EMG 81 & 85 - Metal | Pete Cottrell

Get these Pickups on Amazon: amzn.to/1SoFRkt
iTunes: goo.gl/lqqZe8
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Contact: petelessons[at]hotmail[dot]com
Get the Gear/Signal Chain:
EMG 81: amzn.to/1SoFRkt
EMG 85: amzn.to/1SoG5YZ
Fake Gibson Flying V
Positive Grid BIAS: amzn.to/1nAI6DV
Positive Grid BIAS FX: amzn.to/1nJbrg6
Edirol UA-25: amzn.to/1nJ7WpY
Cubase: amzn.to/1PNb3mx
Jim Dunlop Jazz III: amzn.to/1QCMnAD
I pulled these pickups out of a guitar I'm not using and installed them in this awesome Flying V. This set is from 2005 so the EMG logo is a bit more old school, but the design is exactly the same as the current models.
I used some light EQ (High and Low Pass with dips around 240Hz and 3kHz) and compression but the tone your hearing is pretty much how it sonds straight out of the guitar
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[@agufish]

What a freaking RIFF!!!!

[@BillStreetStudios]

Agufish omg I love your channel dude

[@playdough04]

i need to know how to play this riff!!

[@TrickyPickins]

AGUUUUU

[@jeffreyheil9542]

Definitely Lamb of God inspired!

[@WillVRam]

0:03 EMG 81 mix 0:21 EMG 81 1:10 EMG 85 mix 1:27 EMG 85

[@mister-cantes]

"Agro é tóxico, agro é morte, agro é devastação" ok...

[@WillVRam]

@@mister-cantes ?

[@mister-cantes]

@@WillVRam tava só zuando seu nome de usuário

[@WillVRam]

@@mister-cantes pra fazer sentido tem que estudar ecologia.

[@mister-cantes]

@@WillVRam mds, se tivesse me dito isso há 10 meses talvez eu fosse um pro em ecologia hoje, kkkkkkkkk...

[@jeremyjones4362]

As someone who's been playing with 81's and 85's in the bridge position for years I can give you my input. 85 is heavier and thicker sounding. 81 cuts through a bit better and has great highs. I prefer 85 for riffs and 81 for melodies and solos. If you're into stoner metal get an 85, if you want to thrash get an 81.

[@matthewmp111]

How about if you're looking for a Master of Puppets or And Justice tone? Which do you think?

[@Lucas-nu8ur]

couldnt get a better reply, straight to the point , thanks my friend

[@Spoony2121]

Do you put a 81 bridge and 85 neck?

[@coltonmuri3672]

​​@@Spoony2121I would suggest not doing that. I'm pretty sure the 81/85 is the classic Jakk Wylde combination with the 85 in the neck position, so there are plenty of factory guitars out there with that combination. I had one and the 85 sounds AWFUL in the neck. I lowered it as low as it would go and the sound was still very muddy, too much low end. The 81 in the neck sounds amazing. About the same as a 60 in the neck from KZbin comparisons I've heard. The higher output of the 85 means you don't have to raise it as high to get a balanced sound in the bridge position (the 81 in the bridge was always so close that it would sometimes bottom out on the string when I palm mute), and the higher output means it matches the volume of the 81 in the neck way better.

[@ChristianIce]

I'd say 85, but I'll take the 81 if you don't need it :)

[@peteplaysmusic]

+ChristianIce Ha ha, it's mine! :)

[@ChristianIce]

***** :D

[@larry8030]

+Pete Cottrell this riffage is insane

[@gangrel_76]

What metal should sound like. Great job dude!!

