Description
The EMG 81TW takes the DNA of the legendary 81 and splits it into two distinct personalities. Instead of relying on a single preamp circuit like most active pickups, EMG built this one with dual internal preamps — one tuned for full humbucker output, the other dialed in for single-coil clarity. Flip between them and you’re not just thinning out the tone, you’re accessing a genuinely different voice from the same pickup.
In humbucker mode, you get everything guitarists love about the 81: tight low end, cutting mids, and enough saturation to drive high-gain amps into snarling distortion without losing note definition. Switch to coil-tap mode and the 81TW opens up into a bigger, rounder single-coil character than a passive tap could ever deliver — EMG’s active circuitry keeps the output strong and the tone fat instead of going thin and weak, which is the usual trade-off with coil splitting.
That makes the 81TW a genuine two-in-one solution for players who want the aggression of an EMG 81 for rhythm and lead work but also crave single-coil sparkle for cleaner passages, funk-inflected riffs, or just more tonal real estate on one guitar. No need to compromise between humbucker punch and single-coil bite — this pickup gives you both, wired into one active unit finished in black.
- Dual internal preamps for true humbucker and single-coil voicing
- Retains the crunch and aggression of the classic EMG 81
- Coil-tap mode delivers a fuller single-coil tone than passive splits
- Active circuitry for consistent, high output in both modes
- Black cover finish
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