GodBlessTexas Posted August 29, 2005 Report Share Posted August 29, 2005 I've always wanted an Ibanez S470, and finally pickedup a used one for a great price. I like the sound, but have decided I want to put in a set of EMGs (85/S/81). I know how to wire them and everything on the electrical side, but I'm having a hard time trying to figure out where to put the battery. I've already tried putting a 9v into the control cavity with the existing electronics in place with no luck. Are the current EMG pots shorter than regular pots in the cavity? If I remember correctly they're not. My best guess is that I'm going to have to route out a battery compartment (maybe a double or two singles if I want to do 18v) and I'm a little nervous about it on an S body since it's contoured on both sides. Anyone have any pointers where they think it would be best to do on the back? The middle (from strap button to neck joint) is the thickest part of the guitar, but the trem and pickup cavities take up most of that space. Behind the trem cavity towards the back, maybe? Remember the Alamo, and God Bless Texas... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marksound Posted August 29, 2005 Report Share Posted August 29, 2005 Seems like I saw pic of a battery mounted inside the rear cavity of a Strat next to the trem springs (under the rear cover). A Clapton, maybe? Can't remember, and I don't know where I saw that pic. Would that work for you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GodBlessTexas Posted August 29, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 29, 2005 As silly as it sounds, I didn't relly think to try that because I had a little bit of trouble setting up the floating bridge and I wanted to leave it be once I got it just how I wanted it. I haven't had one in a long time (1998), so it took me a while to get used to it again. I'll try it out when I get home and see. Thanks. Remember the Alamo, and God Bless Texas... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thewrathofraf Posted August 29, 2005 Report Share Posted August 29, 2005 my cousin has an s570 and a 7 string s both with emgs. he just routed a small cavity for the batteries on the back of both guitars between the trem cavity and the bottom strap lock. that should work with out a problem. just dont route too deep. -RAF Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frank falbo Posted August 29, 2005 Report Share Posted August 29, 2005 It will (or at least should) fit in between the volume pot and the 5-way switch, vertically. Otherwise it should also fit if you clean out the wiring and put it across the back of the volume pot. Usually that's a clutter area because the wires come in from the pickups there. But if you send the wires to the left and right once they come in, you should be able to lay it flat right there. You might also have to resolder the grounds on the back of the pot so they're nice and flat. Maybe even move them all to the sides of the pot, and move some/all of them to the tone knob. It is very doable without routing any wood away. If you're putting in a battery compartment, right behind the trem cavity would be best. It's still thick there. You don't have room in the spring area. There's less room there than on a Strat. You could try to route so it went under the springs but you'd go through to the pickup cavities. Which is okay I guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted August 29, 2005 Report Share Posted August 29, 2005 i fit mine in just fine...be sure to wrap it in foam.like frank said when you rewire it keep it uncluttered..cut off all excess wire length and you will make it the foam and tape keep the casing from shorting across anything and also rattling...don't say i never did nothin' fer ya Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigtommyb Posted August 29, 2005 Report Share Posted August 29, 2005 yea the battery fits in mine just fine too for the sustainer. T Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crafty Posted August 30, 2005 Report Share Posted August 30, 2005 Here's a pic of the battery compartment I installed in my Strat for its EMG-SA set. I installed it right behind the trem cavity and drilled a hole for the wires into the jack cavity. A little different than your Ibanez, but it'll probably work just as well in the same spot for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frank falbo Posted August 30, 2005 Report Share Posted August 30, 2005 I don't know if an S body can take the whole depth of a flip top battery compartment. If you were going to route it you probably have to just make a rectangle with a cover plate, or make a custom elongated trem cavity cover. The S doesn't have recessed covers, so you could just as easily make a longer cover. You could also fill the middle and rear screw holes, and just keep the front two. Then make new holes that are balanced out over the whole cover. Wait, did Wes and I mention you don't have to do that? If you wanted 18 volts you'd have to do that though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted August 30, 2005 Report Share Posted August 30, 2005 you do NOT have the depth on an s series to install that battery