24 Volt Mod for Blackouts

[Inflames626]

I'm aware that SD will probably say this will void a warranty and they take no responsibility for the outcome, but, has anyone tried the 24 Volt Mod with Blackouts?

For those who don't know what it is, it's here: https://24voltmod.com/ It uses 2 12 volt batteries to solve headroom problems with EMGs. I assume the mod will also help Blackouts sound marginally better.

I used to modify my EMG and Mastertone active pickups to 18 volts by having two battery clips in series, but it got clunky and crowded within the electronics cavity. The 18 Volt Mod will fit even within a 9 volt battery box with a shim.

12 volt batteries are a bit harder to find than 9s but not impossible. The space reduction alone is worth it.

As far as I know, EMGs will handle 27 volts. Tony Snape, inventor of the Mastertone pickup, told me his pickups will handle 36 volts (but they also use 250k pots instead of 25k--something about the voltage rail being different from EMGs he told me).

I'm guessing Blackouts will handle a similar amount of voltage, but I wanted to be sure before putting the 18 Volt Mod into my Blackouts equipped Charvel Desolation.

[Mincer]

I've never heard of anyone doing this, so if you are brave enough to try, let us know how it turns out. What are you trying to achieve with this that you couldn't get from something like a boost or EQ pedal?

[Inflames626]

Mincer , hard to say, but I'll know when I hear it. Mainly just a sound that I think is superior to what I hear in 9 volts. I can't really imagine or describe it until I've heard it, if that makes sense. For example, for Blackouts I was really impressed in that they remained full-sounding but also consistent while cutting through a mix. But I couldn't picture that sound until I had heard it.

So, more voltage would just mean refining those positive qualities, I suppose. Maybe like how the AHB-3s improved the AHB-1s just a bit (in my opinion).

I tried the Mastertones in 18 volts and liked them better than in 9 volts, although the change wasn't extreme. 27 volts was diminishing returns in most of my guitars that had small electronics cavities.

Mastertones were pickups that were once popular on the Harmony Central forums but are no longer made--mine are from 2002 and they were some of the first higher headroom, passive sounding active pickups. They were made by Tony Snape, a small builder from Australia, and eventually he decided to stop making them.

A sample is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcnPu32hlss

And a thread about them: https://www.harmonycentral.com/forum...rtone-pickups/

For their time I suppose they were the Klons of the pickup world.

Mine are currently in an LTD F-200 with a Schaller Floyd Rose that I have in Bb standard with 12 gauge strings on it. The guitar sounds like a piano on low strings and stays tight and consistent even in that low tuning. I thought upping the voltage might improve those qualities but since I can't replace the Mastertones I might not try it with them.

For other active pickups, since the 24 Volt Mod seems so easy to do I figure why not try it. You just put it on the pre-existing battery clip.

I don't always like the Mod sound with EMGs because I think it goes against the sound they were designed for. Most of the complaints people have about EMGs I consider strengths. In my experience yes EMGs have their drawbacks when heard by themselves but they sit very nicely in a mix. I have to tweak them very little. An 18 volt mod (similar to the EMG X) makes them sound better on their own but occasionally a little flabby in a mix--maybe like how an EMG 85 has a looser low end than an 81.

It's a sound I don't like but that a lot of people think is fuller and better. Their sterile is my consistent.

On EMGs with >9 volts I mainly hear the difference in the clean sound but even a clean 81 from the bridge has its place--that low fi kind of sterile sound popular with some metal players.

One drawback with the Mod is you might have issues with locating 12 volt, 23A type batteries (I didn't even know they existed), but my local Wal-Mart has them. And in a pinch you can just pull the Mod off and stick a regular 9 volt on.

I thought some of the official SD Blackout literature might have a max voltage rating on it (I lost mine) and someone could chime in.

In the end, I don't think Blackouts really need the additional boost, which is why I tend to use them for lower tunings (Db standard and below). They get a fuller sound than comparable EMGs like the 85 and 707 without sounding loose and flabby. AHB3s compare nicely with the 81 sound and surpass the 81 in some respects like lead playing because the AHB3s have more highs to my ear.

In my experience EMGs need more voltage sometimes to fatten up higher tunings. But despite their flaws I keep them because I have heard that sound for so long sometimes it is the only one that works and I like to still have it in my tool box. Something about those brittle mids slamming my ear at 2.2k just says metal guitar.

As far as most builders limiting their active pickups to 9 volts, I thought they did this for convenience. I have always thought longer battery life, fewer batteries, limited space, and the ease of finding 9 volt batteries made us settle on using a single 9 volt, not tone.

Maybe if the Mod catches on 24 volt active pickups will become the new normal.

[dave74]

I don't think this will help, but I've been wrong a million times before.

[Mincer]

If a higher voltage doesn't fry the pickups (I honestly don't know), it can result in more output but while that might sound 'bigger', it will feel different as a higher signal hits the amp harder and compresses more.

[El Dunco]

I run my 81/89 at 18v but I’m told it’s not necessary with blackouts.

[Aceman]

Because, you know, a Blackout isn't loud enough?!?!?!?!

Still, I applaud your inquisitive nature. Big fan of test to destruction. Let me know how it all turns out.

[Inflames626]

Because, you know, a Blackout isn't loud enough?!?!?!?!

Still, I applaud your inquisitive nature. Big fan of test to destruction. Let me know how it all turns out.

Sounds like a guy from Poland already did it in 18 volts. 18 volts makes the low end chuggier and sounds like the transients are a bit sharper, verging on clipping.

