Get To Know EMG: A Sit Down with Founder Rob Turner

EMG Pickups founder Rob Turner sits down to tell us about how he got his start, inventing the active pickup, the challenges he faced along the way and how subscribing to norms has never been in the cards. Rob Turner has been involved in the Music Industry since 1976 and continues to create new and innovative product for the stringed instrument community.
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[@Emoboijeffrey]

No matter how much people wanna hate on EMG. You know these pickups are legendary.

[@AvnerRosenstein-ULTRA-LXV]

I love them....never had issues with buzz and they sound great so I don't know why people hate on them. Solderless is the best idea ever too!

[@angusorvid8840]

@@AvnerRosenstein-ULTRA-LXV I've been using them since the 80s. I've owned many brands, nothing compares. They are the best. Period.

[@AvnerRosenstein-ULTRA-LXV]

@@angusorvid8840 would you have any idea why people dislike them?

[@angusorvid8840]

@@AvnerRosenstein-ULTRA-LXV Yeah. Some people don't think for themselves, get hung up on the fact that they require a battery, as though most of our indispensable technology doesn't. I can't say EMGs are for everybody, but it's hard to imagine why most players wouldn't love them as much as I do. They are peak performance pickups. They do it all. They have incredible range, are completely quiet, very punchy, and have razor sharp pick attack and cut through the mix better than any other pickup ever created. I've discovered over the years that most players I knew who didn't like EMGs didn't know anything about getting a good tone. Most players I've known, as a whole, loved EMGs and a substantial number have used them. I knew a lot of top session players in Los Angeles in the 80s and I'd say about 90% of them were using EMGs, for many of the same reasons I've mentioned. One good reason is how quiet and clear they are. They are great in the studio and cut through loud and clear in a live situation.

[@AvnerRosenstein-ULTRA-LXV]

@@angusorvid8840 Totally agree with you and the batteries last for fucking ever if you treat the instrument properly lol. Have you tried the EMG X series yet and what do you think?

[@ampegloud]

He’s got the best customer service in the whole entire music industry nobody nobody can come close to EMGs customer service and I’ll say it again👍

[@harryscottelliott8970]

I WAS THAT GUY WHO TOLD YOU ABOUT THE CONNECTORS!! Crazy haha!!

[@MosheAlvarez]

I bought my first EMG in 1991 and 30 years later they’re still my favorite pickups. 81/60 for life!

[@deadfox0091]

A man of class I see. 81's since I was 15.

[@mercatorjubio3804]

1993 for me. My first 81!

[@jackiemcgough2997]

81/85 is the new world order

[@fartman1510]

Actives - tight, smooth, incredible sustain, excellent harmonics great compression, a joy to play with awsome pick attack. EMG wins!!

[@zimbabwevic]

Legendary pickups, sound and company. Even though I got introduced to EMG pickups trough metal bands, I love playing blues and clean with my JH in the neck, and a 57-TW in the bridge. Thank you EMG, and keep re-inventing pickups 👍

[@andersrandom]

Yes. To my big surprise the EMG het set sounds amazing and bluesy if you turn the volume a bit down 😎🤘

[@christiansectas]

This guy is a legend and his product is legendary as well that’s why I play it exclusively in all my guitars. EMG 4ever !

[@Iheartdgd]

💪🏻

[@christiansectas]

@@Music_is_fun wow I’m 20 something years of my career I have never experienced that, ever! Not kissing ass here just being honest

[@dexxpredwarior9033]

Thank you, Mr. Turner! EMG Pickups is life!

[@MichaelDespairs]

EMG 81 is a miracle in the bridge position. Tight yet roaring lows, mids and treble cut yet the upper mids are smooth enough to allow the note fundamental to come through.

[@KyleP133]

You guys are the best in the business. I've been using EMG pickups for 15 years and I've tried various imitators and innovators beyond EMG... but I always come back to EMG pickups. You guys are still innovating. The solderless system blew my mind the first time I tried it.

[@eightfifty2309]

Big props to whoever sent that email about the solderless connectors for the controls.

[@unisonosc1617]

Been using emg since early 2000's, they are still the best for me. Thanks Rob and everyone else involved.

[@L.Scott_Music]

I've had EMGs in my #1 since around '88. It had an OK strat style trem that I replaced with a Kahler system which allowed me to remove the springs in the back. This gave me the perfect spot for the battery so I made a little retainer and done. The neck pickup splits and sounds glorious on a chimey amp for blues. A few years ago I got an ESP LTD Evertune with an EMG set. OF course that has a battery pocket built in. I think I'll break it out tomorrow for my birthday and try it on my new Syn Morgan AC.

