What guitar cavities does the P85 fit into?

The P85 is designed to fit standard P90 cavities and mounting schemes. It measures 3.36" × 1.365" × 0.877" with 3.125" screw spacing, and the long shaft accommodates standard control layouts without modification.

Does this pickup require a battery, and how long will it last?

Yes, the P85 is active and requires a 9V battery (not included) to power the built-in preamp. Batteries last approximately 3000 hours of playing time, and the included battery clip makes swaps quick and easy.

What genres and playing styles does the P85 work best for?

The P85 excels in blues, rock, funk, and jazz, delivering warm midrange with articulation and punchy output. It's designed for intermediate to professional players and is not recommended for metal or thrash metal applications.

How does the active preamp affect the tone and noise floor?

The dual Alnico V magnets generate warm, focused midrange with clarity across the frequency spectrum. The built-in preamp delivers dynamic responsiveness and a minimal noise floor while maintaining 10 KOhm output impedance, ensuring compatibility with any amplifier without loss of tone.

What's included in the box?

The P85 comes with an EMG Quik-Connect cable for easy installation and serviceability, a prewired split shaft control set, an output jack, and a battery clip set.

Do I pay sales tax on this order?

We collect sales tax only on orders shipped to California. Orders shipped to any other US state are charged $0 sales tax at checkout when you buy direct from our website. Marketplaces such as eBay, Reverb and Amazon collect sales tax in nearly every state as marketplace facilitators no matter who the seller is, so the same item at the same price costs less bought direct. Free US shipping and 30-day returns are included. Some states ask buyers to self-report use tax on out-of-state purchases.

EMG P85 Long Shaft Active P90-Size Humbucker Pickup in Ivory

The EMG P85 captures punchy, articulate transients in a compact P90-style format with the extended dynamic range and noise floor consistency of active electronics. This pickup combines classic P90 character with modern EMG engineering, making it equally effective in vintage-voiced tracking sessions or contemporary high-output production work. The long shaft design accommodates standard control configurations without modification.

Tone & Recording Character

Dual Alnico V magnet coils generate warm, focused midrange with clarity across the frequency spectrum, translating accurately through both analog and digital signal chains. The built-in preamp operates on 9V–27V and delivers a 10 KOhm output impedance with a 1.87 MHz resonant frequency, ensuring transparent interfacing with any amplifier, interface preamp, or tone stack while maintaining dynamic responsiveness and minimal noise floor for clean, artifact-free recordings.

Installation & Integration

Measuring 3.36" × 1.365" × 0.877" with 3.125" screw spacing, the P85 installs into standard P90 cavities and mounting schemes without routing or modification. The ivory finish pairs cleanly with both vintage and modern studio instruments, and EMG's included Quik-Connect cable streamlines installation and enables quick swapping between instruments during multi-tracking sessions.

Key Features

Two Alnico V magnet loaded coils in P90-style housing
Active preamp design with built-in volume and tone controls
Operating voltage: 9V–27V (batteries not included)
Output impedance: 10 KOhm
Resonant frequency: 1.87 MHz
Battery life: approximately 3000 hours
Dimensions: 3.36" × 1.365" × 0.877" (85.34 × 34.67 × 22.25 mm)
Screw spacing: 3.125" (79.37 mm)
Ivory color finish
Includes EMG Quik-Connect cable and prewired split shaft control set
Includes output jack and battery clip set
Long shaft design for standard control layouts

The P85 merges P90 warmth with active electronics' consistency and predictability, delivering a versatile tracking and mixing tool for producers seeking articulation and output stability across any playing dynamic or recording application.