But I’m looking to try something new. And I’ve seen Anthrax multiple times and always loved Frank’s bass tone. This new Charvel is taking the spot of my old Pbass, much faster playing neck and all around build quality. But definitely want something more punchy in it.
@@iamgribs his new Charvel signature looks awesome, and I wanted it. But I found a good deal on this Sam Dimas, like $400 off sticker price and I couldn’t pass up the roasted maple neck.
@@RandomTstudios I think maybe if you paired the GZR with the right preamp it could do something crazy, I agree that is a superb sounding pickup. It is also Alnico, totally different from EMG P, EMP PX or EMG PCSX. Frank is one of my bass HEROES and Anthrax/Priest was the best show I ever seen in my life.
If the pickups had a good 3 band active eq with a 3 position mid frequency toggle switch i think they would sound so much better & make it a bass with more variable/flexabile tones... a nice tone as is but a bit of a one trick pony without a 3 band eq...imo.. EMG make many different types of active 2 band & 3 band eq systems....if you like the Jackson check out Dan's own made bass's from Dan's 'Guns'n'Guitars RUclips channel who makes a very similar bass,very well made,same pickup setup,probably Epic Customshop pickups but very similar with a great tone, & although i'm from the UK Dan is from the USA....i bought a pair of the same PJ Epic Customshop pickups with 1/8th inch polepices like an SD Quarterpounder but better imo...you could easily add an active eq or he may make one with active eq if you asked him nicely....worth checking out his videos and message him about what bass's he can still make if any at the moment...very similar to the Jackson but imo better & he knows every wiring trick in the book bud....good demo of the EMG's...👍🎸
How would it sound like Maiden. This is a completely different setup than Harris, the point is to play familiar songs in this setup to hear how they would sound
@@WildChildMcCloud No budget to demo any other than AliExpress knockoffs. Sorry. Now there's one thing you've got to consider here, I think it's a nice review
@@iamgribs Yeah, and I actually like this ones better than Seymour Duncand Steve harris' ones. This sound more bassier while still retaining that cassic precision "Pfaf" when hitting the string... I hope that "Pfaf" can get my pont across...
@@CamiloPefaur I don't like the Harris ones at all. Too bright and clinky. These are more fat, yes. It is sort of like a Quarter Pounder in that way. I do love the Precision growl also 🤘
would have been slightly more usefull if you recorded a "stock" to a/b most pickup changes are pretty subtle especially between brands. the tone is killer the only thing im slightly confused about is determining if someone needs the "L" Jazz pickup or the standard.
Jazz bass pickups typically are different lengths to account for the widening string spacing, so here long just means it's meant to be close to the bridge. Likewise, short means it goes closer to the neck. It's just EMG's way of categorizing the different sizes, most other pickup makers just use 'Neck' or 'Bridge' to do the same thing.
I asked questions to EMG about the VLPF. Essentially the VLPF rolls off more highs than the passive tone. The passive tone is subtle when used with the X series pickups and the VLPF is more noticeable. Doesn't mean you can't use the passive tone with them though.
it would be cool to compare the LJAX to LJCSX
Thank you for the info!
I'd like to see a side by side comparison of the frank bello signature pj set and the geezer butler signature pj set. I know one's active and one's passive, but it'd be cool to hear them side by side.
Very different these here sound ultra modern and hi fi, gzr more old school but a little more sting and clarity than other vintages I've heard
I am loving these EMG Frank Bello pickups you might not be the only one putting a set of these into one of your basses Chris, they're killer 😀👍
It will be cool to listen them in the spector. Love this set of emg's
That would sound killer, spectors have a lot of grind and sting this would turn it into a total hammer
Speaking of EMGs and your Spector, I bought a Spector NS Pulse 4 over the weekend.
The mighty paws of death! ;-)
Never have they been described better
EMG PJ are sooooo good
The Bass Chanel: Based on the strength of this review I dropped a set of these in my Frank Bellow LTD bass and my Ibanez RGB bass. Did you notice a significant volume difference between the J pickup and the P? In both of my examples the J is at a far lower volume than the P. The P is 3.5mm from the bottom of the string, the J 2.25mm away (with the string press down at the last fret). Batteries are new and I checked the wiring several times to be sure. EMG is saying this is how it is, but my GZR sets don't do this. Would love to hear your thoughts.
I feel like the Frank Bello sound is less in the pickups and more in the Hartke amps with the midrange turned obnoxiously up.
Fakts
Both basses would be cool, but please put those pickups in the Jackson.
Would like to hear the spector with FB pickups through the FB tech 21 pedal 🤘🤘🤷♂️
love the channel guys, question on the F. Bello EMG PU's in the LTD Surveyor,, PU's are active but theres no battery compartment on the LTD, so did you have to squish the battery into the control cavity? and if so, then ya gotta remove the pickguard everytime it's time for a new battery? sounds kinda pain in the A??? just curious, thanks guys!!
My issue with pairing these at home is would you go with the x series or just standard emg stuff bc im building a jazz bass with 2 jazz pickups and I love the sound but at the same time the dave ellefson set is standard emg but configured like these and then these have the x preamp kinda hard to choose lol would be a good comparison video to find out
What Metallica song is that at the end of the video (13:58)? I just went through their entire catalogue in my computer and didn't find it. It's driving me nuts... and thanks guys, the video was helpful too!
