EMG DG20 Pickups | Review | Michael Casswell | Competition

[@slashvanyoung]

The intro is being played using the stock Pickups... Goes to show how good the actually are... Affinity Series with alnico magnets that is

[@seanandben]

R.I.P. Michael Caswell. An amazing player and teacher. You are up there with the likes of Jeff Beck - (who I know you liked) - and you are very much missed by all your colleagues and those whose lives you touched with your playing.

[@thisisqualia]

I spent 10 years assembling a guitar exactly like this (money was not abundant). A partscaster. Every little component picked and added by myself. One of the happiest moments of my life... when EMG DG-20 set arrived. I was over the moon. Finally I could play it. One week later... someone broke into my house... and from all the things taken... I deeply think I never recovered from this heartbrake and injustice.

[@pb12661]

wow, bummer. I've sold a couple of guitars that I've never recovered from if it makes you feel any better. lol Probably not but no one said life was fair. ;)

[@lorenmorgan1931]

Man so sorry to hear that. My apologies for first guitar was an ultra rare neck through SG like guitar. Less than 59 were made, and same deal, moved out on my own and it was stolen. I dropped this set into a Strat years ago, I mostly play Ibanez RGs (super strat, wide ultra flat neck) so strats aren't my thing. I didn't really like the tone and put it away. Uncased it, changed the strings to 8 gauge, new battery, still didn't like it. Pickups came flat in it, so I rasied them mid way, and wow it's a beast. So yeah I really feel for you. I hope you get a set back again. I have seen the electronics sell for $250 now, and you could totally buy the parts to build a strat for under $150. I know a buddy of mine, and I both built strats from eBay parts a few months ago back and those guitars both play liked high end strats. Make uses to replace the nut with bone, and put a Wilkinson trem in. Probably a $90 build without the paint (or stain, you can burst it with $15 in water color), or electronics.

[@RobFeldkamp]

:(

[@DANTHETUBEMAN]

have you collected parts again? 🤠

[@MisterGuitarItalia]

This dude made that Stock Squier sound amazing!

[@cheagan]

Yeah. First of all, HOLY SHIT!

[@SynZ777]

People seem to think most of the sound comes from your gear or the quality of your guitar. Yes that's true, but the major factor is your own fingers.

[@taterlysaladman9377]

That's an often repeated internet legend phrase, but I wonder, do you mean the picking or fingering hand? If you take two good guitarists, with equal talent, would the one with the best guitar and best gear actually be better than the other? Or would they sound the same? Because that is what the phrase represents, I need a tshirt, Gear Matters.

[@SynZ777]

I think it's both to be honest. If you pick really hard/soft and unmelodically, it's not gonna sound very good. If you can play the exact same notes at the exact time, you're still going to sound bad because there's no emotion. Fretting isn't emotion; vibrato, bending, and timing is emotion.

[@andrewflanders262]

Expensive guitars feel better to play, they don't really sound any better.

[@merseypirates]

God bless Michael rock on in heaven mt

[@johnleppard1655]

merseypirates May Mike rest in peace... Was a wonderful player, our prayers go to his family and friends;(

[@stephengaren2219]

Still have my correspondence with Michael (saved) from shortly before he was gone. Still miss this guy. Still learning from him too, which I think he'd be most proud of (What he left behind for all of us to learn from).

[@dominickedwardscantore9001]

Damn I just realized that those were the original pickups you were playing through , now I'm waiting to hear those EMGs lol damn dude !!

[@traviswilliams2154]

He did use the emg in the video….

[@alexc2680]

I just built a guitar like this and it's incredible. Michael's playing and the way he got so many tones out of this guitar is what inspired me. Today, I wanted to check out more of his work and discovered he's gone. Very sad, yet his work will continue to inspire me, and so many others. R.I.P Brother!!

[@sld67869801]

This video is near and dear to my heart. I love to take Squier Strats and add good parts to them. It is a lot of fun to work them over.

[@Ronno4691]

I've just "bought" a red Squier Standard Strat from a local Cash Converters (it's also got 22 frets) for £69.00 - thinking of getting EMGs for it and fettling it within an inch of its life to turn it into a shred machine!

[@RobertJohnson-lb3qz]

Can I get your advice. I purchased a Squire Strat a little while back and wanted to do some upgrades. Locking tuners, better pickups, etc. I’m thinking about a tremolo upgrade. I never heard of a floating tremolo, except for a Floyd Rose and the guy in the video said this was a floating tremolo. I was on the Floyd Rose website and I found a tremolo but it was a “dive” only?!?! Where do you think I can get a tremolo like his?

[@pb12661]

RIP Mike. You were a great player and very cool/helpful guy. :..(

[@JmanAM200]

This dude can play! sold me on these pickups, I'll be installing a set on my custom superstrat build without a doubt!

