The EMG-81 is a high-output pickup designed especially for the lead guitarist. The 81 is at its best for high volume overdrive and amps with a master volume. Whether you're playing power rock 'n' roll, or overdriving your amp, there's a razor sharp attack, and incredible sustain for brilliant soloing. If you're looking for exceptional qualities in a rock pickup, the EMG-81 is the one.

Distortion during lead passages is consistent, sustain is long and the breakup fades smoothly. The ceramic magnet in combination with wide aperture steel poles lend a quick attack but the tone stays nice and fat at the same time. Perfect if you're the only guitarist in the band, and need to switch from rhythm to lead and still keep the band moving. Another great thing about the EMG-81 is it's quiet. If you're playing at really high gain the last thing you need is noise.

EMG EMG-81 Humbucking Active Guitar Pickup Features:

• Package includes:
• EMG's exclusive Quik-Connect cable
• Prewired split shaft volume/tone control set
• Output jack
• Battery clip set
• Screws and springs

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EMG EMG-81 Humbucking Active Guitar Pickup Specifications:

• Resonant Frequency (kHz): 2.00
• Magnet Type: Ceramic/steel
• Output Voltage (String): 2.0
• Output Voltage (Strum): 4.5
• Output Noise @ 60Hz: -91 dBV
• Output Impedance: 10 kOhms
• Current @ 9V: 80 microamps
• Battery Life: 3,000 hours
• Maximum Supply: 27V DC

EMG EMG-81 Humbucking Active Guitar Pickup

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Average of 42 User Ratings

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Customer Reviews

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Great for what it is

Posted by Scott Meredith from Louisville, KY on Oct 20, 2009

Experience w/product: I own it

Reviewer's Background: Singer/Guitarist/Songwriter

Reviewer's Play Style: Rock

I have used, recommended and sold this pickup for about 20 years now. For a guitar you intend to gig with in a bar, it is your best friend. Endless sustain, controlled feedback, and very low noise w/flourescent lighting. I am a big fan of seymour duncan passive pickups for studio tone, but i would never use any other bridge pickup live. I will say that if you want to use it effectively, it is best to back off the gain on your amp a little, and this pickup rolls off frequencies from about 200 Hz down and 5KHz and up, so you have to boost your lows and highs. But overall, it gives you great control of your sound and sounds good in almost any guitar. It is a great soloing pickup too.

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try not to use it with a solid state

Posted by that dude with a guitar from somewhere on Sep 5, 2009

Experience w/product: I own it

Reviewer's Background: Hobbyist

Reviewer's Play Style: metal, rock

This pickup came stock on my Epi Futura EX and let me tell you right now it sounds godly on a tube amp. Perfect for almost anything you'd want to play, incredible tone and clarity, definitely the best pickup you can get IF YOU HAVE A TUBE AMP. I can't really stress that enough, if you use a solid state amp avoid active EMGs, you won't be getting your money's worth because the EMG's will push the breakup in your solid state so much it will interfere with the tone and clarity of the pickup and you won't get the most out of the EMG. If you have use a solid state go with a passive Duncan or maybe the EMG HZ's, but any EMG active pickup, the 81 included, is just so much better on a tube amp than a solid state.

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EMG 81 - Chrome

Posted by Grank from TX USA on Aug 23, 2009

Experience w/product: I own it

Reviewer's Background: Hobbyist, Engineer

Reviewer's Play Style: Metal, Prog Rock

I purchased this pickup last week and have used it for about 4 days. It replaced a Jackson pickup in my Carvin V220 (was using the Jackson temporarily). Before that I had a PRS Dragon II installed. The EMG-81 is just amazing. Tone is much thicker by far compared to the Jackson. Much more meatier. I highly recommend this pickup, I would buy it again. I got it in chrome and paired with a Proline chrome pickup mount it looks fantastic. The chrome finish on the EMG-81 looks great.

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Not for low-growling-dark-crunchy rythem

Posted by Jason Paul from Fresno, Ca on Jun 24, 2009

Experience w/product: I own it

Reviewer's Background: Active Musician

Reviewer's Play Style: I give glory to my God Jesus Christ!

I have a Les Paul Studio with an 81 in the bridge and an 85 in the neck. The 85 is everything I could possibly want in a pickup; low, crunchy, dark and HUGE!!! The 81 on the other hand is a pickup for the lead guitarist. It's trebly and thin sounding compared to the 85. I plan to switch positions on the two considering I'm a rhythm player and see how that works out.

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Decent.

Posted by DethCaek from MI on May 7, 2009

Experience w/product: I own it

Reviewer's Background: Recording artist

Reviewer's Play Style: Death metal, black metal, jazz

It's very clear and well made, and not hard to install, but it just doesn't get the tone I'm looking for easily.

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EMG EMG-81 Humbucking Active Guitar Pickup

Read 42 Reviews