Wilkinson versus EMG-J - jazz bass guitar pickup comparison

[@StirfriedGerman]

While the Wilkinson pickups are a price/performance king, the EMG pickups are dead silent on my bass guitar and sound pristine. I'm glad I upgraded.

[@jocelynflores5501]

I like Emg Better

[@StirfriedGerman]

@@jocelynflores5501 Same here

[@cristianvallesi2805]

​@@jocelynflores5501emgnbbal ser activo es muy limpio un sonido de estudio y no tiene calidez yo tengo un bajo Ibanez con Bartolini custom Made un usa y también son 0 ruidos ..

[@cristianvallesi2805]

Son silenciosas porque son activas no porque son emg

[@StirfriedGerman]

@@cristianvallesi2805 Yes indeed

[@4deuce31]

They sound pretty close to each other. I just installed a set of these on my jazz bass. For $30 you can not go wrong. They sound freaking awesome with B7K plugged in. If you have doubts, don't. I'm a Tone Chaser and these just completed what I needed for my tone. 🤘

[@11coopbasscooper55]

Hey,...the Wilkinson's sound cleaner to me. The EMG's sound muted. Not clean enough. Slapping and finger chopping,...just in my opinion and for me,...the Wilkinson's sound is my type of taste. See,...I believe it's a "TASTE" thang. What ever tweaks one's ear. I highly appreciate you for making this video. It's just what I needed to hear. I thank you so much. You are the man! 👌😉

[@StirfriedGerman]

With EQ, I vastly prefer the EMGs😉

[@11coopbasscooper55]

@@StirfriedGerman Much respect! 👌😉

[@kaganozmeric9822]

Thank you for your time and effort. EMGs sound more scooped and Wilkinsons have more midrange as I can hear. Regretfully KZbin's compression mask some of the nuances in those comparison tests so one cannot be 100% sure of the differences. Generally, we can say that EMGs are more suitable if you play mostly slap and Wilks are for the bassists who prefer more vintage JB sound.

[@StirfriedGerman]

My experience on studio monitors is that EMGs cover the whole frequency spectrum, the Wilkinsons loose some highs and overemphasize mids. If money is no object, EMGs are the best choice, they can imitate the Wilkinson sound with EQ, the reverse is not possible.

[@christopherstorrier5560]

I prefer the Wilkinsons...the EMG's sound veiled, as if a curtain was put in front of a cab...the EMG's have far less treble to my ears not more...i use a Wilkinson WJM bass humbucker on a USA Fender Jazz with a reverse wound reverse polarity standard Jazz bridge with a coil split to give me my Jazz tone as the coil in the Jazz neck position is a real Jazz coil put together with a MusicMan coil, 1/2" polepieces...wired to an on - on toggle swich i can have 5 good combinations with the coil split, regular Jazz ,neck coil of Jazz only, great tone with no noise for walking bass lines,the humbucker on it's own which is a Jazz coil & MusicMan coil (loud with more mid range) or my favourite, full WJM humbucker & Jazz bridge coil in parallel...great deep powerful tone with a scooped midrange...low & dirty, a powerful Fender tone with no noise, or if it's your thing just the MusicMan single coil (big fat reggae type tone but still got definition) all our ears hear different...i like EMG's, very quiet but they do sound slightly veiled...great having no polepieces to touch with your strings but not as clear sounding plus theirs an old simple trick to make your Wilkinson's polepieces flush or sub flush with the plastic casing....good demo 👍🎸

[@StirfriedGerman]

Thanks, I'll upload a video about the same bass but with different bridges in a few days, I'll include a sound sample with EQ, I think that might change your opinion :) The Wilkinsons sound good, even excellent for the money, but the EMGs have more flexibility with EQ, and way more punch.

[@kevmac1230]

Put something like clear fingernail polish on pole pieces perhaps.

[@christopherstorrier5560]

@@kevmac1230 .....yeah that would work but to keep maximum polepiece strength i would put 2 strips of thick cardboard,1/2mm - 1.5mm on top of the pickup bobbin with cover removed, fix in place if needed then replace cover after finding right thickness & size cardboard or credit card strips etc...put back on pickup cover & the polepieces will be flush or sub-flush...the covers on a Jazz pickup hold everthing in place under pressure of the pickup foam or springs when screwed back into place....repair folk have been doing it to Fender pickups with protruding polepieces for yrs to stop your finger touching the polepieces when playing producing that weird clacking sound....

