Just bought EMG's for my RGA121

[videinfra]

I'm gonna take it to a tech tomorrow. I know that some routing will need to be done, what am I expecting? I'm also curious about the switch, I have the stock 5way, I bought an 85 and 81 so I'm thinking they'll only be capable of 3 positions. Will I need a 3way switch or can I keep the 5? Finally, I'm assuming there's enough room for the battery in the cavity, but what about going 18v?

 

[Rex Rocker]

Marcus or Nittrobattery could probably answer this better, but I've heard of dudes actually shaving the EMG's rather than routing the guitar to fit them in.

About the 5-way, according to the EMG site:

Can I use the stock 5 way switch with my Zakk Wylde Set?
No. Using a 5 way switch with two EMG active pickups results in dead spots in positions 2
and 4. This can result in damage occurring to the speaker cones, especially at high gain
levels. You’ll have to replace the 5 way switch with a 3 way blade switch instead, like the
one shown in our diagrams.

 

[videinfra]

Well damn, I shoulda bought the fuckin switch too, I didn't see one at the store. I would like for someone like Marcus to chime in on this one. Also, what sorta price should I expect to pay for the installation?

 

[AudioPhile777]

Well damn, I shoulda bought the fuckin switch too, I didn't see one at the store. I would like for someone like Marcus to chime in on this one. Also, what sorta price should I expect to pay for the installation?

installation shouldn't cost more than $40... but the routing on the guitar will definitely make it cost more...

personally, I would have went for a dimarzio set instead of routing out the body on that particular guitar...

 

[Metaltastic]

No routing on the body necessary, I got mine in my RGA321 by using a $30 dremel I got from the Home Depot with the rotary sandpaper bit to shave the pups, worked like a charm! And since I couldn't find any pointy-tipped screws (for the direct-mounted pups) that fit the EMG threading, I actually shaved down the edge pieces so I could doink out the little threaded rings, and then just got standard single-coil screws to hold it down, with the foam that came with the EMG's stuffed underneath to push it up against the undersides of the heads of the screws (here's a pic of the pickup before it went in, and here's one after). Obviously say goodbye to your resale value though...

 

[videinfra]

OK, so the routes are deep enough for the EMGs, the only modifications needed will be to the pickups themselves. I also need the 3way blade switch. What about two batteries in the control cavity, is there room?

 

[Metaltastic]

Not without routing in the control cavity, which it only recently occurred to me is not that crazy an idea, cuz the cavity itself is way smaller than the cover that goes over it - for now though, here's my solution

 

[Brandon E.]

Stupid question here but what guitars DO emgs fit into? Ive been wanting to drop a pair of the gold 85s into my schecter C-1, am I going to have to do anything crazy? You would think they could just make pickups that erm...fit into guitars.

 

[JeffTD]

Stupid question here but what guitars DO emgs fit into? Ive been wanting to drop a pair of the gold 85s into my schecter C-1, am I going to have to do anything crazy? You would think they could just make pickups that erm...fit into guitars.

Just about anything with a pickup ring will take them just fine, man!

 

[updog]

I'm also thinking about getting a set of 81/85 for an RGR321EX. I think I'll just pay someone for doing it. Maybe it's supposed to look hard, so guitar techs can stay in business.

 

[Brandon E.]

Just about anything with a pickup ring will take them just fine, man!

kickass

 

[videinfra]

But one battery will fit in the control cavity? Also, in an old post Marcus said that the cavity did need routing to accommodate the quick connects?

 

[Rex Rocker]

Isn't yours modded someway so that you could have the bridge higher up without the action being higher, Marcus?

If so, then you probably have more room for not needing routing to fit the full depth of the EMG's. I've seen quite a couple of RGA's with EMG's, tho.

 

[JBroll]

I've fit two batteries into a number of guitars without any issues at all - even on an Ibanez.

Jeff

 

[videinfra]

Thanks for the info guys, I woulda went with passives, probably dimarzios, but my store has a shit selection and I didn't feel like special ordering them. Therefore, EMGs it is, plus the consensus seems to be that they are better for recording. Either way I'm skittish about the modding/routing but I'm sure this is just another walk in the park for a reputable luthier.

 

[slashvanyoung]

I'm also thinking about getting a set of 81/85 for an RGR321EX. I think I'll just pay someone for doing it. Maybe it's supposed to look hard, so guitar techs can stay in business.

No special routing needed for that guitar. And I think the switch is a 3-way? So you can keep that one too.

 

[Gary Coreman]

I managed to fit 2 batteries into my Ibanez RG cavity... it took me a while but I did it. They fit super tight after all, but saved me the ass pain of cutting off wood to make extra room.

 

[Metaltastic]

Isn't yours modded someway so that you could have the bridge higher up without the action being higher, Marcus?

If so, then you probably have more room for not needing routing to fit the full depth of the EMG's. I've seen quite a couple of RGA's with EMG's, tho.

Shit, thanks Rex, I'm glad you're here to remind me of these things, because you're absolutely right I found the bridge to be too low on that guitar, so I had my tech install a shim in the neck joint so the neck (and thus bridge) could be raised; if it weren't for that, I'm honestly not certain whether routing for the quick connect stuff underneath the pickup would be necessary or not. And yeah, 1 battery can fit in there fine, it's the second that's the issue! I mean, look how much fucking space is wasted in there :Smug:

One battery can fit over the (dummy) tone pot, but I really wouldn't want to try to manuever a second under that spaghetti of pretty thick, not-easily-bent wires around the volume pot and toggle switch, lest I accidentally pop one off its solder spot!

 

[updog]

No special routing needed for that guitar. And I think the switch is a 3-way? So you can keep that one too.

Not sure what 3-way means here since I'm a total noob when it comes to what an electric guitar is made of , but the switch can be set to 5 different positions. Does a 3-way switch mean something else than that?

 

[sandra-]

Yeah. Basically from what i understand most 5-way switches are used in HB-SC-HB setups. And most 3-way switches are used with a setup that has just two pickups.

Pos1: HB bridge
Pos2: Both HBs splitted
Pos3: HB neck

Regards sandra