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EMG solderless

W

wyg

Mar 19, 2011
11
0
#1
Anyone have issues installing EMG's with the new solderless system?
I have tried wiring it every way possible and cant get it working. In the past I have used EMG's before the solderless without a problem.
 
#6
Nope. Had this problem too, but EMG doens't tell you how to solve it. It's stupid really. You have to trick the buss into "seeing" a selector switch that isn't there. Take 2 wires, one from the bridge section of the switch block (the green screw-down area on the buss) and the other from the neck section and connect them to the output section of the switch block. Problem solved. It took me about 4 hours of messing with the buss and my preamp to figure it out. Seems as though EMG thinks only guitar players are gonna use it, and shows diagrams accordingly.
 
#8
The thing that made me think it was a problem with the buss too was that I was able to wire a single tone and volume straight to the jack and get a signal, so I tried the other buss I had and got the same result. I almost went nuts before I figured it out. I'm going to contact EMG about adding it to their diagram, so no one else has to go through this.
 
#11
Eric Swaim said:
I use EMG's and I hate the solderless system. I wish they would (but they're not) go back to the old way. I took 25k pots and wired mine up the Pre-solderless way. I am much happier.
Click to expand...

It took me a while to warm up to the solderless system, but now that I've had it for a while, I prefer it. Especially when it comes to switching anything, like a preamp or the wiring of the pickups (I'm running 45TW's which allow for coil switching). It's much easier for transitions than hardwiring.
 
#12
Alright, after finding the correct diagram on EMG's site yesterday, showing how to wire it sans switch, I pulled out the diagram that came with my pickups, to make sure I wasn't crazy... it's not on the hard copy. They must've realized the error and added it online. I looked at the online diagram when i was installing the pickups, but missed the small addition, as I'm sure most people would. At least it's there, and hopefully it'll make it's way into pickup boxes ASAP.
 
#13
I'm having the same issue, little to no signal. I'm using all solderless; EMG PJ pickups plus the BTS system. I didn't install the pickup buss because I didn't think I needed it, but apparently I do.
I'm totally confused as how to add the pickup bus to the wiring chain with the bts system which has a bass, treble, master volume and balance pot.
Right now I have it wired according to the bts diagram and would appreciate any help on how to add the pickup bus to the wiring.
I'm sure it's easy, but I'm just not seeing it. Right now I have it wired: bridge and neck PU -balance control-volume-bass-treble-to jack.
I'm not seeing how the pu BUS WILL WORK IN THIS SITUATION, if I don't need to use it I'm at a lose to explain the week to no signal?
thanks!
 
#16
Jamie_Funk said:
David, can you describe what you mean by "sound much better"?

I need to replace a 25k volume pot soon, and would try the 100K if it adds something - just need to know what :)
Click to expand...

I used to use EMGs in all my basses. I was working on a bass with EMG Js, and temporarily hooked it up right to an output jack. I noticed it sounded very different than used with the 25K pot. It was more open sounding, had more presence and was a little louder.

So I rigged up a test box with an couple of different value pots and a rotary switch. The pickup was hard wired right to the box. I found the Js sounded best with 100K pot.

Now back in '95 I mentioned this to the guys at EMG and they said it didn't make sense, and shouldn't be.

However, if you look at the specs for the original EMG pickups (not the X series), you can see that the output impedance is 10K! That's to high to use with a 25K pot. Look how 8K passive pickups are pared with 250K or 500K pots. The output pot should be about ten times larger than the output impedance.

Some of the older models, like the JV have an output impedance of 2K. That should work fine with a 25K pot.

Here's the specs from their 1999 catalog.
 

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#18
WhatUpBo said:
I'm not looking to hardwire, I'm hoping for some guidence on my situation with the solderless PU's and BTS system.
Still hoping someone knows what the issue might be?
Click to expand...

Do you have the solderless BTS system?

Did you follow these instructions?

Invalid Link Removed
 

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