[@peerpaulin8486]

​@@StirfriedGerman The volume should be adjusted so that both pickup brands have the same volume. Otherwise you can't really compare as you will always tend to the louder ones. The Wilkinson sound really great for the price but more treble always tricks the ear. I would always prefer the EMGs. They have more body and sound more balanced. EMGs allow you to play more dynamically. They are expensive for a reason.

[@StirfriedGerman]

@@peerpaulin8486 The audio is gain normalized. The EMGs peak higher in lower frequencies but treble goes much higher. On 8" studio monitors it's fairly balanced, any other correction would have to be ballparked. I agree with your opinion on the EMGs 100%. They're superior in every way.

[@WORTHITORNOT]

Super impressed with your bass slapping ! You are quite the talented man.

[@StirfriedGerman]

Thanks, 40 years of not practicing 🤣

[@wessmusic4501]

Stirfried, thanks for the review. As every time - done well and without preconceptions. I think the world needs to shake off its "cheap vs expensive musical instrument or pickups", etc., etc. judgement once and for all, and thanks for that respectful neutrality you follow and for which I find your presentations valuable in every way. Moreover, an already recorded solo and a well-mixed music is now beyond the topic of preference. I confess, I have always been of the opposite position regarding acoustic instruments, where everything is in the hands of the luthier and performer, without the "mediation" of electromagnetic induction :) However, I prefer not to dwell on that. EMGs placed on this instrument create the sensation of overdriving and even perceptible distortion of the signal in the mid and high spectrum, adding lows for even more "contamination". I can't find the right word to describe them, though in German I would use just one - Gedudel. In that sense, it doesn't introduce a personal dislike for EMGs, which on a Warwick, Schecter, Spector etc. sound somehow more peculiar and "friendly" - kind of "club members" - apart from a matter of stylistics, but also of combination with the wood (neck and body). I'm not even referring to the details of workmanship reg. the Harley Benton, which hardly anyone would overlook. The topic here, though, is the pickups. On the other hand, Wilkinson Pc's, although narrower in spectrum, sound more "non-crushing" in combination with this Harley and using even just one sound processor, Darkglass immediately comes to mind, would bring it to its feet. Let's not forget the most crucial part of the judgement - what happens when, modified with one or other pickups, the instrument has to "fight" with the others in the mix (live or on record) without the need for drastic EQ and all the post-processes the sound engineer will have to face. In such comparisons, I always prefer blind tests, as is done when selecting violin, cello, etc. After such comparisons as I have allowed myself to make with colleagues and my students, even Fodera, Sandberg and Sadowsky with rubbish strings and bad playing can hang on the wall of oblivion. But the most important thing for any musician is - if the instrument with that setup (new pickups) sounds good, and that is received positively by colleagues in the band or in the studio, then the task and goals have been achieved. Beyond that, however, there is another factor for the musician - his/her manner of expression, the comfort of playing and the ease of achieving deep dynamics. Among the most basic components of performance are skills, desire and inspiration. The audience does not care how this is achieved. "Pickups - what is it?" On that note, you say you've already been to a performance with this instrument and this proves that it produces a good result. After all, music is not for looking at, but for listening to, and it's wonderful that there are now so many achievable opportunities for anyone to upgrade their instrument in their own image! Regards, Wess

[@StirfriedGerman]

Wow great post ! The bass in this video is currently my main gigging bass. I recently replaced the hardware with Gotoh bridge and tuners after a tuner failed during a gig xD, and I'll switch out the preamp someday. The cheap instrument has minor caveats like the cheap fret material that needs very frequent polishing, but on the other hand I don't mind messing around on it where with a Fodera, I would be worried about harming it. I get lots of compliments on my sound from the audience and FOH engineers, although my band plays many bass forward songs, so maybe it's also the execution haha. Me too I find it awesome that there are now so many accessible options to play with, in the instrument field but also all the related gear including studio gear. Thanks for sharing!