[@angusorvid8840]

My view of EMG has always been don't knock them until you try them. When I first tried an EMG 81 around 1985 I was eleven, had only been playing guitar a year, and held no preconceived notions as to whether active or passive was better, solid state vs tube, etc. I was just blown away by the tone of the 81, then the 85, and the single coils. In short time I had an 81/85 set installed on a strat and was just thrilled with it. Many friends followed my lead and also got into EMG and many I know still use them. For metal, the 81 is still the king animal of high gain pickups.

[@MrMeik1970]

Rob is a genius 👍🏻

[@roychan2160]

In the late eighties I bought a set of SAs. Had some minor noise problems so snail mailed a letter to EMG couple weeks later got a reply suggesting couple of solutions. The kicker is it was hand signed by Rob. Still have the SAs and letter. Thanks Rob. BTW I'm from Singapore.

[@JillandKevin]

I'm a Jazz/Swing/Blues player (Country now too, with my amazing wife). I'm also lucky to have Rob as a friend! About 20 years ago, I was playing music with Rob (who is a drummer!), my old friend Nick, and a couple of other guys. I mentioned that I was building a Tele style guitar, and Rob said "Let me put pickups in it" As I said, I play clean, and had always thought EMG's were for distorted Rock & hi gain, so I said "no thanks". Turns out that the set of Fender pickups I bought online were both open circuits (yep, I got screwed!), so I finally turned my mostly finished Turbocaster T Style over to Rob. The next Friday, he gave the guitar back, and it BLEW MY MIND!!! It was putting out the cleanest, sweetest most complex tones of any guitar (LOTS!!) I had ever payed!!! Turns out this prototype set was developed by Rob and the amazing Vince Gill, and basically voiced after Vince's prized '52 Tele (the set became the Retro-Active T-52 set). I have used EMG's exclusively in every Turbocaster I have built since (around 23 I think) and have EMG's in all my own performing guitars, including the ACS Soundhole Pickups (best acoustic sounds I've found)in both my wife's and my own handmade Yamamoto acoustics, my 7 string, Model 91 Archtop pickups in my archtops, and an EMG in a 10 string portable Lap Steel. Additionally, when I asked Rob about Jazzmaster pickups, he decided to build them as well!!! I used the prototypes in a couple of my working Turbocaster TJM's for a year or so, and we worked out a couple of glitches, and now---WOW! The most versatile guitars I've ever played!!! These are now in production as the J-Master Set and System, and I LOVE them!! Rob just sent me a new prototype sound hole pickup and I put it Jill's guitar in time for our last Jill & Kevin show a few nights ago, and it's even better that the ACS!! (which was already the best sounding acoustic pickup I've ever found). We used it thru our Bose L1 Compact system and it sounds almost exactly like the guitar played acoustically!!! I also tried in in one of our Fishman LoudBox Mini Charge amps with the same results. Point is: EMG's are NOT just for rockers!! They deliver the cleanest, clearest tones with all the richness you could possibly find anywhere! and NO NOISE!!! And the "issues" with batteries???? If you you remember to unplug your cord when you're not using the guitar, even playing a couple of hours every day and a couple of shows a week, the batteries last well over a year! If you forget, they still go several months! As Rob said, there's only so much that can be done with magnetic pickups, but active pickups can (and do) SO much more!!!

[@zmix]

I still own my first set of Overlend EMG strat pickups, beige and embossed with a full size "EMG" across the tops. I had to write to the company directly after seeing a small ad in Guitar Player magazine, there was no local distributor.. (This was in 1978 or 1979).

[@Laponea]

Best active pups in the world. In love with the EMG 81 from 2000 and keep going

[@garysanders3193]

I have been using EMG pickups for almost 30 years and love them!

[@mattewmackes]

This is a great video. I think its great that your are humanizing EMG.

[@azrieesp]

so humble from the man who introduced one of the most iconic sounds now heard around the world, horns up! thank you rob turner!

[@bisaillion]

I just got my first guitar that's loaded with EMGs. They're very different. They have an iconic sound that can't be denied

[@MrScrofulous]

I've had a KH-2 with 81's for 15 yr and Ive changed the battery about 3 times. I heard the 57/66TW recently on an Anderton's demo, and ow, I can't believe how good they sound Lee was blown away too. Can't wait to get a new guitar with a set of those in.

