Problem with guitar(weak output)

[Ericlingus]

My friend's guitar (jackson DK5) has a problem with the output. The signal is weak. The guitar has EMG Hz's. When compared to my guitar(schecter c1xxx w/jb in the bridge) the signal is a lot weaker. With my guitar there is plenty distortion. When I use his with the same settings on the amp modeller, there is not much distortion at all. It sounds like a single coil or something. I checked both pickups and they both have the same problem. He took the guitar apart and checked the wires and the pickups connecters and the output jack. All seemed to be fine. Does anyone know what the problem could be? Help would be appreciated.

 

[Ericlingus]

anyone? pretty please?

 

[TheVatican]

Take it to a shop, you have to check the voltage with a meter. EMG's are wired very differently than traditional pickups. Worst case scenario: You swap out your pickups. Which you should, because those are low end EMG's anyway.

 

[deLuther]

EMG HZ is like traditional passive pickups - this is not like 81 or 85 (i.e. traditional EMGs actives).
But HZs is not low output passives...

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

Take it in.

 

[Ericlingus]

yeah i'll have to take it in. How much would a tech charge do you think minus any new parts.

 

[Metaltastic]

No more than $40 I'd hope...

 

[slashvanyoung]

This sounds like the PUs have been wired out of phase.

 

[Genius Gone Insane]

Are you using the right pots?

 

[Ericlingus]

right pots? Well my friend bought the guitar new a couple years ago. It worked aright then. About a year ago we noticed it started to sound weak. He never tried to open the guitar up and mess with the pickups or anything till recently to see what's wrong with it. He noticed the pickups werent pushed in all the way. He fixed that but it didn't do anything. From what he saw he said he didn't see any bad wires or anything. He doesn't know anything about this stuff though nor do I.

 

[TheVatican]

Did you guys replace the guitar's bridge at all recently? Did you check the ground wire that goes from the bridge to the pickups? That could've either come loose, or needs a re-solder. Something is loose by the sounds of it, or something isn't properly soldered together.