EMG 81 Distorts/clips on its own + low output.

Pelikanen

Pelikanen

Inspired
So, I downloaded a Ola Englund DI of a LTD MH-1000ET with an EMG 81 in the bridge. I recorded my LTD EC-401B aswell through the Axe-Fx and noticed, both in the sound and the way the waveform looks, that my EMG distorts/clips and the output is way lower than that of the Ola Englund DI.

I've also noticed that when unplugged, if I strike a chord and let my strings ring and then I plug in during that chord, I get more output, kinda lika on the Ola DI, but then it drops in volume after a second or so.

Wondering maybe if this is due to faulty electronics. Perhaps the wrong type of 9 volt battery? (The battery I've put in is pretty fresh).

I'm tickling the red on the Axe when I strike the strings as hard as I can, have instr in set at 26.7%. Tried lowering it a bit now as I wrote this.

I have the pickups quite close to the strings, as EMG's should be. One thing I remember is that the clipping didn't do away when I tried lowering them awhile back. The output just got lower. It also seems to be there if I lower the volume on the guitar.


Any ideas?
 
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I have another EMG equipped guitar which does the exact same thing btw.

And, in the Ola Englund clip you can clearly hear that he has brand new strings on, it has a brilliance to it that I can't seem to get from my LTD EC-401B even though it also have brand new strings on. My sound has loss of treble in comparison.
 
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lysergene said:
My EMGs don't clip like that. They do howl at high volumes though.

My input is set to 22.0%
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Good to know! Now I've tried changing to a fresh battery, take the guitar out of the warm studio I'm in to a cooler room (even tried holding some ice in a plastic form close to the pickup to see if it would get any brighter haha). None of it works though.

I actually set my input to 22.0% too strangely enough.

Maybe it's the really high gauge strings I'm using that's causing it, but I doubt it. Björn from In Flames uses the same strings with EMG's.
 
I'm using 13-54 tuned to A# standard.

It sounds like you have a power issue or something.

Is the guitar grounded? Actives don't need an earth.....

EDIT: That guitar you have comes with EMG as standard so forget the earthing comment.

See how it sounds with no battery? It sounds like you get power and then lose it when the pickups are switched on by the jack cable.

I'm no expert; I've only had EMGs for about a month.
 
lysergene said:
I'm using 13-54 tuned to A# standard.

It sounds like you have a power issue or something.

Is the guitar grounded? Actives don't need an earth.....

EDIT: That guitar you have comes with EMG as standard so forget the earthing comment.

See how it sounds with no battery? It sounds like you get power and then lose it when the pickups are switched on by the jack cable.

I'm no expert; I've only had EMGs for about a month.
Click to expand...

Yeah I think it's some sort of power issue too.

And I will try with no battery right now! Didn't think of that.
 
I have an ESP LTD MH-1000 ET. Have no clipping issues. While the actives may go closer to the strings than passives I would still adjust to sound and taste.

My EMG 60 Neck on the E6 side set to 4.7mm and 5mm on the E1 side.
EMG 81 bridge is set E6 side to 5mm and E1 side 4mm.
 
mwd said:
I have an ESP LTD MH-1000 ET. Have no clipping issues. While the actives may go closer to the strings than passives I would still adjust to sound and taste.

My EMG 60 Neck on the E6 side set to 4.7mm and 5mm on the E1 side.
EMG 81 bridge is set E6 side to 5mm and E1 side 4mm.
Click to expand...

Okay cool! By the looks of it I think I have roughly the same heights on mine. All I hear though when lowering the pickup height is just loss in output. Generally though with lower height one should get more of an open sound or something like that?
 
Tried taking the battery out, recorded with inst in at 100% and added a ton of volume gain in my DAW, sure enough now it sound clear. Playing in back to the Axe using the Recto2 Mdrn Red caused lots of noise though as expected. ;)
 
Pelikanen said:
Generally though with lower height one should get more of an open sound or something like that?
Click to expand...

I used my height adjustments almost as an EQ and balance. Those pickups are hot as a firecracker. It is also very dependent on what type of music you play and what strings you use.
 
Pelikanen said:
Okay cool! By the looks of it I think I have roughly the same heights on mine. All I hear though when lowering the pickup height is just loss in output. Generally though with lower height one should get more of an open sound or something like that?
Click to expand...

Lowering pickups usually brings more of the guitar into the sound but I don't think you need to worry about that with EMGs. They have a weaker magnetic field than passives so it's best to get them close to the strings.... or as close as you can without losing your preferred sound.
 
Pelikanen said:
Tried taking the battery out, recorded with inst in at 100% and added a ton of volume gain in my DAW, sure enough now it sound clear. Playing in back to the Axe using the Recto2 Mdrn Red caused lots of noise though as expected. ;)
Click to expand...

Sounds like a power issue, but like I said; I am no expert!
 
mwd said:
I used my height adjustments almost as an EQ and balance. Those pickups are hot as a firecracker. It is also very dependent on what type of music you play and what strings you use.
Click to expand...

I play quite hard on the strings I guess, or at least I try, with Elixir Nanoweb strings. When I come to think about it - maybe they aren't as bright as lets say D'Addarios, maybe that plays a part in why some of that "brilliance" is missing from my DIs compared to the Ola Englund ones? But I have a brand new set on, should be bright enough. They're quite big gauges, the three last strings are .038 (A), .056 (E) and .068 (A).
 
lysergene said:
Lowering pickups usually brings more of the guitar into the sound but I don't think you need to worry about that with EMGs. They have a weaker magnetic field than passives so it's best to get them close to the strings.... or as close as you can without losing your preferred sound.
Click to expand...

Right now I'm losing output so I try to have them pretty close to the strings. EMGs are designed to be setup that way right I suppose.

lysergene said:
Sounds like a power issue, but like I said; I am no expert!
Click to expand...

I've been emailing back and forth a little bit now with tech support at EMG and it's probably the wiring according to them.
 
One thing - I recorded directly through my Focusrite Saffire through an instrument input with zero gain added to exclude the Axe as the culprit, and the signal is SO much louder than when coming from the Axe!

How come?

Probably some obvious answer I can't think of.
 
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