The emgs sound deeper and punchier while the mecs sound more brittle and tinnier. Amazing bass playing you’re one of the Bess bassist home recordings on UA-cam
*On a Warwick*, it's MEC all the way for me. It's so obvious here how huge of a part they are in that "Warwick" sound. This was clear less than a minute in, but your playing - WOW! It kept me watching all the way to the end. Awesome job man!
I honestly was expecting a much bigger difference in tones between the two. I feel like that’s just a credit to Warwick’s “sound of wood” motto, doesn’t matter the pickups, it still growls like a Warwick
That's what happens when you have roughly the same pickup construction in the exact same positions. It's a magnet with copper wire around and the strings irritate the magnetic field of the pickup. Wood has nothing to do with it.
I have seen warwicks that have emgs that made the warwick sound like it was a cheap dean bass. And the sad thing is they were really expensive and they were a pro players signature model
@@jamesobrien8529 i'm glad i left the MECs in mine, never had any desire to switch them. Although my ltd streamer came stock with aguilar pups and preamp and i think they sound great too.
I think my Corvette with MEC passive bass lacks of punch when compared with my Yamaha, Fenders Precision or Jazz Basses, for instance. I have to boost a bit my preamp a bit.
Sound aside-- I think you play better with the MEC's. Something about the tone makes you play with a greater dynamic range, and you dig into the harmonic content of the notes. There's also less clank so you sound like a cleaner player and that's important. Sure it'd be easier to bring the EMG's closer to the MEC's sound with some mixing and eqing, but the feeling would be lost. Stellar video, man! I'm much more of a Nordstrand guy, but I stayed for your clever playing.
haha thank you for your comment. exactly. maybe I play better with MEC because I got familiar with these phrases I made lol but you have a point. I can express more sound strength and weakness with MEC than EMG, but at the same time it sounds clearer so more miss touch stands out. EMG sounds more powerfull, so I can play like more intense.
Nice description of what's going on. After trying to make a certain decision between EMGs and various brand passives, I came to the conclusion that passives + good preamps is more useful, more often. EMGs are best for certain, very punchy stuff but when you need the "feelz", the woodyness, you go back to the basics and sound better with less effort.
How did the MEC passive pups (dynamic correction) and passive electronics sound compared to these set up? really poor or simply less power & flexibility?
Thank you! I think EMG is slightly better for hard music, 'cause of its powerful output. MEC sounds like more delicate, so you can control the sound of strength and weekness more than EMG, I think.
Thank you for making this video. They both sound great! They sound slightly different but more similar than i would expect. If it was a blind test I would have a hard time picking which one was wich. That last riff with all the harmonics sounded amazing!
I think the MEC's dynamic range could be smoothened out by some basic compression. If you need a solid, steady bassline, EMGs are great, but a comped up MEC would be an easy fix. As for getting the dynamic spectrum out of the EMG's, you'd run into some difficulty. MEC's strangely end up taking it imo; I would have expected the EMG's to sound better.
Just the position of the pickups. The strings don't vibrate the wood really at all and even if, the magnetic field of the pickups is not influenced by that.
Mec has EQ, better dynamic and more detailed it's ideal For solo, although for playing metal or playing with pick that better dynamic isn't necessarily an advantage and EMG with more compressed sound and higher output can be better.
Checked out the video to see if EMG would be an upgrade on my corvette and I feel like no. EMG were good but these MEC really have that tone I bought a Warwick for in the first place .
yeah it depends on the person's taste, but I like MEC better too. Part of it may be that EMG J-set has no EQ (2vol/1tone), but MEC sounds absolutely clearer, and that's why I go for it.
thank you! actually I composed an original bass instrumental song of this rear slap riff, so you can listen to the song from this URL ua-cam.com/video/B_D_glKxav0/v-deo.html
hello ! What a great review! What specific model would that pair of mec capsules be? and emg respectively? I'm interested in putting a pair in place of the Seymours. It would help me a lot to know what specific model you're using and what preamp you have installed. Thank you! You are a great bassist.
@@corvettestd3451 Thanks bro .. in 4 string models for mec jazz coils we have normal mec and the dinamic correction serien ... wich one are better for a 93" german thumb 4 ? Thanks!
