EMG Troubles

[mupps]

Right guys, I'm really in need of some help here...

Having just installed EMGS (81/85) in my Jackson, I've noticed that the 81 ion the bridge is a hell of a lot quieter than the 85 in the neck, especially when played clean. I've fiddled with the pickup heights and they havent made much difference. Anyone knows what causes this and what I can do about it?! I was expecting pinch heaven on the crunch channel of my TSL (I could do it with my DM PAF Pros) but I'm currently getting nothing

Also, the guy who wired my pickups has put a tone control into the cavity of my PGM (its a single volume knob guitar) anyone know anyway that I can re wire it? I don't want to have to worry about the tone control getting knocked around and gradually turned down!

Andy!

[Alvin_Wilson]

Make sure that your toggle switch is not bad. I had the same thing happen to me in my LP. High output in the bridge and almost no neck output. It was a bad toggle, replaced it and solved the problem.

Also, check to make sure all solder joints are solid.

Alvin

[1trussell]

I think the problem is that they are EMG's Don't you know they're the devil?!?!?!

J/K, man. Hope you get it figured out.

[MetalMedal II]

Also, the guy who wired my pickups has put a tone control into the cavity of my PGM (its a single volume knob guitar) anyone know anyway that I can re wire it?

The tone control can be removed from the circuit with some soldering. Not sure about the low output though. Maybe you should take it back to the guy who put in the pickups and tell him to take out the tone control.

[Sunbane]

Check so the quick connect cable for the 81 isn't on the wrong way. Take the strings off, unscrew the pickup bezel (with the pickup in it) and carefully pull the pickup out. Try reversing the connector and see if that changes anything.

If that doesn't do it, then try switching the pickups around. Put the 85 at the bridge and the 81 at the neck. If the 81 is still dead at that point, you've probably gotten a bad one (very rare occurance). If the 85 becomes quiet and the 81 comes alive, then it's probably the pickup selector switch that is bad.

[Sunbane]

The tone control can be easilly removed with no ill effects - you can just desolder (or snip) the capacitor connecting the tone pot to the volume pot and take it away, UNLESS your tech has soldered anything else to it.

I must say though, that your tech doesn't seem very knowledebale if he left the tone pot in like that. He probably just followed the EMG wiring diagram, without knowing anything about guitar electronics. If I were you, I would take my business to a real professional next time.

[Nazgul]

Check so the quick connect cable for the 81 isn't on the wrong way

NO! That would burn the pickup! I think it says so in the manual IIRC.

[SGplayer]

Sometimes where the braided ground that solders to the Volume pot see if there's a burn thru from the outer braided ground to the hot wire inside that solders to the middle tab of the V pot, if so then the hot wire grounds out????????

[Sunbane]

NO! That would burn the pickup! I think it says so in the manual IIRC.

.......
No it would NOT burn the pickup, and there's nothing like that in the manual.

[toejam]

I don't even think you can put the quick-connect cable in the opposite way, can you? I haven't disconnected my EMGs in awhile, but I can't remember.

[Sunbane]

Yes, it can easilly be put on the wrong way, and I've managed to do it on a couple of occations without frying anything. But I think that it would just be completely silent if the cable is on the wrong way, so now that I think about it, I don't think that's the problem here.

[Nazgul]

hmm...i'm 100% sure that I and my friend who installed emg into my guitar were very careful about it and slowly connected the quick-connect cable to the pickup, because we were afraid to burn it. maybe it was him who came up with that idea, don't know. he's not a guitarist but had soldering skills and i didn't back then.