Help identifying and setting up a mystery pickup?

[rockdoc11]

Hi folks,

I'm a first time visitor here, and could use some help from pickup experts.

In cleaning out various parts bins I've accumulated over the years, I came across this mystery (to me) EMG pickup. As you can see from one of the pics, it's labeled EMG-HC +18 volts. The mounting tabs apparently were sawn off at some point.

I have several basic questions.

1. What EMG model is this? (I'd like to learn more about it.

2. When might this model have been available?

3. I'd like to check it out to see if and how it works. I assume the inner white wire core is positive, and the white wire shielding is ground.

4. For battery power, is one 9 volt enough? And does the battery hook up with the battery's "+" terminal going to the red wire, and the "-" batttery terminal going to the white wire shielding?

Thanks in advance for the help!

 

[dystrust]

I'm not 100% sure, but 'HC' could be a date code, and it would indicate 1983 if that's the case. It could also indicate that this is an EMG-H model, ie an EMG-S Strat pickup in a humbucker housing. This pickup isn't old enough to have the 'EMG' embossed cover, but is quite early regardless. If I had to guess at a model, I'd suspect that it's either an EMG-58 or EMG-81; I'm not sure when the EMG-H was introduced.

I'd imagine the '+18 VOLTS' label means that you need two 9v batteries in series. I have an EMG-P pickup from 1991 with similar wiring, and the red wire was connected to the battery '+' terminal. IIRC the wire shield was connected to the ring of the stereo output jack. You could connect the braid to the battery '-' terminal, but it would always be 'on' and drain the battery. Connecting it to the jack ring instead completes the circuit and switches everything 'on' when a cable is plugged in.

 

[alex1fly]

Hey there welcome to the forum! Not to steer you away, but I've had really good success with EMGs customer service. I wrote them with questions about some bass pickups and we exchanged several emails, they gave me diagrams, and were generally very responsive. If you don't get an answer here, I'd check with EMG directly.

 

[rockdoc11]

Thanks for the help, folks! I'll also check in with EMG.

 

[idsnowdog]

The EMG-H was one of the first EMGs. That looks to be a very early pickup.

 

[Masta' C]

That is a VERY early EMG. 1983-ish would fit. It would have originally had a very large, raised "EMG" logo across the top, which has clearly been sanded off. The brass mounting tabs and brown epoxy definitely point to early production.

 

[hamerfan]

For setting up in a guitar you could solder on that adapter plate for Filtertron to Gibson Humbucker size

https://www.ebay.de/sch/i.html?_from...51851&_sacat=0