[@christopherstorrier5560]

The Wilkinson Jazz p-up's😊 sound good..i use the Wilkinson bass humbucker made of a Jazz coil & a MM large pole piece coil wired in series in a MM pickup...i took the varitone pot of my FretKing Exprit bass...useless, & replaced the varitone & volume log pots with 2 x 250K linear volume pots & a linear tone pot with a Fender Greasebucket tone set up,2 x 2% tolerance hifi grade polypropylene caps (0.1mfd & 0.022mfd-0.047mfd) & a 1% 4K7 resistor....the Wilkinson bass humbucker is very well made ,epoxy vaccum sealed,very quiet & great tones with a volume pot for each coil,& a coil tap so i still have my Fender Jazz tone but with more tonal choices available...well priced as well...Trevor Wilkinson has designed some good pickups ,guitars & bass's...Fretking used to be his,i think he still own's some of it but not sure...i have a FretKing Esprit...an excellent bass after rewiring,new pots,polypropylene cap's, a brass nut,brass saddles...very quiet with little hiss & noise but a very hot MM & Jazz mixed coiled humbucker...i like it...

[@StirfriedGerman]

Wow, serious tinkering ... I would love to see a video !

[@studioxmusic]

Hey Brother, great job, I was a long time user of EMG's until I used Bartolinis, both are great but I still love hearing comparisons like this. Dudeman

[@StirfriedGerman]

Barts are great 👍👍

[@studioxmusic]

@@StirfriedGermanbetter than EMG?

[@StirfriedGerman]

@@studioxmusic I think it's down to taste, they're both top notch.

[@studioxmusic]

Hey Stir, I have one more comparison for you, which would you think would sound better in my Squire jazz bass: EMG or Bartolinis? I do realize that alot of this is personal preference but I do respect and consider your opinion, I've been playing bass for 45 years so I know a good player when I hear one.

[@StirfriedGerman]

@@studioxmusic Haha thanks ! I have a buddy with a 70's jazz and Barts, and while fretted, he does get those Jaco vibes with it. I would say Barts sound a bit vintage and EMG a bit modern, but both have authority so I wouldn't be unhappy with either. My low end does get praised a lot with the EMGs, just again about 10 days ago at a charity gig... on my $100 bass 🤣 If you're going to install them yourself, I would try both, easy to buy and sell used, and maybe also some Aguilars. I have Aguilar DCBs on an Ibanez headless and OMG 😅 And if you try several, please please make a video !

[@tim_shipp]

I know this is older, the only thing the Wilkinsons sound best for slap due to their punch. The EMGs are SO much smoother.

[@StirfriedGerman]

Actually the Wilkinsons only punch in the mids and distort, while the EMGs have punch overall with headroom, but they need some EQ to bring that across. EMG would definitely be a better choice for slap. The demo is recorded flat without EQ.

[@rmccain99]

I’m an EMG hz fan for life. I’m surprised by the Wilkinson pups. I would experiment with them for the best setup. They are not trash. Delano is also a very Good choice for punch and clarity. What are the specs for the Wilkinson pups?

[@StirfriedGerman]

They're completely standard size, ceramic magnets made in China, but don't quote me on that, I'm not sure :D I'm amazed by Aguilar DCBs currently, but obviously not for Jazz Bass replacement.

[@sandypenproductions4860]

Good video. Very Useful. Thanks.

[@peteymckinzie6216]

I guess its to each his own but i think the Wilkinsons were more brighter because to me the emgs were a little muffle sounding from what i heard.Its just my opinion.Where do i pick up a set of 5st wilkinson jazz pickups?

[@StirfriedGerman]

My summary of the EMG pickups would be a smoother wider frequency response. A little treble boost with EQ is no problem since they're dead silent. They're also very dynamic. The Wilkinson pickups don't have the highs and exaggerate high mid response, your EQ will be busy fixing that. They're much less dynamic too. But for the price they're very good indeed. You can easily find them on marketplaces like eBay, AliExpress etc..

[@darrylkearney1384]

The Wilkinson sounds clear and bright. My kind of sound all day. The EMG's sounded muffled. I just bought a Chinese smith bass, which already sounds like the peavey cirrus, but I was wondering how the Wilkinson pickups sounded. This made my choice. Great Video!

