Installing an EMG

[Izegrim]

Well, I just had the mailman bring me my EMG 85 for my Kevin Bond Rhoads. I want to install it but some problems arose. I'm not an electrician or anything but I can solder. I'm just a n00b when it comes to diagrams.

I just want to use the volumepot. I can leave the tonepot in the control cavity or remove it from the volumepot. What should I do?

Second, my output jack belongs in the upper wing and the wire of the EMG jack is waaaay to short. Should I use the original wires?

Last but not least, I need another black wire coming from the jack but I guess I have to buy that. What is that sort of wire called so that I can buy it?

[Sunbane]

I just want to use the volumepot. I can leave the tonepot in the control cavity or remove it from the volumepot. What should I do?

Just eliminate the tone pot and capacitor from the circuit. Either snip the capacitor off of the volume pot, or solder it loose.

Second, my output jack belongs in the upper wing and the wire of the EMG jack is waaaay to short. Should I use the original wires?

Last but not least, I need another black wire coming from the jack but I guess I have to buy that. What is that sort of wire called so that I can buy it?

You need to replace the jack with the stereo jack supplied with the EMG, or the pickup will drain the battery even when the guitar is unplugged. You can use the original wires, but you will probably have to add an extra wire to make it work.

Pretty much any kind of wire will work, provided it is not too thin, or too thick. I would recommend a multi-stranded copper wire. You can buy some in stores for fine electronics, or maybe even from a guitar tech.

[Izegrim]

Thanks Sunbane! I can get back to work when I get home this afternoon. If I remove the capacitor, does that alter the wiring diagram (I don't have the diagram with me now)?

[Sunbane]

No - follow the diagram, and just ignore the tone pot.

[Izegrim]

Righto! Hey, what's this new avatar you got?

[straycat]

The original Vol pot won't work with the EMG.You need a 25k vol pot.Remove the bridge ground wire too.

[Nazgul]

Here's the exact wiring diagram you need:

http://www.sonic.net/~emgman/pdf/1EMG1V.pdf

1 EMG, 1 volume pot

[Grayson]

Sunbane - I don't know if your guitar will be like mine or not, but when I installed active EMGs in my SLSMG, there was no way that the EMG jack was going to work at all. Fortunately, the SLSMG's factory jack works with the active EMGs. There were two wires coming off the SLSMG jack originally, but I noticed that there was an unused tab on it. Well, I took my DVOM (volt-ohm meter) and determined that the SLSMG jack and the EMG jack work the exact same way. I just had to solder a wire to the unused tab. Anyway, that might help you out.

[Sunbane]

Sunbane - I don't know if your guitar will be like mine or not, but when I installed active EMGs in my SLSMG, there was no way that the EMG jack was going to work at all. Fortunately, the SLSMG's factory jack works with the active EMGs. There were two wires coming off the SLSMG jack originally, but I noticed that there was an unused tab on it. Well, I took my DVOM (volt-ohm meter) and determined that the SLSMG jack and the EMG jack work the exact same way. I just had to solder a wire to the unused tab. Anyway, that might help you out.

I see. I assumed that they put mono jacks in the new Jacksons, since that's what I've found in my older (passive) C/Js. If there already is a stereo jack in the guitar, by all means use it.

[Grayson]

Oops! I guess I was directing that comment toward Izegrim, not you Sunbane.

I suspect you had a "WTF?" look on your face when you read what I had written

[Izegrim]

Man, just got home... I'm too tired to check the jack 'n zzzZZZzz... WHAT?!WHO?!! Oh sorry, thanks anyway for your efforts guys. I'll check and see tomorrow what the guts of my satanic warlady have to offer me. Goodnight.

[Izegrim]

Well, I was a whole hour busy with that simple task! I like the way it sounds on my Fireball... A LOT!! I still have to wait till bandpractice but for now it sounds really punchy and clear to me but... I have a bucket of noise man. What the hell? What did I do wrong? It sounds like I'm not using a shielde cable except I do...

[Sunbane]

Hmm...that's odd...especially since you don't have very many things in there to cause ground loops. Everything is grounded to the pot right? ...except the wire from the bridge?

[Izegrim]

Yup, everything is wired correctly and grounded to the pot. I'll make a pic this afternoon. I'm sorry that I said 'noise' as it should be 'hiss' actually. My amp has a little hiss from it's own but when I turn up my guitar's volume I clearly hear an increase of his by a 100%. It is quite annoying.

By the way, I like the sound of the 85! It is a lot like my APC Persuader Lead Custom from my Dinky. It just responds very differently. I think the 85 is actually tamer but a little more direct. I'll try an 81 later when I get my hands on one from a friend.

About the quick-connector: the arrow should be face up, right?

[Izegrim]