I put a VMC variable mid control in my guitar with 81X/60X. It's a great tool to cut the muddy low-mids right at the source. I'm usually cutting around 250Hz with it. And a 5 band parametric EQ in the FX loop. I could never use an amp without it. Also have an EXG expander in the guitar. Boosts bass and treble while cutting the quacky high-mids. Really thickens up the bridge pickup for heavy rhythm parts. Another thing I really like is to use the ABC/ABCX active balance control instead of a switch. Much more tonal options with the blend capability, and no insertion loss. With a switch there was always a volume drop on the middle position. Doesn't happen with the ABCX. And you only need one volume with it (like in an LP with 2 volumes). That's how I made room for the VMC and EXG, using just one tone and master volume. The VLPF active tone pots that come with the X-series aren't muddy when rolled off like the usual passive tone pots are. The Horizon Devices Precision Drive is a great overdrive to tighten and brighten a darker high gain channel. It has a Bright knob and the Attack knob has 6 notches of increasing tightness. And a built-in adjustable gate. Whatever amp or pedal distortion I'm using, the Precision Drive is on in front of it.
Currently in my Doom Metal phase, and for a while I thought that active pickups couldn’t do anything like that, but after hearing these tones, despite the riffs being more thrashy, I think I’m an actives gal now. Oh, and I’ve heard Kirk from Crowbar use EMGs before and they sound CRUSHING.
As we say here in Brazil: "Você não merece apenas palmas, merece o Tocantins inteiro !" This video was the "BEST" explanatory video I've ever seen on You Tube about it, you're the best, dude !
I EQ my amps on radically different settings depending on the pickup. For instance, if I have an ax with a passive like a Duncan Distortion or DiMarzio PAF Pro it's going to be set very different. When it comes to the EMG I reshuffle the deck, set everything at noon, then dial in the tone I want. EMGs just work different. They are active and have a multi-dimensional tone. For strings I use either 10-46 or 9-42. I play more classic rock or early 80s metal and this works for me.
@@jordansguitarchannel3809 You're welcome! You give excellent advice, and your tone is great, really cuts through. The thing a lot of players don't get about pickups is that even the most cut-thru ceramic active pickups will hit a wall of mud if you don't think very differently about EQ when dialing it in. There is no shortage of pickup demo and comparison vids which show different pickups run through the same EQ, or one pickup ran through very unoptimized EQs. These demos don't tell you anything at all about the pickup and how it works in the real world. If someone's going to spend the money on a set of pickups, especially EMGs, then they should learn to dial it in right. EMGs, because they are active, have a whole other dimension of tone going on, and it sounds incredible when it cuts through a mix. EMGs are very compressed, but you have to learn to take advantage of that compression. It took me a while to figure this out when I got my first 81 back in 1986. When I tried it through different amps, from Marshalls to Randalls to Boogies, I figured out that it was the EQ settings I had dialed in that effected the tone. The Marshalls had less scooped, more forward mids, unless I used certain pedals our outboard preamps, and the Randall and the Boogie were scooped unless I dialed out the scoop. The thing is EMGs will respond very differently to the whole scooped thing than other pickups. The thing is to let them do their thing.
Yeah, I dial in the eq in my amp different for each guitar. To be honest it frustrating me. I'm not one to change pickups I like the sound of most pick ups once I dial in the right tone in my amp. But I'm thinking I might put same puck ups in all my guitars.
