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Help me choose a humbucker


Legion303
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Right. I've narrowed my choices to the following based solely on customer reviews:

Seymour Duncan SH-6

EMG 81

I'd prefer people who have actually played both models to weigh in, but I'll listen to anyone's opinion on this. I know the EMG is an active model which has its own benefits, but I've heard that wiring it up with existing passive pickups is a pain in the ass without extra modifications. The SD is cheaper and has great reviews, but is a passive pickup.

The guitar whose humbucker I'm replacing is an '89 Ibanez RG560 with a maple neck/fretboard and a body made of ash or alder (Ibanez decided to coat every interior surface so that I can't see the wood in its natural color, but it's a soft blond wood). It currently has 3 pickups in H-S-S configuration, and the H is the one I'm replacing. Thanks for any advice.

-steve

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What type of music are you going to primarily be playing?

EMGs are great pickups in their own right, but not for all styles of music. It's not too incredibly hard to wire them up with passives. Personally I prefer the EMG 85 in the bridge over the EMG 81. *edit* In order to correctly wire an active with a passive, you need to ideally have two volume pots, or sacrifice a tone pot and turn it into a volume pot.

As for the Duncan.. I'd take the Duncan JB (SH-4) over the Distortion any day.

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What type of music are you going to primarily be playing?

Melodic thrash, death metal, blues, classical (not that Yngwie shit)...I've heard that you can get a good clean tone out of the EMG if you know what you're doing, but since I use my middle single for clean playing it doesn't really matter.

The other thing I've heard about active pickups is that they're great for computer recording due to the almost complete absence of EM hum coming through them (from monitors, power supplies, etc.). On the other hand, the EMG needs a new jack, a place for the battery, and lots of wiring, whereas the SD can be dropped right in, supposedly sounds as hot as the EMG, and is a good deal cheaper. I'm leaning toward it. Do you guys have any opinions on tonal differences between the two brands? I tend to play and record like Slayer--not much bass. Thanks again.

-steve

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Hehe, EMGs are definitely fun pickups, glad to hear that you actually liked one ;)

The EMG 81 is definitely a metal pickup, and while some people think it can't sound good for blues and other non metal styles, many artists have proved that wrong. It's all up to you man, depends on how much of a hassle you want getting an EMG in your guitar.

I still think a Duncan JB would be better, *shrugs*

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Thanks for the help, guys. SD are cheaper, easier to install, and now 3 guitarists whose opinions I respect are recommending them to me (except for that traitor Snapple...but we'll let that slide). I guess this is a no-brainer.

I am sticking with the SH6. Sorry, JB fans, but the reviews are slightly better and the hotter output is more in line with my metal stylings. Although I have to admit that for the first time ever I was swayed by the fact that a musician I like uses a certain piece of gear (Michael Amott, whose signature is on my headstock along with Bill Steer's, and who uses the JB). :P

-steve

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Well now.

I got my guitar back from the luthier last night (fret level job that took a week because he was booked). Prior to that I had dropped the action and filed the tremolo knife edges smooth again (16 years of beating on the whammy bar had chipped them)...and this morning I dropped in my new SH6. I have to say, this thing rocks. Balls-to-the-wall power when I'm playing, and absolutely no noise when I stop. This is a big change from the shitty stock pickup. Thanks again.

-steve

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