Undergained guitar?

[Jaymz]

As some of you know I recently picked up a second hand LTD recently. It came in fair condition, the actual guitar itself is in good condition besides the hardware of which im replacing....however ive put it through the 6505 and it sounds really undergained, ive compared it to my other guitars with the same pickups etc and they have much more top end and saturate nicely.

Ive swapped out the 9v today for a brand new one, same deal dark and undergained. The only thing thats left is to change the strings as they are as dead as you can imagine, however I don't see this as being the sole issue to the problem.

The pickup height is good etc but im wondering if the previous owner has re-wired the thing as the tone pot is turned up when turned backwards and the neck pickup volume is controlled via the neck's pot and vise versa . Ive opened it up and everything looks ok to my un-trained eye.

Any ideas of what may be the problem?

Oh and a pair of 81's in this guitar.

Sorry for the babble

 

[BLUElightCory]

If the strings are old/worn, it can definitely seriously adversely affect the tone - the loss of high end is one of the first signs of strings wearing down.

The improper wiring could definitely have something to do with the overall gain as well, but without a qualified tech checking everything out it's hard to tell.

 

[Jaymz]

If the strings are old/worn, it can definitely seriously adversely affect the tone - the loss of high end is one of the first signs of strings wearing down.

The improper wiring could definitely have something to do with the overall gain as well, but without a qualified tech checking everything out it's hard to tell.

Yeah the lack of top end might be the strings themselves but the lack of gain is kinda weird. I think its something to do with this pot-mis match. Its almost as if the volume's aren't opening fully thus leaving you with less than a saturated tone.

 

[kramer1309]

I'd say its a wiring fault but cannot say for sure without looking at it. So, if you know someone who knows their wiring, just let 'em have a go at it..
ps. What LTD did you get?

 

[Jaymz]

I'd say its a wiring fault but cannot say for sure without looking at it. So, if you know someone who knows their wiring, just let 'em have a go at it..
ps. What LTD did you get?

Yeah looks im going to have to go down that route, mind the screws which hold the pickups in are destroyed so the guys obv been in there a fair few times. Gonna lift them out soon and take a look for myself.

Its a EC-1000 Besides these little niggles its great, love the neck, love the whole balance and feel of the thing

 

[slashvanyoung]

Were the EMGs installed as an afterthought so you possibly have pots designated for passives? But even then, you shouldn't notice much of a difference when the pots are completely "open".

How undergained is it? If it's seriously undergained and kinda whack out-of-phase sounding then the quick-connect might be turned upside down.

 

[Jaymz]

Were the EMGs installed as an afterthought so you possibly have pots designated for passives? But even then, you shouldn't notice much of a difference when the pots are completely "open".

How undergained is it? If it's seriously undergained and kinda whack out-of-phase sounding then the quick-connect might be turned upside down.

Nay the EMG's are stock. Its not insanely undergained, but I know this guitar has more output than its giving me. With the 6505's gain of 4 *which is plenty* the palm mute are sagging and its got little sustain on the leads. Ive got a LTD EX-351 that ive put beside it to compare also.

 

[Metaltastic]

First guess is pickup height, second is a wiring problem - honestly, if I were you, I'd just order two 25k pots and a new toggle switch (and leave the tone knob in place but disconnected), and rewire it! (or bring it to a tech to rewire it, which shouldn't cost too much) To me, that's almost as ordinary for me when I get a used guitar as getting a new set of tubes for my amp

 

[Jaymz]

The pickup height is fine, ive got 3 other guitars with EMG's and ive got them all set pretty much the same. Im guessing the wiring is been fudged up somewhere along the lines.

 

[midget donkeys]

It probally is wiring. If the emg has the three prong plug connection and it is not firmly plugged in it will make the pickups sound weak. I did this by accident the other day running my Ibanez jem at 18 volts.

I had the battery conncetion wires hanging out from under my pick guard with the 9 volts hanging from the wires. This was just enough weight to pull the connector plug part way off of the three prong thingy on the back of the pickup. The result was a very undergained output.

 

[AboutBlank]

I had the same prob with my LTD, check the wiring of the output jack, my wiring was deceptive...
First thought the emg was beat-up, but it was only the wiring.

Totally same issues, lack of gain and kind of "washed-out" tone.

 

[Jaymz]

I had the same prob with my LTD, check the wiring of the output jack, my wiring was deceptive...
First thought the emg was beat-up, but it was only the wiring.

Totally same issues, lack of gain and kind of "washed-out" tone.

Ah right, was there a loose connection there or something obv to the naked eye?

 

[Jaymz]

It probally is wiring. If the emg has the three prong plug connection and it is not firmly plugged in it will make the pickups sound weak. I did this by accident the other day running my Ibanez jem at 18 volts.

I had the battery conncetion wires hanging out from under my pick guard with the 9 volts hanging from the wires. This was just enough weight to pull the connector plug part way off of the three prong thingy on the back of the pickup. The result was a very undergained output.

Thanks man, just taken them out and pushed them firmly back in. I think they might have been slightly loose tbh!

 

[AboutBlank]

Ah right, was there a loose connection there or something obv to the naked eye?

No

My Guitar Doc figured it out...

No cold soldering point, just interchanged wiring directly on the jack.

If that is your prob, you can change it easily.

Just a thought!

I was soo dissapointed in EMG(it was my first one), but after a few minutes i couldn't believe thats the standard sound of this pups.

And now i love those pups