24 Volt Mod helps, as well as the EXG midrange control. If you use accessories you shouldn't go above 18 volts. To me 18 volts adds body to the 81, but 24 volts really just speeds up transients and makes the 81 feel less like you're playing through an onboard pickup preamp. The slightest touch on the strings comes through. It felt like an entirely new pickup. I never found the 81 muddy. Many people say it's thin. But to me the 81 is defined if mid forward. Very 1990 Slayer-ish in tone. A lot of people who don't like a "thin" 81 go for the 85. The 85 is muddy to my ear. The low end of an 85 is loose and the top end is squashed and fizzy--maybe a bit like a Duncan JB. What I do find to be a problem in the 81 is a lack of clarity depending on how you have it dialed in. It can have a lot of grit and old school Peavey 5150-ish fizz in there. The Glenn Tipton 81 variant has cleaned the 81 up quite a bit to my ear, but with so many pickup models out these days I'm not sure picking it up new is worth it. It's like if you took a Tube Screamer and adjusted the drive and gain knobs to affect the amount of saturation more than an EQ change. Rather than pickup chasing, it's better to just get whatever is used and cheap and dial in the boost/preamp/amp to taste, IMO. Cutting the low mids around 400 hz is always a good place to start. The 81 seems really rolled off on the lows and highs--say around 200 hz and below, and then 5 khz and above. Right around 2-2.2 khz seems to be where it is emphasized. Surprisingly, I've had a much easier time getting pinch harmonics out of a Duncan Distortion than an EMG 81. On the recording side, even impulse responses help out quite a bit these days by shifting the EQ curve. You might not need to do so much dialing in if you have the right impulse response. Live a lot of guys are using FRFR speakers and running direct from their Kemper or Fractal Axe FX to FOH. No more expensive (and heavy) experimentation with dozens of cabinets. We have more tonal options than ever and wherever you want to tweak the chain is really a matter of personal preference. As far as pickups, the Duncan Mick Thomson Blackout AHB-3 seems like a more balanced, less colored EMG pickup. The regular Blackouts are good as well but a bit warmer. For passive pickups, I like the Duncan Full Shred, the Parallel Axis Original (a more hi fi Distortion), and the Gibson 498t--which surprised me as I usually don't like Alnico Vs in the bridge. The 498t is probably the best pickup I've tried for both rhythm and lead. For those insisting on high output pickups, I think that is more of a feel thing these days. In my DAW I've gotten death metal tones out of 8-9k Alnico II Gibson 57 Classics. When you have unlimited gain in the boost and preamp/head, pickup output doesn't mean much anymore save maybe how much compression and grit are on the signal. It's always been easier for me to boost a low to moderate output pickup than to get clarity out of a high output pickup. For that reason, I've never been a Duncan Invader guy. I still use my 90s era 81s even though they have limitations compared to newer pickup designs. The rolled off lows and highs and pronounced upper mids just help them sit so well in a mix. Hope this helps. Just my 2 cents. Thanks for your video.
Thanks for the comment, lots of great info here. My pleasure on the video, I have a few spouting the greatness of the 81. I actually used it for Jazz in college with great success through a Roland JC-120 with no effects. Amazing timeless pickup.
@@jordansguitarchannel3809 Recently I've been taking the bridge pickup version of lower output pickups and putting them in the neck. Your comment about the Jazz made me think about how underappreciated the bridge version of the Jazz is. Many people don't even know there is one. The EMG 60A is also underappreciated when you want something warmer and more bluesy than an EMG 60. I wish I could like the Jazz as much as an EMG 60, but an EMG 60 through a Roland JC120 is just a classic sound if you want a bright or slightly chorused clean. As for other bridge pickups in the neck, I put a Duncan Custom 5 into an LTD EC-256. Instant "Sad But True" Mesa style tones on that pickup since it has a huge mid scoop. But I couldn't find a good match in a neck pickup. I ended up using the Duncan Alnico II Pro--the original Slash pickup--but the bridge version. I flipped it so the screws faced the headstock. I've also had great success with a Custom in bridge/Custom 5 in neck, especially since those pickups make so many tones when split or in parallel. I do this by