Head To Head - EMG 81 vs. Seymour Duncan Blackout AHB-1 - Bridge Pickups

[@amgoatee3700]

The EMG 81/85 has solid sound which I like.

[@BenoniStudio]

@SirZozzo I would love to review the Blackout AHB-3 and the EMG X and James Hetfield pickups. But I do not have access to these models at this time. If Seymour Duncan or EMG would like to send me the pickups or a guitar loaded with their pickups, I would review them in a heart beat. As far as the string distance, the 2 Viper guitars were setup pretty much exact.

[@AkiraSpectrum]

I would rank the tones as such: 1. Viper 301 - Blackouts AHB-1's B/N 2. Viper 500 - EMG 81/85 3. EC-1000 - EMG 81/60 I may have liked the ec-1000 the least because it was the most bright and had the least amount of low end, but this could also be because it had the smallest string gauge. I prefer the blackouts as I prefer the extra bass and darkness.

[@Trotsky1981]

Blackouts sound great by themselves, but they are quite difficult to orient in a mix. I assume there would be similar problems in a live situation. They have a lot more low end, but that makes them quite muddy when played with other instruments.

[@msi.gaming1383]

+Michael Herman I completely agree.... typically the EMG's kinda have a compressed sound which really highlights the mids and highs while still being able to retrain the heavy "chug" for metal and such.

[@alvarg]

this is legit just a terrible comparison

[@LightningJackFlash]

I thought the same. They sound really well when there's nothing around, but EMG-s cut through better and that's extremely important. You just have to be heard, you play with a band and not on your own. Blackouts, when played with no other instrumentarium around, sound great though, true.

[@jeffarab4947]

It's all about gain and eq for blackouts dont need too much gain and bass it's already bass heavy

[@rjsmith452]

Ive had both pickups in may different guitars and currently I purchased a Charvel desolation with blackouts. It sounds awsome what it comes down to is what sounds good you. They both are great pickups so on that note dont take peoples word for it buy what sounds good to you.

[@BenoniStudio]

Of course. MAB has EMG 81 and 85 in his signature MAB1 Armored Flame and MAB1 Speed Of Light guitars from Dean Guitars

[@dylanbeckerman]

I agree with tommW13, the EMGs sound like a more live sound, while the Blackouts have more of a studio tone. Personally, I like the Blackouts. They're much clearer and sharper, and they cut through the mix much better.

[@BenoniStudio]

@benroethig Thanks for watching

[@WutangClan4LiF3]

@BenoniStudio i had ec-1000 81/60 crappy powerchords maybe my amp's fault. I m now between ESP Mh1000FR with emg 81/85 or the ESP mh1000NT with jb/59 which one do you reccomend? And very very nice video btw

[@GuitarPlayerSkater1]

personally, i like the EMG 81. Listening to bands like For the fallen dreams, i like that heavy but clear sound that they give you. like when you play upper arpeggios or chords then you can still hear them well, and then go back to a heavy chug and it sounds good.

[@metalmichew2]

EMG vs EMG... whats the diffrence? guitar shapes? sucks that emg's can be put in multiplex body's and sound the same as in a Gibson... same goes with the blackout, i pressume their good for core kinda music..

[@givemeajackson]

@lemom1148 they invented a pickup ring with coilsplit/paralel/serial option, and they were the first to make a solderless system in a volume pot, and the first humbuckers in sc size were actually duncans.

[@BenoniStudio]

@cakire82 That would be a good test, but it would be a lot of soldering. The New EMG's and Blackouts are solderless, but the ones I have need soldering.

[@BenoniStudio]

@Sam132161 Yes, they are active

[@wolfgang2007aaaaaaaa]

If active pickups are sterile then why cant people explain how players like Zakk Wylde and Steve Lukather get a great tone out of EMG actives? Hmm interesting.... Tone = is what you make of it (after a certain point).

[@emrahercancakir]

@BenoniStudio I see. Well, thanks anyways. Great comparison. which one did you like more? Also Do you think V500 being string through affect the tone much?

[@Chuggsbigman]

Blackouts sound suitable for black metal and death metal. The emgs sound more.. Thrashy?.

[@Ikillpeopleforfree]

Hi. If you put an 18 volt mod to the EMG 81 it will also increase volume output and frequencies as well. My question is can you just plug in a blackout to the EMG solderless pin wires to try them? I was wondering if you knew?

[@BenoniStudio]

@MrBobbymcBobbers I would say that is a subjective question. I comes down to what you like best, and only you can answer that.