[@andycoach9286]

Thank you Rob for 27 years fun with your legendary products on my guitars!!!

[@Spasmatic]

Articulate, powerful, quiet, THAT IS EMG !! 🤘

[@GunnarLoeb]

Nice story! Great and humble guy

[@stanjamaca6872]

Best pick- ups I've ever used. Keep up the great work.

[@andrewsantos3283]

Can't deny that the EMG set that Lukather used is immaculate

[@davidfaustino4476]

Yeah I can deny that. Lukather stopped using those a long time ago . I wonder why that is???

[@stealingtomorrowband]

My neighbor found an Jackson in the trash and ended up salvaging it. I ended up contacting EMG for some wiring help, the active preamp was missing and the technician hooked me up with a wiring diagram to bypass buying that part and answered all my questions, super friendly...

[@helixworld]

So much dedication to have built an innovative design and manufacturing business from the ground up.

[@MikeJBlues]

I have a set of EMG DG20s. I love them , just a fantastic sounding pickup.

[@randomguitarnote8887]

Well, I’ve tried passives for the past 5 years or so, every fucking brand you can think of and here i am going back to EMGS because for some reason it is the only pickup that inspires me. They are great, idc what people say.

[@erikrummel6277]

If I was on the west coast I would absolutely stop in and see if they had any blue 81s like in the Schecter Banshee. Coolest looking pickups ever made in my humble opinion. Keep on rockin!!!!!!!

[@user-jb3xu3ko6x]

I have EMG's in all of my basses save one. Sound engineers comment on the clarity. The simplicity of the mountings and wiring speaks for itself. My favorite Rob Turner quote is "We don't believe in magic." Awesome research and execution with full disclosure of product specs. The staff have been more than helpful through the years.

[@obendaperkins5574]

How nice a video! I've been a tone-to-the-bone guitarist for a very long time (fingers, guitar, amp no effect, not even a pedal) and tried all along to improve my equipment (from transistor to valve amp, from cheap to pro guitar) until i reached a decent tone out of it. Somehow in the process I got stuck to passive pickups until in 2017 I bought a Fujigen guitar equipped with the Steve Lukather set. It was intended to be a back-up guitar fro a minimal easy -to-go set-up, so I paired it to a Roland MicroCube GX (2 watt amp with integrated Boss effects). It quickly became my main guitar-amp set-up (when not playing with a band), simply because the EMG pickups are that good. They play well and they're dead quiet, making your effects sound better. I can't think about going back to passive pickups today, once I've experienced the pros of the EMG, and I'm happy and proud of having decided to be curious enough to go for them.. After this video and knowing that their manufacturer is a very thoughtful man not keen to out-sourcing makes me even feel better.

[@planetearthify]

Thank u for making these wicked pickups. Changed my life. massively inspired by them.

[@AxelRitt]

My one and only PU company for about 35 years, my whole career through! EMG ruels!

[@devilspeak8962]

Love my EMG’s ! Hate replacing the battery. Yep. But I love my EMG’s with a fresh battery even more!!!!! Good stuff,Maynard!!!!

[@InsomniacMatt]

What I like about EMGs is they can be as simple or as complicated as you want. I like mine with a 3 way switch, and one volume knob, no tone knobs.

[@ryant3600]

I was part of the whole Anti EMG group in the 80-2000's. In the 80s-2010 I was all about Dimarzio. Then in the 2010's I started getting into Seymours. I only knew a few folks that used EMG, the tuned down metal bands, Metal Bands, David Gilmour, Vito Bratta and Reb Beach. But it was really when my eye sight started to go south that I started googling if there was a way to install pickups with soldering them when I came across EMG's solderless stuff. So, instead of actually buying a set of EMG's, I bought a Harley Benton that came w/ the EMG Retroactive fat 55's and I fell in love.. Then I started youtubing Emg's and Ritchie Faulkners stuff really got me going, so i ordered a few sets of the 57/66s. Now I'm getting a set that's 85/81, I want to try them both in the different positions and see what I like most. but the solderless makes these even more enjoyable. and so far the tones are amazing.. cant' wait to look into more sets.

[@mightbefamousofficial]

I love your story! Very inspiring. It sounds like a great company to work for.

[@jergervasi3331]

Legendary products by people who also have incredible customer service and Artist Relations. I love these guys!