using Duncan Triple Shots with every passive guitar I have for more wiring options. I start with a V/V/T guitar. I wire the neck and bridge to their own independent volume knobs, put a phase push/pull on the neck, and a Shadow killpot on the bridge pickup. Add in a .47uf tone knob and with the Triple Shots you have nearly any wiring option you want. It's almost like a vintage Strat with all the possible wiring mods. But this can take a long time to wire up. So, these days I use my active guitars for low tunings and live situations where I know I just want a high gain sound from the bridge all the time and a clean sound from the neck. The guitars tend to be volume only or V/T. Very simple. Occasionally I'll put a hot pickup in the neck and solo from that but not often (ex: Dimebucker in bridge JB in neck). For standard tuned stuff when I want more variation in tones in studio I will use passives and V/V/T guitars. I'm also dialing back on the gain on rhythm--going with a Custom/Custom 5 or 498t over a 500t or Dirty Fingers. Even the EMG HZ pickups are nice since you basically get an EMG active sound but with all the passive wiring options. Definite sleeper pickups. The HZs can be a little quiet, but I find I can make up any distortion or grit later in the signal chain if the pickup is lacking slightly. That hot PAF kind of sound is nice for a Godsmack or Volbeat sort of tone where you need a lot of clarity and a mid scoop too. Using EMG 81s and a 5150 is more of a Machine Head or death metal sound. The one drawback Duncans and DiMarzios have compared to EMGs is ease of installation. I wish more passive pickups would have a quick connect wiring harness for their 4 conductor pickups so you can wire up your Triple Shot or push/pull switch and then just unplug the pickup when you want to try something else. EMG HZs have done this passive quick connector setup for years. Fitting a Triple Shot soldering tab on the back near the EMG quick connector can be tricky, but I've made it work. The downside is the HZs are a little quiet so people think they are low output and not very good. But I like them a lot when I want an EMG tone with passive wiring options. EMG's active split-able pickups often require unnecessary and expensive accessories to emulate what you can get out of the box with a 4 conductor passive pickup. And you can't even select which coil is in use on the 81tw/89/89r or run them in parallel. Thanks again.
What does the trick is to disconnect the tone control and use a CTS type 1meg pot for volume, it will sound less compressed, more natural, there are other tricks like the 18v battery pack mod, of course EMG's are not pickups for the small amps in the bedroom, you will hear the differences with an valve amp and tons of volume
Plastic to me would translate to mean it's cold and kinda brittle. Guitarebonics(plastic, brown sound, choked)... I really wanted to like EMG's as many of my heroes use them but I've come to realize I prefer passives although I did like the blackout. Haven't tried a fluence pickup yet. Really enjoyed your vid man. Love your evh el34. That Mesa cab is so bassy and massive sounding. I also hear good things about the emg x sounding more like a passive.
Thanks man, I really appreciate it. I agree with you about your definition, I’ve just always enjoyed actives over passive due to the aggressive nature of my playing. I have a set of Bare Knuckles I really enjoy in my Les Paul. Next guitar with passives I get is definitely getting Bare Knuckles, I find they have the bite I love so much about actives.
Oh man, the crap I've heard the last 20 years I own and play EMGs (81s, 85s, 60s Retroactives)... Plasticky, boring, artificial etc etc... 99% from people who haven't even touched a guitar with EMGs! LOL!
@jordansguitarchannel3809 Interesting i never tried that or seen anyone else . So you have the eq very first in the chain right out of guitar ? Guitar--EQ--noise gate--[ -to FX loop -Overdrive-- front of amp. ?
Where in your effects chain do you place the Buxom boost? I have this exact guitar, and I have tried for four days straight to find a killer tone from my 6505 and 4x12 Rectifier cab with it. I got the 24v mod, and 10-46 NYXL strings, which made a big difference from the ernie ball 10's I think it came with. Also using a TS9 overdrive. I ended up having to use the 10 band EQ I have to make it really sound mean. Was hoping the buxom boost could make it even meaner. I'm coming from two LTD's with fishmans. Only have one other guitar that has EMGs, and its a 7 string that doesn't get played that often now.
