AHB-1 Blackouts install

G

ginismo

New member
SO I'm new here, and I haven't seen anything on the web pertaining to my problem. I spent good hard earned money on a set of Blackouts for my Shecter 006. I have installed pickups both active and passive before, and I'm pretty handy with circuits and soldering. I create my own little headphone amps as a hobby. ANyway, I installed these pickups Saturday, and everything works as expected. The volume, tone and pickup selector. However these pickups sound absolutely AWFUL. I have a Marshall JCM DSL 201 combo, and I've heard sound clips with this type of setup on the net and these pickups should sound fantastic. My old passive Shecter Deluxe pickups sounded ten times better. The issue is the output is just so low that the gain channel sounds really "wimpy" and the clean needs to be turned up almost all the way before you can hear it. I insulated the input jack with electric tape to insure it wouldn't be "grounding out". I've tripple checked all my grounds and tried two batteries, both of which have hit over 10V on my DMM. Other than the really low output, everything else works perfectly. Has anyone hear of this. I plan on calling SD's technical department after work and asking them about this, but any help or insight right now is really appreciated. This is very frustrating, I was very excited to hear these in my setup after researching them online, and now I'm very dissapointed.

Thanks in advance
 
Re: AHB-1 Blackouts install

I've never wired Actives before but one time when I first got my passive PGn I wired it just like it should have but the output was like almost zero and the bass was through the roof which drove me insane because I kept resoldering the hot end and it did nothing. Finally when I just went and ripped it out and redid it completely by taking off old solder and making it all neat again it was fine and worked how it should. (I put a lot of differnt PU's on that pot hehe)

Since ur putting in actives I assume ur using the pots they gave you so you dont have to worry about (re)soldering so u dont have to worry about mixing rosin and acid core solders because sometimes they won't conduct with eachother? I've had this happen and they dont really solder together easy as well. So if u dont have mixed solders I dont know what to tell you but I would just try doing it over again and making sure everything is 100% correct.

Good Luck
 
Re: AHB-1 Blackouts install

thanks for the advice. Unfortunately, yesterday I did just try and redo it all again. I had the same idea on the solder, since I'm using the same Pickup selector, and that has to be grounded with the pickups. I tried soldering the gounds on that to a new spot, and no change.

I'm wondering if since the battery ground is hooked up to the right channel on the input jack to stop the drain after the coed is unplugged, if me using a Stereo cable is the problem. I wouldn't think it should be, but maybe it isn't completing the ground circuit the same. ANyone have any thoughts on that before I go blow $20 on a new cable??
 
Re: AHB-1 Blackouts install

well after researching this Idea a bit, a common problem with EMG installs when you use a stereo cable is that you get no output. Apparently this is because the amp, including mine, only has a mono input jack. So the circuit never fully grounds with the stereo cable. I'm going to buy a mono cable on my way home and post the results in a few hours. Hopefully, this is the answer.
 
Re: AHB-1 Blackouts install

good luck man! It's always disappointing when you throw new pickups in and they're just lame all over.
 
Re: AHB-1 Blackouts install

the stereo cable is absolutely the problem
I think it has more to do with the 9v being connected to a stereo input jack in ur guitar
rather than the mono jack on your amp

what the heck were you using that thing for anyway,go buy a proper guitar cable!
buy a spare while your at it
 
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Re: AHB-1 Blackouts install

In my defense.....I live in downtown Chicago, and if you don't play a cello or something, there aren't any music stores around. The nearest guitar stores I've found are a 30 minute train ride. I haven't lived here long so I don't know many spots. I had my amp shipped to me along with my guitars, and the cables were left out, way to go Mom. SO i went to the local Radio shack to get a cable, and stereo was all they had. At the time it wasn't an issue.

I will make it a priority to get my cables all shipped up here now that I know I need them.

in response to :
"I think it has more to do with the 9v being connected to a stereo input jack in ur guitar
rather than the mono jack on your amp"

This is true, but if the input jack in my amp was a stereo jack, then it would be getting grounded through that circuit. I assumed yesterday that Marshall would have put a stereo jack in the amp, but I found out today that they don't bother with one speaker combos.
 
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Re: AHB-1 Blackouts install

you know its odd to think how many times a sound problem often boils down to the **** cord.

Don't use stereo cords on Active pickups, I didn't know that.

So in conclusion, these f***ing Pickups kick ASS! I'm glad I bought them now. They beat the **** out of the EMGs I've heard. Including the Zack Wylde set in my friends set up.

Only now, I'm not thinking the Marshal DSL 201 is going to cut it. I'm going to have to get that Mesa Boogie Dual Rec Roadster 2X12 now. Poor me
 
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