@@corvettestd3451 Thank you. For example, when I put my bass in passive mode with the active passive pull control, would my active pickups (the ones with the gold logo) sound the same or would they stop sounding bacause they are active? that is my biggest doubt. Thanks and sorry, it's a bit confusing.
@@Leon_tornasol hmm, in terms of MEC pus, it sounds so clear hi-fi active sound even when it's passive. MEC is made for completely active sound. it's different from regular passive pus.
boosted treble and bass all the way up in MEC, it sounds like this. for your information.
m.ua-cam.com/video/B_D_glKxav0/v-deo.html
The emgs sound deeper and punchier while the mecs sound more brittle and tinnier. Amazing bass playing you’re one of the Bess bassist home recordings on UA-cam
Great video and playing!
😎
*On a Warwick*, it's MEC all the way for me. It's so obvious here how huge of a part they are in that "Warwick" sound. This was clear less than a minute in, but your playing - WOW! It kept me watching all the way to the end. Awesome job man!
I love the way you play bass and the EMG J-SET Pickups sound better.
Keep in mind EMG has more volume here. Does it sound better? It's completely subjective.
To my ear EMG sounds here bit brittle at times.
MEC is an EMG clone bro
I honestly was expecting a much bigger difference in tones between the two. I feel like that’s just a credit to Warwick’s “sound of wood” motto, doesn’t matter the pickups, it still growls like a Warwick
That's what happens when you have roughly the same pickup construction in the exact same positions. It's a magnet with copper wire around and the strings irritate the magnetic field of the pickup. Wood has nothing to do with it.
I think its the pickup position of warwick basses that sets them apart from say jazz basses
I have seen warwicks that have emgs that made the warwick sound like it was a cheap dean bass. And the sad thing is they were really expensive and they were a pro players signature model
@@jamesobrien8529 i'm glad i left the MECs in mine, never had any desire to switch them. Although my ltd streamer came stock with aguilar pups and preamp and i think they sound great too.
I think my Corvette with MEC passive bass lacks of punch when compared with my Yamaha, Fenders Precision or Jazz Basses, for instance. I have to boost a bit my preamp a bit.
The riffs you played are mindblowing, holy hell. Thanks for this awesome video man.
Extremely functional comparison! That apart, you are an incredible bass player 🤘🏻
Not only was this a great test, this is a sick jam too!! Bravo!
Power by my man Marcus Miller, nice song choice! Good job
Both are great options. EMG's brighter tones work better for my style of playing but MEC's sound is very smooth and melodic.
I found the emg more compress and more output too
The MECs are generally brighter. It's marginal though.
I like the punch of the EMGs. I use a compressor/limiter and a lot of drive with my basses, and the EMGs sound closer to that.
Mate! Screw the pickups, great playing !
Could listen to you jam all day
Nice playing, dude!
Sound aside-- I think you play better with the MEC's. Something about the tone makes you play with a greater dynamic range, and you dig into the harmonic content of the notes. There's also less clank so you sound like a cleaner player and that's important. Sure it'd be easier to bring the EMG's closer to the MEC's sound with some mixing and eqing, but the feeling would be lost. Stellar video, man! I'm much more of a Nordstrand guy, but I stayed for your clever playing.
haha thank you for your comment. exactly.
maybe I play better with MEC because I got familiar with these phrases I made lol
but you have a point. I can express more sound strength and weakness with MEC than EMG, but at the same time it sounds clearer so more miss touch stands out. EMG sounds more powerfull, so I can play like more intense.
Nice description of what's going on. After trying to make a certain decision between EMGs and various brand passives, I came to the conclusion that passives + good preamps is more useful, more often. EMGs are best for certain, very punchy stuff but when you need the "feelz", the woodyness, you go back to the basics and sound better with less effort.
WOW! EMGs kick ass!
How did the MEC passive pups (dynamic correction) and passive electronics sound compared to these set up? really poor or simply less power & flexibility?
Different basses and no output balancing
🐬👌
To my taste, EMGs sound too compressed and unnatural. MECs are clear and have a lot of range
Emg kiling the mec
Awesome playing dude
Stayed for talent.
Маркус Миллер
sick bass skills
EMG IS THE BEST
This was absolutely filthy (In a good way). Great test and amazing bass skills 🔥
EMG was mich more compressed and loud. MEC sounded like a good set of passives to my ears.