What I wanna know is how your evh doesn’t sound fuzzy with that cab. Are they v30 loaded? I have the 2x12 version of that mesa and a stealth 6l6 evh. I’ve eqd a bunch and it always has this underlying fizz that drives me crazy. I know yours is the el34 but is that the difference
Yeah man, it’s stock V30s. I run my 6l6 through it too with no fizz either. All I did was follow Celestion’s break in process and I run a boost, noise gate, and I keep the mids and presence up pretty high. I am also bumping the EQ through the Friedman buxom boost as well. Hope that helps man.
i love how you make the emg 81 sound like.... if thats all you have... some people would love to have one but dont and that makes me luagh. i knew what you meant but i just thought it was funny cus the Fishmans aren't better but just different. great video man
Hey Jordan. Great tone as always brotha. You always share some really great tips as well. Question regarding speakers. I have acquired 2 new 2022 Celestion V30's along with 2 DV77 speakers. I want to swap out the speakers in my cab. Suggestion on where to place them. An X pattern, V30's on top, DV77's on bottom or visa versa? The cab I have in a Splawn 4/12 cab. One of the Baltic Birch versions. It has Celestion 75's in it that I want to replace. Thoughts?
I would go with something like Stringjoy 11-70 or 11-74 to give you the proper tension to start. Then simply raise the bridge slightly to eliminate any buzz, that should give you what you’re looking for. Also important is to keep an eye on the neck with super heavy strings, the extra tension can cause it to move.
Hey Man… killin it… I’m new to actives and got a Sean Long Charvel ( how I found your channel)… are 11’s the way to go for Metallica type playing? I’ve got an Egnater Rebel 30 MKii into a 2x12 cab ( I haven’t found “ that tone” yet.. Have a few overdrive pedals and a great noise gate.. Still tone searching.. 🤘
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Ive had my EC1000t for 5 yrs and I took your advise and lowered the EMG pickup height, so much more percussive. Thanx brother
No problem brother, glad I could help!
Took the advice. It’s incredible. No more one of those irritating ringing noises every time I rest my palm on the bridge to palm mute.
Awesome. I’m glad I could help! 🤘
Been putting 81 n 85s in my v's since 1986. They were kinda a new thing. The db boost totally floored me back then.
I bet man. Kinda hard to go to anything else.
I put a VMC variable mid control in my guitar with 81X/60X. It's a great tool to cut the muddy low-mids right at the source. I'm usually cutting around 250Hz with it.
And a 5 band parametric EQ in the FX loop. I could never use an amp without it.
Also have an EXG expander in the guitar. Boosts bass and treble while cutting the quacky high-mids. Really thickens up the bridge pickup for heavy rhythm parts.
Another thing I really like is to use the ABC/ABCX active balance control instead of a switch. Much more tonal options with the blend capability, and no insertion loss. With a switch there was always a volume drop on the middle position. Doesn't happen with the ABCX. And you only need one volume with it (like in an LP with 2 volumes). That's how I made room for the VMC and EXG, using just one tone and master volume.
The VLPF active tone pots that come with the X-series aren't muddy when rolled off like the usual passive tone pots are.
The Horizon Devices Precision Drive is a great overdrive to tighten and brighten a darker high gain channel. It has a Bright knob and the Attack knob has 6 notches of increasing tightness. And a built-in adjustable gate. Whatever amp or pedal distortion I'm using, the Precision Drive is on in front of it.
Awesome comment. Thanks for sharing that, some great information!
emg 81 has a pleasure center built in. to dial it in it comes down to fractions of a turn on the adjustment screws
bet! 👍
Currently in my Doom Metal phase, and for a while I thought that active pickups couldn’t do anything like that, but after hearing these tones, despite the riffs being more thrashy, I think I’m an actives gal now. Oh, and I’ve heard Kirk from Crowbar use EMGs before and they sound CRUSHING.
Awesome, I hope I converted you. Of course along with Kirk, somehow he just always has the absolute heaviest tone.
As we say here in Brazil: "Você não merece apenas palmas, merece o Tocantins inteiro !" This video was the "BEST" explanatory video I've ever seen on You Tube about it, you're the best, dude !
Hey thanks bro, I really appreciate it. Glad it helped you, stay tuned for more my friend.
