Blackouts w/ EMG quick connect kit and 25k pots_Issues!

[steveatbpc]

My guitar had blackouts in it when I bought it but had 100k solder pots installed. After 5 years I started having cutout issues (the solder joints looked like cold joints) so I replaced them with the EMG quick connect kit and 25k pots (2 volume, 2 tone)... and they sound great! But... the tone pots do nothing and I triple checked the wiring. Also there is a low hum coming from the guitar that cuts out when I touch the volume or tone knobs (no change if I touch the strings, tremolo or switch). Any ideas?

 

[Jack_TriPpEr]

Re: Blackouts w/ EMG quick connect kit and 25k pots_Issues!

My guitar had blackouts in it when I bought it but had 100k solder pots installed. After 5 years I started having cutout issues (the solder joints looked like cold joints) so I replaced them with the EMG quick connect kit and 25k pots (2 volume, 2 tone)... and they sound great! But... the tone pots do nothing and I triple checked the wiring. Also there is a low hum coming from the guitar that cuts out when I touch the volume or tone knobs (no change if I touch the strings, tremolo or switch). Any ideas?

Regarding the tone knobs doing nothing: ensure that the value of the capacitors on each tone knob are 0.47uF. Blackouts require a higher value cap. See note about that in the attached diagram.

Regarding the noise/hum problem: recheck your solder work for cold solder joints or anything that should be resoldered.

 

[steveatbpc]

Re: Blackouts w/ EMG quick connect kit and 25k pots_Issues!

I am using the EMG quick connect kit, only soldering is on the 3-way switch and it is good! I believe the EMG Tone pots have built in caps (They are working fine on 3 other guitars with no additional caps).

 

[Masta' C]

Re: Blackouts w/ EMG quick connect kit and 25k pots_Issues!

Hmm...you may need an active tone control like those found on the EMG "X" series. They have a lower impedance than the regular EMGs, so the "Passive Tone" like you have doesn't respond well. Could be that you are experiencing a similar issue with the Blackouts.

Where are you located?

 

[jeremy]

Re: Blackouts w/ EMG quick connect kit and 25k pots_Issues!

i have blackouts installed in one guitar, 25k controls and a .47 cap and it works fine. i did install a .047 cap originally and it did nothing. not sure what emgs use for their tone caps

 

[Masta' C]

Re: Blackouts w/ EMG quick connect kit and 25k pots_Issues!

The quick connect kits don't have an external tone cap that you can change.

 

[Jack_TriPpEr]

Re: Blackouts w/ EMG quick connect kit and 25k pots_Issues!

I am using the EMG quick connect kit, only soldering is on the 3-way switch and it is good! I believe the EMG Tone pots have built in caps (They are working fine on 3 other guitars with no additional caps).
View attachment 104527

i have blackouts installed in one guitar, 25k controls and a .47 cap and it works fine. i did install a .047 cap originally and it did nothing. not sure what emgs use for their tone caps

EMGs use a cap value much lower than the recommended 0.47uF value for Blackouts. They call for 0.1uF. Ref: https://forum.seymourduncan.com/showthread.php?281035-Cap-values-for-active-electronics

That is why for both you and the OP, those caps you had far below 0.47uF value sounded like they did nothing. I also had the same experience with the first Blackouts set I purchased. I happened to unknowingly acquire a New Old Stock set with the original low cap value of 0.1uF that the note in my earlier post calls out. I had to go out and acquire a 0.47uF cap.

SteveAtBPC: refer back to my earlier post. The 0.1uF caps in your EMG tone pot(s) won't cut it for Blackout pickups. Blsckouts need tone pot(s) with 0.47uF cap value.

Reposted again below for your convenience:

 

[Masta' C]

Re: Blackouts w/ EMG quick connect kit and 25k pots_Issues!

While you are correct, reposting that doesn't change the other issue here.

He's using the EMG quick-connect kit, which means you can't just solder/unsolder a cap to change it.

 

[Jack_TriPpEr]

Re: Blackouts w/ EMG quick connect kit and 25k pots_Issues!

While you are correct, reposting that doesn't change the other issue here.

He's using the EMG quick-connect kit, which means you can't just solder/unsolder a cap to change it.

No, the issue is *because* he is using the *EMG* Quick Connect. Not supported for Blackouts pickups, at least not for their Tone Pots.

 

[Masta' C]

Re: Blackouts w/ EMG quick connect kit and 25k pots_Issues!

Agreed. Which is why I suggested he may need the EMG "active" tone pot instead of the "passive". I know the "active" pot was used to alleviate a non-responsive passive tone, but I don't know enough about the active pot to know if it will fix the issue for sure. A quick email to EMG could potentially find out.

Best approach would be to pull the quick connect and rewire with a regular cap or just get used to not using the tone controls

 

[Jack_TriPpEr]

Re: Blackouts w/ EMG quick connect kit and 25k pots_Issues!

Agreed. Which is why I suggested he may need the EMG "active" tone pot instead of the "passive". I know the "active" pot was used to alleviate a non-responsive passive tone, but I don't know enough about the active pot to know if it will fix the issue for sure. A quick email to EMG could potentially find out.

Best approach would be to pull the quick connect and rewire with a regular cap or just get used to not using the tone controls

Agreed on your last suggestion - since there is about a $75 price differential btw acquiring an EMG Active Tone Expander Control vs either the proper hard-wired cap value of 0.47uF or living with non-functional tone pots.

 

[jeremy]

Re: Blackouts w/ EMG quick connect kit and 25k pots_Issues!

does emg still use a .1 cap in their tone controls? i think thats what they used to use

 

[Jack_TriPpEr]

Re: Blackouts w/ EMG quick connect kit and 25k pots_Issues!

does emg still use a .1 cap in their tone controls? i think thats what they used to use

I did some searching on the internet but did not find anything about a change in spec. Can you share link to what you read?

Also, the OP would need to chime in to say whether the tone pots he is using are the new spec or old spec.

 

[jeremy]

Re: Blackouts w/ EMG quick connect kit and 25k pots_Issues!

i used to use emgs back in the day and they had a .1 cap, i dont have a link. i have hands on knowledge

 

[Jack_TriPpEr]

Re: Blackouts w/ EMG quick connect kit and 25k pots_Issues!

i used to use emgs back in the day and they had a .1 cap, i dont have a link. i have hands on knowledge

Hmmm, i guess i don't understand what you meant in your post before that. To me, it read like you were suggesting that EMG *no longer* uses 0.1uF value caps. I guess you were asking, not stating? Either way, EMG uses 0.1uF caps as far as i know. And when 0.1uF caps are used with Balckouts, the tone pots will seems like they do nothing. Based on my own experience. I was trying to say that earlier.

 

[jeremy]

Re: Blackouts w/ EMG quick connect kit and 25k pots_Issues!

there was a ? in post 12, usually that suggests im asking a question

 

[Masta' C]

Re: Blackouts w/ EMG quick connect kit and 25k pots_Issues!

Wow, even the regular VLPF active pot that comes with the X series pickups is $79 now...Sheesh!

OP, unless you want to spend a ton of money for sheer convenience, if you really want the tones to work properly, get rid of the EMG quick connect system and rewire it with regular 25K pots and the recommended cap value.

Simple as that.

 

[steveatbpc]

Re: Blackouts w/ EMG quick connect kit and 25k pots_Issues!

Sorry guys, I am not getting notifications that anyone has answered in my post. Tone pots are new, just purchased from EMG.

 

[steveatbpc]

Re: Blackouts w/ EMG quick connect kit and 25k pots_Issues!

Thank you!