Weak EMG's?

[OceanMachine]

I recently got my first set of actives, the EMG Zakk Wylde set.
I but them in an old B.C. Rich I had lying around because I liked the guitar but the pickups were rubbish.

Im not overly impressed and think they might not be installed correctly.
I'm comparing them to another set up I have with a Duncan Distortion in bridge and a Hotrail in the neck.

The 85 is pretty nice admittedly but the 81 sounds alil weak, sorta dead. It doesn't have all the loveliness my Distortion does.

Could It have been installed wrong? Is it anything to do with the fairly half assed guitar I put it in? Am I an idiot?

 

[Maynardo]

Re: Weak EMG's?

The 81 it's a lot brighter than 85, but it's very loud also... It you feel a tremendous difference in volumes when compared to the sh-6 I think it has to be an installation issue. It doesn't have that much to do with your guitar, EMGs are kind of a "fake" pickup you end up sounding like EMGs not like your guitar, very coloring preamp in there

 

[Khriss Bliss]

Re: Weak EMG's?

did it come w the different pots? i think 81 and 85 are comparable loudness wise... but do you have yr sh6 close to strings? if so, that mite explain it, but if you have 81 s in, its doubtful they should sound too frail, esp rel. to the 85. maybe its not close enuff to the strings. somehow i doubt u have it quite right so ask another emg user in person. however i will add yr reaction was same as my reaction to the passive emg i put in... eek, wha happened? .... is this rite? but i still think its likely the 81 has wrongness

 

[Stef]

Re: Weak EMG's?

compared to l500xl the 81 is weak...I didn't like it..

 

[TattooedCarrot]

Re: Weak EMG's?

Battery low? Put a fresh one in.

 

[akio]

Re: Weak EMG's?

You're not wrong, the Distortion IS louder than an EMG81 at a given pickup height, according to my guitars. Crunchier, too, though perhaps a bit shrill at times.

 

[LatsMcGee]

Re: Weak EMG's?

Did you try the 81 in the neck and the 85 in the bridge? Way better IMO.

 

[Mosher Zone]

Re: Weak EMG's?

I recently got my first set of actives, the EMG Zakk Wylde set.
I but them in an old B.C. Rich I had lying around because I liked the guitar but the pickups were rubbish.

Im not overly impressed and think they might not be installed correctly.
I'm comparing them to another set up I have with a Duncan Distortion in bridge and a Hotrail in the neck.

The 85 is pretty nice admittedly but the 81 sounds alil weak, sorta dead. It doesn't have all the loveliness my Distortion does.

Could It have been installed wrong? Is it anything to do with the fairly half assed guitar I put it in? Am I an idiot?

If you like the 85 in the neck but not the 81 in the bridge you are maybe a bit like me cause i have a Livewire Classic set in my Ibanez RG550 but even though i like it i feel the bridge pickup does not have the same guts or volume as the passive & i have had the Distortion, Full Shred & a Bill Lawrence L500XL in that same guitar but i think the active neck pickup is the best i have heard.

 

[80's_Metal]

Re: Weak EMG's?

INHO Nothing beats the SH-6.... nuttin!