[@detunedfreq]

+demonthief115 no music genre "should" sound like anything. It's perfectly okay if a band wants to do something that already exists, but what I mean is: every artist is free to play the music he/she wants to play, as well as you are to listen to whatever the hell you want! Let's put no limits to no genre and music will evolve, as well as our tastes! :)

[@henryr.schrader7520]

@@detunedfreq except for baby metal

[@weebleschneeble7543]

i wish this was recorded as a full song. Damn good. YOU NEED SOMEONE DOING VOCALS FOR YOUR STUFF MAN!!!!!!! Heavy, Strong, vocals like lamb of God

[@peteplaysmusic]

+Dale Godfrey Thanks! Think I might turn this into a full song somehow :)

[@weebleschneeble7543]

Id get it on my ipod! Definitely cant wait to hear what u do to finish it if u do

[@dogdaysunrise1970]

@@peteplaysmusic sorry, me again ;), is this also on bandcamp? Did you turn into a full song?

[@hugohabicht2357]

@@dogdaysunrise1970 The song "Scorpion" (February 22) on Bandcamp sounds similar.

[@TheRoomNote]

Love the 85 in the bridge. I like to swap the 81/85s in my guitars. Except for my Warlock which sounded too happy with the 81 so I'm running a 85/85x. Love EMG, never understood the hate. Cheers!

[@wspeed657]

+lunchie83 I do the same thing with mine. They both sound better in the opposite positions.

[@kurtbaechler9696]

I've never understood it either. EMGs are my favorite pickups.

[@razek666]

81 Overall tighter sound. 85 Boost bottom end.

[@66Samus]

the Sikth poster :)

[@peteplaysmusic]

+66Samus Love Sikth! Met Justin a few years back and drank some of his coffee, super nice dude! :)

[@Silverado5150MKII]

I think I just fell in love with that tone.

[@MrFeeshMan]

Sounds like someone has been inspired by Lamb of God recently with this song ;)

[@Unknown-Guitarist]

+Ryan Fish And mr Merrow.

[@stevenoel6618]

Ryan Fish agreed.

[@judgevongrudgenstein3112]

very nice riff as always... you should totally bring these to a band it would be so nice

[@matdemaz]

EMG deliver with tone. The 81 is my favorite pickup right now. Use it for all my studio stuff.

[@gibsonmarney4375]

81 wins easy for me. Much more bitey. Whole point of playing EMG's is to be bitey. Everybody be bitey, YOU, be bitey. Bitey.

[@peteplaysmusic]

Bitey! :)

[@AncientBlast]

exactly!

[@BadaBing_]

you have tabs in description

[@janneauvinen8570]

Ben S14787 81 FTW

[@tk4x431]

That would make sence because the 85 is Alnico

[@senos1994]

Still waiting on a song from these riffs...

[@rectifierguyanoymous3774]

I was just looking for this song on iTunes, but was disappointed, because there's no song. Those riffs shred though, it'd be a shame not to use them.

[@ConspiracyRangr]

81 for sure

[@johnsguitarmusicanddemos]

Damn… Gibson was so badass back in the day with active pickups. Killer riff!!!!!

[@InTheY2K]

That riff... man! Awesome!! I totally don't care about the differences between the 81 and 85, I just have this video on repeat for that riff! :D You have to make a whole song out of it!

[@peteplaysmusic]

+InTheY2K I might make a full song out of this, not sure yet :)

[@InTheY2K]

Can't wait! :D

[@RobertBakerGuitar]

DANNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG...... yep thats all.

[@peteplaysmusic]

+Robert Baker Thanks dude! :)

[@bestboy897]

these pickups have never sounded so good til now

[@EsotericallyObvious369]

Digging them both but the '85 sounds meatier and heavier..I'd go with an '85 :)

[@peteplaysmusic]

+PlayingGuitarRules1 I prefer the 85 too :)

[@tehalexy]

+PlayingGuitarRules1 my opinion: 81 is for high soli, 85 + 81 combined for everything else, rhythm powerchords -> 85 only

[@silenceismycanvas]

I couldnt decide back in the early 90"s so I been using both all these yrs. Mine are vintage solder in. ;)

[@HaNguyen-kn2tg]

Pick attack on 85 is not as clear as 81. I changed to 85 on bridge, after realized that was a mistake, I reinstalled 81 and be happy again.

[@milangabris9494]

@@peteplaysmusic if you will have to choose between Seymour Duncan SH-2N in neck position and SH4 in bridge or Seymour Duncan SH2-N in neck position and SH-5 custom in bridge or EMG 81 and 85 combination what will you choose ?

