EMG 81/85 Question

[Sinb]

Every EMG (81/85) Ive ever saw in person has been the black standard looking ones, but recently I found out that you can get these pups with a chrome covering. Does the chrome covering affect the tone/sound of the pups? or do they sound the same as the standard black ones? Its doesnt water down the tone or anything does it?

 

Thanks in adv,

SInful Bane

[Sinb]

Anybody there? need help here lol. any info at ALL would be helpful =]

[generation zero]

I don't know from experience, but I would imagine there is some difference. In passive pickups, the general concensus is that they make the pickup a bit darker, blocking a small amount of the high end response. In some cases, the difference is small, in others it is drastic. I would think that the difference in tone from a chrome cover on an active pickup would be much less than on a low output passive pup, but that is purely based on speculation, with no real bounds for backing it up with any fact or even sound theory as to why.

 

Where did you find chrome covered EMGs, by the way? I've only ever seen them in black, white, or that hideous camo print they did for Dimebag Darrell and then offered as a limited edition. It is possible that it is just chromed plastic, in which case there should be no difference in tone. If it is a real metal cover, I would guess there would be at least a small tonal difference. You could probably contact EMG directly and get a fact based answer, unless the chrome version is far more expensive, in which case I would take that into consideration when they tell you it sounds exactly the same, LOL...