[@guitello100]

RIP Michael. Such talent gone too soon

[@georgeworton8849]

RIP my friend! Tempted to get these now, such a great player.

[@anttik5764]

Such a thorough demo, if I'll buy new pups for my MIM strat, they'll be these!

[@Joeobrown1]

I wish I had 10% of Michael's skill, I also wish I'd won these pickups by last night (when I recorded a mediocre copy of Pink Floyd) - they'd look and arguably more importantly sound awesome on my white strat.

[@alexanderanderson4082]

Finally some information about hum. Than you! Very precise interesting review.

[@fabianvasquezjr8852]

Just got these on my partscaster, with Grover rotomatic locking tuners, and Babicz FCH strat trem bridge. What's next 🤔 a Fender neck & body??

[@dominickedwardscantore9001]

Man , that sounds smooth and clean !!! And it still has that Fender Quack ..

[@awsomeal100]

Just watched this......then realised Michael had been killed in tragic circumstances back in 2016.....Gone Far Too Early......R.I.P.....Great Demo....Great Guitarist.....Great Guy.....I'll be watching more of him in future.

[@Jonboysltd]

I wish EMG sold a Casswell musicality plug-in

[@bills48321]

I'd like to hear the vintage sounds he's talking about with the pickups lowered.

[@MrMalq]

Always love listening to you mr Casswell :-) I'm glad to say I have these beautiful pups in my 57 hotrod,yes the same candy apple red as the great Mr Gilmour. Keep up the great playing Mike. I fully recommend getting this pickup set to any Strat player

[@emmetarnett4903]

RIP Mike. Man you were awesome man!

[@pierretombale3745]

a good player with a bad guitar is better than a bad player with a good guitar (Confucius) :)

[@oxnegative]

LOL.

[@DANTHETUBEMAN]

i really like the way you played that opening song. 🤠

[@jhustler1992]

I just bought a set of EMG DG-20’s for my MIM Fender Strat. I can’t wait to hear how it will sound.

[@MrSpock]

How does it sound?

[@MrWilander88]

How does it sound

[@musiccer7446]

How does it sound

[@zomxzedd9239]

What do you recommend as an alternative emg pickup for HSS.

[@classicraceruk1337]

That setup looks like the same I have ordered. I cannot wait until it arrives

[@curtrod]

I know this is an old video but man this is a great great demonstration of these pickups, but I think you could make anything sound good ha...just read he passed away...😢

[@silverstringz1]

Great player and teacher. I learnt a lot from his Licklibrary DVDs. Rest easy Mike.

[@nerdMike]

The best DG20 demo ever!

[@Mrthreadedtime]

What was the signal chain? Sounds great even with the Squier

[@dominickedwardscantore9001]

Awesome guitar work !!! You sound killer !!! I'm thinking about saving a little money and treating myself to these pickups ...

[@maxsalasr]

maaan I miss mike's reviews already... :( so sad he died so young

[@buschovski1]

beautiful playing beautiful tone

[@jhustler1992]

Definitely sounds awesome in this video!!! Much better than the stock pickups.

[@elvan12581]

I wish I knew which amp he was using

[@andrelousada]

I have a Valley Arts red strat. Would you put EMG on such a guitar?

[@orriolbohigas591]

Absolutely. why wouldn't you ? They sound great.

[@jesussavesrick]

While he is absolutely correct that lowering the pickups away from the strings, causes them to sound more vintage, that also (many times) causes you to get out the router and deepen the cavities.

[@stefanospapalexis9770]

What a sound!! I was wandering what amp , petal ,is used.. Great player...rest in peace

[@IIImobiusIII]

Miss this guy!

[@kenmasters007]

The interactive magazine is pretty cool. The videos sometimes stutters for some reason. Don't think its my computer or internet connection.

[@Stratblooz]

One hell of a player !

[@TomaszSkwarek83]

really enjoyed those improves, still would have to try out those emg s myself before I bought ones

[@dmthandmade5674]

Michael was such a great player, it's like one of the colours disappeared from the page when a talent like that dies.

[@MrAletube]

its 2015 and Fender yet can't get rid of the wobbly screw in bar.

[@usa1327]

well they do. if this one is like mine it doesnt or didnt have a trem arm spring in it.

[@LasseGrillemeistorn]

if you were to buy a "fender" guitar and not squier you'd find a little spring in the hole of which the tremolo arm goes in. This spring basically stabilises the entire tremolo arm. You can buy a packet of 8 of these springs and they'll go in any ST style tremolo unit (as far as the hole doesn't go through the entire block).

[@airxxxwolf]

You can still install a trem spring in a block with a hole all the way through.....insert a tap in the bottom of the hole and add enough threads for a short set screw, then the spring will not be able to fall out the bottom of the block......

[@gregmcnamara3126]

Not to disparage his Awesome fretwork, but surely the DG20 set would cost more than the actual guitar itself!