[@connorfulp8523]

best pair of pickups ever EMG's rock

[@lutherleser4275]

The most thrash piece ever by you!!! Forget djent, haha... But this isn't the usual "Metal" song, is it?

[@abdullah53121]

85's are kicking it dude! Loving the Flying V it's a fucking beauty, gotta say I'm quite jealous.

[@kendall72fxr]

That 85! Damn!

[@learguitarist]

After several swaps so I can riff with the 85 in the bridge this video came in, I love the a bit more mid-rich tones of the 85 in the bridge and extra brightness of the 81 in the neck position.

[@donbriggs6687]

You really need to make a preset of this tone. It’s freakin awesome

[@michaelcraig7766]

85 on the bridge sounds bad ass, mate. Keep up the good work. Much love fae Glasgow! \m/,

[@pablom2274]

emg85 18v here and it sounds even better

[@rf8754]

It's amazing that this and most of his videos were recorded only with the guitar + audio interface + BIAS FX. I thought about buying an AXE FX II, but screw it!

[@emrahercancakir]

Great demo and tune. IMHO nothing can replace 81 when it comes to brutal crushing metal. I will need to try the 85 in the bridge but it did sound like it lacked the clarity 81 is known for.

[@StricklandAssistantManager]

Ladies and gentlemen, I present Metallayer. metallic and slayer at the same time.

[@johntodd495]

How very intellismart of you

[@lestervandenberg8326]

+John Todd I see what you did there :)

[@chrisbrown7175]

yes but are there amps powered by propane and propane accessories?

[@sygyl]

Hank Hill except metallica used 81/60s

[@jamesjzelaznyjr910]

metallic and slayer at the same time...that is no compliment.Both bands suck :( More like Megadeth/Annihlator to me.Both meaning complex and talented . No sloppy simpleton stuff here :)

[@mathewpybus1599]

I ran two 81's in my esp flying v and loved it the neck pup still had that glassy tone but it cut through at the same time it was one evil ax

[@user-rq7gt5kz3k]

Тож люблю 81+81

[@angusorvid8840]

I've always preferred the 81. Still the best overall pickup for metal.

[@6Four6Films]

Excellent Riff-idge!!!!

[@Knif3L03r]

85 sounds thicker and richer

[@Hazardteam]

Seriously amazing!

[@DoomFish1654]

Awesome riffs man, that song is heaven to my ears :D And I find myself liking the 85 in the bridge better also, gotta try it out!

[@peteplaysmusic]

Thanks for watching! :)

[@danaeverhart6487]

Hey Pete you just confirmed what I already knew about the 85 @ the bridge, and the 81 in the neck. When your in the center position, you get a great blend and it remains when you go full throttle lead on the bridge! Thanks again for the video comparison of the two!

[@mitchellturnbull3988]

Christ Jesus I’ve been looking for a solid video comparing the differences between these two in the bridge position. You’re a gentleman and a scholar good sir.

[@ibrahimabbou7695]

Sensational as always \m/ ! i prefer the classic combo 81b/85n for cutiing edge riffs and epic solos :3 !

[@sylvestre.rawminey]

I switched the 81/85 on two different guitars. One SG, and one Charvel. It was always better.

[@chickencreekproductions]

Great playing, great riffs! Thanks for going through the hazzle of changing mics and share it with the rest of us! 85 is the winner in my ears :)

[@TheZemarko]

That riff is ..... HAVOC!

[@gregtuna49]

Holy shit please make this a full song

[@Dan_Ranger]

Wow! Late to the party but this is why I love the 85! Used EMG’s since the mid 80’s especially the 81 but slowly moved to the Alnico 85 for its growl and oomph! Using both the 85 and 57 these days. Oh and those riffs were ace mate. Loved it 🤘

[@metal571]

How do you feel about the 57 vs the 85? I just changed the 81 in the bridge of my LTD to an 85 and the note definition is amazing, no more 81 midrange squawk so now I'm curious about other models

[@Dan_Ranger]

@@metal571 57 is very similar to my ears but a bit tighter. It almost straddles the 81 and 85 if you know what I mean. I like both but preferring the 85 a little bit more these days. It’s a bit more open.

