Quite possibly the most popular pickups in all of hard rock, the EMG 81/85 combo is used by hundreds of hard rock guitarists around the world. Known for their distinct tone, these pickups give metal players the extra boost of signal power made available through their active setup while producing a smooth control at higher levels in comparison to most standard pickup models. This means better high gain control and less feedback when pumping it up to 11. These pickups are so popular several notable guitar manufacturers feature them as stock for several of their models including ESP, Schecter, Dean, Epiphone, B.C. Rich, Jackson, and Paul Reed Smith. Below, we take a look at both the EMG 81 and EMG 85 pickups to shed some light on why exactly they are one of the most popular bridge and pickup combinations in rock.
EMG 81
One of the most popular pickups in hard rock, the EMG 81 is an obvious choice for any guitarist looking for a high-quality active humbucker. While this pickup was originally designed to work with lead guitarists in mind, the 81 works amazingly well for bands with just one guitar player, as it packs plenty of punch, has great sustain during overdrive and features a distinctive fat chunky tone that works perfectly for hard rock rhythms. As an active pickup, the 81 works best with an amp that can convey the high output of the signal, although you won’t have to worry about latent noise as it is pretty much as noiseless as it gets; no buzz, no humming – just pure fat rhythms and amazingly sustained leads, all with a smooth fade while switching pickups selectors.
EMG 85
The 85 was one of EMG’s first pickups and is the slightly more sophisticated and well rounded than the 81. Featuring close aperture coils loaded with Alnico V magnets, the 85 is a powerful pickup with exceptional tone and versatility. Most often used in the rhythm position, the alnico magnets of this model provide a muscular growl and smooth lead tones to enable you to play the muddiest of blues to the most extreme metal. Try it in the bridge position for exceptional smoothness and soul. While this pickup pairs well with just about every other EMG humbucker, the 81/85 combination remains a popular choice.
The History of the EMG 81/85
The EMG-81 was developed in 1979 along with the EMG 85 and was released to the market in 1981. Construction is similar to traditional U-shaped pickups, but there are no separate pole pieces; steel bars (rails) are used instead. Traditional Alnico magnets have been replaced with more powerful ceramic ones, a big contributor to the 81’s signature tone. While nominal output is the same as EMG 85, lower noise ratio gives more gain opportunity.
Like most other modern EMG pickups, the EMG 81 has a Quik-connect output, which is a five-pin header on the pickup which comes with a compatible wiring harness. This allows for a less complicated pickup swap in the future, only requiring the removal of the pickup guard and disconnecting the pickup, as opposed to melting the solder and installing the new pickup.
A few variants of the EMG 81 have also been released, such as the TW and X. The 81TW version features two separate pickups and preamps in a single pickup housing, allowing for single-coil and humbucking tones. The 81-X provides increased headroom giving the voicing an organic and open tone while still maintaining clarity and response.
Moving on, the EMG 85 changed the previous EMG 58 pickup in the EMG product lineup as a popular rhythm pickup. Technologically, EMG 85 is an active humbucker with bar-shaped Alnico 5 magnet. This yields a warmer and more “natural” tone than most other pickup types. The bar-shaped magnet affects strings uniformly and without the irregularities found in traditional designs that feature separate pole pieces. Alnico 5 magnets also give a warmer tone than the harder-edged sound normally associated with ceramic magnets (like those found on the 81). This is one of the reasons why some players often use the 85 in the bridge, as opposed to the 81.
As the EMG 85 is an active humbucker, its two coils are not just connected in series or parallel with a single output. Instead, they have two separate outputs and are summed electronically in the preamp. However, such a sealed solution makes it impossible to do coil taps or coil splits. The EMG 89 is a recommended pickup with a coil tap/split option.
As is the case with most other modern EMG pickups, the EMG 85 has a 3-wire “quik-connect” output, which consists of a 3-pin male connector on the pickup body and a 3-wire cable to connect it. The easy-wire color code scheme that is the same for all EMG products simplifies soldering and installation.
Final Thoughts …
There are few pickup combinations in the hard rock world as well-known and prolific as the EMG 81/85. Whether it’s the nice balance between the punch of the 81and the warmth of the 85 or the sonic versatility they offer when combined, there’s no denying they offer something special.
