Conference napalm::guitar

    I have been thinking of doing the same thing to my Strat and I have
    made up my mind to go with the Seymour Duncans.  I am going to buy
    the "CLASSIC STACKS" which look like the originals and have just
    about no hum, if any.  I really liked the sound of the one I heard
    (hi Fred).   I think you will really like these and you won't have
    to worry about a battery going dead during a gig because unlike
    the EMGs, they aren't active.
    
    
    Don

    Hi Don,
    
    so you're going to get humbuckers?  Can I still achieve that "ringing"
    mellow sound with a classic stack humbucker in the neck position?
    
    thanks,
    
    mike

    The ones I have heard didn't really sound like humbuckers, they
    sounded like single coils but didn't hum.  To make sure you like
    the sound, try to find a music store in the area that may have a
    set up like you want to try or maybe even if someone will let you
    listen to thier strat with the pick-ups installed.  The ones I heard
    certainly didn't sound like the humbuckers in my Les Paul, they
    sounded very similiar to the pick-ups in the strat but, they were
    alot quieter.
    
    Don

    I have EMGs in my Strat and can recommend them without qualification. 
    They are excellent pickups.  They are very quiet and add some
    additional versatility over non-active single coils.
    
    I've had these for five years now and have never heard pickups that I
    thought sound as good.  (And I am rather notorious about having too
    much equipment and changing things around with it)
    
    Greg

    I had an EMG in an 85 Kramer Baretta, and in the course of mucking
    with the thing ( apart, together, apart, ) broke the wires coming out
    of the EMG. I replaced it with a SD Invader ( humbucker ). This SD
    pickup has huge hex nuts.
     The SD has a distorted sound, and great definition between the
    strings. The EMG has less definition and a different qwuality of
    distortion. The EMG is alot louder (active) the SD passive, and not 
    therefore as loud. I like not having to muck with the battery,
    so I'll keep the SD. 
     At the risk of saying I like both, both have good sounds,
    I'll say I prefer the EMG active to the SD passive. 
     SD makes an active pickup that runs on 2 9 volt batteries. They make
    single coil and humbucker type active pickups. This or an EMG will be
    my next pickup purchase. ( Pickup pickup?) 

    You can also read note 31 and its replys for more on pickups.
    
    
    Don

    Oh, incidentally, since someone mentioned battery consumption in the
    EMGs, I thought I'd mention that the single 9v battery in my active
    set seem to last well over a year each.
    
    When they do start to go, it's a very gradual thing, not like an
    immediate loss of sound.  I've had batterys in there that as far as I
    could tell were completely dead (I didn't change it for the first
    couple of years, who knows how long it'd been in there before I got it)
    and the pickups still worked.  They lost some of the good tone, but
    they still operated, so I wouldn't worry about them failing and leaving
    you cold in the middle of a gig.
    
    Greg

    
    Can you get that scream with EMG's ? 

    A point to watch if you're thinking of just changing one pickup
    is the relative power... if the new ones are *HOT* then they'll
    totally rubbish your out-of-phase sound.
    
    I once thought of putting an SD Hot Stack in the neck position of
    an Ibanez RS420 but on being told I'd lose the out-of-phase sound
    gave it a miss and bought a sssssshhharvel instead of messing with
    a decent sounding guitar.
    
    Dave

    
    I have two coil tapped humbuckers on my Vantage, and I rarely use the 
    neck pickup now anyway. Usually I have the volume pot on my bridge 
    pickup on 10(max), the tone on about 6 and the neck pickup on 0. I 
    have the toggle in the bridge position and I use toggle switch to
    switch from the cranked to the silent pickup for the "morse code" 
    type trick.                                               
                                                                    
    I'm thinking of getting an EMG active humbucker for the bridge position
    and maybe getting a coil put on the neck pos for when I do use it. 
                                                   
    -Tony

    Thanks for all the quick responses folks.
    