[@Guitar387]

They both sound great and even though the 85 EMG is meant to be lower output and less trebley. It blows away any other high gain pickup in the bridge.

[@Tomario]

Yeah the EMG 85 is a monster in the bridge

[@moimeme7839]

I personnally prefered the 81 in the bridge for the clarity and the low end was tighter. I would compare it to a seymour duncan full shred, but it’s not the same. Amazing demo thanks a lot😀👍

[@jonathandeguzman4958]

Brutal tone man!!!

[@bartoszsawicki1892]

Amazing guitar. Great performance. thank You.

[@peteplaysmusic]

+Bartosz Sawicki Thanks for watching! :)

[@RNAMusic]

Love that V. It would match my Explorer perfectly. It's on my list! Nice demo man.

[@peteplaysmusic]

Thanks! Really want get one of those 7 string Explorers Gibson made a few years ago, love the look of those things :)

[@ninjaguitarist5656]

This would look sick on an explorer in a wine red, gold hardware, white pickguard type thing the V has

[@jamesprice2163]

Cant wait till i can get the tools i need to make a relpica flying v and explorer to hang on my bedroom walls i dont want to waste original ones for decoration

[@Emi4Rock]

Perfect EQ! :)

[@E-MusicProductions]

Hey Pete! amazing playing! I also did a demo of the EMG 81 85 with C tuning 😎 Sounds awesome!

[@oniMaskk]

Cherry body color and gold hardware...so cool.

[@BIOTREX]

Dat 85 bite though!

[@retrocny5625]

Depends on the guitar but when I was using EMGs a lot, I used both the 85 and 81 for a bridge pickup. In my guitars that were generally brighter sounding, the 85 sounded best. In my darker sounding guitars, I stuck with the 81 to try and balance things out since comparatively speaking, the 81 is a brighter sounding pickup compared to the 85. The 85 is a little darker, but definitely thicker overall than the 81. I don't really use EMGs anymore though. I grew out of them after a while.

[@arkavagoswami3068]

Which pups do u use now?

[@zName1]

Great song as always.

[@peteplaysmusic]

+Vozella Thanks! :)

[@DanKamYouKnow]

Great video, great song, great sound. Nice job.

[@peteplaysmusic]

+Danny Kamerman Thanks! :)

[@coldbastard6859]

That song crushes souls \.../ \../

[@BlvckjvckRecordings]

Now I see why Adam and Joel preferred the 85 in the bridge.

[@lukeharwood]

That is some serious riffage and tone man!

[@MashreefAhmed]

81 seems to have more bite

[@Jupiter6317]

I have 81 B & 85 N but the awesome thing with EMG is can change it when ever you fancy =)

[@RichLunaMusic]

Aw, they both sound really good. Can’t decide!

[@ScottHalsted]

such a gorgeous instrument, some day i will own a Gibson V. cheers on the great ch Pete.

[@MikaTarkela]

I really love your mixes!

[@peteplaysmusic]

+Mika Tarkela (Floge) That means a lot, thanks! :)

[@maurits4845]

Great video

[@peteplaysmusic]

Thanks! :)

[@LethalSky22]

The '85 sounds awesome, man. Heavy as hell. \m/

[@peteplaysmusic]

+LethalSky22 My fave too! :)

[@Unknown-Guitarist]

Damn dude INSANE TONE!

[@LeeAllanGuitar]

Cool riffs Pete, as always!😀

[@peteplaysmusic]

+Lee Allan Thanks! :)

[@guitarsbymetaljay]

They both sound awesome, I love my EMGs!!!!

[@wingsformariemusic8094]

I played with the 85 in the bridge for years but just put the 81 back when I was tracking for the album I'm making. I gotta say they both sound great. Everyone seems to bum on EMG's but they always work out great for me. I even love my telecaster set.

