EMG 81 Low Output

[jonsick]

I have determined that I have a dead EMG 81. I'm not totally sure if I am going to be able to get support but wondered if anyone had ever had any luck trying?

I have an ESP MII guitar I bought in 2014. I noticed a while back that the bridge pickup had suddenly dropped in output. After various experiments - namely wiring it direct to jack - it's not right.

I'm not sure how these pickups are constructed so no idea if a repair either myself or third party is possible. But without messing with it, does anyone know if I could get it replaced under any sort of warranty? Or should I just suck it up and buy a new one? I'm in the UK if it helps.

 

[greekdude]

Re: EMG 81 Low Output

hate to say this but did you change the battery? have you measured the resistance?

 

[jonsick]

Re: EMG 81 Low Output

Yep battery is new. Currently wired it all back to stock; replacing the EMG81 with another EMG81 from another guitar, problem is definitely with the pickup itself. The one I refitted works as it should, this one is just really low output.

Not had time to measure things yet; I did the hard stuff first of rewiring as I initially expected the volume pot to be dodgy. I was wrong. And in retrospect could have saved a lot of time by breaking out the multi-meter first.

So basically, no, but retested with a known good EMG81.

 

[dave74]

Re: EMG 81 Low Output

Probably not at all related to this, but it's worth noting that EMG says somewhere on their site that if a battery goes weak and the guitar still gets played through it can damage the built-in preamp somehow. I don't think it matters if it's sitting idle,,,only if it's stressed.

 

[jonsick]

Re: EMG 81 Low Output

Well either way, I just bought a replacement. I've not heard anything back from the UK distro, so I guess it's tough cookies.