Andrew Lamprecht
Minion of One
I have a 7 string with EMGs and it sounds lifeless. Everything is compressed and flat. It has a 707/607 combo in it which I believe is the 81/60 but 7 string.
How do I get more clarity from these EMGs or is it time to switch them out?
- Thread starter Andrew Lamprecht
- Start date
Edgecrusher
Well-known member
Re: How do I get more clarity from these EMGs or is it time to switch them out?
Nah the 81-7 is different from the 707 but are you running them at 18 volts? the EMGx's are also an idea if you like the same basic tonality but with more headroom and flexibility. Also if you decide to swap out you might have noticed that Duncan now has the soap bar sized 7's out. That used to be a huge bummer with any guitar that ran 707's was that you had to jerry rig something if you wanted to mount passives in them. Not anymore :knockedou
Nah the 81-7 is different from the 707 but are you running them at 18 volts? the EMGx's are also an idea if you like the same basic tonality but with more headroom and flexibility. Also if you decide to swap out you might have noticed that Duncan now has the soap bar sized 7's out. That used to be a huge bummer with any guitar that ran 707's was that you had to jerry rig something if you wanted to mount passives in them. Not anymore :knockedou
Andrew Lamprecht
Minion of One
Re: How do I get more clarity from these EMGs or is it time to switch them out?
What do you mean I couldn't fit passives in there? I actually had thought about getting rid of the whole active setup and putting a custom in there.
What do you mean I couldn't fit passives in there? I actually had thought about getting rid of the whole active setup and putting a custom in there.
Edgecrusher
Well-known member
Re: How do I get more clarity from these EMGs or is it time to switch them out?
Normal passives are much smaller than the 707's You wind up having to add a pickup ring that sits inside the EMG route or conversely some guys have modded pickups to work under the EMG covers. But now SD has 7 string pups out that fit the EMG route so this isnt so necessary anymore. BTW the custom 7 doesnt have the same balls as the normal custom does. I went to the Invader 7 which is funny I dont like the invader as a 6 string but i love it as a 7. Weird I know but the 7 string versions are close to their 6 string but not identical.
Also depending on how the routes in your guitar are now I know some ibanez ones you have to take out material to get the passives to fit. The bobbins on on the 707s are wider but the legs stick out farther depending on the route.
Normal passives are much smaller than the 707's You wind up having to add a pickup ring that sits inside the EMG route or conversely some guys have modded pickups to work under the EMG covers. But now SD has 7 string pups out that fit the EMG route so this isnt so necessary anymore. BTW the custom 7 doesnt have the same balls as the normal custom does. I went to the Invader 7 which is funny I dont like the invader as a 6 string but i love it as a 7. Weird I know but the 7 string versions are close to their 6 string but not identical.
Also depending on how the routes in your guitar are now I know some ibanez ones you have to take out material to get the passives to fit. The bobbins on on the 707s are wider but the legs stick out farther depending on the route.
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Andrew Lamprecht
Minion of One
Re: How do I get more clarity from these EMGs or is it time to switch them out?
well doesnt that suck the big one
well doesnt that suck the big one
Andrew Lamprecht
Minion of One
Re: How do I get more clarity from these EMGs or is it time to switch them out?
maybe a stupid question but I played some metal with my strat a while back and the clarity in the bridge position was awesome for what I wanted. I see seymour has a ssl5 for 7 strings.. would it be possible to retrofit that in the bridge spot?
maybe a stupid question but I played some metal with my strat a while back and the clarity in the bridge position was awesome for what I wanted. I see seymour has a ssl5 for 7 strings.. would it be possible to retrofit that in the bridge spot?
F
Funkfingers
Guest
Re: How do I get more clarity from these EMGs or is it time to switch them out?
What exact guitar is under discussion here? What amplification do you play through?
What exact guitar is under discussion here? What amplification do you play through?
ItsaBass
New member
Re: How do I get more clarity from these EMGs or is it time to switch them out?
