EMG81 Clipping?

[Nimitz]

Ok I have an EMG81 in my Fusion... and when I ring out a note lets say on the A string 9th fret... there is plenty of sustain but it sounds like it is clipping... or cutting in and out very quickly... this does not happen with the same gear on my Charvel Fusion original Pickups... is this just the nature of a Active pickup?

Something must be messed... I think the guy that installed it at the guitar shop years ago was pissed at them and didn't give a shit at the job he did... IDK... could this be because the other passive pickups are wired to the same 25kpot?

Or maybe something to do with the Stereo input Jack?

[Nimitz]

Bueller?

[marcus]

Ok I have an EMG81 in my Fusion... and when I ring out a note lets say on the A string 9th fret... there is plenty of sustain but it sounds like it is clipping... or cutting in and out very quickly... this does not happen with the same gear on my Charvel Fusion original Pickups... is this just the nature of a Active pickup?

I doubt it is clipping, they do not have very powerful magnets. You can lower it away from the strings to test this theory, but I am doubting it.

Something must be messed... I think the guy that installed it at the guitar shop years ago was pissed at them and didn't give a shit at the job he did... IDK... could this be because the other passive pickups are wired to the same 25kpot?

Passive pickups should not be wired to the same pot, but it should be wired to a switch first. If so, there should only be a problem when the passive pickup is selected. Are you saying that the tech was pissed at your EMGs? LOL

Or maybe something to do with the Stereo input Jack?

Again, this is doubtful. But, this is all just guesswork without knowing how it is wired up. Can you post a schematic?

[Musician78]

Did you check the battery? I had an active bass once that did exactly that when the battery was about to die.

[toejam]

Yeah, check the battery first.
Also, check that your guitar cable is plugged into the jack all the way. I had some weird "clipping/distortion" type tone on my first guitar with EMGs, but it turned out EMG jacks are very tight and, when I heard the first click, I thought the cable was in, but it apparently needed to be pushed more until I heard another click, then it sounded fine.

[Nimitz]

1. Lowering the Pickup away from the strings did nothing.
2. I just installed an 18volt system and tested batteries both are brand new and good. It does the clipping with 9v too.
3. Yes the Cable is plugged all the way in. Thanks Jam I know sometimes the simplest thing is usually it.

Thanks for the info guys... now my A string intonation bolt head is stripped... the fucking guitar has never been wired right from the day I got it and pisses my off to no end.

Here is said cluster fuck of a wiring job...
http://themikel.net/upload/public/IMG_3312.JPG

Another Close up... http://themikel.net/upload/public/IMG_3318.JPG

Also I have the wound part of the string in the saddle... is this bad?
http://themikel.net/upload/public/IMG_3319.JPG

Just looking at the picture is making me think yes...

Thanks for the patience for a newbie... I should have learned all this shit years ago... sry guys.

[tcwil8]

Ugh, that wiring is a mess. I know, Captain Obvious reporting for duty. If it were my guitar, I'd rip it all out and start over with new stuff. In my opinion, it would be a nightmare trying to troubleshoot that mess.

Regarding the strings/saddles, follow your thought here. The wound part should not be in the saddle.

[Devotee]

Want some sauce with that spaghetti? I say drop Rick from EMG an email and ask for a wiring diagram. And while you're rewiring it, take that trem apart and soak it in some WD40 overnight.

[wilkinsi]

I've always found when using EMG's that they sound like a compressor with a somewhat subtle high attack.

[Nimitz]

Yeah man this shit is coming apart I have had enough of this bullshit...

More questions arise now like will the neck get fucked with no tension on it?

Can someone give step by step instructions to remove the Floyd... yes I know what google is...

I might just hook up a passive pickup I have two here... DP-100 Dimarzio and the original J-50B... what would sound better?

I am guessing a 500k pot is ideal for passive if I scrap the EMG.

If I put 2 volume knobs on this could I use the 5way still and the stereo Jack?

What a mess... ugh

[Devotee]

More questions arise now like will the neck get fucked with no tension on it?

Nope.

Can someone give step by step instructions to remove the Floyd... yes I know what google is...

1. Release the tension from the strings until they're completely slack.
2. Take the strings out of the saddles.
3. Release the tension from the springs in the back of the tremolo cavity by unscrewing the screws holding the claw (no need to unscrew them all the way)
4. Take off the springs while taking care not to let the bridge fall out the other side.
5. Take the bridge off the posts carefully.

[Musician78]

Your neck will be fine without the tention. When it was built, it had no tention on it. Just loosen the strings evenly and slowly. Don't know if it makes a difference, but this is how I do it.

For the Floyd, once you have loosened and removed the strings, remove the springs from the back. It should come right out. If not, you may have to raise it up a little.

The 500K pot is what is usually used with passive humbuckers. You can use the 250K if you want, it will just make the guitar sound darker (I think). The lower the number, the more highs are removed. (I think).

As far as the other questions, I have no idea.

[Hellbat]

Could be related to having mixed active/passive pickups. Also the grounding on the back of one pot (the one with the spaghetti mess) looks like a cold solder joint nightmare. After thinking about it and looking at the pics, it looks like that thing might have been wired by a mentally handicapped, meth addicted chimpanzee.

If you remove the EMG you will need to replace the pots as the EMG uses 25K pots IIRC. If you use Duncans or the original Jackson pickups you will want a 250K pot, Dimarzio recommends 500K pots for use with their humbuckers.

Wiring straighforward no-splitting/phase pickups is really quite simple and hard to believe a "pro" could do that job and consider it worthy of leaving his shop. Leaving those wires clipped and not taped or heatshrink tubed to prevent them from grounding out to other stuff inside the cavity seems kind of silly to me too.

[marcus]

I said schematic!

In any case, I am pretty sure EMG says to secure the batteries with 4 rubber bands, not just 2.

[DalyTek]

When I loosen the strings to take out the Floyd, I always start with the high E string and work my way to the low E.
I don't know if it's necessary or not, but my brain tells me that when strings are loosened, tension will increase on the remaining strings.
I start with the thinner strings as they seem more likely to break under this increased tension.

Again, this philosophy may just be all in my head, but it's the way I do it...