Dissecting an EMG 85 and comparing how it's built to a budget equivalent

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Today we'll be dissecting a budget style active pickup alongside an EMG 85 to see just how the budget version compares. Will we find penny pinching shortcuts that are likely to compromise the tone, or will it be similar in construction?

[@EzyoMusic]

If you ever get the chance to take apart either of the 57/66 or either of the 81X/85X sets I'd love to see it, just to see how they differ,

[@MrMaksVolkov]

Daaaamm... Thank you bro! Thank you SOOOO MUCH!!! I wanted to see that video a 5yrs ago, but finally I can finish work on my own copy of 81/85 EMG's for my 7string guitar. Thank you so much 🙏

[@pgman5416]

why not just buy them? lol

[@MrMaksVolkov]

​@@pgman5416 theirs price is too high for me

[@MrMaksVolkov]

​@@pgman5416and I'm not a guitar player also

[@pgman5416]

@@MrMaksVolkov right on they are expensive. Good luck on your pickups.

[@MrMaksVolkov]

@@pgman5416 thanks. Actually I stuck on coil types. Now I understand this. I used a regular humbuckers, but should a mini ones. That was my fault. As for a preamp I think I did everything right

[@gigi.savage]

check to see if the pickups aren't a similar dimension to the guitar soapbars emg offers for 7, 8, or 9 string guitars. but know that you may not be able to pair them with the onboard preamp. most non-emg active bass systems seem to work with passive pickups connected to an external preamp. i had an esp b-4e that i swapped the pickups in but kept the active preamp and i got regular old passives. (well, not exactly regular - they were the lace alumitones lol)

[@felkikid]

Are you part of a company? Do you have a website? If so id love to see what you create. Otherwise I appreciate you sharing this with us, you're the only channel that has a video explaining how Active pickups work. Cheers!

[@Alegree]

Yes, it's on the first 5 seconds of the video.

[@Kreln1221]

*Excellent video! I'm a big fan of EMG's three coil dual mode pickups, especially the 89R, for both neck and bridge positions on guitar, and the 40TW, (flipped around 180°, as they don't offer 40TWRs), for both neck and bridge positions on bass. Perhaps in a future video, you could do a dissection of one. I believe that the dual mode models available are the 89, 89R, 81TW, 57TW, 66TW, 35TW, 40TW, and the 45TW, as well as their X-Series equivalents...* 🤔

[@Alegree]

Yes! Very interested in this design. May not be a dissection, but we'll certainly be looking into the design. It's a genius concept.

[@netanelk]

I'm trying to design an active pickup on my own and I wanted to know if maybe you have the exact dimensions of the bobbins and magnets of the 85?

[@Alegree]

We have all the parts required to make your own 85 or 81 clones in stock. Email [e-mail] for purchasing details.

[@crsmade]

Hey mate , I’m trying to make a active pickup, I just need the wire schematics for a pcb maker to make and assemble the preamp to this type of device. I would gladly pay for this wiring pcb preamp schematics if you can get it

[@Alegree]

We'll be producing active pickup kits soon.

[@auldteuchter9012]

Oh the old chestnut of the "sound" of a magnet.

[@Alegree]

Magnets do not have a 'sound' objectively, but they contribute towards the sound of the pickup as a whole when interacting with other factors. Any statement in regard to the 'sound' of a magnet is discussing it's contribution relative to any of the other commonly used pickup magnets.

[@vonster22]

Cant you hear the difference?

[@LOGICNREALITY]

ceramic magnets are highter pitched than alnico, that cheaper pickup would sound louder if you take away the preamp .. the emg 85 in the neck is purposley to have a deeper tone. youre either purposley lying or dont know... that is why people dont like squier pickups and fender mexican pickups because the ceramic , is too high for them.