When I find the actives in my active Strat to be too compressed and lifeless, I use the volume knob on the guitar, often quite low. Running with a high master and low gain helps too. Some reverb can help, as well as using lighter gauge strings and picks.
When I find the actives in my active Strat to be too compressed and lifeless, I use the volume knob on the guitar, often quite low. Running with a high master and low gain helps too. Some reverb can help, as well as using lighter gauge strings and picks.
Edgecrusher
Well-known member
Re: How do I get more clarity from these EMGs or is it time to switch them out?
Have you tried the EMG's at 18volts though? If you havent it more than worth a shot especially on the 7 string.
Not sure havent ever lined up a 7 string single coil to the EMG routes to see how it would fit. I imagine you could but would be something of a monkey rigged up deal. Might be perfect for metal though. I did recently see a guy who rigged up a normal humbucker ring and a single coil to work in his les paul you could probably do the same here.
What I wound up doing in my particular case was I cut the tabs on the pickup so they would fit inside the EMG routs and sloted the holes to match up with the holes in the body. This worked ok but looked kinda assy with the gap around the bobbins but on a black guitar with black routs and a black pickup it wasnt too noticeable.
Have you tried the EMG's at 18volts though? If you havent it more than worth a shot especially on the 7 string.
Not sure havent ever lined up a 7 string single coil to the EMG routes to see how it would fit. I imagine you could but would be something of a monkey rigged up deal. Might be perfect for metal though. I did recently see a guy who rigged up a normal humbucker ring and a single coil to work in his les paul you could probably do the same here.
What I wound up doing in my particular case was I cut the tabs on the pickup so they would fit inside the EMG routs and sloted the holes to match up with the holes in the body. This worked ok but looked kinda assy with the gap around the bobbins but on a black guitar with black routs and a black pickup it wasnt too noticeable.
Edgecrusher
Well-known member
Re: How do I get more clarity from these EMGs or is it time to switch them out?
Hes playing death metal. No matter how you cut it low gain and lots of reverb isnt going to work.
Hes playing death metal. No matter how you cut it low gain and lots of reverb isnt going to work.
ItsaBass
New member
Re: How do I get more clarity from these EMGs or is it time to switch them out?
I didn't say to play clean. Nor did I say to use lots of reverb. I simply suggested ways to get a less compressed and lifeless sound from active pickups. All that aside, there's no ****ing rule book about what guitar tones you are allowed to have in what type of music. You have to find your own way with this ****.
I didn't say to play clean. Nor did I say to use lots of reverb. I simply suggested ways to get a less compressed and lifeless sound from active pickups. All that aside, there's no ****ing rule book about what guitar tones you are allowed to have in what type of music. You have to find your own way with this ****.
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Funkfingers
Guest
Re: How do I get more clarity from these EMGs or is it time to switch them out?
There is one particular thing that is guaranteed to make EMG pickups and accessories sound lifeless and farty - flat battery.
There is one particular thing that is guaranteed to make EMG pickups and accessories sound lifeless and farty - flat battery.
DrNewcenstein
He Did the Monster Mash
Re: How do I get more clarity from these EMGs or is it time to switch them out?
Conversely, I don't like the 6-string JB as a bridge pickup, but find I'm digging the 7-string version. Go figure.
And if this is your only EMG'd guitar, and this problem has persisted since you got it, then it's your EQ. EMGs are basically tailored to sound even, which can be misinterpreted as flat/sterile. With passives, you're used to a hump or spike or dip in certain frequencies, but EMGs give them all to you in the same amount. In that event, it's time to adjust your EQ, or let your ears get used to their native tonal aspect.
Conversely, I don't like the 6-string JB as a bridge pickup, but find I'm digging the 7-string version. Go figure.
And if this is your only EMG'd guitar, and this problem has persisted since you got it, then it's your EQ. EMGs are basically tailored to sound even, which can be misinterpreted as flat/sterile. With passives, you're used to a hump or spike or dip in certain frequencies, but EMGs give them all to you in the same amount. In that event, it's time to adjust your EQ, or let your ears get used to their native tonal aspect.
