Those of you that put Active's in a Model 6, how else did you change your Axe?

[AussieTerry84]

Im gonna head to the local guitar store at the end of the week (doing as much research as possible first) to get a EMG-81 installed on my Model 6 (wanted a Black Out but guitar store don't have em).

Now what i wanna know is from those that got an active humbucker installed....

1.) What single coils did you put in ur axe to go with the Active Humbucker?

2.) If you did also change the neck pick up, did u keep the middle pick up in? and how did it work out for you?

3.) What did you do about the mid-boost?

4.) I don't know alot about Active's but they have to be put on a 2nd circuit right, so does the humbucker still correlate to the Primary Volume Pot? Or did you get it re-wired so the Mid-Boost pot becomes the Humbucker Volume Pot?

thanks if you can answer any of my questions, i just really know wanna know all the avenues before i get it done

[Sunbane]

I'd personally rather recommend a nice set of passives over EMGs, since I prefer the passive tone. That being said, I have had EMGs in my M6 for a while.

I used both an EMG-58 and an EMG-85 as the bridge pickup, finally settling for the 85. Both are great pickups if you're into the sound of actives, and they really bring out the tone of a maple/poplar guitar. I'd advice against using the EMG-81, since it robs the guitar of tone - but it depends a little on what sort of music you're going to play. If you're going for a heavy, mid-scooped, super tight rhythm sound, the 81 is the ticket. If you're going to play old-school heavy metal - consider the 85, or going with a good set of passives.

I used an EMG-S singlecoil in the neck position, but I was unable to adjust it close enough to the strings to get any decent output from it. The M6 was built for the J-200stacked humbucker, and an ordinary singlecoil will sit lower in the body unless you find longer screws for it. I didn't bother fixing that issue, because I was about to can the EMGs anyway. I have now found the ultimate rock'n'roll pickup for the bridge position in that guitar; the Jackson J-80C, and the singlecoil slots just have empty pickup covers in them. I'm going to try and find a nice neck pickup, but I'm in no rush to do so yet.

I have never been a fan of middle position pickups. They interfere with my picking, so I adjust them as far down as possible - or just rip them out entirely.

The original pickup config (J-50BC + two J-200) was too low output for me, and the mid-boost felt tired and non-responsive, so it all went out shortly after I got the guitar. I then sent the mid boost circuit to another JCFer, who needed it more than me. Can't say that I miss it.

As for 4), you can have the guitar wired in whichever way you like. You can have one or two (or three) volume pots, or one volume and two tone, etc. It's all in the wiring. I almost always wire my guitars to have just one master volume for all the pickups, and no tone knobs. This is also how my M6 is set up; I put the volume knob where the last knob was (farthest away from the strings), and leave empty holes where the other ones were. I want to have as little as possible in the way of my picking hand.

[Partial @ Marshall]

^^^ Man's got a point...I gutted both of mine and put a custom 5 in each and didn't bother replacing the single coils...consequently I have a lot of extra EMGs laying around. I've really been into the one pickup one volume pot thing on these old M6s. Emg 60 ain't as bad as the others IMO.

[Grandturk]

I LOVE EMG's in my Model 4 (same electronics setup as a Model 6).

I was just not vibing on the original pickups sound or the mid-boost. It just didn't give me the kind of cutting sound I like - it was too wooly. And once the pots started cracklin' I pulled the whole mess for a 81/S/S setup with a push/pull EMG Afterburner all setup with 18V.

The guitar really came to life with these pickups - especially considering the Kahler. It was nice and bright, with a great "touch."

BTW - I am definately able to get the singles close enough to the strings. You just can't tighten the screws that deep into the body - try using a 1" piece of surgical tubing on the screws to make up the gap.

[Sunbane]

BTW - I am definately able to get the singles close enough to the strings. You just can't tighten the screws that deep into the body - try using a 1" piece of surgical tubing on the screws to make up the gap.

Not possible in my '87 M6, I assure you. The screws barely reach the bottom of the pickup cavity with a true singlecoil in there. However, I imagine it shouldn't be too hard to find longer screws that would work.

[AussieTerry84]

keep up the discussion guys this is good stuff until i go in on sat to get it done

[SouthernXer]

I put a Duncan Distortion in the bridge, a lil JB in the middle, and a lil 59 in the neck. It does everything I need it to. Plus I put an OFR on it.

[AussieTerry84]

well i've just taken it to the guitar shop, im getting a White EMG-81 put it and im having the midboost taken out n the EMG wired to that POT.

as soon as the sales assistant on the phone said "yeah we've got a black emg 81 n a white 81" i was like "WHITE WHITE WHITE" cause u don't see many of them around n hell the Model 6 is pretty unique already compared to most guitars that are around now.

i reckon it should look good with the black ring around it.

gotta wait 1 1/2 to 2 weeks to get it back tho cause their guitar tech only comes in once a week to do both pick ups n drop offs

[Sunbane]

My first EMG was also white (an EMG-58).

[cmh2007]

sorry for the hyjack...what do yall think about the HZ by EMG? i played a jackson a while back with HZ's on it, it also had a pushpull on it that really lit it up. it also sounded seriously good. i been thinking about these for my M4

[Sunbane]

I have not been impressed by the HZ's I've played - but to be honest; A) it was really long ago I tried them, B) it was not in any of my guitars, and C) not through any sort of decent rig. Some people really like them, so I figure they can't be all that bad.

[Spivonious]

I have an 81 in my Kelly and I can't stand it. The only tone it can do is scooped metal. But if that's all you play, then it's perfect. Then again, I don't really like the ceramic tone either, so maybe it's that.

Post some pics when you get the guitar back. I've never seen a white EMG.

[AussieTerry84]

will definately be taking pics to show you guys

[AussieTerry84]

finally got a call today from the Guitar Tech, look like the service fee is gonna be bigger than I thought, service fee alone is gonna be around $220

So all up just to get this white EMG-81 put in its gonna cost me $430 or so.

half of that service fee though is having the guitar actually serviced aswell, but it should be damn good when i get it back ......in ANOTHER 2 weeks as i don't have that money now

[metalchurch79]

As soon as you can, learn how to do that stuff yourself, cause it will save you alot of money.
$400!! Damn!
Thats why I do all of my own work....