    It looks as though I'm going to start with the SD Classic Stack
    in the neck position.  (It's a humbucker that's supposedly sounds
    close to the original strat sound in that particular pickup position.)
    
    Bob, at McDuff's Music, said that the EMG will provide more towards
    the "modern sound".  Also, Bob said that if I happen to not like the
    Classic Stack SD, then I can bring it back and trade it towards some
    other type pickup.
    
    Again, thanks!
    
    cheers/mike

    re: Mike
    
    My opinion is that the EMGs *can* provide the modern type sound, plus
    the vintage type sounds.  This is the flexability they add.  Keep in
    mind that this is JMO, but give them a listen before you blow them off
    because it's a very nice balanced system.
    
    Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to slam your choice.  I've
    played several Duncan equipped guitars and have been fairly impressed
    with their pickups.  I just enjoy what the actives give you, and
    honestly, I prefer a more modern type sound, so you may want to temper
    my recommendation based on that.  But I have gotten what I considered
    good vintage tones too.
    
    re: Tony
    
    Yes, EMGs can scream!  One of my friends replaced the bridge pickup in
    his Les Paul with an EMG humbucker and has been very happy with the
    sounds he's gotten.  He plays similar musical styles to what you do
    (hard rock/metal).  I thought that his sounded warmer then mine, as
    mine is the single coil EMG set, rather then humbuckers.  I *really*
    like them!
    
    Greg
                           

    re: .12
    
    Thanks for the input Greg.  Since it's gonna be a few weeks before
    I get that SD pickup, maybe it'll give me some time to check out some
    gits with the EMG's installed (hopefully get it close to my type
    set up).
    
    Of course, if the SD don't tickle my fancy, McDuff's will take em'
    back and I'll try out the EMG.
    
    Geez, there are soooo many variables and products to consider when
    attempting to attain that personal 'perfect tone'!  :^(
    
    cheers/mike

    	What kind of price is Macduff's asking for a set of
    EMG's? And are they including any of the EMG tone modifiers?

> maybe it'll give me some time to check out some gits with the EMG's 
> installed (hopefully get it close to my type set up).

Depending upon your geographical location (I forget if you mentioned it 
earlier), but I have a Strat with EMGs you are welcome to try out. That way 
you'll have an idea of what they sound like thru your equipment. (I'm in the 
Andover/Southern NH area - contact me off-line if you're near here.)

Like Greg, I'm *very* happy with my EMGs. I can get a real nice distorted, 
rockin' sound. Or a great bluesy, clean tone. And a lot of that can be done 
just with an adjustment of the volume knob right at the guitar, without even 
touching levels on effects or amp.

Alan S.

    re: .14
    
    Not sure what McDuff's is asking for the EMG kit (didn't ask) but
    I do know that they're getting $60 for the SD whereas EUW is asking
    $75).  Tewksbury Music is asking $189 for the EMG.  I'll find out from
    McDuff's what the EMG is going for and post it in here in the near
    future.
    
    re: .15
    
    Thanks for the offer Greg!  However, I live alllllll the way down
    in North Oxford (near Connectthedots).  But I sure would like to
    try out that fiddle of yours.  It seems that you (and a few other)
    folks still got me seriously interested in the EMG.
    
    cheers/mike

    re: .16  
    
    >Thanks for the offer Greg!  
    
    I think you mean "Alan"...  I live alllllll the way out in Colorado
    Springs!  8^)  ...but if you want to come out and play my Strat, you're
    certainly welcome to.
    
    Rice Music in Colorado Springs will sell you the EMG active Strat set
    for $155 and change.  They'll also ship, that's where Alan got his. You
    can reach them at 1-800-444-RICE, ask for Walter.  He says that they
    only have one set left in stock (the price may change if they have to
    reorder).
     