[@trevorlindsey580]

I would love to hear how he was influenced by Alembic and their earlier invention of active circuits. John Carruthers was instrumental in EMG pickup design and manufacture.

[@thelowlifex9437]

I love emg , i have 3 guitars with emg , 57 66 set , super 77s , and 81/s/s , each of them sound completely different and are great

[@tog2842]

Great guy, great company and great pickups!

[@Lateral032]

Didn’t really have much to go off but I bought the EMG SL20 and DG20 for my squire Stratocasters. It made it a vast improvement in sound. Both sound great and different from each other.

[@patrickolivier1]

Favourite pickups of all time! My top 3 would be Daemonums, Hot 70, and 57/66. I still have to try the Super 77 though 🤘🏼🙂

[@abowla7187]

Man am I glad that this man was born. I still use and love Emg's. I don't really like much else.....

[@Iheartdgd]

Great video. Thanks for everything Rob.

[@jamieevans2666]

Cant wait to order my emg 81/85 for my jackson rhoads this project im very excited about

[@magatterm8237]

EMG 81=METAL!!!

[@JayBruceWorld]

People just hate the fact that you can’t improve on perfection and they always want to reinvent the wheel. When I first started playing my first real guitar had 81/85. Sounded monstrous. Ended up changing it to an 85/60 combo for a long time. Ended up ditching all active pickups entirely. Lo and behold I’m back up To 3 guitars with EMGs lol.

[@juderocks5]

^This exact comment lol. I just love EMG's too much and can't stay away. After years of stopping myself from buying new guitar gear, I bought a Team J-Craft Ibanez with an 85/60 setup instead of the more common 81/85, and I LOVE it.

[@F.BERTOLOTO]

Sempre curti mtobos EMGs Abracos e bends

[@muaythai4lifelife]

I wasn't the guy suggested you to make quick connectors for everything, but I stressed you a lot asking for left handed version of pots and so on :)

[@jmar482]

Love EMG pickup. For me they are they best.

[@Ron_Padgett]

Great video!

[@addamsapple1233]

Great video! Super interesting to learn about the company!

[@Freedum_Fries]

EVery guitar I own now has EMG's I love the product so much!!!!!

[@TVoltG]

I like passive pickups. But I do have a set of 81/85's that I really enjoy..

[@svtcobra666]

Man, I'd love to work here, LOL! If you guys ever relocate to Chicago, I'm in! LOL!

[@pabloandresbrborich3115]

simply inspiring.

[@ambracaddabrasaudioearcand4567]

Leeway? HOLY SHIT Bad Ass!I live way out in L.A. area and I've been knowing since at least 1998, that Leeway is not only Legendary within the NYHC scene, as they are Kick Ass sharp as a Tack Guitar Playing & Music!

[@churchofcreation8888]

For me it brings out my playing

[@bobbycardona1255]

Awesome video!!!

[@kentucky1519]

Definitely looking into getting some for my bronze series warlock ik it's a cheapo guitar but I love the thing to much to replace so I'll just upgrade it and make it my own. Also going sauderless was genius. I do have one question though and that's if the guitar is black would it look good if I did a white 81 and black 85 so that the white blends with the silver Bridge I've thought it would look cool but I might do an 85/alx settup instead

[@jeffmckinnon5842]

What a great story. I did not know that "EMG" was a name brand. I thought it was a type of pick-up. It's like - Hey, who made these EMG's?

[@alelollipop1903]

So cool 🤘🏻

[@MyBichSustained]

And olso offer the damn barrel input jack too...those are a pain in the ass!

[@_mysilentblue2227]

"I've just decided to move on, I decided to move on 45yrs ago" Now thats a quote!

[@TahmidRahman]

I love EMGs ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@t0dd707]

Rob is the coolest.

[@brotherdoom2406]

This is cool.

[@Kittenclock]

Legend.

[@extremesecrecy]

Hey, the battery thing was....well, you are right. BUT, 2024, why can't you guys make a chargeable battery that has a type C input somewhere in the guitar. Would be cake on a Strat. That is a place to start.

[@infinidominion]

Would love to see Black Enamel Metal Works option. Theres Black Chrome, Brushed Black Chrome, and regular classic Black but no Black Metal. ....like the Iommi pickups

[@3rdPlaya0709]

I wish there was more information on how the emg SA pickup has changed. Are they still the same design as the mid 80s? Like the ones David Gilmour used or Jamie West Oram from the fixx used? Or has the SA design changed and the ones sold now are different then the ones back then? Please shed some light

[@mikemota]

EMG, EMG, EMG, EMG!