I EQ my amps on radically different settings depending on the pickup. For instance, if I have an ax with a passive like a Duncan Distortion or DiMarzio PAF Pro it's going to be set very different. When it comes to the EMG I reshuffle the deck, set everything at noon, then dial in the tone I want. EMGs just work different. They are active and have a multi-dimensional tone. For strings I use either 10-46 or 9-42. I play more classic rock or early 80s metal and this works for me.
Awesome. Thanks for sharing. Some really good tone shaping tips!
@@jordansguitarchannel3809 You're welcome! You give excellent advice, and your tone is great, really cuts through. The thing a lot of players don't get about pickups is that even the most cut-thru ceramic active pickups will hit a wall of mud if you don't think very differently about EQ when dialing it in. There is no shortage of pickup demo and comparison vids which show different pickups run through the same EQ, or one pickup ran through very unoptimized EQs. These demos don't tell you anything at all about the pickup and how it works in the real world. If someone's going to spend the money on a set of pickups, especially EMGs, then they should learn to dial it in right. EMGs, because they are active, have a whole other dimension of tone going on, and it sounds incredible when it cuts through a mix. EMGs are very compressed, but you have to learn to take advantage of that compression. It took me a while to figure this out when I got my first 81 back in 1986. When I tried it through different amps, from Marshalls to Randalls to Boogies, I figured out that it was the EQ settings I had dialed in that effected the tone. The Marshalls had less scooped, more forward mids, unless I used certain pedals our outboard preamps, and the Randall and the Boogie were scooped unless I dialed out the scoop. The thing is EMGs will respond very differently to the whole scooped thing than other pickups. The thing is to let them do their thing.
Thanks so much, I really appreciate your comments and compliments. Very eloquently spoken and explained, I look forward to hearing more from you!
Yeah, I dial in the eq in my amp different for each guitar.
To be honest it frustrating me.
I'm not one to change pickups I like the sound of most pick ups once I dial in the right tone in my amp.
But I'm thinking I might put same puck ups in all my guitars.
Awesome thanks EQ it is sounds crispyer with bottom end great demo just about done 👍 it 🎸
Awesome, you’re welcome 🤘
Birdie sent me .! Awsome sound man!
Thank you!!
24 Volt Mod helps, as well as the EXG midrange control. If you use accessories you shouldn't go above 18 volts.
To me 18 volts adds body to the 81, but 24 volts really just speeds up transients and makes the 81 feel less like you're playing through an onboard pickup preamp. The slightest touch on the strings comes through. It felt like an entirely new pickup.
I never found the 81 muddy. Many people say it's thin. But to me the 81 is defined if mid forward. Very 1990 Slayer-ish in tone.
A lot of people who don't like a "thin" 81 go for the 85. The 85 is muddy to my ear. The low end of an 85 is loose and the top end is squashed and fizzy--maybe a bit like a Duncan JB.
What I do find to be a problem in the 81 is a lack of clarity depending on how you have it dialed in. It can have a lot of grit and old school Peavey 5150-ish fizz in there.
The Glenn Tipton 81 variant has cleaned the 81 up quite a bit to my ear, but with so many pickup models out these days I'm not sure picking it up new is worth it. It's like if you took a Tube Screamer and adjusted the drive and gain knobs to affect the amount of saturation more than an EQ change.
Rather than pickup chasing, it's better to just get whatever is used and cheap and dial in the boost/preamp/amp to taste, IMO. Cutting the low mids around 400 hz is always a good place to start.
The 81 seems really rolled off on the lows and highs--say around 200 hz and below, and then 5 khz and above. Right around 2-2.2 khz seems to be where it is emphasized. Surprisingly, I've had a much easier time getting pinch harmonics out of a Duncan Distortion than an EMG 81.
On the recording side, even impulse responses help out quite a bit these days by shifting the EQ curve. You might not need to do so much dialing in if you have the right impulse response.
Live a lot of guys are using FRFR speakers and running direct from their Kemper or Fractal Axe FX to FOH. No more expensive (and heavy) experimentation with dozens of cabinets.