[@peteplaysmusic]

These sounded great! :)

[@shimoni2853]

In here for his playing

[@SuperSlawter]

Whelp. This sold me on getting an 81/85 combo for my custom V.

[@fersaquerosario2196]

Muy Bueno Pete!!! que buen sonido!!!!! lo tenes igual que Robb Flynn!!!

[@jondavis3582]

the 85 in the bridge sounds awsome its not as dark as i thought it would sound...

[@tibi1687]

Love the 85 in the neck!

[@atomaalatonal]

nice pressure comes out of my monitors. great sounding.

[@davidreyes6512]

CAN WE TALK ABT THE WAY HE CHANGED THE PICK UP AND THE STRINGS HOLY SH*T that was slick

[@maxo.2312]

Nice song and great tone as always. 85 sounds even more agressive in the bridge, so liked that one more

[@peteplaysmusic]

Thanks! I preferred the 85 in the bridge too! :)

[@agcalvin]

Second test....it sounds a bit more smother. Cool!

[@Alvaro-fq4kd]

WHAT A RIFF!!🫡🫶🏻

[@merc_thejerk]

85 in the bridge is really interesting to me for some reason. Not sure which I prefer but either way, brilliant video.

[@peteplaysmusic]

+Ben Hodges Thanks! :)

[@supercybercow5388]

That's because in the video he is playing rythm verse and the 81' can be a bit lacking in overall body, but as soon as you start soloing or want that thinner but exact tone hit strong, the 81' will do, they are made that way on purpose, after all the bridge position is always more zanggy

[@metal571]

Awesome riffing dude and the 85 is a superb pickup in the bridge, just sometimes pairs even better with a boost where I find the 81 too squawky (I own both)

[@bengreene9072]

that thing has some balls in that tone, awesome!!

[@peteplaysmusic]

+Ben Greene I love this guitar :)

[@bengreene9072]

+Pete Cottrell does bandcamp have an app?

[@peteplaysmusic]

+Ben Greene I think so, you can stream anything you've purchased on it I think :)

[@platipuce8193]

This piece make me want to destroy my neck headbanging.

[@mlbftw9078]

81 for distortion 85 for cleans because of its deep tone

[@danielefontanella127]

Che suono!!Cattivo compatto e ben equalizzato

[@pablom2274]

i have also tried the emg60 in the bridge and sounds good!

[@jomaaeeee]

Man I've been watching your vids for the past month and I'm so amazed with you keep it up!

[@peteplaysmusic]

+Osmar Garcia Thanks for watching! :)

[@dannystumpf321]

Am I the only that liked the 81 more? Awesome song Pete. Super head banging. One question- are you left handed? I'm a lefty but I play right and your technique looks identical to mine in the picking hand and fretting hand

[@peteplaysmusic]

Thanks! Not a southpaw but I know someone who is and does exactly the same thing as yourself :)

[@dannystumpf321]

That's awesome. Does he throw and kick left handed as well?

[@dannystumpf321]

or she

[@peteplaysmusic]

+Dan Hahn I'll have to ask sometime :)

[@DocRoc94]

From what I can tell, most people prefer the 81's, I know that on my setup I prefer the 81 haha

[@Clayseed]

EMG 81 so legendary so great pick up so far

[@TheMarceldasilva]

Love the 85 in the bridge. Gotta get the 81 for the neck thou!:D

[@MrAlecksTv]

bad ass riff and thanks for making a comparison video.... think I want an 85 now

[@peteplaysmusic]

Thanks for watching! :)

[@danielefontanella127]

Awesome reef!great sound emg 81

[@SixEightSixty]

I hear a lot of bad things about emgs but everything I have heard that has been recorded with them has always sounded great

[@sirjosh87]

81 was better for the job. a lot clearer. the richness of the 85 isn't useful if it doesn't cut

[@tuck234]

Damn... So much tasty riffage man! 85 is a definite winner to me. So much fat tone in that little rectangle of fiery destruction. \m/

[@tutibins]

This is my favourite distortion sound