[@BenoniStudio]

@cakire82 I think they all sound good. I am partial to the 81, but the Blackout AHB-1 is a great sounding pickup. They are both useful, especially for layering guitars. String through does make a difference, but I would not say its "better" or "worse" its just a slight variation. The Blackout AHB-3 is a pickup I would like to test. As well as the new James Hetfield EMG

[@BenoniStudio]

@MatKiller1197 I'd love to but i don't have access to a pair at the moment. Hopefully I can get some in the future, they look pretty cool.

[@specialbrownies123]

In certain cases yes, however, being powered separately from the guitar with such a high output they are almost always going to sound the same. I can drop a pair of emgs in a squire and it'll sound awesome. The wiring, I believe, could be the only thing that could change the natural tone of the pups besides dialing in a different EQ. Good point kempobrad.

[@Jeepjones85]

The 81 IMO I'm just not sure what that is with the black outs maybe to much mid sound going on ?

[@pandastudios3274]

81's - clarity AHB's - bottom end

[@azatru]

i have rigs with the same pickup configs you used here, and the EMG's seem to be a little cearer for really low tunings, but the blackouts seem alot quieter for noise, which may be partly why they have a bithigher output, due to noise reduction

[@BenoniStudio]

@TinManSilverHeart Thanks for watching

[@emrahercancakir]

Very professional comparison. I wish you have tested on the same guitar though

[@emrahercancakir]

@BenoniStudio AHB-2b with Loud/Louder mode sounds very interesting too. Thanks again for the review.

[@theo_moll]

You can't compare a 1000 series guitar with a 301 though.

[@mercatorjubio3804]

of course you can

[@conartist267]

I Liked both EMG's better. Sounded tighter. Thanks!

[@BenoniStudio]

Well aren't you just a little ray of happy sunshine. Thanks for watching.

[@killerjay13andAhalf]

1. They should've all had the same strings 2. The EC-1000 is a higher quality guitar then the other 2 3. The EC-1000 is a different body shape (more wood) which further changes tone.

[@BlackLocustMusic]

+killerjay13 WRONG see WillsEasyguitar page ''tone wood'' for electric guitars is bullshit. Physics don't lie.

[@jonah11111]

+BlackLocustMusic furthermore even if tonewoods don't matter, this test was still fundamentally flawed in countless ways.

[@thrashtildeth247]

the emgs sound more full and the blackouts seem to have a little more treble/output

[@krisgermar3277]

i have 2 schecter hellraisers, same guitars ones got emgs one i put blackouts in, id say the blackouts definately sound brighter on clean channel, on the gain there both great

[@TheBIGREDDAVE]

I love passive Seymour Duncans. As far as actives go EMG's got my vote.

[@djguzzy10]

I think the 81 in the viper 500 sounded best. Only because of the string through. The SD blackouts have good chords and nice single string playing. I think the emgs do better for low tuning

[@amatureguitarist929]

Clearly...Emg 81 in ec 100 has more tone definition than the other pickups...I pick emg...

[@BenoniStudio]

@Andrewsmith1114 or is it?

[@tommW13]

From my ears the blackout sounds more like a studio tone were's the EMG's are a more live sound.there both good pickups and its a tough decision

[@Darkend163]

@givemeajackson you are right., but this copy was so typical... just the same, that's why I was wondering. (EMG has no humbucker in single-coil size, only hum-cancellers).

[@purulence666]

I prefer ec 1000 with emg's by the result of test.

[@RobFlynn]

I play in a Hardcore/Crust band. I've been thinking about changing the pickups of my guitar but can't quite decide yet. I got a Marshall JCM 900 head and after watching your vid i'm seriously thinking of getting the EMG 81...i don't use any pedals, and i'm wanna create a 'heavy/low' sound...Good vid btw !

[@BenoniStudio]

Are you referring to Pro Tools or the Eleven Rack?

[@patrolmostwanted]

I think the difference would be more audible if you tuned the axes to standard or C, D tuning.

[@wolfgang2007aaaaaaaa]

Hmm not much difference... Except the EMG's sounded like they had more mids. I have SD blackouts and I honestly think they are too muddy and swapping them out for EMG's.

[@Guitarfanman]

it sounds like the duncans handle the lower tuning and the low end a lot better than the emg's, and the dry track for the blackout had a lot nicer of a tone, really it comes down to personal preference, the blackouts have a higher output and a tighter low end, but the emg's have a more pronounced mid range but seem a little fuzzy at times.

[@DistortionVoid]

The Viper-500 had my favorite tone consistently throughout the video. Very clean without boomy lows or hi end sizzle like the other 2 guitars... I go for that less saturated punchy sound.

[@Shevaron]

Thanks for this review. I picked the 81 It seemed more crisp. This is pickup in the guitar I want to get the Hellraiser C-7 FR special.

[@lockpicker2k]

I'd like to see the test redone with 18v Mod EMG's vs Blackouts. Even at standard 9v I still liked the EMG's more!

