EMGs are strarting to piss me off.

[Sunbane]

Has anyone had an EMG pickup go bad? Is it possible?

I suppose it is possible, but so far I've never had one EMG pickup go bad on me in the 15 years I've used them (I've had something like almost a dozen EMG humbuckers over the years that circulated in different guitars). Some of my current ones are really old too.

Anyway, a thin and weak sound would indicate that the pickups aren't getting any juice from the battery. Check the battery, and also the quick connect cables, if your pickups have those. If that doesn't help, replace the battery clip and check so the jack engages all the right spots on the tele plug.

EDIT: Thought of another thing: Is the cable plugged all the way in? That one is an EMG classic.

[Crusher]

Are they the plug in type? When I first installed mine, I plugged them in backwards.....I'm sure you thought of that, but throwing it out there anyway

[Dreamland_Rebel]

just make sure the exposed metal bits on the wireing clip are facing away from the pickup.

[savage]

Are they the plug in type? When I first installed mine, I plugged them in backwards.....I'm sure you thought of that, but throwing it out there anyway

+1

make sure the arrow on the plug is visible when you look at the bottom of the emg
also try a continuity test to make sure you are getting power from the battery to the emg.
if these last steps fail it is a faulty emg and that is rare!