Guitarists with EMG or Active Pickups. What is you instrument level set to?

G

Guitarplayer490

Member
I'm just wondering cuz I get some feedback after I stop playing, so I'm wondering if my instrument level is too high. It's currently at 47.
 
EMG 81 (bridge) and EMG 60 (neck) on a ESP Ltd. EC-1000 (24.75", mahagony body & neck, ebony fretboard), tuned down to D-Standard with 012-052-strings. The input is set to 45.7%, and I use the same value for all my other guitars with other pickups, too.
I am not experiencing any kind of feedbacks except in extreme situations. The reason for feedbacks could be:
  • far too much gain in your preset
  • suboptimal (often loud) environment paired with a certain way of placing yourself and the speakers
  • too defensive setting of the (noise-)gate
  • ...

Usually, the instrument level shouldn't affect the gain except for extreme settings.
 
EMG SA. I have tried a wide range of levels with no problem at all (as far as the red LED is not saturated)
 
I have mine set at 40 - I use the same value for all my guitars. I have a couple guitars that have pickups slightly hotter than the EMG 81/85 combo in my SG. 40 seems to be about perfect for all my guitars.
 
Mine's set at 30.6 that said, it still sounds about right with non-EMG guitars plugged into it. Again, the rule of thumb is, set the level with your 'loudest' guitar, and its done. For me then, it's my Luke I because it has higher output without the tone control in the circuit.
 
Mines at 38% with a Jap ESP eclipse with EMG 81 and 60.

I have experimented with settings as high as 60% but never really got any unwanted feedback.

Maybe you should re-examine you're gain settings in the patches, I never have mine above about 5 at most on any amp.
 
What's the gain like on your preset? I never go higher than 2.20 with like the heaviest stuff I've ever heard. Any higher is just too much
 
Trainwreck1446 said:
What's the gain like on your preset? I never go higher than 2.20 with like the heaviest stuff I've ever heard. Any higher is just too much
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Every amp model has a different gain taper , you can't just choose a number and apply it to all models, unless what your saying is the highest you've ever gone is 2.20 on any model.
 
Moltenmetalburn said:
Every amp model has a different gain taper , you can't just choose a number and apply it to all models, unless what your saying is the highest you've ever gone is 2.20 on any model.
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Well my statement was based on a fair amount of assumption, my bad. Let me clarify! I assume if he is getting feedback it's from an EMG humbucker, and to think he is getting feedback at all, even with a vintage or low gain tone is hard to believe. So I can only assume he is trying for a high gain tone with an EMG humbucker. All the typical "high-gain" amps, to me at least have a similar sweet spot as far as gain goes. The EL34-y type stuff obviously gets driven harder. I'm thinking Recto's, 5150's, 6505's, 5153's, VH4, Powerball, etc. So for those, yes, in the 2-ish range. When I use the Atomica, JCM800, or Splawn I do tend to go higher.
 
Trainwreck1446 said:
Well my statement was based on a fair amount of assumption, my bad. Let me clarify! I assume if he is getting feedback it's from an EMG humbucker, and to think he is getting feedback at all, even with a vintage or low gain tone is hard to believe. So I can only assume he is trying for a high gain tone with an EMG humbucker. All the typical "high-gain" amps, to me at least have a similar sweet spot as far as gain goes. The EL34-y type stuff obviously gets driven harder. I'm thinking Recto's, 5150's, 6505's, 5153's, VH4, Powerball, etc. So for those, yes, in the 2-ish range. When I use the Atomica, JCM800, or Splawn I do tend to go higher.
Click to expand...

Ahh, ok that makes sense.
 
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