Please Help (DK2 Pickup install)

[Steve0]

I purchased an EMG-81 today and was just putting it together but when I got to the step that involves replacing my old volume and tone pots with the 25K pots that come with the pickup I found that the pots are linked together by a green component. (104k 100v) These leads linking the pots together are so short that the pots don't reach all the way between the routings for the vol and tone controls.

The leads of the component are about half of an inch long each and these wouldn't fit between the holes of a les paul let alone the spaced out knobs on my Jackson.

I could always find a new component with long leads to go between the pots and Radio Shack or take it back to the place of purchase but I don't know if this is how every 81 is or if it is just mine that is defective.

Thanks for any help you can offer.

[Steve0]

Re: Please Help (DK2 Pickup install)

Does anyone know where I can find some kind of wiring tutorial for an emg?

I do what it says in the worded instructions up top on the instruction sheet but when it get's to about the fifth step it says things like "connect as shown below."

The diagrams are so incomprehensible that I have no idea where to solder the wires. I am in h-s-s pickup configuration. Is it possible to install an emg on an h-s-s guitar?

[plon]

Re: Please Help (DK2 Pickup install)

http://www.emginc.com/support.asp

[cobhc]

Re: Please Help (DK2 Pickup install)

the green component is a resistor, i guess all you need to do is unsolder the component and extend one of the leads then resolder it. And as far as installing an emg in a h-s-s guitar, it can be done, but if you haven't purchased any emg sc's, then it will not work, as active p/up's (EMG's) will not work with the passive p/up's that came with your dk2

[RobRR]

Re: Please Help (DK2 Pickup install)

Just desolder one side of the resistor, attach a wire to it, and resolder that wire onto the other pot when its in place. Check out my "DIY soldering and wiring" at the top of this forum for some helpful tips on doing this.

[DonP]

Re: Please Help (DK2 Pickup install)

Guys, the green thing is the capacitor! It kills high frequencies as you ground it out with the "tone" control.

You can either desolder the end, and hook up a wire to extend the reach, or pick up a (looks like) .1uF capacitor rated for at least the voltage of your battery (are you doing one battery = 9volts or 2 = 18 volts). The capacitor need to have a higher voltage rating than this.

Also, you passives will work, but they will sound muddy because the low value pots (25K) required for the EMG's will kill the higher frequencies of the single coils.

You could leave in your existing pots, but when using the EMG, it will seem like the pot does nothing until you turn it way down. Your current tone would work the same way, but the current cap is probably .022uF and would not kill the highs on the EMG very well. It might seem like for the EMG, the tone pot isn't doing anything, but it is - just barely.

[Steve0]

Re: Please Help (DK2 Pickup install)

Thanks alot.

I hate that I can't use it with my current singles and that the wiring diagrams for this thing assume I have two emg-81s
If I can I am going to trade it in.

[MountainDog]

Re: Please Help (DK2 Pickup install)

There is wiring diagrams for 3 pickups/5 way switch like a strat if you need that to help visualize... Click Here

A fairly common trick to combine passive and active pickups is to compromise and use a 250k ohm pot. It's not perfect, but works a lot better than using the EMG 25k ohm or the stock 500k ohm volume pot.

If you take the EMG81 back, you might want to try the passive EMG-HZ model H4..website says its 'equivalent'.. Click Here
You could drop this in using your stock volume and tone pots.

...or you can put in a Seymour Duncan JB!