[@BRG13DEAN]

I like the Blackouts. I agree with the other guys, they cut through more and have clearer sound. I think I may buy a set soon.

[@Ikillpeopleforfree]

@benroethig I agree and 81 will always be best for drop tuned playing. All of my MIJ ESP standard series come with EMGs factory installed for a reason. Not many pros are using blackouts even after being out almost 5 years now.

[@NeutralDepth]

Apparently when the pickups are active, wood doesn't make near as much difference To test this I'm putting EMG 81 in the bridge and 60 in the neck of a plywood guitar You read right, plywood If it doesn't work I'll put it in a custom LP with a mahogany body and a maple top

[@0yavuz]

@BenoniStudio what whould be a good distortion pedal that would sound like 2:43 (i have EMG's)

[@nicospain]

hey man! are the conectros from emg compatible with the sd's conector??

[@MrAlexjames94]

I could hear it but it's very subtle. But I had to put in my Audio Technica headphones, which are very HQ audio. You wont really hear it unless you hear them in person.

[@Jackson666fan]

When looking for pickup you need to look for clarity expescially in metal music which is why I go with EMGs for their tite clear tone

[@MrBobbymcBobbers]

oh, and which pickup is more versatile?

[@omarsaul]

oooo me gusta mas el sonido de la 81 pero solo en la ltd ec 1000, en la vipe 500 no tanto, y ahora como sonara en una ESP

[@Tombking2]

I think the higher output would be more thanks to pickup being higher set.

[@Gibson17]

The EMG will cut through a mix better...Trust me been using them for 12 years. Blackouts do have more output and bottom, but you can eq that in or out anyway. Both great pickups !

[@yellowpwns97]

should i put blackouts in my yamaha pacifica at bridge ?

[@benroethig]

From what I could gather, the EMGs had more of that compressed muddy crunch that people love for death metal and nuMetal. The Blackouts were clearer and more organic, like passive pickups on steroids.

[@Nathan-dd2uy]

Here's a test, let's see how versatile the Blackouts are and use them for blues, funk, country and jazz. EMG can do it all just fine, so if the Blackouts are as fantastic as people seem to think they are, I'm sure they'll be just as versatile as the EMG's.;)

[@TinManSilverHeart]

Although the Blackouts seem more powerful, the EMG 81 has a razor sharp sound to it..that is ideal for lead work or solos..cause it allows you to cut through the mix more effectively.

[@Mr911Medic]

Just go with a set of DiMarzio D Activator's (DP219 in neck and DP222 in bridge)!!

[@ThorsShadow]

All those people talking smack about active PUs, obviously don't know, what the EQ on their amplifier is for. There is almost nothing an EQ can't fix. I can make my EMGs sound as "full" and "warm" as any other pickup and can give them the same "punch" and "balls" as those Blackouts and they never sound muddy. The only thing, that is somewhat true is that they have less dynamics than passives (although they're not non-existent!). But that's what the EMG X-series and/or 18V-mod is for.

[@whitaker_media]

I think the only difference I heard was that with the Seymour Duncans, during chords I felt like I could hear each note within the chord clearer, and the EMG's were a little more muddled.

[@timkluntz8362]

Of course if money was not an issue I'd hire the most sought after guitar tech and luthier to set up a custom built axe where active and passive pickups marry eachother and produce a Frankenpickup. Where there's a will there's a way!

[@MatZacharis]

can you please do a demo on the gus g fire blackouts?

[@AB1138-]

Im suprised the seymours are getting so much they sounds alot better to my ears; tighter low end, more punch, and alot better note clarity in F#. tho to be fair i think the string-thru emg sounds better then theones in the ec-1000

[@dustydan95]

I hear a major difference in the pickups on the clean setting, but the distortion has no difference. for clean, it's the blackouts, but for distortion, there is no comparison

[@Darkend163]

@givemeajackson That's why I was maybe wondering, why they have made a copy... Maybe you can answer this question: Why did they not copy EMG pickups 25 ears ago? And now, they write on their site: "Oh, look! We have pickups that sound like "EMG®"! " There can be only 2 answers: 1) For 25 years EMG was for 1 step forward 2) SD decided to do this to cover the most part of the pickup market

[@Deefboy95]

guys this video is good but you can't base your opinion entirely on this video because the weight and properties of wood are also factors to how the tone will sound. you can see in this video he uses different guitars which all have different body types and probably wood types

[@timkluntz8362]

I was really rooting for the Seymour Duncan Blackouts, but the EMG 81 on the Viper has just more personality by a nose...all 3 pickups sound almost identical but it really boils down to personal preference which you can't argue.

