The History of PUs and the Brands that Adorn Them
Robert Turner "EMG
Bill Lawrence, who is not bound by stereotypes.
EMG, the revolutionary active pickup
When you hear the word "active pickups," which manufacturer comes to mind? There are many manufacturers such as Bartolini and Alembic, but most people probably think of EMG, a pickup manufacturer that is still extremely popular among many artists for its innovative idea of building a preamp inside the pickup.
EMG was founded by brothers Robert and Bill Turner. Bill Turner conducted product research and development for EMG from 1979 to 1989 before joining Fender in 1995. He joined Fender in 1995 and was involved in the development of the Tex-Mex pickups. In this issue, we will introduce another founder, Robert Turner, and EMG.
Turned to the amp repair business after equipment theft
Robert was originally a drummer, not a guitarist, and made his living as a drummer. However, when his band's equipment was stolen, Robert was at a loss and turned to the guitar amp repair business.
He originally studied sound engineering in college and had family members, including Bill, who were familiar with electronics, so learning about repair was easy.
However, he grew tired of repairing amplifiers and turned his attention to pickups, which are one of the easiest guitar parts to modify.
(Excerpt from EMG Instagram)
Adapting to Changing Times and EMG's Breakthrough
Then comes the first turning point for EMG.
It was the meeting with Steinberger.
Steinberger developed groundbreaking technologies such as graphite necks and the Trans-Trem system.
Steinberger wanted an instrument that could be used in a wide variety of situations, and EMG pickups were the perfect fit.
At the time, with the development of synthesizers and the widespread use of CDs, the sound was clearly contoured and brought forwardBassSteinberger's Steinberger pickups, which produced a clear, forward sound, became popular, and the EMGs that were equipped with them became well-known.
Other factors that contributed to its popularity included its use by Steve Lukather and other artists who were active as studio musicians.
The popularity of EMGs among metal artists increased rapidly after Metallica began using them, and the image of EMGs as "metal" became firmly established.
I believe that the above reasons were largely responsible for the rise in popularity of EMGs, but I also believe that another major factor that established the popularity of EMGs was the fact that they could be installed without major modifications to the body, making them easy for anyone to replace.
In recent years, socketed wiring has been adopted, allowing replacement without soldering, and so on. I look forward to the further evolution of EMG in the future!
(Excerpt from EMG Instagram)