Orion
Thanks for this killer review. I'm confused about the magnet marking, on the emg site for the PCSX magnet, it doesn't have the EMG X marking, but it's for the PX series. can you explain that to me?
It might just be an error on their website
@@TheBassChannel Yes they told me that today :) Thanks
have you thought about mixing the les claypool and robs riptide set?
I own a Spector Euro LX 4 with active EMG J-Single Coil / Reverse P Split Coil and the active EMG BTS 2 Band EQ. Do you think that the FB Set would be a significant upgrade?
Where did you put the battery? it's a passive bass that ...
Surely under the pickguard
Could you guys do a review on the Tom Araya set?
I recently bought a Charvel San Dimas Pro Mod, has stock Dimarzio PJ pickups. It’s my first time with Dimarzio bass pickups. I’m not too big a fan of them, not enough punch for me. Would you recommend the Frank Bello set, or regular EMG X PJ set? I’m not sure the difference between his signature and the regular set.
Hey man. I'm also on the tone quest.
Both sets are X series and that means they have more headroom than the usual PJ set.
X PJ are also ceramic just like the original PJ set. They sound similar to original EMG PJ. EMG PJ X has more top end ping to my ears and is said to be less compressed, sort of like a passive pickup. DiMarzios in your bass are also Ceramic.
This set in the video here is Jazz Alnico X in the bridge, and Precision Ceramic Steel X in the neck. These are also X series but different from the previous ones.
PCSX is a little warmer, fatter and smoother on the top end.
The JAX, is Alnico which sounds completely different from other ceramic EMG. Of course, Alnico is what is used in older P basses so the sound is closer to that. They have a ton of mids and a lot of "ping" also.
I am going after PCSX into the neck and PAX in the bridge of my Yamaha.
Kind of surprised Dimarzios there don't have enough punch. I love that set. They sound like a hammer everywhere i have hear it.
Funny enough Charvel just made a Frank Bello PJ model with this emg set in it.
@@iamgribs I appreciate all that information! That’s definitely a big help to me. I had a fender p bass with the Geezer Butler EMG Pbass pickup set, and loved them. They had a big smack to them, especially not being passive. But I’m looking to try something new. And I’ve seen Anthrax multiple times and always loved Frank’s bass tone. This new Charvel is taking the spot of my old Pbass, much faster playing neck and all around build quality. But definitely want something more punchy in it.
@@iamgribs his new Charvel signature looks awesome, and I wanted it. But I found a good deal on this Sam Dimas, like $400 off sticker price and I couldn’t pass up the roasted maple neck.
@@RandomTstudios I think maybe if you paired the GZR with the right preamp it could do something crazy, I agree that is a superb sounding pickup. It is also Alnico, totally different from EMG P, EMP PX or EMG PCSX. Frank is one of my bass HEROES and Anthrax/Priest was the best show I ever seen in my life.
If the pickups had a good 3 band active eq with a 3 position mid frequency toggle switch i think they would sound so much better & make it a bass with more variable/flexabile tones... a nice tone as is but a bit of a one trick pony without a 3 band eq...imo..
EMG make many different types of active 2 band & 3 band eq systems....if you like the Jackson check out Dan's own made bass's from Dan's 'Guns'n'Guitars RUclips channel who makes a very similar bass,very well made,same pickup setup,probably Epic Customshop pickups but very similar with a great tone, & although i'm from the UK Dan is from the USA....i bought a pair of the same PJ Epic Customshop pickups with 1/8th inch polepices like an SD Quarterpounder but better imo...you could easily add an active eq or he may make one with active eq if you asked him nicely....worth checking out his videos and message him about what bass's he can still make if any at the moment...very similar to the Jackson but imo better & he knows every wiring trick in the book bud....good demo of the EMG's...👍🎸
what is the name of the song at minute 8:19?
What is the bass line on 11:20???
Got those pickups a week ago.
Don't know if I have them hooked up wrong,but they sound like sh#t
7:00 that does not sound like iron maiden at all...
Nice review though
Let's hear your version
How would it sound like Maiden. This is a completely different setup than Harris, the point is to play familiar songs in this setup to hear how they would sound
@@WildChildMcCloud No budget to demo any other than AliExpress knockoffs. Sorry.
Now there's one thing you've got to consider here, I think it's a nice review
@@iamgribs Yeah, and I actually like this ones better than Seymour Duncand Steve harris' ones. This sound more bassier while still retaining that cassic precision "Pfaf" when hitting the string... I hope that "Pfaf" can get my pont across...
@@CamiloPefaur I don't like the Harris ones at all.
Too bright and clinky.
These are more fat, yes.
It is sort of like a Quarter Pounder in that way.
I do love the Precision growl also 🤘
Way to much distortions sounds like Geddy Lees sound sound they’re trying to emulate!
would have been slightly more usefull if you recorded a "stock" to a/b most pickup changes are pretty subtle especially between brands. the tone is killer the only thing im slightly confused about is determining if someone needs the "L" Jazz pickup or the standard.
Jazz bass pickups typically are different lengths to account for the widening string spacing, so here long just means it's meant to be close to the bridge. Likewise, short means it goes closer to the neck. It's just EMG's way of categorizing the different sizes, most other pickup makers just use 'Neck' or 'Bridge' to do the same thing.
Rod mcg has a shootout between several emg pj sets. Great video
:-)
The one finger Louie in the beginning part of vid