EMG 18V Mod on an LTD EC1000 Delux

[capt abaham]

emg `s really need there own volume controll per pick up i reckon.

there is another way, have you tried the 24V mod, two small 12 volt camera batteries wired as per above.

[Danger Mouse]

emg `s really need there own volume controll per pick up i reckon.

there is another way, have you tried the 24V mod, two small 12 volt camera batteries wired as per above.

I did try 27V due to boredom once... but it was a case of diminishing returns as far as my ears were concerned. Big jump in tone-like things at 18V, not a particularly discernable improvement in sound quality at 27V.

[capt abaham]

i was talking the 24V

anyway the batteries are cheaper that way.

[danrawkz]

I like Blackouts til you get to about drop C or lower, then the EMG81 is a better pickup imo. Just doesn't have that razor sharp treble response/mid hump like the 81 so it's not all that clear once you start tuning down.

They sound lovely in standard and drop D though.

[Danger Mouse]

I like Blackouts til you get to about drop C or lower, then the EMG81 is a better pickup imo. Just doesn't have that razor sharp treble response/mid hump like the 81 so it's not all that clear once you start tuning down.

They sound lovely in standard and drop D though.

Ah interesting, I tune to C standard so that would impact me... thanks for that, will save me trying and possibly buying a guitar with Blackouts and E tuning and then discovering that for myself.

[sopachrga]

I had Blackouts in my 8 string.
They were pretty damn good. Much preferred them over EMGS.

But, They will have been eq'd quite differently to a 6 string set I'd imagine.

[danrawkz]

I like Blackouts til you get to about drop C or lower, then the EMG81 is a better pickup imo. Just doesn't have that razor sharp treble response/mid hump like the 81 so it's not all that clear once you start tuning down.

They sound lovely in standard and drop D though.

Ah interesting, I tune to C standard so that would impact me... thanks for that, will save me trying and possibly buying a guitar with Blackouts and E tuning and then discovering that for myself.

I'm pretty interested to try some of these at some point



Not a slipknot fan, but these pickups seem to be similar to blackouts, geared for lower tunings

[xCaptainx]

I've had my fair share of emgs and blackouts. I prefer emgs. Blackouts were too saturated and gave me way too much gain. EMGs werent as saturated and worked with my preferred tone much better.

The emg 81x are awesome. Huge improvement over the 81.

Quite keen to try a dimarzio sometime this year. I havent tried a passive pickup in a decade, haha.

[sopachrga]

I've had my fair share of emgs and blackouts. I prefer emgs. Blackouts were too saturated and gave me way too much gain. EMGs werent as saturated and worked with my preferred tone much better.

The emg 81x are awesome. Huge improvement over the 81.

Quite keen to try a dimarzio sometime this year. I havent tried a passive pickup in a decade, haha.

Interestingly enough... I think I just bought your old Ravelle from a guy down south.
It's had the 18v mod done to it. Certainly a big improvement over standard 9v.

I'm pretty sure it's yours. It has MacBeth stickers on the case.

[xCaptainx]

haha yup most probably mine!

[jeremyb]

Mmmmm the reviews of the d'activators have got me thinking about some for my 8, but we'll see how thicker strings and the 18V mod go first

[Danger Mouse]

The emg 81x are awesome. Huge improvement over the 81.

Oooo shows how out of touch I am at the moment, didn't even know about the 81x...

What is the difference in tone? Or are they just like the 81s, but don't drink, smoke or do drugs

[jeremyb]

The emg 81x are awesome. Huge improvement over the 81.

Oooo shows how out of touch I am at the moment, didn't even know about the 81x...

What is the difference in tone? Or are they just like the 81s, but don't drink, smoke or do drugs

HA! If they're anything like the 808X's they're a bit more like a Blackout, better cleans, less muddy mids etc, but still maintain some of the EMG character

[xCaptainx]

I wouldnt really compare them to blackouts. I've had 3 sets of blackouts and thought it had too much gain, compared to a stock 81.

The x series has less output and sounds more well rounded. I recorded both when I bought the 81x and the 81 was peaking all over the place, where as the 81 output was nice and level.

It has the 81 tone, but acts more like a passive and is much easier to ease off/dig in and really, really hear it. The band I use it with has a clean part; I turn the clean patch up REALLY loud but ease off on the picking live, it sounds awesome and it's not something I was really able to do with the 81.

In terms of output levels, from lowest to highest, I'd say 81x, 81, blackout.

[sopachrga]

So I decided to whip up a really quick and dirty sample of the difference between the 18v mod and standard 9v.
I recorded this with a Fernandes Ravelle Delux with an EMG81 in the bridge.
I did one take with the second battery connected, then another take with it removed and the connector jumpered.

The dirty riff at the start is 1 bar of 18v the switch to 9v then back and forwards each bar.
The clean bit after, is two bars of 18v then 2 of 9v, rinse and repeat.

Ignore the tones and riffs etc it was all just the first preset I picked on an HD500, and the drums are an addictive drums sample.
I put bass and drums on this so I could actually hear it in a recorded context, where it really matters.

Be the judge yourself, but I didn't hear a difference.
If anything, the clean on 9v was better. But it's only so slight you couldn't tell.

18V comp.mp3

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