[@CHARLYnJAPAN]

I like the Blackouts better. I had the EMG's in my Steinberger and switched them out with the SD Blackouts. Blackouts Sound much better to me. I'm gonna put them in all my active pickup guitars and even some of my non-active guitars. They seem to add more dimension and tonal quality, IMO. That's not to say I don't like the EMG's. I just like the Blackouts more.

[@Mr911Medic]

There are SO many variables to consider, the least of which is what guitar you're putting them into. I can see it perhaps making a difference in a studio recording environment, but it's such a subtle variation that, for live performance, I just doesn't matter if you use EMG or SD. YOU may hear a difference...but your audience WONT. So...go with the one that's less expensive or on sale!!

[@givemeajackson]

@Darkend163 they never created something new? p-rails? triple shot rig? liberator solderless pickup change system? hotrails? and you say they have no ideas? with just a three way swich and and two triple shots i have more tone options than a prs 513! the P-rails combined with tripleshot is 4 pickups in one (single coil, p90, serial humbucker, parallel humbucker) they were the first to make humbuckers in singlecoil size! just cause they copied emg in one little thing doesn make them uncreative!

[@wtfwhoisthisguy]

AHB seems to have the midrange... which is going to cut through the mix better

[@ElBastardo]

What gauge strings are you using?

[@Maxpound]

@DarkdeviI725 I actually need more distortion. I'm trying to resurrect Elizabeth Bathory here.

[@MrBobbymcBobbers]

how can you afford all these guitars and pickups?

[@lemom1148]

@givemeajackson Actually,Seymour Duncan did NOT invent solderless pickup systems, nor did he invent rail pickups or coil tapping.

[@WutangClan4LiF3]

@BenoniStudio forgot to mention that the Emg pickups is like or you love them or you hate them. I find their sound so "plastic" if you know what i mean like fake. funny thing on the same Crappy amp my ibanez grg170dx ( a 250 dollars guitar with passive crappy pickups ) sound better or same with emg's so i guess i m not an emg guy

[@specialbrownies123]

Ive used both and honestly there really isn't much of a difference. The blackouts are a little cleaner with more output but emgs have a more unique tone (the sizzling.) Basically, one is more versatile and the other is hotter sounding so it all comes down to preference. They both are great metal pups but ive gone back to passive since then;)

[@JMPK23]

the blackouts had a nice crunch but something about the 81 seems better

[@naruto77758]

the EMG has a dry tone and its better for complex riffs, but the Blackout has a lot of more lows and gain, that's a hard choice.

[@boynamedlen]

I listened to a large part of the video without looking and honestly couldn' tell the difference. It sounded like the EMGs have a tiny big more highs.

[@ihatepop13]

Zakk Wylde has his own model of EMGs. And also, when you're using over $10000 of equipment for your amp and pedals, a squier would sound good. Don't forget, the amp is your main tone. You can match an amp to a pickup and make it sound certain ways but changing it for each different pickup.

[@metallitech]

That was a perfectly valid opinion that you helped him to form. Why be rude to your viewer?

[@BillakosDM]

i like more the EMG!

[@DarkdeviI725]

@aintnopity Who doesnt need that much distortion?

[@givemeajackson]

@Darkend163 first of all there is a tonal difference between the emgs and the duncans. ogf course they wanted to cover some more market! they took the concept of emg, yes, but all humbuckers took the concept of the gibson PAF! btw, emg makes single-coil sized humbuckers too, they copied duncan there. isnt it stupid not to buy a brand cause they copied? all amps with master volume and gain are marshall copies, but i'd still buy an engl > marshall! awnser nr 3: it wouldnt have been rentable then.

[@ricky7ap]

is really hard to tell the difference here, i mean , if u can play clear and well, and u have an really nice guitar, it doesn't matter EMG 81 or blackout

[@Olivere118]

EMG 81 Wins. Blackouts are a little too messy if you compare them.

[@A7Xguitarplayer0272]

Blackouts have a more defined tone emgs have more of a crunchy tone very good comparison.

[@stupidplants]

@MrBobbymcBobbers EMGs offer a wider range i feel, but blackouts offer a much better metal tone

[@Kyl0_ben]

I think the 81s sounded like they had a bit more mid than the Blackouts. But, that's just me.

[@ihatepop13]

Comparing pickups with different level guitars is unfair. You can't put one in a cheap guitar and another in an expensive one. They're have totally diffferent sounds with the same pickups.

[@mazi409]

I would say that the Blackouts has more low end and low mids than EMG, which has more highs and less mids. Because of that Blackouts cuts through the mix better.

[@jordankelly4541]

i feel like the emg's give a clearer sound , but both pickups r exelent

[@Sk4walk3r]

Well, most people who use this Pickups are playing drop tunings so what he is doing is right. I don't want to hear Blues on a EMG or Blackout. And i guess 99% of the people which are using this pickups neither...