Problems with EMG 85 pickup installation

LonePhantom · #1 07-01-2005, 07:23 AM

I had an EMG 85 installed in the bridge position of my RG470 today and I'm having problems with it. It is the only pickup currently wired up in my guitar. There are two pots, one normal emg one and one that is a push/pull pot.

I got the guitar home and hooked it up to my amp and it sounded sweet as. I started playing with what was originally the tone knob and I noticed that there was a slight varition in tone when distorted. What was originally the volume knob seemed to be adjusting the tone more though, but no volume.

(The push/pull pot is in the tone knob position).

Are volume and tone pots pretty much the same in design, in that if wired a particular way they do both functions?

Also, for a active, noiseless pickup there seems to be just as much noise as before with the stock pups.

I was checking to see how the battery was placed in the back of the guitar too and after I put the cover back on I had more problems.

When hooked up with an effects pedal (in this case a BOSS MT-2) the guitar was pretty much dead, no sound from the amp. Hit the pedal on to distortion and some washed out quiet amplified sound (if that makes sense).

I Plugged the guitar directly to the amp with one lead and got nice loud sound, although with the clean channel it was a bit distorted (like a slight overdrive). Distorted channel on the amp and nice distortion. Plugged in another pedal (ZOOM 505) and same thing as the MT-2.

I tested with 4 different leads and even went out and bought another super heavy-duty battery just in case the one I had in there was dodgy and it made no difference.

Unfortunately I can't take it back to the person who installed it over the weekend as they are moving house and don't have a phone line connected yet. I can see them during the week at their work, but I hope to sort this out before then as my band is practicing on Sunday afternoon and i'd like to have my axe fully functional for then.

Any ideas?

Thanks guys

LonePhantom · #2 07-02-2005, 06:57 PM

Anyone have some ideas, experienced this before?

I Think I'll just pull it all apart and start from scratch if no one can offer anything.

JTM45 · #3 07-03-2005, 12:00 AM

The only thing that comes to mind is the push/pull pot.

The pots that EMG supply are 25K pots compared to the 500K pots that are usually used with normal passive humbuckers. I'm guessing your push/pull pot is a 500K (or 250 at least) and therefore it will mess with your EMG and shouldn't be used.
You should have had two new pots with the EMG (if you bought it new). If you have the other swap it with the push/pull straight-away.

The only other thing that people do get a problem with when fitting EMG's for the first time is that they forget to disconnect the ground lead. You've probably done it but if you haven't i suggest you do that when you change the pot. EMG's don't need a ground lead to be connected at all.

Hope that helps a bit.

LonePhantom · #4 07-03-2005, 05:41 AM

Thanks anyway with that. Everythings all good now.

The push/pull pot is a 25K one, so compatible with the EMGs.

I had one more look today before I pulled it all apart to put back together (I didn't install it). When I pulled out the input jack I noticed that one of the wires (out of the tone and volume ones I think) had got caught in some solder. It was not a bare section of wire, it still had the plastic insulator stuff over it but pulled it off anyway.

I also opened the control section at the back of the guitar and made sure none of the remaining disconnected wires from the old pickups still in the body were touching anything live.

After this I plugged in the guitar and everything worked as it should! The EMG 85 in the bridge section is amazing. Such a full tone, but still has a great crunch when distorted, without being too trebley.

I've finally brought the sound i've had in my head for many years out through my instrument.

JTM45 · #5 07-03-2005, 12:57 PM

Cool!
I'm glad you got it sorted in the end.

I love EMG's myself, i've got an 81/85 combo in one of my guitars and a custom 707 in one of my 7 string RG's and they sound great.

I wouldn't mind giving some of the extra EMG electronics (the active EQ's+ Afterburner ets) a try also one day.

LonePhantom · #6 07-03-2005, 06:57 PM

Yeah i'm keen on trying a few things too. I was talking to a mate at the music store about some of the stuff that could even be done wiring wise to utilise the push/pull pot and i'm excited! I'll most probably get an 81 and put it in the bridge and the 85 in the neck.

I'm currently working on a custom JEM/RG style body which will house an 81-89 combo too.

JTM45 · #7 07-04-2005, 06:22 PM

There's a new Kerry King (Slayer) EMG set that's got an 81 and 85 and also comes with the PA-2 20db Booster (adjustable) which is pretty cool.

That might be a good option for you.

LonePhantom · #8 07-04-2005, 06:54 PM

Yeah i've seen that on here recently. I like the sound of it too. I'm looking at the 89 so I still have a single coil option available without having to fork out for a single coil.

well i've stuffed it up again anyway! I tried wrapping the wires in electrical tape to shield it a bit more, but when I "fixed" the problem on the weekend I had weakened the connection that had got stuck. I now have to re-solder the connections in the input jack. It's a bitch of a one where two of the tabs are on top of each other, I have a spare unused one thats better spaced so I think i'll just put that one on.

LonePhantom · #9 07-05-2005, 06:48 PM

Guitars back and sounding even better! Volume control not turns down to 0 as opposed to 2 or something. Single tone control provides a large usable amount of adjustment too.

I'm digging the 85 in the bridge spot, might go for a 60 in the neck now on this particular guitar.

Guitar is now ready to slay at my first gig!!! Can't wait!

LonePhantom · #10 07-10-2005, 08:52 PM

Just bumping this back up there. I've noticed that playing lower notes or E chord, etc seem to have the slightest bit of distortion going on. It's fairly apparent at lower volumes, but turned up it seems to improve a little.

Also many notes/chords don't seem to sustain very well, i.e sustain for a little bit and then drop fairly dramatically in steps. Any ideas?

Thanks peeps!

guitarshredder7 · #11 08-08-2005, 05:42 AM

start all over again

lyconxero · #12 08-08-2005, 09:55 AM

I haven't had ANY problems with sustain when it comes to my EMGs. All three of them sustain like crazy and I love it. I did have a TON of problems when I first got the pickups installed, but that's only because the guy who did it had never done it before. But we got it all sorted out and now they rock hard and I love 'em and I'm probably going to be putting them in my next guitar as well.