Well, I use EMGs in my other non Ibanez guitars and they've been getting some heavy play time lately. Well, the other day I decided to put EMGs in my 20061. 'sigh'... I got the guitar back and it sounded good..."Just like the others w/EMGs" and that's exactly what I mean. Sterile, carbon copies with no individual personality with regards to the tone wood. I opened up my 20063(TZ/AN) and immediately comfirmed it was an incredibly stupid move. The DiMarzio's were like a breath of fresh air. I guess it was lesson hard learned. This weekend the TZ/AN combo is going back in.

Sometimes it takes stupid things like this to open you eyes... or ears in this matter. Anybody care to share?

- tjc

I like EMGs

I learnt the hard way too, when the trem on my other guitar with dimarzios broke, i had to use only EMGs for like a month. Worst month of my life.

I like EMGs too. But I really like this Norton set.

I wonder sometimes if anyone has ever used any other EMGs besides the 81 or 85.

Yes, I think they are great pickups, but there are other ones. I have a guitar with a 60 in the bridge and a 60A in the neck, and it is a world of difference between an 81/85 equipped guitar.

Yes, the 81/85 is a great combo for metal/shred/whatever, but the 60/60A is a completely different ballgame. Brighter, but less brittle, with very pronounced mid presence. The cleans on them are very much more natural sounding as well.

60A is probably the best neck pickup EMG makes. 60 in bridge won't do it for everybody (especially metal chugga chugga type stuff) but it sounds unbelievably better than an 81 when doing lead stuff with the bridge pickup, and it is a wonderful neck pickup as well.

only HZs which i know are **** anyway, the worst things about it is i dont think they make a neck HZ so its like puting an 81 in the front, yuuk

Agreed. I have the 60/a combo in one of my other guitars and like it very much but I'ts still a bit sterile even with the 18v mod compared to a passive combo.

I forgive you

HZ is universal, like 81. It can go in neck or bridge. I have another guitar with HZ in neck and bridge, and I like them, too.

Dude,

Try the EMG's with 18 volts instead of just 9 volts before you decide.

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/mgollihur/emgmod.html

Regards,

D.

PICS! PICS! PICS! PICS! PICS! PICS! PICS! PICS! PICS! PICS! PICS! PICS! PICS! PICS! PICS! PICS! PICS! PICS! PICS! PICS! PICS! PICS! PICS! PICS! PICS! PICS! PICS! PICS! PICS! PICS! PICS! PICS! PICS! PICS! PICS! PICS! PICS! PICS! PICS! PICS! PICS! PICS! PICS! PICS! PICS! PICS! PICS! PICS! PICS! PICS! PICS! PICS!

i havent seen many ibanez's with emgs in. well appart from the extreme series.

These aren't great, they are with my phone cam.

The blue has 81/SA/85, and the silver one has 60/S/60A with 18 volt mod.

The 18V mod is well worth it (at least with the 60's). It really opens up the pickups, and it is very simple to do. The hardest part is trying to fit the batteries in the cavity!

I found it easiest to turn one vertical and slide it in and lay the other one flat. If anyone else has any other ideas, please let me know!

I haven't done the mod to the other one, because I really like everything about it right now, but I probably will here soon. Hell, probably tonight if I get too bored.

Any pup is universal if a tone deaf person nwants to put it where it shouldnt go.

I'm just answering your question. You said that they don't make a neck HZ, implying they make a bridge HZ. But this is not the case.

EMG doesn't make any pickup bridge or neck specific. An EMG HZ is universal, it goes in either position.

The EMG HZ-H4 is the only one that I think sounds decent in their passive department.

The EMG HZ is like the PAF Pro. It can do either.