[@StirfriedGerman]

Thanks ! Without EQ it indeed seems like that. But the EMGs provide better dynamics and much clearer highs once an EQ gets involved, which you can't get with the Wilkinsons. That's why I show the spectrum analyzer. For the Miller sound, it's EMG all day. For a standard rock sound the Wilkinsons will do great.

[@jkingonthetube]

Are those Wilkinson pups alnico v or ceramic?

[@StirfriedGerman]

Alnico I think, but I got them from the bass factory already installed, so not 100% sure

[@vicentedorileobarrosbass7037]

Qual é a marca do encordoamento???

[@StirfriedGerman]

DR Highbeams, I only play stainless steel roundwound, Dean Markley Blue Steel works for me too.

[@vicentedorileobarrosbass7037]

@@StirfriedGerman Me inscrevi no seu canal com like.

[@anotherrandombassguitarcha9482]

Wilkinson makes a decent stock replacement,...but not an upgrade.

[@Bassic778]

Great playing, an incredible tone, and an excellent comparison.!!! I really like the EMG's tone and the fact that they're quiet!!! Are the EMGs active or passive pickups? I want to maintain the active/passive feature of my Sire preamp.

[@StirfriedGerman]

Thanks ! The EMGs are active , so with a dead battery, they don't work. I have a Sire V10, the passive switch doesn't actually cut the power, it just bypasses the preamp.

[@Bassic778]

@@StirfriedGerman Thank you for the clarification! Do the EMGs fit in the pickup cavities without any modification?

[@StirfriedGerman]

@@Bassic778 They should, but I'll check with my calipers later and get back to you

[@StirfriedGerman]

@@Bassic778 Yes they will fit based on what I measured on my V10

[@Bassic778]

@@StirfriedGerman Thank you soooooo much!!!! I really appreciate it!!! Have a very Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year!!!

[@M_EvoBass]

Really enjoyed that, thank you. Im restoring a bass at the moment which originally had stock wilkinsons, think I'll buy some for it now. Were yours the korean or chinese made wilkinsons (red or yellow cloth?) Btw, 😎 playing too

[@StirfriedGerman]

Thanks ! I'm fairly certain these are the Chinese made ones, they were put in by the factory so I didn't see any cloth but the Korean ones are higher priced and the factory priced everything very low.

[@M_EvoBass]

@StirfriedGerman ah yes you bought it with the pickups, so yes probably the Chinese ones. The Korean ones are a different level, better imo. They tend to have the yellow lead wire, Chinese are red iirc.

[@StirfriedGerman]

@@M_EvoBass Colors are here 01:55 , yellow and white.

[@M_EvoBass]

​Explains why they're decent, Korean probably. The red lead wilkinsons are a little thin, still good just not as good 👍

[@rom4486]

Is this demo record direct sound or any processing??

[@StirfriedGerman]

Only gain normalized, nothing else, straight into interface

[@l7funk]

I think the Wilkinson sounds great not bad at all,Emgs are kind of low output as far as the highs sound.

[@StirfriedGerman]

THe EMGs do miracles with EQ, the Wilkinsons need taming with EQ

[@thesahdstudio]

Yeah JEEZ man, I could listen to you play all day! Seriously... tell me you've got a KZbin playlist I can stream.

[@StirfriedGerman]

Thanks ! Nope but there's more coming :D

[@pjakobsen]

Great playing - amazing pocket

[@StirfriedGerman]

Drummer on bass helps somewhat

[@jamiewalters9916]

Those EMG's sound great, Any chance you have a link to that bass on Aliexpress? There are tones of them and I would like a 18v ready bass if possible. Thanks.

[@StirfriedGerman]

I have a link to the shop page of the presumed manufacturer, I'm pretty sure it's them. Best way to order is to find a suitable base model in their shop and ask for required customizations, that way they'll focus more on the finish of your bass too. www.aliexpress.com/store/1102122319?spm=a2g0o.detail.1000061.1.19b4UxE6UxE6Df

[@StirfriedGerman]

You can go full custom with this shop. Just if you do, be extremely detailed about what you want. Don't rely on common sense, although these guys make good basses, I own 4 and ordered 3 more for friends. The only issue were stock tuners breaking (several, I have Gotoh on the one in the video now), you could get them to upgrade to Wilkinsons tuners directly, as I did for bridge and pickups. The woodwork and fretboard are quite good, paint job good on the neck, less good on the body, but you could request an extra clear coat, they're certainly able to do a good paint job.

