Wiring 3 EMG SA active pickups (old one)

[piton41]

Hello

Recently I’ve got 3 EMG SA active pickups (singlecoils). I’ve changed my standard Strata pickups, 1 volume pot and 2 tone pot to 25 K, changed to 0,1 mikroF and add some 9v batteries. I’m going to use this wiring diagram (modified) from Seymour Duncan.



Now some of my questions can be very stupid but:
If I want parallel/serial switch what is easiest (maybe 1 switch to separate 5 ways switch and another to choose between parallel/serial. I don’t want to remove 5 ways switch and I don’t want to phase pickups (it’s not possible with EMG actives). What is best (easiest) alternative here?
I saw that I can‘t change tone quality on my bridge pickup with my tone controls. If I connect position 6 and 7 on my 5 ways switch my bridge tone control is going to work on my 1,2,3,4 position and my neck tone control on position 4 and 5, right?
Why its cap just on one tone control and not on other?
What kind of shielded cables are you using when rewiring guitars (conductance, ohm ?)
Thank you…….
;D ;D

[sydsbluesky]

EMG makes some really nifty little modular gadgets for their pickups, including a phase reverser... now, I know that you didn't want it, but it may be worth checking the site to see if they have any other info on what you ARE looking to do. Try e-mail them, even. They have a very good reputation for customer service and support, and they were very helpful when I was working on my friend's guitar not too long ago.

I have a set of these in a white strat I built and they sound AWFUL. I should try the 18volt mod...

Anyway, that's really all the advice I have, but I'm sure the Nutz will be here to give good answers soon.

Good luck, and welcome to the nut house.

[ashcatlt]

Jan 25, 2010 19:39:13 GMT -5 piton41 said:

Hello

Hi!

If I want parallel/serial switch what is easiest (maybe 1 switch to separate 5 ways switch and another to choose between parallel/serial. I don’t want to remove 5 ways switch and I don’t want to phase pickups (it’s not possible with EMG actives). What is best (easiest) alternative here?

I wonder what this will sound like. Seems like it can't quite do the same thing as with passives, but it could be interesting. We've got a couple different schemes for this kind of thing around here. Exactly what combinations are you looking for?

I saw that I can‘t change tone quality on my bridge pickup with my tone controls. If I connect position 6 and 7 on my 5 ways switch my bridge tone control is going to work on my 1,2,3,4 position and my neck tone control on position 4 and 5, right?

You mean like it's shown in your diagram? The answer is sort of. Or rather, yes, except that both tone controls will affect the tone (in an interactive manner) in position 4.

Why its cap just on one tone control and not on other?

Look again. The cap's connected to both pots. They "share" it.

What kind of shielded cables are you using when rewiring guitars (conductance, ohm ?)

Ummm... I scavange from my stock of old mic, headphone, and etc cables. Haven't really bothered measuring them. As long as they don't show any significant resistance, I'm happy.

[sumgai]

pitty,


Hi, and to the NutzHouse!

Jan 25, 2010 19:39:13 GMT -5 piton41 said:

What kind of shielded cables are you using when rewiring guitars (conductance, ohm ?)

I don't use any shielded wires in my guitar, I just shield the whole guitar (as in "Quieting the Beast"), and use any old hunk of stranded or solid core 20 or 22 gauge wire I happen to have on the bench at the moment.


Seems to work out OK for most of us here in the NutzHouse! ;D


HTH





sumgai

[sydsbluesky]

Oh, I thought of one more thing.

Someone a few weeks ago, maybe, mentioned that the EMG site (wiring diagrams section) claims that their pickups are built in a manner that prevents one from having to ground the strings... it's a safety issue to them.

Well...eh... hell, I'll dig it up...

Okay, I can't find it... But I remember... I THINK it was here... someone not having grounded their bridge (strings) because the EMG site says it's not necessary, and the gurus told them not to worry about it and check their outlets, or something... That's what I do with mine, at least.

Just thought it was something to mention. Nothing more annoying that following the OEM instructions only to realize that they're wrong.

[dunkelfalke]

Jan 26, 2010 3:18:22 GMT -5 ashcatlt said:

I wonder what this will sound like. Seems like it can't quite do the same thing as with passives, but it could be interesting. We've got a couple different schemes for this kind of thing around here. Exactly what combinations are you looking for?

If it is the same as with my Schaller/Claim active singlecoils then it is not worth it - just louder, nothing else.

[piton41]

Hello !

Thank you for all you posts.

I want these combinations

-bridge and middle pickups in series
-bridge and middle pickups in parallel
-bridge and neck pickups in series
-bridge and neck pickups in parallel
-bridge and neck in series
-bridge and neck in parallel


How to change my wiringdiagram ?

Thanks a lot

[newey]

Piton-

If you want the tone control to work just on the bridge, remove the red jumper wire between 6 and 7, and move the tone pot wire from 7 to 6. You'll then have a separate neck tone control and a separate bridge tone control, with no tone for the middle. If you want the second tone to do neck and middle both, jumper 7 and 8.

The shared cap for both tone controls goes back to the original Strat design. This was a cost-saving measure. Many modifications you will see, here and eslewhere, eliminate the shared cap and use separate caps for each tone control. This allows a different value to be used for the bridge and the neck (if that's the way you ultimately decide to wire the tone pots).

[piton41]

Newey, thank you for your very useful post, I'm going to try one tone for bridge and another for neck.

Thanks a lot