We have more tonal options than ever and wherever you want to tweak the chain is really a matter of personal preference.
As far as pickups, the Duncan Mick Thomson Blackout AHB-3 seems like a more balanced, less colored EMG pickup. The regular Blackouts are good as well but a bit warmer.
For passive pickups, I like the Duncan Full Shred, the Parallel Axis Original (a more hi fi Distortion), and the Gibson 498t--which surprised me as I usually don't like Alnico Vs in the bridge. The 498t is probably the best pickup I've tried for both rhythm and lead.
For those insisting on high output pickups, I think that is more of a feel thing these days.
In my DAW I've gotten death metal tones out of 8-9k Alnico II Gibson 57 Classics.
When you have unlimited gain in the boost and preamp/head, pickup output doesn't mean much anymore save maybe how much compression and grit are on the signal.
It's always been easier for me to boost a low to moderate output pickup than to get clarity out of a high output pickup. For that reason, I've never been a Duncan Invader guy.
I still use my 90s era 81s even though they have limitations compared to newer pickup designs. The rolled off lows and highs and pronounced upper mids just help them sit so well in a mix.
Hope this helps. Just my 2 cents.
Thanks for your video.
Thanks for the comment, lots of great info here. My pleasure on the video, I have a few spouting the greatness of the 81. I actually used it for Jazz in college with great success through a Roland JC-120 with no effects. Amazing timeless pickup.
@@jordansguitarchannel3809 Recently I've been taking the bridge pickup version of lower output pickups and putting them in the neck.
Your comment about the Jazz made me think about how underappreciated the bridge version of the Jazz is. Many people don't even know there is one. The EMG 60A is also underappreciated when you want something warmer and more bluesy than an EMG 60.
I wish I could like the Jazz as much as an EMG 60, but an EMG 60 through a Roland JC120 is just a classic sound if you want a bright or slightly chorused clean.
As for other bridge pickups in the neck, I put a Duncan Custom 5 into an LTD EC-256. Instant "Sad But True" Mesa style tones on that pickup since it has a huge mid scoop. But I couldn't find a good match in a neck pickup.
I ended up using the Duncan Alnico II Pro--the original Slash pickup--but the bridge version. I flipped it so the screws faced the headstock.
I've also had great success with a Custom in bridge/Custom 5 in neck, especially since those pickups make so many tones when split or in parallel.
I do this by using Duncan Triple Shots with every passive guitar I have for more wiring options.
I start with a V/V/T guitar. I wire the neck and bridge to their own independent volume knobs, put a phase push/pull on the neck, and a Shadow killpot on the bridge pickup. Add in a .47uf tone knob and with the Triple Shots you have nearly any wiring option you want. It's almost like a vintage Strat with all the possible wiring mods. But this can take a long time to wire up.
So, these days I use my active guitars for low tunings and live situations where I know I just want a high gain sound from the bridge all the time and a clean sound from the neck. The guitars tend to be volume only or V/T. Very simple. Occasionally I'll put a hot pickup in the neck and solo from that but not often (ex: Dimebucker in bridge JB in neck).
For standard tuned stuff when I want more variation in tones in studio I will use passives and V/V/T guitars.
I'm also dialing back on the gain on rhythm--going with a Custom/Custom 5 or 498t over a 500t or Dirty Fingers.
Even the EMG HZ pickups are nice since you basically get an EMG active sound but with all the passive wiring options. Definite sleeper pickups. The HZs can be a little quiet, but I find I can make up any distortion or grit later in the signal chain if the pickup is lacking slightly.
That hot PAF kind of sound is nice for a Godsmack or Volbeat sort of tone where you need a lot of clarity and a mid scoop too. Using EMG 81s and a 5150 is more of a Machine Head or death metal sound.
The one drawback Duncans and DiMarzios have compared to EMGs is ease of installation.
I wish more passive pickups would have a quick connect wiring harness for their 4 conductor pickups so you can wire up your Triple Shot or push/pull switch and then just unplug the pickup when you want to try something else.
