Anyone ever installed H-S-H EMGs?

Doctor J

Got an RG I want to swap the stock pickups out of and I'm looking to try something different, stick a set of EMGs in. I'm open to both coil tapping and regular humbucking options. Anyone installed a HSH EMG setup from scratch before? EMG users, tell me what you think about their pickups

Johnny Storm

Well the ones in my 'Berger are two 89s and an SA with Haz Labs active EQ. I think they sound smooth and powerful. I hardly ever use the coil taps or the middle pup. They are totally noise-free.

Doctor J

Cheers Johnny, as I recall that guitar sounded real nice. It splits the humbuckers in positions 2 and 4?

Johnny Storm

There's a separate little switch for the coil splitting.

Doctor J

Ah I see. On the RG, 2 and 4 drop a coil from the humbucker so the only time you get both coils are when the humbuckers are selected exclusively in 1 and 5.

68 lost souls

Id be interested in this topic aswel. Going to put a set of EMGs into my current project and its HSH as the moment but in the refinish I can change it to HH. Doc what sets had you been thinking of? I was looking at maybe 81/85 set with or without the SA.

Doctor J

Haven't really decided on anything, just putting it out there really and seeing if anyone has been through it already, for example if they do HSH sets like they have humbucker sets, that kind of thing. I'm still humming and hawing about keeping the coil splitting on 2 and 4 for Strat-like S+S or just having those positions as H+S. The sound out of Johnny Storm's 89 was very nice indeed, but I've really not invested a lot of time in EMG's to be able to tell you too much about one model or the other. Really, at the moment, my first instinct is to lash a JB in there but I've been there before, it's a winner, but I want to try something different.

68 lost souls

Its the same situation here. I have only ever played on guitar with EMGS in it and that was about 6 years ago. They were pretty sweey but I dont really know enough about them to decide.

First instinct is JB 59 set but I want something different. Im confused aswell by the eqs and stuff like the afterburner.

Doctor J

I'm not to bothered by the EQ or any sort of onboard super gain boosting, I'm not a fan of absurdly high gain, a tight crunch will do me just fine. Getting a set of SD's would be the easy tried and trusted method, but there's no point I can see in getting more of the same.

Johnny Storm

Doctor J wrote: »

Haven't really decided on anything, just putting it out there really and seeing if anyone has been through it already, for example if they do HSH sets like they have humbucker sets, that kind of thing. I'm still humming and hawing about keeping the coil splitting on 2 and 4 for Strat-like S+S or just having those positions as H+S. The sound out of Johnny Storm's 89 was very nice indeed, but I've really not invested a lot of time in EMG's to be able to tell you too much about one model or the other. Really, at the moment, my first instinct is to lash a JB in there but I've been there before, it's a winner, but I want to try something different.

Well, FWIW even in pos 2 or 4 with the coil split on, my one doesn't sound particularly like a strat in 2 or 4 to my mind - ie it doesn't quack or honk in a convincing way. You might be able to make it sound more stratty by twiddling with the pup heights... or it could just be the whole construction of the guitar.
Also fwiw i'm fairly sure that the 89 is the only active EMG that can be coil split.

Doctor J

Cheers Johnny. I'm not expecting anything too classically strat, just not sure a single coil would get much exposure up against a full humbucker, it might be a wasted position, not different enough to really be that useful.

It's been a long, long time since I had a guitar with humbuckers and single coils

Voodu Child

Let us know how you get on and how you like the EMGSs, was thinking of putting some in my Strat.

IamMetaldave

Hey Doctor,

I've put EMGs in my 3 RGs, the only one that didn't require a hammer and chisel was my 1570, as it has the metal frame to fold them in. The RGA and 7 string were a pain, but worth it! I've never wired in single coils though.

EMGs are awesome though

Doctor J

It'll be an RG550 with a scratchplate so I'm not expecting too much funny business when it comes to the installation. Might need to route a battery cover in the back though. Still, no biggie.

IamMetaldave

I'd say you'll be OK for battery space, it's never been an issue for any of mine.

OK-Cancel-Apply

In my experience, the full H+S sound is good for a nice little extra 'chime'. It sounds exactly as you'd expect - slightly less twangy than the split sound.

If I was putting together a new guitar or changing pickups and wiring, personally I'd go for the split humbucker in position 2 and 4, as I think it gives the most usable sound.

feylya

For what it's worth, my Ran has 2 81's and my Eggle has an 85 in the bridge and a 60 in the neck. 85 is very very warm, 81 is very crisp and the 60 is a nice allrounder

Doctor J

Dave Eyesclosed wrote: »

I'd say you'll be OK for battery space, it's never been an issue for any of mine.

This one doesn't have a panel on the back, it's a scratchplate on the front which would be a real pain in the hole to remove every time a battery needed to be changed. Ah it's straightforward enough, I have a couple of good battery compartments I can install which will do the job and not look out of place.

Looks like the 89 is really the only option here if it's the only one which does any sort of coil splitting...