LonePhantom
New member
Re: How do I get more clarity from these EMGs or is it time to switch them out?
Back the pickups off a bit. That'll make a big difference. Then install the 18 volt mod. Get three 9 volt battery snaps. Wire each red to a black on another snap. When you have them all joined up one will plug into your stock snap, and then you'll be able to hook up two 9 volt batteries. And stick to Duracells, they last the longest, keeping the tone good.
Back the pickups off a bit. That'll make a big difference. Then install the 18 volt mod. Get three 9 volt battery snaps. Wire each red to a black on another snap. When you have them all joined up one will plug into your stock snap, and then you'll be able to hook up two 9 volt batteries. And stick to Duracells, they last the longest, keeping the tone good.
youngthrasher9
New member
Re: How do I get more clarity from these EMGs or is it time to switch them out?
Has anyone mentioned that you can get some models by SD in seven string EMG style covers now? The Invader, the Distortion, and all the new models for seven string, (the pegasus, the nazgul, the sentient).
http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/electric/humbucker/78-string/
Has anyone mentioned that you can get some models by SD in seven string EMG style covers now? The Invader, the Distortion, and all the new models for seven string, (the pegasus, the nazgul, the sentient).
http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/electric/humbucker/78-string/
Falloffthebonetone
New member
Re: How do I get more clarity from these EMGs or is it time to switch them out?
In my experience the emgs with 18v are pretty noisy. And yeah emgs are pretty compressed and midrangey. You might want to switch to passive to open up the tone and give you more picking control. Heck you could even give duncans new 7 string line up a go and tell everyone here what you think.
In my experience the emgs with 18v are pretty noisy. And yeah emgs are pretty compressed and midrangey. You might want to switch to passive to open up the tone and give you more picking control. Heck you could even give duncans new 7 string line up a go and tell everyone here what you think.
LonePhantom
New member
Re: How do I get more clarity from these EMGs or is it time to switch them out?
Noisy? Can't say I've ever noticed that. You may have had something else amiss in your wiring somewhere.
Noisy? Can't say I've ever noticed that. You may have had something else amiss in your wiring somewhere.
Falloffthebonetone
New member
Re: How do I get more clarity from these EMGs or is it time to switch them out?
They were not designed to run optimally at 18v, they used 9. It can go greater than 9 definitely and they have perfected the design in recent years. But try them against the blackouts, the x series, or anything else. They are noisier. It's not THAT much. Someone had to tell me then I had to A-B them with another set, then just see using 18 then switching back to 9. With the extra headroom and touch of output you get, some hum and feedback is included because of how sensitive they are.
They were not designed to run optimally at 18v, they used 9. It can go greater than 9 definitely and they have perfected the design in recent years. But try them against the blackouts, the x series, or anything else. They are noisier. It's not THAT much. Someone had to tell me then I had to A-B them with another set, then just see using 18 then switching back to 9. With the extra headroom and touch of output you get, some hum and feedback is included because of how sensitive they are.
Falloffthebonetone
New member
Re: How do I get more clarity from these EMGs or is it time to switch them out?
And the guitar was shielded and the pickups and mod were done professionally. The luthier has done the mod many times and the extra noise has always been consistent.
And the guitar was shielded and the pickups and mod were done professionally. The luthier has done the mod many times and the extra noise has always been consistent.
Re: How do I get more clarity from these EMGs or is it time to switch them out?
I find that when people complain about EMGs sounding sterile its just that they don't know how to use them. Sometimes you have to adjust knobs. There are plenty of players out there who use EMGs and have amazing tone. Love him or hate him, Zakk Wylde gets great tones out of them, and not just distorted tones and all of his pedals. He gets some amazing cleans out of them which most people will tell you is impossible.
I find that when people complain about EMGs sounding sterile its just that they don't know how to use them. Sometimes you have to adjust knobs. There are plenty of players out there who use EMGs and have amazing tone. Love him or hate him, Zakk Wylde gets great tones out of them, and not just distorted tones and all of his pedals. He gets some amazing cleans out of them which most people will tell you is impossible.
