Routing for EMG 9v battery compartment. Any advice?

[Stygian]

There's a pair of EMG 81/85 humbuckers that I've had sitting around new in the box forever. They were a gift about a year ago, but I don't have any H-H guitars. I finally decided to order a brand new RG350dx, and order a custom H-H pickguard for the guitar.

I thought I was done with everything, but just remembered, I'm going to have to remove 10 pickguard screws everytime I change the 9v battery. If I have to screw and unscrew that countless times, I wonder how long it would take to strip out the soft basswood?

So I need advice if it's worth it to use a dremel to rout a hole and fit a battery clip (like what Carvin sells). I have no experience in this, but am willing to practice on an old strat copy beforehand. Can I build myself a square template and keep it still on the guitar while I use the dremel? Any advice? Even the simplest of things can help, since I'm new to this.

[7@6-stringBUTCHER]

http://www.fretsonthenet.net/Battery%20Box%20Covers.htm
you could do this instead of drilling into your guitar

[Stygian]

Originally Posted by 7@6-stringBUTCHER

http://www.fretsonthenet.net/Battery%20Box%20Covers.htm
you could do this instead of drilling into your guitar

That would be nice, but the only other cavity besides the pickguard is the trem cover, and there wouldn't be enough room for a battery in there. I do use my bar a decent amount.

[elcid]

Its not like changing the battery will have to be done monthly. If the guitar isnt your main guitar and you dont leave it plugged in when you arent playing it you can get years out of a battery.

[Stygian]

Originally Posted by elcid

Its not like changing the battery will have to be done monthly. If the guitar isnt your main guitar and you dont leave it plugged in when you arent playing it you can get years out of a battery.

True. Elcid, do you think the basswood holes will strip or loosen from taking the pickguard off. Say, in 5 years time, or even longer? I know it's a 350dx and not a JEM, but I plan to hold onto this guitar for a long time, and it is brand spanking new.

[elcid]

Should be fine as long as you dont over tighten the screws when you put them back in.

Actually now that I think about it, my friend had an RG350DX, and he just took out the middle sigle coil and put his battery there, then covered the hole with a piece of black plastic under the pickgaurd and over the battery. No routing required. You still have to take the pickguard off to change the battery, but it keeps you from routing new holes.

[Mike239]

Originally Posted by Stygian

I thought I was done with everything, but just remembered, I'm going to have to remove 10 pickguard screws everytime I change the 9v battery. If I have to screw and unscrew that countless times, I wonder how long it would take to strip out the soft basswood?

My Guitar has a basswood body and one of the screws for the trem cavity cover, stripped the basswood.
If you do strip basswood its an easy fix, just use any wood filler to putty up the hole, screw the screw in while the putty is still soft then take it out let the putty dry overnight, and in the morning you have a perfectly filled hole which has threads which match perfectly for the screw.

BTW i read somewhere the Batteries for Emg's last years.

[7@6-stringBUTCHER]

How long does the battery last?
All EMG pickups and EQ systems are designed for extremely low current drain. In addition, the pickup jack included with all models has a switch that disconnects the battery when the guitar is not plugged in. To maximize battery life, you should always unplug your guitar when it's not in use.

The Specs Page includes current requirements and estimated battery life for each model. Generally, each pickup requires about 80 microamps (uA), except for the Vintage Series pickups which require 220 uA each. EQ circuit requirements vary widely but are higher than pickups.

For your reference, a standard 9 volt alkaline battery provides 580 milliAmpHours (mAh) of power. That means that it will provide 580 milliAmps for 1 hour or 1 milliamp for 580 hours. There are 1000 uA per mA. You can figure the approximate battery life of any setup by adding up the individual power requirements, then dividing 580,000 by this total. Here's an example:

1 - EMG-81 = 80 uA
2 - EMG-SV = 220 uA*2 = 440 uA
1 - EXG = 410 uA
--------
Total required = 930 uA

Total life = 580,000 uAh/
930 uA = 623 hours
If you left your guitar plugged in day and night, the battery should still last a month. Under normal playing conditions, you would probably be looking at changing the battery twice a year. Of course, you should treat these numbers conservatively and not try to drain every last uA out!

[Stygian]

Well, I'm scrapping that idea. The RG350dx came a few days ago and I have to say I'm dissapointed in the quality as compared to the other three Ibanez guitars I've owned (all MIJ). It's alright though, and looks great! So I'm going to replace the bridge pickup with something passive and be done with the electronics.

Thanks for the help. That EMG battery consumption formula works great!

[losgatosrg350dx]

Originally Posted by elcid

Its not like changing the battery will have to be done monthly. If the guitar isnt your main guitar and you dont leave it plugged in when you arent playing it you can get years out of a battery.

YEARS....ive never had a battery last that long, even if i never played it!!!!

but i might be retarded lets not forget

[losgatosrg350dx]

actually now that i think about it, i probably did leave it plugged in alot

[jb4674]

I'd say cut a hole in the pickguard and fit the battery box in it.

Jimmy