Geezer Butler signature EMG pickups

Dave W · February 07, 2014, 08:43:46 PM

Nice looker! Love that ebony board.

amptech · February 08, 2014, 03:20:25 AM

Quote from: Hörnisse on February 07, 2014, 09:13:45 AM

The original EMG pickups, with the large "EMG" embossed over the top of the pickups, are some of the best sounding pickups. Of course all of the older brown an tan epoxied examples sound better (to me) than the current offerings.

Never thought I´d speak of them again

Looked them up now, i found two J EMG´s in a box deep in a closet.
One black LJ5 and one ´brown epoxy´SJ5. So the brown is ´Vintage´then??

Ebay, here I come!

Psycho Bass Guy · February 08, 2014, 05:09:30 AM

If the video is honest, and there's really no reason to think it's not, those really DO sound like old Fender P-Bass passive pickups, something Fender itself hasn't been able to replicate in over 40 years (on a bass anyway). EMG's preamps are more often than not where the "blah" factor sets in and even those can be tweaked to sound good: case in point- my G&L L-5500.

EMG got pigeonholed making cheap crap passive stuff for imports about ten years ago and never seem to have been able to shake that image with bass players. Most guitar players not autofellating themselves to Texas blues know that Metallica's tightest crunch came from EMG-active ESP guitars, and Zak Wylde's tone is nothing to sneeze at either (one trick pony playing, that's something else). I may put some of the Geezers in my homemade special to replace the crap Mexi Fenders in there now. Anyone know pricing on these?

nofi · February 08, 2014, 08:33:45 AM

are you talking about wilde's abuse of sqealing harmonic pinches. at least that's what i call them.

Dave W · February 08, 2014, 08:41:57 AM

I've never particularly been a fan, but they do work well for some players.

I had an early 80s P that had an EMG (older active type) when I bought it. Thought I was going to improve it by putting in a Rio Grande Muy Grande Precision. Big mistake. The EMG wasn't a vintage sound but it was way better to my ears than the overwound bottom-shy Rio Grande.

Nocturnal · February 08, 2014, 09:50:26 AM

I have a set of EMG PX & JX in my Warmoth bird. Some kind of EMG preamp in it that I haven't bothered to open up and look at yet. The X series sound "warmer" to me than what I think of as the typical EMG sound and overall I like these pickups. But I am always debating replacing them with a set of Dimarzio's and going passive. The Dimarzio Model P just sounds better imo.

Andrew · March 11, 2014, 10:28:27 PM

I want to build a Darryl Jenifer tribute parts bass with a graphite neck and I'll be putting as old as set of EMG J pickups in it as I can find.

And the Geezer sig P pickup does sound great and I'd like to try it too.

slinkp · March 12, 2014, 03:39:02 PM

Quote from: Psycho Bass Guy on February 08, 2014, 05:09:30 AMAnyone know pricing on these?

The preorder direct price on the EMG site is $109 for a P, and $149 for a P/J set.

OldManC · March 12, 2014, 03:50:50 PM

I recently put a newer (to me, anyway) EMG alnico P pickup in a mongrel P I've used for years and I really love it. Just sounds like an old P bass to me.

godofthunder · March 16, 2014, 10:46:49 AM

Wow

, Geezer hasn't lost anything and I love where the bass is in the mix

I'm not a fan of EMGs but I'd sure try one of his signature pickups just to see what they are about.

daan · March 17, 2014, 07:11:43 PM

I love the "Select" EMGs in my fake Pbass. I've heard "Passive EMGs=BAD" over and over for years, but strangely only from guitar players. THis is a mid-late 80's thing, so are the newer ones different? I also heard that P/J sets have volume issues (the P being louder than the J) but mine seem to have the same volume. I want to clean this thing up, but it sounds so nice I'm afraid I'll screw it up so I leave it alone!

Dave W · March 17, 2014, 11:02:06 PM

Quote from: daan on March 17, 2014, 07:11:43 PM
I love the "Select" EMGs in my fake Pbass. I've heard "Passive EMGs=BAD" over and over for years, but strangely only from guitar players. THis is a mid-late 80's thing, so are the newer ones different? I also heard that P/J sets have volume issues (the P being louder than the J) but mine seem to have the same volume. I want to clean this thing up, but it sounds so nice I'm afraid I'll screw it up so I leave it alone!

If it ain't broke...

I've heard good things about the Select line in general, not just the P.

slinkp · March 18, 2014, 02:34:19 PM

Mid-position P pickups being louder than bridge-position J pickups would hardly be unique to EMG ... both the position and the design are working in favor of the P in that situation.

uwe · March 20, 2014, 05:22:38 PM

LOL, when Geezer speaks English, he sounds just like Robert Halford, they both "sing" the language a bit, is that a Brummie trademark?

I saw the Sabs in concert only recently, his bass sounds just like in that vid. The difference to his sound of yore is that there is more ultra high presence which forms kind of a halo over the overall dark sound.

Highlander · March 20, 2014, 06:00:11 PM

I kept an EMG Select as the primary pup in the PC during my metal days and it only came out during the refurb...

My primary bass during the 90's was a headless Hohner Jack with a pair of the same pups... the thing is a rail... I left the beast unplayed and in the loft for about 8 years and found her still in tune when she came down... still has a great sound, helped by a through-neck...