[@zanbato2731]

Someday i will buy a pickups set

[@shonwhite7985]

Is there a install video of the HZ40 bass EMG pickups?

[@shawnmatthews5118]

I have some EMG Hz passives in a Les Paul. It sounded great when I first got it, but then I put in your plug and play controls in it and it sounds muffled now and nowhere near as loud.

[@zombiemosher1139]

The guy was way ahead of his time. I'm primarily a passive guy but have active pickups in a couple of guitars & one is EMG. They definitely have their place love or hate. BTW, 3 people don't like EMGS. Lol

[@daraboy1973]

Solid forward looking electronic engineering. That is now a standard . If you don't like them fine! If you do thats fine too. I would love to find the correct 81/85 combo to fit my Ibanez sabre HSH configuration made fit an SA . In the middle

[@fartman1510]

Rob is a mad scientist

[@riffwizardsupreme]

he has a very nice voice.

[@andrewspade7969]

I wish they didn't change the sound of the emg81, old ones sound great new ones have less low end brighter fizzy highs.

[@jamieevans2666]

After i installed my emgs 81/85 into my rhoads I play different more control and i listen to my playing more ive improve my guitar playing thank emg yea there haters but there legendary by far more then Seymour duncan

[@mangstrum]

🤘

[@denniscraven8438]

Had a chance to ask Lukather what those black PUs were on the Toto lV tour. EMG…

[@MustafaBaabad]

Chief, try to consider using Lithium rechargeable battery that can be charged using mobil phone charger. That will make it simpler and no more requirement for spare battery. Cheers from Indonesia.

[@95Sn95]

I duno I hear all these opinions on active sound hot, sterile, cold blah blah.. if you have a good ear and or listening in person in even more in a studio I'm sure you can tell but on stereo or TV my old abused ears can not tell the difference... Especially one passive humbucker to another. Yes I can easily hear a tele from a les Paul. Im a dabbler and i have a 2010ish Korean BC Rich Warlock ProX, it's pretty sweet, a nice Warlock was my dream guitar. It's a professional grade guitar with mahogany neck and body, neck thru construction, ebony fretboard so on so on but it came with EMG 81/60 pickups, and I hear all these criticism of active pickups but I don't hear these attributes. It sounds warm and clear very clear and detailed, I really don't hear anything bad....with my experience level with guitars I suppose my opinion should be taken with a grain of salt but again with that aspect I really don't have any biases to sway my opinion I don't care either way....To me it seems they seem work beautifully and to me the sound has more to do with the actual guitars architecture, materials and construction and the amplification more than just the pickups to a certain point obviously... I've seen guys playing death metal with a regular ol strat with 3 singles.... But even tho my warlock is the quintessential thrash metal guitar (and 120% hair metal) I think with really nice amplification someone could play beautiful clean sounds. I'd love to see like say someone like Kenny Wayne shepherd hook my warlock into his gear and start playing even tho it wouldn't sound like his typical sound I bet it would sound beautiful with his soulful sound also.... And that would be a hoot to see a guitar master tearing off soulful leads on a matte black hardtail Warlock with EMGs aged cream binding and gold hardware lol. Probably go viral! And those EMG pickups sound sick with overdrive!

[@michaelgrahamwongacutemadness]

Throwing shade at Fishman I get since recharging a battery is more of a hassle than replacing a battery way less.

[@TheVerlaine]

47 years later they’re still going so the brothers did something right.

[@RR1976]

I would love to work for you guys!!!

[@erics31]

Emg the best pickups.

[@Max_94]

Best pickups

[@davidfaustino4476]

Mics are phantom powered though.. EMG should make a phantom power mini pedal so no batteries are required. Just use a TRS cable to your pedalboard.

[@davidfaustino4476]

@@remarkablehairdo3110 no. They have a box that supplies 18v. I'm talking about a guitar pedal that actually looks like it belongs on a pedal board.

[@randomguitarnote8887]

Passives are cool but nothing inspires me more than emgs 😅

[@ApolloVIIIYouAreGoForTLI]

How many people can actively say, “I made David Gilmour sound better” ⤵️ Yep, You're God damn right that pun was intended.

[@fartman1510]

I need want a job with emg