Several Q's.. (EMG)

[zippy]

Ok, I plan on getting a 5150 right after Christmas, and then an EMG 81 with the money I have left over. But, there are a few things I want to know first.

1. Does it take a brain surgeon to install pickups? Or would I be better off shelling out the 25+ bucks to have someone do it?

2. The pickups in my guitar right now are Duncan Designed. I won't be able to change the neck pickup, because I'll only have enough for one. Now, I've heard its a real pain to mix actives and passives, especially considering I only have 1 volume and 1 tone control. Therefore, could I just unhook the neck pickup until I save for an 85 for the neck or something?

3. A little follow up to number two.. Also, could I just turn the tone control into a volume pot for the neck? Or would it be a bad idea in general to not have that tone pot. :smack:

I know its alot, but thanks in advance guys! :help:

 

[theodie]

Re: Several Q's.. (EMG)

I guess you could leave the neck pickup unhooked until you get the other EMG. You could infact change the tone to a volume and its not a bad idea if thats what you think you would like. I used to never used tone controls so I would always convert mine to volumes. BTW, are you sure you wouldnt want to try passives such as anything from Seymour Duncan?

 

[zippy]

Re: Several Q's.. (EMG)

I guess you could leave the neck pickup unhooked until you get the other EMG. You could infact change the tone to a volume and its not a bad idea if thats what you think you would like. I used to never used tone controls so I would always convert mine to volumes. BTW, are you sure you wouldnt want to try passives such as anything from Seymour Duncan?

Well, for a while I was going to get a Dimarzio Evolution. But, from what I've both heard AND read, the 81 is pretty much everything I'm looking for.

 

[Altitudes911]

Re: Several Q's.. (EMG)

i'm actually replacing the bridge pup on my kelly too, after asking and searching around for a while, i get to the conclusion of DiMarzio X2N.

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: Several Q's.. (EMG)

Give the 81 a shot. Install yourself, or if you've never done it before, ask a buddy who can solder to let you watch. EMG inclueds incredibly detailed schematics, so anyone who knows which end of the iron to hold could install them.

Leave the neck pickup out until you can get another EMG. Before you settle on the 81 bridge/85 neck, give the 81 a shot in the neck. I miss the dual 81 setup.

EMG includes a volume & tone control with the pickups, and the tones are VERY easy to convert to volume. If metal is your game (5150 + EMG 81 leads me to believe that), you'll *probably* find 2 volumes to be more useful than 1 of each. I don't have any tone knobs

 

[zippy]

Re: Several Q's.. (EMG)

Will having no tone pot hurt my sound in any way?

 

[Kac]

Re: Several Q's.. (EMG)

You can get by aright tone wise without the tone knob, that 81 will sing for ya.... Seymour Duncan also makes active humbuckers, in case that is something you haven't looking into. I have used them in the past, and they are very hot and great for metal.... just something you may want to consider.
Rock On :smoker:

 

[theodie]

Re: Several Q's.. (EMG)

The Duncan live wires heavy metal. I much rather use those than an EMG. But, Thats just me and my opinion.

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: Several Q's.. (EMG)

The Duncan Livewire Heavy Metal is an alright bridge pickup, for metal ONLY!!! The clean tone sucks, and it's an awful neck pickup, too. I've never actually owned them, but played a sweet Charvel with them on many occasions.

Seymour owns EVERYBODY when it comes to passives, and it's by a total landslide. However, I think EMG rules the active department.

 

[Kac]

Re: Several Q's.. (EMG)

True, and passives give the ease of not have to change batteries or worry about a battery dying at the wrong time and not having a replacement, which I have seen at shows in the past...

If you havn't looked at Seymour Duncan Invaders, I would suggest that. Passive pick-ups with the sweetest metal sound I've played on...

 

[some_dude]

Re: Several Q's.. (EMG)

a battery dying at the wrong time and not having a replacement, which I have seen at shows in the past...

That's called piss poor planning....

 

[Rainmaker]

Re: Several Q's.. (EMG)

I think taking away the tone knob will make the tone a bit brighter, equivalent to setting the tone knob on 11.

 

[itbepopples]

Re: Several Q's.. (EMG)

you can mix the active and passive pickups. emg makes a nifty little device called the pa-2 which changes the impedence of a passive pickup to the point where its ohmage is comparable to those of an EMG per se. technically its a clean boost but it works if you really dig a passive pickup in one place and an active in the other. :cool3: