EMG pickups what cap value...

chubsman · Post by **chubsman** » Tue Aug 28, 2007 9:31 pm

Hey guys,

I have a LP Voodo (Swamp ash) running through a JCM800 (and sometimes a Marshall 1974x clone 36w) ... the guitar sounds dark (especialy on the neck PU)..

I was wondering if changing out the coupling caps (if that is what they are called) between the Vol and Tone controls could render it more sprakly.. and if so ... what value... it currently has 0.1uf caps in there...

I tryed the same value mustard and there was no real change... I tried a bumble bee 0.01 cap .. and that disaable the whole tone control...

Any thoughts....

Necrovore · Post by **Necrovore** » Tue Aug 28, 2007 11:49 pm

I am running Duncan Livewires in two of my guitars. On a lark I pulled the tone caps from the tone controls. Seemed to brighten up the pickups considerably, but I do not use the tone controls so not sure how they would affect the circuit. I just leave mine wide open all the time.

el34on11 · Post by **el34on11** » Wed Aug 29, 2007 9:39 am

chubsman.......
What EMG's are you using?........If its an 85 in the neck than i would tend to agree with you about being dark especially with chords....I'm using the Zakk set in both my Pauls with the stock cap and dont find them overly dark on the bridge pickup 81......But I just run the tone wide open on both pickups anyway....so escentially out of the circut.........

Derrick

chubs · Post by **chubs** » Wed Aug 29, 2007 2:20 pm

Ya I got the Zakk set... might be the guitar wood...

Winder · Post by **Winder** » Wed Aug 29, 2007 5:52 pm

You can brighten things up with a 1 Meg volume pot and/or a 0.015uF tone cap (sounds like you might already be using 0.01uF?). I'd take a look at your strings and the rest of your rig too. For example and at least to my ears, GHS Boomers are dull/dark sounding whereas Ernie Balls are much brighter/sparkling. Pyramids are even better, but cost twice as much as EBs. YMMV.

If you have one of those two mile long bargain cords between your guitar and amp, then something shorter and with low capacitance per foot (like George L, etc.) can help brighten things up too. Maybe not as big an issue with active pups? Not sure there.

Anyway, just mentioning these things "in case".

yngwie308 · Post by **yngwie308** » Wed Aug 29, 2007 9:43 pm

EMG 81's are awesome in the bridge and neck, as in my two Heritage Gary Moore models, I never use tone controls, sometimes roll off the treble on the neck.
yngwie308