Members cross.bones Posted June 24, 2008 Members Share Posted June 24, 2008 So my first thread. Long time lurker of the forum, but usually the search finds any questions I cant answer! However it comes up with nothing about this at all. Partly I guess because EMG isn't enough letters but still cant find anything. What I'm curious about is installing EMG 81 in the bridge of my Epi LP studio. I've installed pickups and re-wired guitars no problem before, there is plenty of space for the battery, and the wiring in the studio is nice and clean already, im just wondering if its as straightfoward as installing other pickups? Has anybody done the retrofit themselves, pref on a les paul type guitar? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mick8882003 Posted June 24, 2008 Members Share Posted June 24, 2008 Go to the EMG website and download the instruction sheet, then see if you can understand the wiring diagram, personally the hardest part is working out which diagram u need... pm me if u need help with it. Cheers Mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cross.bones Posted June 24, 2008 Author Members Share Posted June 24, 2008 Thanks for the reply. The wiring diagram looks pretty straightforward so hopefully I should be ok. Might go for it and order one then! Anybody know if there is a huge difference between the 81 and the 85? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mick8882003 Posted June 24, 2008 Members Share Posted June 24, 2008 I think from memory the 85 has more bottom end compared to the 81, they have sound files on the web page as well, from memory they are both on there, I am thinking the 81 is what your looking for? Edit: oh and less treble. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members scolfax Posted June 24, 2008 Members Share Posted June 24, 2008 There's no trick, other than you need to use different pots for volume/tone than you normally would, and that you need to add the battery. Also, you won't need to ground them, which is nice. You didn't mention, what pickup are you going to use for the neck? The stock humbucker? I've never seen a guitar with both active and passive pickups, but I'm sure someone here has. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cross.bones Posted June 24, 2008 Author Members Share Posted June 24, 2008 I was going to use the stock one. or no pickup at all. I got the guitar for next to nothing and want to make a nice heavy sounding guitar. And kinda want to see if I like it on this before I change the one on my RG as I don't think there will be space in the cavity for the battery, and the coil tapped 5 way on that will make things more difficult. Then if I find I don't like active pups its a load more work getting it back to normal than th e3 way on the LP. Don't see why I cant use the stock pickup, the battery goes to the Pickup not to the Jack as far as I can see? edit. Just noticed this on EMG's site Can I mix passive and active pickups Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members HRM Posted June 24, 2008 Members Share Posted June 24, 2008 There's no trick, other than you need to use different pots for volume/tone than you normally would, and that you need to add the battery. Also, you won't need to ground them, which is nice.You didn't mention, what pickup are you going to use for the neck? The stock humbucker? I've never seen a guitar with both active and passive pickups, but I'm sure someone here has. I was pretty sure you couldn't mix actives and passives in the same guitar, but maybe I'm wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cross.bones Posted June 24, 2008 Author Members Share Posted June 24, 2008 I was pretty sure you couldn't mix actives and passives in the same guitar, but maybe I'm wrong. It seems I'll be doing this If you have a guitar with two pickups and two volume pots, with a three-way switch, there is another alternative. Use the 25K pots for the EMG, and the 250K pots for the passive pickup. This way you can use one or the other with no adverse affects, but with the switch in the middle position the passive pickup will have reduced gain and response. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members zoomzilla Posted June 24, 2008 Members Share Posted June 24, 2008 But you do understand you need to use the 25K pots and not the 250K or 500K pots that you currently have in there, right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cross.bones Posted June 24, 2008 Author Members Share Posted June 24, 2008 But you do understand you need to use the 25K pots and not the 250K or 500K pots that you currently have in there, right? Well yes obviously. Otherwise the whole idea of it would be kind of a waste!! lol Well my plan is to disconnect the neck pickup anyway. I never use it, and if I want an LP tone I can use the 79' Ibanez artist, it sounds better than the epi anyway! Just going to leave the pickup in situ anyway as I'd like to at least keep the look as I hate seeing an empty cavity! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members zoomzilla Posted June 24, 2008 Members Share Posted June 24, 2008 I was asking because I was not sure you understood that part. I did not see it in your replies. Good luck with your install and hope it sounds great for you. if you get tired of the EMG's and want to run passives, there are a LOT of high output Passives that will rival EMG in regards to metal tone and completely crush the EMG's in every other tone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cross.bones Posted June 24, 2008 Author Members Share Posted June 24, 2008 Cheers! Yea I have a few on the list id like to try. I'd like a Dimarzio Evo to put in my Ibby RG and I've seen a Mighty Mite passive pickup thats got a 22k output and is less than Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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