EMG HZs have done this passive quick connector setup for years. Fitting a Triple Shot soldering tab on the back near the EMG quick connector can be tricky, but I've made it work.
The downside is the HZs are a little quiet so people think they are low output and not very good. But I like them a lot when I want an EMG tone with passive wiring options.
EMG's active split-able pickups often require unnecessary and expensive accessories to emulate what you can get out of the box with a 4 conductor passive pickup. And you can't even select which coil is in use on the 81tw/89/89r or run them in parallel.
Thanks again.
You’re welcome brother and thanks for these awesome comments man. I’m glad to know there’s people out there who are so into like me.
thats a killer tone!
Thanks Bro! 🤘
What does the trick is to disconnect the tone control and use a CTS type 1meg pot for volume, it will sound less compressed, more natural, there are other tricks like the 18v battery pack mod, of course EMG's are not pickups for the small amps in the bedroom, you will hear the differences with an valve amp and tons of volume
Awesome thanks for sharing man!
Are you talking their passives? Never heard of anything other than 25k pots for the actives.
Plastic to me would translate to mean it's cold and kinda brittle. Guitarebonics(plastic, brown sound, choked)... I really wanted to like EMG's as many of my heroes use them but I've come to realize I prefer passives although I did like the blackout. Haven't tried a fluence pickup yet. Really enjoyed your vid man. Love your evh el34. That Mesa cab is so bassy and massive sounding. I also hear good things about the emg x sounding more like a passive.
Thanks man, I really appreciate it. I agree with you about your definition, I’ve just always enjoyed actives over passive due to the aggressive nature of my playing. I have a set of Bare Knuckles I really enjoy in my Les Paul. Next guitar with passives I get is definitely getting Bare Knuckles, I find they have the bite I love so much about actives.
Oh man, the crap I've heard the last 20 years I own and play EMGs (81s, 85s, 60s Retroactives)... Plasticky, boring, artificial etc etc... 99% from people who haven't even touched a guitar with EMGs! LOL!
Haha, I know. It’s crazy, I played jazz with a guy who had them in a Gibson and they sounded fantastic. Popular internet opinions haha.
which noisegate are you using?
Revv G8 with the four cable method. Highly recommended.
@@jordansguitarchannel3809 thx for the answer:)
I already do all of this with my current gear and it sounds pretty bright, a boost and an EQ is really all? Is that the secret?
It’s what works for me. I keep the EQ at middle setting’s so it just lifts and brightens a touch.
Where do you like to put your EQ in the chain?
I run the noise gate in the four cable method and put a Six Band directly in front of it.
@jordansguitarchannel3809
Interesting i never tried that or seen anyone else . So you have the eq very first in the chain right out of guitar ? Guitar--EQ--noise gate--[ -to FX loop
-Overdrive-- front of amp. ?
I’m sorry I meant guitar-noise gate-fx loop-eq.
Excellent. And that guitar is next on my buy list! 🤘🏻 subbed
Thanks brother! Keep me posted on the new axe. 🤘
Where in your effects chain do you place the Buxom boost?
I have this exact guitar, and I have tried for four days straight to find a killer tone from my 6505 and 4x12 Rectifier cab with it. I got the 24v mod, and 10-46 NYXL strings, which made a big difference from the ernie ball 10's I think it came with. Also using a TS9 overdrive. I ended up having to use the 10 band EQ I have to make it really sound mean. Was hoping the buxom boost could make it even meaner. I'm coming from two LTD's with fishmans. Only have one other guitar that has EMGs, and its a 7 string that doesn't get played that often now.
The buxom boost is right in front of the amp, all controls at noon. Hope it helps!
@@jordansguitarchannel3809 thanks man!
No problem, good luck! Anymore questions feel free to ask!
