InYourFace Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 Hi, so really I have been looking for a guitar for awhile now and have come close to deciding. I want a Les Paul, obviously, and since I play heavier music I wanted to put EMGs in it. Well my main question about this is just really if this is recommended, if you guys have any experience with such a set up, and how it sounds. So what I'm trying to say is : Is buying a Les Paul and replacing the pickups with EMGs a waste? Is it just taking away from the Les Paul sound or would it still be worth it to do this? Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Plains Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 Most people will probably tell you they don't like EMGs in a Les Paul...but who cares if you do? I've only heard one and it was a Guitar of the Week LP Studio with EMGs. It was muddy, but I highly doubt that all are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AXE® Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 You don't need active for heavy. The only benefit I've had with active electronics is if you are going to run a heavily processed signal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichCI Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 I see it this way: Buy a Les Paul that has pickups in it that you like already and then, if you decide that is some quality about the pickups that you would like to be different, then look into replacing them. IMO, chasing tone through pickup swaps is probably the biggest hassle as you never know what they're really going to sound like until you get them in *your* guitar. Perhaps EMGs are something you'll really like, but I think it's just best to at least get a guitar that you like in the first place - maybe that guitar will be a Les Paul that has EMGs installed in the first place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluezboy Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 Alex Lifeson once said "I like to make the sound heavy by the way I play" (something to that effect I can't remember the exact quote) In other words you can make just about any guitar sound heavy without putting the most gain possible in the signal, or putting EMGs in your Paul. I always thought putting EMGs in a Les Paul was blasphemy anyway but that's just my opinion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deepblue Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 Time Stand Still.....by Rush. Alex is using single coil active pups. Sounds more Fender then Fender....Very clear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thundergod Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 I own (and have owned) some guitars with EMGs (81/85 and 81/81 sets) and I gotta say, they are not worth the investment. If you have a P.O.S. guitar and the stock pickups are worth less than 20 bucks, then EMGs might make a difference (for heavy stuff only), but if you own a gibson with good pickups, then EMGs will (with luck) sound as good as the stock pickups (not better); but when playing clean or with mild distortion, those things will kill your guitar's tone. It is just taking away from the les paul. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fingers galore Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 Alex Lifeson once said "I like to make the sound heavy by the way I play" (something to that effect I can't remember the exact quote) Yup. I read that interview too. He also said that he and Geddy wrote Snakes And Arrows entirely on acoustic. Alex is one of my all time favorites. Oh yeah. I don't like EMG'S in LP'S either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AXE® Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 I am, and highly complex. with groupies... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dynadude Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 Check out a Zack Wilde model, or just listen to some of what he does with his LPs. Let your own ears decide. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluezboy Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 Yup. I read that interview too. He also said that he and Geddy wrote Snakes And Arrows entirely on acoustic. Alex is one of my all time favorites. Oh yeah. I don't like EMG'S in LP'S either. Yeah Alex sounds heavy as any other band and he doesn't use EMGs so nuff said Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
:oilpit: Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 EMGs suck in any guitar, just buy an Ibanez or an ESP don't put them in a Les Paul, it's disrespectful Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dynadude Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 EMGs suck in any guitar' date=' just buy an Ibanez or an ESPdon't put them in a Les Paul, it's disrespectful[/quote'] Just out of curiosity, how many guitars have you owned that sported EMGs, and what models were the pickups? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitar slinger Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 Just out of curiosity' date=' how many guitars have you owned that sported EMGs, and what models were the pickups?[/quote'] I doubt oilpit ever owned any. And I'm not criticizing him. Me too thinks that EMGs suck big time. And I never owned any either - and I never will. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dynadude Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 I doubt oilpit ever owned any. And I'm not criticizing him. Me too thinks that EMGs suck big time. And I never owned any either - and I never will. It's no skin off my nose. I just don't like to see people spouting off about things they don't have experience with. Are you one of those too? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitar slinger Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 It's no skin off my nose. I just don't like to see people spouting off about things they don't have experience with. Are you one of those too? I think I am' date=' since you used the word "experience". The truth is that neither I have an nor I'll ever be able to earn experience (is that correct to say?) with EMGs. Because everytime I go to a music store that has EMGs in one or another guitar and I insist on trying it, I find it annoying. I don't have experience with them. It's just that everytime I try them I find it lame and dull. Do you get what I'm saying? Well, you can still keep thinking I'm one of those guys. we are cool lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dynadude Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 Whatever. I know they are not for everybody. I find them very versitile. I don't want them in every guitar, but it's a nice option to have for one guitar. Not dissin' anyone, it's your choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitar slinger Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 Not feeling dissed here =) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DamienAzrael Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 You don't need active for heavy.The only benefit I've had with active electronics is if you are going to run a heavily processed signal. Exactly...That's why most guitars with EMG's in them sound the same...You're hearing the sound of the processed signal more than anything else....My last band called for a really "heavy" sound and all I used were Les Pauls with Seymour Duncans in them....A JB in the bridge and a Jazz in the neck....In my opinion your choice of amp makes a huge difference in getting that "metal" tone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dynadude Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 I rarely use mine for any real heavy tone. In fact, I rarely ever play any type of "metal". I like the range in tone the active circuit allows. It's never shrill or muddy, no matter how far you turn the tone up or down, and there's plenty of signal to get most any tube preamp to give you good distortion without putting the volume on 10. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InYourFace Posted January 14, 2009 Author Share Posted January 14, 2009 Well, I think what I might do is just buy a Les Paul, check out the pickups, mess around with my amp and the guitar and just see if I get the sound I like. And then if I decide to keep the stocks in the LP I might put EMGs in my old Ibanez. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitar slinger Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 Well' date=' I think what I might do is just buy a Les Paul, check out the pickups, mess around with my amp and the guitar and just see if I get the sound I like. And then if I decide to keep the stocks in the LP I might put EMGs in my old Ibanez.[/quote'] That's a wise decision. There is no point in changing a pickup without getting used tothe stock ones, unless you really know what you are doing beforehand. Then, when you got to know your stuff, you can see what fits best your expectations =) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InYourFace Posted January 14, 2009 Author Share Posted January 14, 2009 So I'm guessing by that post that JB pickups are very versatile? You got me interested now >_> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
:oilpit: Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 Because everytime I go to a music store that has EMGs in one or another guitar and I insist on trying it' date=' I find it annoying. I don't have experience with them. It's just that everytime I try them I find it lame and dull. [/quote'] +1 I used to be into the whole really really really hot pickup thing (Out of lack of knowledge, I just thought that hotter would sound better) So I diddled around with them, I had an Ibanez RG with duncan distortions in it. Then I discovered that with low output pickups you could do all you can do with hot ones and SO much more. I haven't looked back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gromaj Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 don't put them in a Les Paul' date=' it's disrespectful[/quote'] Apparently, Gibson missed the memo . . . 2007 Gibson LP Classic stock: I like EMGs, but I'll be the first to admit I prefer 57 Classics. As you can tell, many people do not like EMGs, but like Tim/"Are Nine" said, who cares if you do? The EMGs are just a different flavor. Good luck, InYourFace. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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