Description
Every metal player eventually meets the EMG-81. It’s the active humbucker that redefined what a bridge pickup could do — ceramic magnets and close-aperture coils combine for a tight, aggressive voice with tons of top-end cut and sustain that just keeps going. Leads don’t get buried; they slice through dense, distorted mixes like they’re not even trying.
Run it solo in the bridge for classic searing lead tone, or drop it into both positions for a full-on blistering attack. Prefer a bit more balance? Pair it with an 85 for the timeless 81/85 combo, or with a 60 for a more versatile, dynamic spread across the neck and bridge.
This particular version wears a brushed black chrome cover — and getting there wasn’t as simple as slapping plating on a base metal. EMG went looking for a reliable chrome-finish cover and found the usual route (outsourced plating, inconsistent batches, no real quality control, and no domestic manufacturers) just wasn’t good enough. So they built their own solution instead: a one-piece, mirror-polished stainless steel cover, produced in-house to the same tonal spec as their standard molded caps. No compromise in sound, no variation from batch to batch — just a genuinely durable, real stainless steel finish instead of a coated imitation.
- Ceramic magnet, close-aperture coil design
- Active EMG circuitry for high output and low noise
- Mirror-polished stainless steel cover, brushed black chrome finish
- Designed and produced in the USA
If you want that unmistakable 81 attack wrapped in a finish built to survive the road, this is it.
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