Hey man, to get your tone here, are you using the Buxom boost with an overdrive, or just one of those?@@jordansguitarchannel3809
Hey man, to get your tone here, are you using the Buxom boost with an overdrive, or just one of those? @@jordansguitarchannel3809
What I wanna know is how your evh doesn’t sound fuzzy with that cab. Are they v30 loaded? I have the 2x12 version of that mesa and a stealth 6l6 evh. I’ve eqd a bunch and it always has this underlying fizz that drives me crazy. I know yours is the el34 but is that the difference
Yeah man, it’s stock V30s. I run my 6l6 through it too with no fizz either. All I did was follow Celestion’s break in process and I run a boost, noise gate, and I keep the mids and presence up pretty high. I am also bumping the EQ through the Friedman buxom boost as well. Hope that helps man.
@@jordansguitarchannel3809 it helps. What is there breAk in? I’ve had people tell me about but idk if it’s gonna happen ever lol
Go to their website and check it out. I can’t remember all the steps, but it’s super simple. celestion.com/blog/how-to-break-in-a-guitar-speaker/.
@@jordansguitarchannel3809 word thanks man
No problem man. Good luck.
i love how you make the emg 81 sound like.... if thats all you have... some people would love to have one but dont and that makes me luagh. i knew what you meant but i just thought it was funny cus the Fishmans aren't better but just different. great video man
Thanks man, I appreciate it and thanks for watching.
thanks for the tips
these are exactly what I do to tame the mud and get the tone I want
\m/
No problem Brother! Glad I could help! 🤘
Have you tried the ESP E-II EX NT?
Not yet, I’ve heard great things about them. I can tell you that playability and reliability are on par across the whole line.
@@jordansguitarchannel3809 I tried one about a year ago. It was pretty good. Sucks that they don’t normally stock them to get a real feel for them.
I love ESP, but some really cool models they either discontinue or don’t produce very many of.
Hey Jordan. Great tone as always brotha. You always share some really great tips as well. Question regarding speakers.
I have acquired 2 new 2022 Celestion V30's along with 2 DV77 speakers. I want to swap out the speakers in my cab. Suggestion on where to place them. An X pattern, V30's on top, DV77's on bottom or visa versa? The cab I have in a Splawn 4/12 cab. One of the Baltic Birch versions. It has Celestion 75's in it that I want to replace. Thoughts?
I would go with an X pattern if it were me. I feel you'd go the most tonal options that way.
@@jordansguitarchannel3809 Thanks brotha 🙂
Anytime brother!
great sound !
Thanks man! 🤘
Sick tone!
Thanks!! 🤘
How would you adjust for a 7 string? In Drop G , wanna get it as tight as possible
What’s the scale length?
@@jordansguitarchannel3809 have two a Schecter with 26.5 and a carvin with 25.5
I would go with something like Stringjoy 11-70 or 11-74 to give you the proper tension to start. Then simply raise the bridge slightly to eliminate any buzz, that should give you what you’re looking for. Also important is to keep an eye on the neck with super heavy strings, the extra tension can cause it to move.
Hey Man… killin it…
I’m new to actives and got a Sean Long Charvel ( how I found your channel)… are 11’s the way to go for Metallica type playing?
I’ve got an Egnater Rebel 30 MKii into a 2x12 cab ( I haven’t found “ that tone” yet..
Have a few overdrive pedals and a great noise gate..
Still tone searching..
🤘
For Metallica tone I'd try a set of 10s with a 50 for the Low E. Keep on tone searching brother, I appreciate you coming out! 🤘
Birdie sent me! Sounds amazing. How long you been playing?
Awesome, thanks man. I've been playing for 31 years
Yes the 24v mod is the trick!
Absolutely bro. I use it everyday!
OMG! Active emg's suck ass. 😭 Thats all !, Now im going to find a video with a talented drummer, and cry about triggers.
Hahaha. What???
hah don't worry my guy just being sarcastic againts these anti emg clueless nerds@@jordansguitarchannel3809
Plastic- sounds generic,fake ,engineered,solid state...no tube life
Are these Emo lyrics?
@jordansguitarchannel3809
Savage reply lmao