    Greg

Profound sound 1-800-63SOUND will sell you the duncan's for about $65 each, but
then so will Friednly River Music in Portland, Me. $75 each is much too high.

dbii

    Daddy's sells the CLASSIC STACKS for $64.95 for the bridge pick-up
    and $59.00 for the neck/middle pick-up, or is that visa-versa? 
    Anyhow, they are much cheaper than $75.
    
    
    Don

      EMG's , oh yeah.
    I have a pair on my new Les Paul (it came with them!) I really like
    the sound of these. I put them on my previous Les. Quiet and accurate
    would be two good ways to describe these. Also there's the relief
    from shocks since the bridge isn't grounded. 
      So, they're great for LP's as well as Strats!

I have had Jackson actives in my guitar for over two years now and they are 
fantastic!

Also, I understand that Reflex REDS are supposed to resemble customized EMGs
although I have never heard them.

EMGs are really good but you should listen to more than just SD and EMG, IMO.

Just a thought...

Scott

      Customized EMG's? I've looked into this but I'm not sure it's
    really feasible or practical. What I have heard of through other
    musicians is changing the value of the capacitor on the tone pot
    to modify the tonality. EMG's can sound too bright if the caps aren't
    set up right. I'm looking at adjusting the cap on my new guitar
    because I like the sound of my Les Paul Custom that I put EMG's
    into myself a little better. The new guitar is slightly too
    bright. If I get info on cap values for certain sounds I'll post
    it.
    

I had a couple of duncan alinco's in my tele and the neck pickup became 
microphonic (Mark J. didn't the same thing happen to you?). This is the
first time I have had a problem with a duncan pickup. Of course, since 
the pickup was out of warranty (over a year old) I had no recourse but to 
dip the darn thing in parifin myself....I'm pleased to say that it worked
and the pickup again is non-michrophonic..

dbii

    re: -.1 
    
    A pickup went microphonic?  Dog, I never heard of that, but that
    doesn't mean it aint so. If you were a repairman and told me that, I'd
    think you'd be trying to sell me a left handed screwdriver. So, either
    bullsh!t some more about this or edify me. This inquiring mind wants to
    know more.
    
    See, I've got a problem with a guitar that I stuck DiMarzio Super
    Distortion humbuckers in. When I play with amp gain up to about 6
    (volume usually around 1, NEVER above 2) my guitar squeals when I get 
    within say two feet of the speakers. Not a nice harmonic squeal, just 
    irritating. I thought it might be some sort of feedback from the PU so 
    I dampened the pu by placing foam underneath it to where the thing is 
    mounted really tight. No help. These pickups were installed in another 
    guitar and I never had this sort of problem although I didn't have my 
    "Twin" either.
    
    So if my pickups are microphonic, how do I fix 'em? Just melt some
    parafin wax and dip the underside of the pickup in it?
    
    
    "sakman"

    If it's microphonic, you have to get the wax down into the actual
    pickup wiring to cure it.  I've done a couple and personally thought it
    was a pain.  
    
    Greg

    
    
    
    	How about a process, fellers?

    See note 853 Grevemeister!  Described in excruciating detail!

Single coils are easy, humbuckers are a pain as you get to take them apart!

see the other note....I ruined an old gibson humbucker that way...

re: dimarzio's...sakman they sound microphonic to me

my tele pickup absolutely squeeled every time I invoked "insane gain" or
nearly "insane gain" modes on my kitties...totally unusable for anything.
I used it friday night at rehersal in total insane gain mode with not one
iota of squeel! I loved it...sounded better than my duncan hot stacks do
on the other guitars...

next stop a duncan paf for the bridge of the tele!

dbii

    
    Can you test for microphonic pickups by 'talking' into them (real
    close)?  I have seen Dandrea do it on his LP.  
    
    -pat

    Pat,
    
    You sure it was Dandrea ??  I've been known to yell subliminal mind
    control messages into the pickups at many Shooters gigs...  ;)
    
    jc (who thinks this is *not* an indication of a bad pickup)

    It depends on what your teeth fillings are made of...
    
    Greg