[@dr_pavlic]

EMG more focused and ready. Wilkinsons pickups are more opened.

[@danadane2501]

I have to say straight off the bat how surprised I am after only 3 minutes of watching how good fluid your playing up and down the neck. Ntm excellent right hand technique. In diesem Sinne (On that 🎵 note/Ich wollte sagen. Ich werde dieses Video geniesen. Oh yes Ich liebe Willsinson pickups. Tschuss.

did you use active pickup? + active preamp? can use?

[@StirfriedGerman]

The Wilkinsons are passive pickups, the EMGs active, the preamp is active too, running at 18v

@@StirfriedGerman does not distort the sound?

[@StirfriedGerman]

@ No problem. Obviously the output is higher, but there's no distortion.

Isn't just the pickup good? why put pre amp too?@@StirfriedGerman

[@StirfriedGerman]

@ The preamp gives you quick control on stage, when you want to adjust sound for a particular song. Some preamps actually add their own character to the sound of the bass. I like to have one, but sure, it's not mandatory

[@Nugmania1]

Kind of like comparing apples and oranges, let’s face it Any active pickup with a preamp will be louder , plus way less noise. It also depends what you are playing, thrashy 8th noted runs that slightly scooped in the mid, the Wilkinson pickups would be better, it’s all relative

[@StirfriedGerman]

I would say that the EMGs can do everything the Wilkinsons can, but the reverse is not true. You'd be using your EQ cleaning up the Wilkinson, while with EMGs you add what you need.

[@WilDBeestMF]

Hey, man. What Wilkinson pickups are those, exactly? I don't plan to slap buy I'm FEELING the idea of them in a heavy rock mix.

[@StirfriedGerman]

Hi buddy! From measuring them just now, and considering there's no distinctive markings on them but a yellow wire, I would say that they're Wilkinson Premium WJB AlNiCo V. - Alnico V polepiece magnets for authentic vintage tone - Waxed cloth plain enamel wire and fiber bobbin - Resistance: neck 6.9K / bridge 7.6K From www.ebay.com/itm/122718376805

[@WilDBeestMF]

@@StirfriedGerman Well done on your knowledge and going that extra mile, sir. I appreciate it greatly. Those may make an appearance in my jazz bass some day very soon.

[@StirfriedGerman]

@@WilDBeestMF Hey no trouble at all, thanks for watching!

[@peteymckinzie6216]

where did you purchase the artec preamp from?

[@StirfriedGerman]

I got it on Taobao in China. Thomann has some models I think.

[@gimmeagig]

I have used EMGs on my most of my basses ever since they came out. The oun;ly basses I have ar ones that EMG does't have a pickup for. So I use Nordies for those. Your bass sounds nothing like a Marcus Miller ( mid 70J ) . I'm pretty sure you pickup location is off.

[@StirfriedGerman]

Yes agreed, it doesn't sound like a MM ... it's a very inaccurate imitation, but I won't complain for $100

[@gimmeagig]

It sounds to me like the neck pickup needs to be moved forward. The two pickups need to be 4" apart.

[@StirfriedGerman]

@@gimmeagig Yes or the bridge pickup closer to the bridge like on my Sire V10 2nd edition.

[@_Aclea_]

Wilkinson for the bridgr and EMG for the neck

[@StirfriedGerman]

The output difference would be wild 🤣

[@music-xr4co]

Nice vid and killer playing, put a bandaid on that bass!! I think your topic should have been " based on price, how good do the Wilks sound compared to the EMG's" I just bought a set of these Mseries Wilks for my first bass kit build/assembly. They were less than $35. So from what I'm hearing here they sound pretty damn good. Thanks for the vid and killer playing, peace.

[@StirfriedGerman]

Thanks so much!

[@jonmatthews4254]

Great skills.

[@StirfriedGerman]

🙏🙏

[@norsangkelsang7939]

Roswell...??

[@StirfriedGerman]

I've never heard them in person.

