Why are EMG pups so cheap?

[DrewGR]

I don't mean cheap quality-wise.
I just bought a pair of 81/85 just to try out some actives and see what they sound like. Granted I bought them used for almost nothing but still a new ZW set, which has the 81/85 plus all the pots/wiring, costs very close to a single Seymour Duncan pup.

I'm not trying to start a war here "active vs passive", just wondering why the price difference. Of course there are EMGs that cost more but still are less expensive than good passive pickups.

Any thoughts?

 

[SKATTERBRANE]

Just a guess here:

1. They sell so many pickup they get their parts and materials at rock bottom prices.
2. Their manufacturing techiques are highly efficient and low cost.
3. Their clientile are typically a younger demographic so they are marketed towards people who are not willing or able to spend much money.
4. They have to sell to their customers while they can, because someday most of them will mature and move on to a completely different product.

 

[arturocivit]

4. They have to sell to their customers while they can, because someday most of them will mature and move on to a completely different product.

I'm a living example of that, actually my wife said, "oh, finally......"

 

[DrewGR]

Just a guess here:

1. They sell so many pickup they get their parts and materials at rock bottom prices.
2. Their manufacturing techiques are highly efficient and low cost.

I'm asking because presumably SD and DiMarzio (just examples) also sell millions and millions of pups as well. So these two, very valid points, would be true for them as well.

But still EMGs are cheaper especially considering the pots and wiring that are included.

Btw I have no opinion on the active/passive pups argument. This is why I got these used and very cheap, just to get a feel for them. After I do install them and see what's going on, then I'll choose sides

 

[SKATTERBRANE]

I'm asking because presumably SD and DiMarzio (just examples) also sell millions and millions of pups as well. So these two, very valid points, would be true for them as well.

But still EMGs are cheaper especially considering the pots and wiring that are included.

Btw I have no opinion on the active/passive pups argument. This is why I got these used and very cheap, just to get a feel for them. After I do install them and see what's going on, then I'll choose sides

Well, as far as I am concerned Duncan and DiMarzios are dirt cheap too, and for the same reasons, except I would change number 4 to as some customers mature, they become more sophisticated, and move on to boutique pickups!

 

[SKATTERBRANE]

You can get Chinese pickups for as little as $25 a set NEW. Some boutique pickups push the $1000 a set envelope. It is all a matter of playing to your market.

I tried making high output heavy metal style pickups, but I found out that market does not want to spend the money the PAF market will, so I dropped them. I cannot compete with EMG, Suhr, and the dozens and dozens of other lower end pickup makers that sell 1000 sets to my one.

But probably the main reason a Duncan or DiMarzio costs more than an EMG, is because the customers see a reason and a benefit in spending a little more to buy those brands.

 

[captcoolaid]

EMGs abd Duncans are the same price. 185 -200 a set new. There is nothing cheap about going from passive to active.

 

[SKATTERBRANE]

EMGs abd Duncans are the same price. 185 -200 a set new. There is nothing cheap about going from passive to active.

Shows what I know, I have NO IDEA how much DiMarzios, Duncans or EMGs cost.

 

[DrewGR]

EMGs abd Duncans are the same price. 185 -200 a set new. There is nothing cheap about going from passive to active.

I took the opportunity to ask this due to some prices I saw here in Europe (thomann to be exact). The emg zw set (complete with 81/85, pots, wires etc.) costs 145 euros and a set of sd pearly gates costs about 220 euros. The ONLY double-humbucking set that gets close is the jh set which goes for 230 euros.

Of course there are cheaper sd sets but just giving an example of a set that is somewhat popular.

 

[captcoolaid]

Ahh yes over seas all bets are off. Over here they are the same price. I do not get that i sell the same price no matter what country.

 

[SKATTERBRANE]

Ahh yes over seas all bets are off. Over here they are the same price. I do not get that i sell the same price no matter what country.

It probably has to do with customs, and shipping arrangements. It costs me to $140 to ship one set of pickups with DHL overseas, it only costs a business like Duncan $30 to ship the exact same sized package.

 

[cooljuk]

It probably has to do with customs, and shipping arrangements. It costs me to $140 to ship one set of pickups with DHL overseas, it only costs a business like Duncan $30 to ship the exact same sized package.

Plus they are not shipping single sets, but pallets or containers of products to local-ish distributes, most likely.

 

[SKATTERBRANE]

Ha, I wonder how it would feel to ship a pallet!

 

[MikeStevens]

4. They have to sell to their customers while they can, because someday most of them will mature and move on to a completely different product.

It's not the type of pickup it's how it's used.

Both are EMG players

Both sound TOTALLY different

sorry to go off topic but I hate when people categorize instruments and pickups as only having one sound.

 

[BUDOKAI]

They are cheaper to make? Some "normal" pups are much cheaper. EMG is the shit, so much power.

 

[LtKojak]

Ha, I wonder how it would feel to ship a pallet!

I wonder how you'd feel about MAKING a pallet of p'ups!

 

[yeti]

Well, as far as I am concerned Duncan and DiMarzios are dirt cheap too, and for the same reasons, except I would change number 4 to as some customers mature, they become more sophisticated, and move on to boutique pickups!

yeah, let's go with that....."sophisticated", hahaha

 

[SKATTERBRANE]

I wonder how you'd feel about MAKING a pallet of p'ups!

Oh, I would find a way!

 

[Gear.Pig]

I just bought a pair of 81/85 just to try out some actives and see what they sound like. Granted I bought them used for almost nothing but still a new ZW set, which has the 81/85 plus all the pots/wiring, costs very close to a single Seymour Duncan pup.

I'm not trying to start a war here "active vs passive", just wondering why the price difference. Of course there are EMGs that cost more but still are less expensive than good passive pickups.

Any thoughts?

Used is the key here.

All this theorizing and I think it comes down to quite simply, you got a good deal on a USED pickup set.

EMG's aren't any cheaper than similar production Duncans or Dimarzios; in fact, I think Dimarzio has the lower average production pricing of the three.

Look around and you'll see they're all competitive new, and used as well - sometimes you get a great deal and sometimes people ask too much. You can't determine that an entire pickup brand is "so cheap" simply because you got a good price on a used set during a single purchase, that's just silly.

If you're really curious, check the usual MF and GC for new MAP prices and the closed auctions on ebay to see what they are actually selling for used (and new in some cases). I'm sure you'll discover that the price you got is closer to a good deal than an everyday price.

 

[DrewGR]

Used is the key here.

All this theorizing and I think it comes down to quite simply, you got a good deal on a USED pickup set.

EMG's aren't any cheaper than similar production Duncans or Dimarzios; in fact, I think Dimarzio has the lower average production pricing of the three.

Look around and you'll see they're all competitive new, and used as well - sometimes you get a great deal and sometimes people ask too much. You can't determine that an entire pickup brand is "so cheap" simply because you got a good price on a used set during a single purchase, that's just silly.

If you're really curious, check the usual MF and GC for new MAP prices and the closed auctions on ebay to see what they are actually selling for used (and new in some cases). I'm sure you'll discover that the price you got is closer to a good deal than an everyday price.

You are right! I got a great deal on used set but this is not why I was asking.

After doing some more research I realized that I was looking at this from a wrong point of view. There are less expensive emg pups and also less expensive sd pups. I was sort of taken back by the price of this particular set sold as new. But I guess it is old by now and it can't cost as much as new JH set.

It seemed odd to me that a pair of sd pearly gates cost almost twice the price of a zw set especially since emg provides pots etc. The prices I checked out are from thomann, major dealer in europe.

The title of the thread was misleading. I wondered about the price of specific set and not emg pups in general.