Description
This is Kerry King’s own signature wiring setup, packaged straight from EMG: an EMG-81 in the bridge, EMG-85 in the neck, and the EMG-PA2 booster stage to push everything into merciless overdrive. If you want the exact tone behind Slayer’s live and studio guitar sound, this is the shortcut.
The EMG-81 handles bridge duty with a ceramic magnet and wide-aperture steel poles, built for players who live at high gain. Attack is razor-fast, sustain runs long, and breakup rolls off smoothly instead of falling apart — all while staying dead quiet under heavy distortion, which matters when your rig is already screaming.
The EMG-85 in the neck trades ceramic for dual Alnico coils, giving it a fatter, more natural low end and top without turning to mud in the rhythm position. It’s higher output than the 81 on paper, but its voice is warmer and more forgiving — ideal for filling out chords or stepping into lead work with a rounder character.
Sitting between the two is the EMG-PA2, a mini-toggle-mounted booster preamp with a trim pot for dialing in up to 20 dB of extra gain straight into your amp’s input. It plays nice with passive pickups too, so it’s not locked to active-only setups.
- EMG-81 and EMG-85 active humbuckers plus EMG-PA2 booster
- 2 EMG Quik-Connect cables
- 2 25k split-shaft volume/tone controls
- Mounting screws and springs
- Output jack and battery clip set for the PA2
- Removable Kerry King collector card and signature guitar pick
Everything needed to wire up Kerry King’s actual live and studio configuration is in the box.
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