[@paultraynorbsc627]

Thanks for sharing 🙏🎸🎶🎵

[@maravilhasa]

me identifiquei com o som do wilkinson.

[@VinAy-nh2qf]

can I replace pickups of my passive bass with these wilkinson pickups?

[@StirfriedGerman]

Sure, they're passive too. Just make sure the dimensions are compatible.

[@witoldbanialuk7719]

I like the sound of Wilkinsons more, EMG is compressed and don't sound like a jazz bass.

[@totomoyap8648]

Wilkinson J set sound more to classic J vibe ; EMJ sound like roll off treble and laid back to my ear.

[@StirfriedGerman]

The Wilkinson's have more of the higher midrange, but the treble can't be boosted as nicely as with the EMGs. I'll put that to show in a preamp comparison in that same guitar in a future video, I just need to find some time.😂

[@roadtonever]

EMG sounds fuller in the mids.

[@jermainelong1843]

I don't play slap style so the Wilkinsons would be fine for me.

[@foxmountainwoodworks9430]

In this instance on my phone the Wilkinsons sound waaaayyyy better.

[@StirfriedGerman]

That of course is the best way to audition pickups 🤣

[@BR-ip5pz]

they use the same pickups in Harley benton basses i think. They are really good

[@StirfriedGerman]

Yes correct ! I have one in an attic in Europe 🤣

[@TuGinecologo]

Are those Wilkinson from China or Korea?

[@StirfriedGerman]

I can't be 100% sure, there are no markings underneath. But since I bought this bass locally in China, I would bet that they're Chinese made.

[@TuGinecologo]

@@StirfriedGerman I ha e a Squier Jazz Bass 5 string so I'm thinking about to buy some Wilkinson pickups but there is no informativo about the korean versión, I don't know where I can buy them, so I'm searching informaron about the chinese, would be a good option?

[@StirfriedGerman]

@@TuGinecologo they're great for the price for sure 👍🏻

[@heyjt6409]

Amazon has Wilkinson bass pickups

[@ocollado2]

Great video, I really enjoy your reviews. I listened to the video on a full range studio setup. I really, really wanted to like the EMGs better so I was biased already when played your video, however... I ended up liking the Wilkinson pickups way better. The EMGs lack presence/volume above 6k-8k and also sound muddy because of the excess of mid-low frequencies. They are good but the Wilkinson pickups exposed them big time. Thanks for your video and keep those reviews coming.

[@beggingearsstudiokidrikmcc8261]

Something is off, the EMG's sound very muffled... From this video I would not consider buying EMG's.

[@StirfriedGerman]

They do need some EQ, but the high end is there and sounds great

[@drew-shourd]

Ziemlich funky für einen weißen Kerl... hahahaha! Tolles Video, EMG's 100%

[@StirfriedGerman]

Danke 🤟

[@MISTAMUSIK]

I like the Wilkerson better.

[@FransvandenBergeMuziekschuur]

If a string hits a pickup your strings are too low.

[@StirfriedGerman]

Lol no, you could argue that the pickup is too high. Many bass players like low action, and typically, the neck pickup doesn't move down further .. or ... it loses too much output. In my case, the string occasionally hits the pickup if I'm thumbing too far back.

[@FransvandenBergeMuziekschuur]

@@StirfriedGerman well. Any bass amp has a gain knob.

[@1-eye-willy]

yyeah "strng height" itd always the equitment not the operator 😂

[@StirfriedGerman]

The operator is not flexible enough 🤣

[@kevmac1230]

The only thing I've over this guy is my desk kills his mess wise. Wilkerson sounds great in the demo.

[@EBASS-cx5mk]

Emg

[@paultraynorbsc627]

🇬🇧🇬🇧🎸🎶🎵 hi from Liverpool

[@StirfriedGerman]

Greetings from Bavaria 😋

[@Jesuswinsbirdofmichigan]

#126🚫ACTIVE🚫

[@Hering.07]

Top bx

[@candrabalimirage]

Subscribed and Like #155th

[@eraldosouza8380]

Hi, what series is the Wilkinson pickup? Is it ceramic or alnico?

[@eraldosouza8380]

Hi, what series is the Wilkinson pickup? Is it ceramic or alnico?

[@StirfriedGerman]

The only thing I'm sure of is that it's made in China