How to spot fake EMG pickup - Another Guitar Channel

How to spot a fake EMG pickup. How to recognize the counterfeit active EMG? Does fake EMG sound any like the original?
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[@MichaelDespairs]

EMG 81 is the world's best metal pickup. Thanks for helping people cut the sun in two with authenticity. Accept no imitations.

[@magatterm8237]

I agree with you!

[@NightwishArena]

This is actually pretty amazing. After all these years they still hold their position. I have SD Blackouts on my guitar, and I really prefer that old EMG81 which I had before (and I'm going to switch back, when I can find 85 on decent price). EMG gives you tighter sound. Especially with 18V mod. SD's probably sound worse with that mod, at least I couldn't spot any benefits when I had it. I don't know if those new versions of 81's or Blackouts are better thou.

[@abyrnes591]

I have just discovered that I have just purchased fake EMG's off of Ebay... What gave mine away was the connection to the pickup only worked with the arrow away, not facing you, like the real ones, and the connector was silver with no support, like the one you show, which looked off to me. Once I discovered that I did a search for fake EMG and your video came up, and yes it has most of the things you mention. But yeah the pickups I got only work with the connector plugged in upside down of a real one... crazy. Now to get my money back! Thank you!

[@amasonedalnib1858]

Hi. You mention the connectors go the opposite way to the originals. Did you notice any issues sound-wise? I'm asking because my fake EMGs squeal when playing at high gain setting. Please let me know. Thanks.

[@elang7961]

How much did it cost you to buy the fake emg pickups?

[@518freakshow4]

@@amasonedalnib1858 Yes, the arrow is hidden, because the red wire goes to the battery, but also, the white wire is actually the ground, and the black is the hot.

[@tedbundy2797]

@@elang7961 I paid $28 shipped and they sound great for the fakes. Everything is made in china anyway. Just EMG didnt get their cut.

[@throwup3]

@@tedbundy2797 I'm pretty certain all of mine emgs were built in USA. And sure they do sound completely differently compared side by side. Not sure where you get your idea from.

[@xaviduch]

Thank you! I guess this is a common matter with basses also...

[@patrickshannon4516]

Real active pick ups have a battery compartment on them where the nine volt battery compartment is on the back you can spot it emediatly I know also that even if they do got some fake active pickups they aren't bad but they aren't good compared to real EMG pickups.

[@Kreln1221]

I love it when the pickups are repeatedly dropped right next to the microphone..., especially when the volume is turned up high...

[@captainhowdy3104]

looks like pickgaurd shown had 85 at bridge which is spaced for neck position….. china didnt know its ok

[@edwardzborowski5879]

85's can be used in either position. They use rails instead of poles so they don't need spacing.

[@rafaldawidprzybylak]

Thank You o Great One!

[@MichaelDespairs]

I think the best pickup for metal is the authentic US EMG 81 and I think the 2nd best pickup for metal is the Chinese fake 81. I'm being serious, it's a pretty good copy and it still sounds better than passive Duncans, Dimarzios, and Bare Knuckle! I'm just judging off this recording and not factoring high volume pickup squeal which is a dealbreaker of course.

[@shawngraham4075]

Man, I would normally agree with you on this. I mean, I do love the Duncan Blackouts, but bro. I just bought a Japanese ESP E-II Horizon NT and it has EMG 81-7 (b) and an EMG 85-7 (n) and man... The neck sounds stellar as usual but the 81 in the bridge sounds.....weak? Like it has pick attack and growl, but the palm mutes don't ring out like they usually do. I can feel the guitar's resonance and it is still doing it's thing, but the sound out of the pickup is very lackluster and I just don't expect that from EMG. hence why I'm trying to find out if my particular pickup might be fake.

[@MichaelDespairs]

@@shawngraham4075 watch this video a few times you will become a pro EMG authenticator! Maybe it's not getting power from the battery. They still make sound that way but the signal is very low. Maybe it's wired poorly or something is wrong with it. Maybe the switch is wired to play both pickups and they our of phase. Test for these or check the wiring or swap it out good luck

[@ubiratanguimaraes6996]

I would like to know if there are fake emg boosters like EXG and SPC also on the market and how recognize it, because i saw some that are new but come in the old white box and there are years that the box of all emg products is grey, what makes me suspect about its originality.

[@amasonedalnib1858]

My question is: do fake ones sound good?

[@AnotherGuitarChannel]

Not really

[@michaelgrahamwongacutemadness]

the more concerning question is if they’re safe

[@StandTallTx]

@@michaelgrahamwongacutemadness They're magnets, not bombs.

[@ejb5034]

Considering that guitarists that prefer active pickups play with a lot of gain, they'll probably sound not very different if discernible at all from the real EMGs. High gain tends mask the actual quality of the pickup(s). That's just the nature of distorting the signal so it's a bit of a mystery why metal guitarists even need to worry about things like clarity and definition when they seldomly play clean anyway. They (EMGs) play dirty cleanly I suppose but it's hard to hear the difference at high playing levels. If you've got a cheap guitar that you want to dress up AND sound pretty decent why not slap a set of fakes on it if it makes you feel good. At a small fraction of the cost of the real things, you don't have much to lose - like $35? Tuning machines will cost you more, even cheap ones. Just don't try to sell it as genuine to make a quick buck.

[@chaggasfernandes]

@@StandTallTx lol

[@stopUkrainewar666]

Does James hetfield pickup has been counterfeited too?

[@chaggasfernandes]

James may have done a live show with a fake EMG without even knowing.

[@judgy3]

​@@chaggasfernandesSeriously doubt that, they have fucking loads of money and their techs would know if something was a fake

[@krzysiekk2207]

Skąd ja znam tem głos;)

[@jenniferthompson9441]

Well china is selling them for $17

[@AnotherGuitarChannel]

that's not a reason to buy it

[@200130769]

And if you want to buy trash then buy them.

[@pz3328]

XTP! Instead "original" use "genuine" word ;) It's little bit more "professional" Regards

[@200130769]

I really don't think anyone cares that much. Just like nobody cares about your sentence fragment. You should have the word of in between instead and original. You should have said; instead of using the word original, you should use the word genuine. They way you put it is a big time sentence fragment.

[@pz3328]

@@200130769 Okay! One time i have been reprimanded after i had used "original" ;)