[@tyson1ize]

what string are you using Michael ??

[@likeanuuk6612]

4:08 9:23

[@neilaspin008]

Excellent playing.

[@pierretombale3745]

sounds like heaven

[@Ronno4691]

Hi Guitar Interactive, did you find a winner for this competition?

[@ryant3600]

i thought these trems came with a little spring that goes into the wammy bar hole, then you screw in the whammy and it's supposed to keep it from knocking..???? I've never owned a Fender Strat picking my first up next week (been playing mostly Ibanez RG's since the late 80's, so completely different set up

[@superzult]

Hmm, just bought this EMG DG-20 set ..... but hell, Michael gets great tone from the stock pickups. Hopefully the EMGs won't let me down!? By the way, guess his amp is doing a lot here, might it be a Boogie? Apart from that Michael is (or was, what a loss) the kind of player who can get a great sound out of every peace of gear. RIP Michael.

[@arthurivex2298]

Hi, any updates after the emg upgrades?

[@1madaxeman]

Even stock this great guitarist made this cheap Squier sound awesome...RIP. I'd like to know what the whole rig was as they stock crappy Squier pups through this rig and with his fingers sounded pretty fat n awesome for low budget single coils. Here though is a testament to the fact that a lot of your tone is in your fingers!

[@maxdeantv6351]

could I use the EMG DG20 pickups with my alembic stratoblaster?

[@DiedrichKnickerbocker1783]

Great valve amp, SPC tone control, Chorus pedal and a wah. This the grocery list.

[@josuey.80sfloresb.59]

Alguien sabe que preamp o distorsion usa porque tiene sustain

[@anthonybymallia7067]

Like yo style man awesome bending I have shine on you crazy diamond solo with my 5os classic vibe tell me what you think

[@GuitarInteractive]

Rock on!

[@Mrthreadedtime]

Is this a Squier Vintage Modified Strat?

[@davidmilroy3851]

nice playing got any of your rifs u like to share thk

[@silviolutti1522]

Fantastic!

[@osvaldobaptista7443]

Que som a diferença é gritante!!!

[@OdinMan1979]

I like stock pickups better!

[@Pete_Harris]

Stick with your extremely weedy originals then! : /

[@TheDunateen77]

I don’t think I ever saw a mike caswell video that I didn’t like ,what a loss ,sadly missed .

[@matthewkocher8443]

The stock pickups sound great lmao

[@pb12661]

yes, but they're noisy as hell.

[@Mr.Goldbar]

I wonder how it'll sound like with both the SPC and EXP on full, I'd recon it'll sound like a hot rail on steroids

[@anvil777]

Ok these Emg’s sound actually very good. Too bad I can play that Squier like Michael...

[@keepyour2cents218]

I want to win the guitar😬am I late?

[@misstress1928]

I just realised that midrangey pickups like EMG SAs or Lace Sensors work better in ash and mahogany/maple guitars, while alder guitars will sound better with alnico pickups.

[@chris.p.9397]

epic playin!

[@panchovilla080]

Can I still win this guitar?

[@nickd3905]

RIP you could make a turd sound legendary.

[@user-lj3tg4nk3e]

I have had the EMG DG20 pickups in a 1990 Strat Plus for 5 or 6 years now. Tried all different kinds of settings and I still don't like them. A true single coil pickup brings out the stratocaster's magic. (To me anyway)

[@kristapsvecvagars5049]

Rich magic as in the annoying hum of the single coil? sorry, i'm just in the process of upgrading my strat, the hum and buzz of the pickups really got to me.

[@TheForce_Productions]

@@kristapsvecvagars5049 Active pups like these are designed just to help with noises like hum and feedbacks... Anyway sometimes that kind of "noise" are part of the strat spitit, is up you you anyway. Good luck!

[@phenixreturns]

lacks of trebles vs vintage passive alnico pickups

[@sixfoursoul2538]

Maybe I am in the Minority here but the stock pickups sounds much better.. especially on clean

[@simonsmith2642]

Should be a spring under the bar… Everybody loses it. I shove rubber foam in the hole it doesnt come out, wont lose it no jiggle in it you dont want. 😁

[@kanino0666]

R.I.P. great gitarrist

[@My-Nickel]

Should you really have a five-year-old video up that says win this guitar now?

[@metallica3604]

rip Michael

[@tony12fingers47]

almost sound like he went to Jeff school

[@Tetasha]

Hes like a weird combination of Gary Moore with... Greg Koch

[@shakeyjonez]

It should have been Lars.

[@Ndlanding]

Pretty shite, so just as well he's kicked it. ALL of the original tones sounded near identical, namely dull fuzz. The EMG tones mostly sounded just as muddy/fuzzy. (BTW, I've got the DG20 set on my guitar, and I love it, though sometimes I wonder if I would prefer the Texas Specials crying their eyes out in my drawer.)