I can only imagine what an additional 6 volts would do.

https://youtu.be/J8YaW53OlMM?t=44

[Rex_Rocker]

I think I remember asking that question to Duncan support, and them replying 18V is the maximum BO's take. Don't remember if they told me more would hurt the pickup, but I'd be wary. EMG's can take 27, and they get fried with more.

BOs' preamp already has more headroom than EMG's, though (actually, exactly twice), so I'm pretty sure you'll notice no clipping with them running at 18, and barely any at 9.

[Inflames626]

I got this back today from Jay Young, owner of 24 Volt Mod.

"Hello Aaron. Thanks for contacting me. Yes on both counts are use the 24 V mod with the modular preamp in one of my personal guitars paired with the Seymour Duncan black winter pick ups and I also used it in various guitars over the years that had different models of the black out pick ups. Been fully tested with all the active EMG and Seymour Duncan products"

My guess is the Modular Preamp is what used to be the Gus G model. Haven't followed it in a while.

[Inflames626]

An update on this thread per Aceman's request.

I installed the 24 Volt Mod in my MIJ 1996 Jackson Kelly Professional with EMG 60/81s, volume pot only. I also put in a Shadow 25k killpot and a Schaller Floyd Rose. All worked flawlessly. Tuned it to Eb for Slayer goodness.

I was a little nervous going back into my first guitar. I bought it when I was 16 in 1996 and had used it as a student at GIT from 1999-2000. This was mid 90s EMG block letter logo vintage stuff, complete with age discolored wires. I had forgotten how I had hooked it up. I hadn't tinkered with it in nearly 25 years, but it took only a few minutes.

I removed the two 9 volt battery connectors in series as well as the volume 25k pot, soldered in a single 9 volt battery clip, put the Shadow and 24 Volt Mod in, covered the Volt Mod with the optional black rubber insulation since there was no isolated battery box, and I was good to go.

Swapping the volume pot for the killswitch (I put those in all my Floyd equipped lead guitars) and doing the 24 Volt Mod took maybe 15 minutes. The hardest part was making sure all the grounds had room to solder onto the side of the Shadow killpot. It has grounding tabs on top of the switch but they tend to melt the plastic and I don't trust them as much as soldering directly to the pot casing.

Import Kellys have very small electronics cavities. Mine will barely fit a volume knob and 3 way toggle switch. Somehow I had gotten 2 9 volt batteries in there side by side with their narrow edge facing up.

The 24 Volt Mod battery box is a little smaller than a 9 volt. I laid it across the top of the switch with the wide edge facing up. The Shadow killpot is also taller so it forces everything upward. It has a very narrow shaft and threads so it should fit through whatever hole you have in your guitar. It will be very tall from the front of the guitar however without using a nut to back down the height.

The cavity cover bulges slightly but is barely noticeable.

I didn't play it through my DAW but I did try it though my little Peavey Solo I use for checking my electronics work.

The first thing I noticed was massively faster transients. It's crazy how much more reactive the guitar becomes to touch and dynamics running at 24 volts vs. 9.

I'm sure the tone is a bit fatter and wider too, but not enough to be as much of a difference as between, say, an EMG 81 and EMG 85. I still prefer an 81 in the bridge over an 85, but more than helping the 81 this mod helped fatten up the 60 in the neck for sure.

I adjusted the pickup height as close as possible to the strings with the whammy bar pulled sharp all the way. The 60 is louder than the 81 at this height. I have never experienced this.

So here you have it:

Pros: faster transients, better dynamics and touch sensitivity, slightly fatter tone, less compression, modest cost (about $50 with tax and shipping), 24 volt box connects to 9 volt clip and can be removed easily if you need to use a 9 volt in a pinch

Cons: harder to find 23A 12 volt batteries vs. 9 volts. They are usually in the watch battery section. 24 Volt Mod does not always work with EMG active tone control accessories since it possibly exceeds their voltage rating. Jay at 24 Volt Mod told me while EMGs are rated up to 27 volts, EMG rarely tests new stock beyond 18 volts since most people don't use 3 9 volt batteries.

Verdict: If you have an EMG equipped guitar and aren't 100% happy with it, give the 24 Volt Mod a try. It will feel more like a passive guitar, and improvements will be more in feel and touch than in tone. If you have active tone controls, you should stay at 18 volts in series. If you are already running 18 volts in series with no tone controls, get the 24 Volt Mod. You gain everything while losing nothing. If you are a bass player with no active tone controls, you should love it.

It looks like Jay is adding support for Fishman Fluence pickups on the site as well.

Haven't tried it with Blackouts yet. I will do that next.

Hope this helps.

[Aceman]

Awesome!

[Toner]

I get all my 12V batteries off eBay. Cheap too. I ordered a bunch of the Toshiba ones. EMG81 with the 24V mod through my framus cobra is GODLY.

I bought the pieces to make my own 24v holder with the top 9v plug just like the “official” one. Idk how he connected them but I just soldered solid core wire through the holes of the battery holder and top add on and it’s solid.

with free shipping.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/14157139052...mis&media=COPY

https://www.ebay.com/itm/13350750955...uid=_oN86XmdS1 C&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

https://www.ebay.com/itm/11382636378...uid=_oN86XmdS1 C&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

take the bottom cover off the bottom of the 9v snap, shorten the wires and attach red to black and black to red on the battery holder and either epoxy them together or do what I did and get some solid core wire, solder to the battery holder, slide the top 9v clip over the wires to see where to cut, remove, cut, put back on and solder. Rock solid.

I can post some build pics if needed.