Those MEC are active
Love those MEC`s
nice video, and great playing!
in your opinion, which of these pickups is better suited for metal/hard rock?
Thank you!
I think EMG is slightly better for hard music, 'cause of its powerful output. MEC sounds like more delicate, so you can control the sound of strength and weekness more than EMG, I think.
Thank you for making this video. They both sound great! They sound slightly different but more similar than i would expect. If it was a blind test I would have a hard time picking which one was wich. That last riff with all the harmonics sounded amazing!
I have the Warwick Corvette Std 5 String Bubinga with MECs and I can’t see why to change them. Thanks for the direct comparison!
Emg soando como Warwick, Mec soando como Fender Precision rs..
First of all, YOU ARE AN AMAZING BASSIST!!! While both brands sound great, the EMGs seem to have more depth and presence than the MECs to my ears.
MECs have that signature Warwick growl. With EMGs is just a good sounding bass.
I think the MEC's dynamic range could be smoothened out by some basic compression. If you need a solid, steady bassline, EMGs are great, but a comped up MEC would be an easy fix. As for getting the dynamic spectrum out of the EMG's, you'd run into some difficulty. MEC's strangely end up taking it imo; I would have expected the EMG's to sound better.
Very nice playing. I'm not crazy about MEC but they sound decent here.
EMG's always sound to bright fie me. MEC soap pups on my $$ 5er are amazing!
EMG = loud and clear, MEC = organic.
Sick playing! My vote is EMG.
I love the tone of that Warwick either way 👍🏾
Damn Nice!!!
EMG for me over MEC...
EMG sounds nicer
Emg is more punchy, but warwick has a more even woody growel in my opinion
Just the position of the pickups. The strings don't vibrate the wood really at all and even if, the magnetic field of the pickups is not influenced by that.
Killer Playin Man!
The problem of all Warwicks is called MEC. Period.
Problem?
great playing bro!
Great playing
Did you have to do any mods to the body to get the EMGs to fit? They are a little different in size
no, it just fits to original size
Did you have to do any custom measurements to fit the EMG’s or are they just the standard J-set?
yes, they just fit to the original pu's hollow.
Mec has EQ, better dynamic and more detailed it's ideal For solo, although for playing metal or playing with pick that better dynamic isn't necessarily an advantage and EMG with more compressed sound and higher output can be better.
exactly!
Delicious
Checked out the video to see if EMG would be an upgrade on my corvette and I feel like no. EMG were good but these MEC really have that tone I bought a Warwick for in the first place .
yeah it depends on the person's taste, but I like MEC better too. Part of it may be that EMG J-set has no EQ (2vol/1tone), but MEC sounds absolutely clearer, and that's why I go for it.
Please turn the "rear slap" riffs into a song, I beg you
thank you!
actually I composed an original bass instrumental song of this rear slap riff, so you can listen to the song from this URL
ua-cam.com/video/B_D_glKxav0/v-deo.html
What is are the riffs from 1:25 to 2:20 from?
thank you, it's my original riffs. you can check the whole part out ↓
ua-cam.com/video/B_D_glKxav0/v-deo.html
What was the jam at 1:47?
ua-cam.com/video/B_D_glKxav0/v-deo.html
my original bass instrumental.
Are these riptides?
the band? no!
hello ! What a great review! What specific model would that pair of mec capsules be? and emg respectively? I'm interested in putting a pair in place of the Seymours. It would help me a lot to know what specific model you're using and what preamp you have installed. Thank you! You are a great bassist.
thanks. emg is J set, and mec is MEC 3-way electronics.
@@corvettestd3451 Thanks bro .. in 4 string models for mec jazz coils we have normal mec and the dinamic correction serien ... wich one are better for a 93" german thumb 4 ? Thanks!
@@Leon_tornasol i think active mec is better for thumb bass. it sounds so clear and sharp. mec can make the most of thumb's charactaristics.
@@corvettestd3451 Thank you. For example, when I put my bass in passive mode with the active passive pull control, would my active pickups (the ones with the gold logo) sound the same or would they stop sounding bacause they are active? that is my biggest doubt. Thanks and sorry, it's a bit confusing.
@@Leon_tornasol hmm, in terms of MEC pus, it sounds so clear hi-fi active sound even when it's passive. MEC is made for completely active sound. it's different from regular passive pus.
Emgs ruin good sounding basses