EMG 81 problems

[Zuge]

I installed an EMG 81 into my Jackson PS-4 guitar a while ago. But I have some problems with it.

First, my clean channel is a little distorted. I emailed EMG about this and they told me to lower the gain on my amp and to lower the pickup. On my Behringer GX110 Ultraroc amp there isn't a gain control for clean channel so I can't lower the gain. I have my pickup quite low so it shouldn't be an issue.

Second, I don't think I'm getting the distortion EMG should give. It's mayby worse than it was on my DiaMarzio Humbucker from hell that came with the guitar and it should be a lot better. One thing I noticed was when I changed the battery, the tone was MUCH better and clean channel wasn't as distorted as it is now, but after about an hour of playing the tone back to what it was before changing the battery.

This is very annoying so if somebody can help I would be very pleased.

 

[chaoticmanifesto]

well, for your clean channel. the emg 81 isn't exactly the best pick up for clean. i recommend you switch to your neck pickup for clean, or lower the volume on your guitar, always helps.

and turn down the treble and bass on your amp's distortion and bring up the mids, also use less gain for distortion. the emg81 is voiced to get the scooped sound and has boosted treble, lots of boosted treble it makes me cry when my other guitarist plays
i recommend not going past 1 o clock on your treble and at least turn the mids knob abit more than half. for the gain, fool around with it. i suggest playing around with settings and use lots of mids. slayer has awesome tone with their middy gain and they use the emg 81.

 

[Zuge]

well, for your clean channel. the emg 81 isn't exactly the best pick up for clean. i recommend you switch to your neck pickup for clean, or lower the volume on your guitar, always helps.

Yeah, I know that EMG 81 isn't the best pickup for clean and I mostly use the neck pickup for clean, but sometimes it's just not possible and I have to use the bridge pickup. Like on a fast song if I suddenly have to switch to clean I don't have time to switch to neck pickup. But I guess I have to practice switching pickups.

and turn down the treble and bass on your amp's distortion and bring up the mids, also use less gain for distortion. the emg81 is voiced to get the scooped sound and has boosted treble, lots of boosted treble it makes me cry when my other guitarist plays

Thanks for the tips they helped me to get a little better tone.

 

[Sunbane]

Originally posted by Zuge
One thing I noticed was when I changed the battery, the tone was MUCH better and clean channel wasn't as distorted as it is now, but after about an hour of playing the tone back to what it was before changing the battery.

That doesn't sound right. You should be able to get hundreds of hours of playing time out of one battery without any noticable loss of tone. Are you having any other pickups in the guitar apart from the 81? Sounds like something is hogging battery juice for some reason.

I don't have any problems with distortion on the clean channels with my 81, but I'm mostly playing through an FX processor these days, so it might not apply the same way to your setup.

'bane

 

[Zuge]

Are you having any other pickups in the guitar apart from the 81? Sounds like something is hogging battery juice for some reason.

Only the DiMarzio Humbucker from hell in the neck and some Jackson single coil pickup in the middle and they both are passive, so they can't use the battery.

 

[yabba]

yeah it sounds like something is wired wrong or something if it gets better when you replace the battery, but goes back to bad that quickly. it shouldn't be distorted at all in the clean channel, if anything EMGs are TOO clean, almost sterile sounding

 

[ke2]

Originally posted by Zuge
Only the DiMarzio Humbucker from hell in the neck and some Jackson single coil pickup in the middle and they both are passive, so they can't use the battery.

Which potmeter do you use? The one that came with the EMG??
Or the original? If you use the original, you should change it. It usually pays to only use active PU`s in the same guitar

 

[Zuge]

Which potmeter do you use? The one that came with the EMG?? Or the original? If you use the original, you should change it.

I use those that came with the EMG.

It usually pays to only use active PU`s in the same guitar

Yeah, I might change the neck pickup to EMG 85.

 

[Zuge]

It usually pays to only use active PU`s in the same guitar

Oh, and I don't think that's the problem, because the neck and middle pickups weren't working first, but still I had problems with the EMG.

 

[ke2]

Originally posted by Zuge
Oh, and I don't think that's the problem, because the neck and middle pickups weren't working first, but still I had problems with the EMG.

That sounds right Hmm, then it`s gotta be something else...

 

[Sunbane]

One other thing: Your 81 is the kind that has a "quick-connect" cable at the back of the pickup right? Check to see that the cable is put on the right way. If it is reversed, it will produce a nasal overdistorted sound.

All my EMG's are older and don't have the quick-connect cable, but I once tested soldering one in backwards to see what happened and that gave me distortion on the clean channel as well.

I suppose you're using the jack that came with the EMG too? This may have nothing to do with your problem...but if you're using a mono jack, the pickup will hog the battery even when the guitar isn't plugged in. In a Kramer I once had, the EMG jack wouldn't fit, so I had to put a kill switch on the guitar so I could turn the battery off when I wasn't playing.

'bane

 

[Zuge]

I suppose you're using the jack that came with the EMG too?

Yes, I'm using it.

One other thing: Your 81 is the kind that has a "quick-connect" cable at the back of the pickup right? Check to see that the cable is put on the right way. If it is reversed, it will produce a nasal overdistorted sound.

Yes it has a "quick-connect" and I'm pretty sure that I put it the right way, but I'll have to check that.

 

[Dead Winter]

I've always heard that if you have any other pickups connected besides your EMG, that they should be disconnected because of interference. I have two EMGs, so it's never been a factor for me.