compartment..not anywhere,not anyhow. the body tapers away from the middle on all sides...behind the trem cavity it tapers away very steeply. you need 1 3/8" routing depth for that compartment....did i mention you don't have that? seriously...forget the box.i love those boxes,i have several of them and i use them religeously...but not on that guitar. godblesstexas...not to change the direction,but as far as i know you are not a metal guy...why emg in that guitar?i have an 81 s s combo in mine,and it sounds the flattest of any of my guitars...i have put many,many pickups in mine over the years and to be perfectly honest the best pickup i ever put in the bridge was a dimebucker.it really picked up the sustain and gave it a personality that the 81 and 85 never has(i have tried both in the bridge) if it was me...(and i have never tried this combo in my s) i would seriously consider a jb in the bridge...and since yours has a neck bucker,i would put a 59 there,and a cool rails in the middle... then i would put in a megaswitch so i could split the two humbuckers and get some serious versatility. i love emg...but i don't think it suits that guitar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GodBlessTexas Posted August 30, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 30, 2005 OK. I tried: putting a battery in the trem cavity, but it's a no go. There's no room. putting it in the control cavity, which is a tight fit right now, but there's a LOT of extra wire bundled up in there, so when I rewire it shouldn't be an issue as per Wes' picture. Thanks everyone. Remember the Alamo, and God Bless Texas... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GodBlessTexas Posted August 30, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 30, 2005 godblesstexas...not to change the direction,but as far as i know you are not a metal guy...why emg in that guitar? I guess it depends upon the context. I grew up on thrash metal like Antrhax, Metallica, Exodus, Overkill, Megadeth, etc. and I've been playing a lot of those songs recently. I've also been turning on to new bands like Trivium and Killswitch Engage (love the guitar playing, not so big on the deathmetalesque vocals) and exploring dropped tunings. I bought the S to be my metal/high gain playing axe, as I have enough guitars for other things. i have an 81 s s combo in mine,and it sounds the flattest of any of my guitars...i have put many,many pickups in mine over the years and to be perfectly honest the best pickup i ever put in the bridge was a dimebucker.it really picked up the sustain and gave it a personality that the 81 and 85 never has(i have tried both in the bridge) if it was me...(and i have never tried this combo in my s) i would seriously consider a jb in the bridge...and since yours has a neck bucker,i would put a 59 there,and a cool rails in the middle... then i would put in a megaswitch so i could split the two humbuckers and get some serious versatility. i love emg...but i don't think it suits that guitar. I might try all of those. I guess now I'm not so certain about what I'm going to do with my 470 then. Maybe I'll stay with passive pickups. Thanks for the advice. Remember the Alamo, and God Bless Texas... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted August 30, 2005 Report Share Posted August 30, 2005 well...it depends on your particular guitar a bit...does it have a robust tone,or is it a bit cold? mine is a little cold,which is why i don't like the emgs in it...a jb has warmth,which is why i think it might work out good for you. anthrax,exodus,overkill,megadeth all run the jb in the bridge ,or at least they all did at the height of their game i know that dave mustaine still does,and i am almost positive about exodus that guitar should be fine for that...alex scolnick did good with his at least(i believe he also used passives) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haggardguy Posted August 30, 2005 Report Share Posted August 30, 2005 Scott Ian runs a signature seymour pickup "El Diablo" its like a hotter screamin demon with rails instead of pole pieces. It has less output than the dimebucker. If a dimebucker is a route you're interested in you could always get the original bill lawrence 500 XL.Its cheaper too. Killswitch Engage and other bands of a similar sort (Shadows Fall etc.) run EMGs and Lamb of God uses a Dimebucker or a JB I think.(Avenged Sevenfold uses passives too) Thats all I really know in the world of new metal. You can definately get killer metal tones with passives. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GodBlessTexas Posted August 31, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 31, 2005 Scott Ian runs a signature seymour pickup "El Diablo" its like a hotter screamin demon with rails instead of pole pieces. It has less output than the dimebucker. If a dimebucker is a route you're interested in you could always get the original bill lawrence 500 XL.Its cheaper too. That's something I have considered, but it seems that right now two people are claiming to make the original Bill Lawrence pickup. There's a guy whose stage name was Bill Lawrence, and his partner who claims to own the name for the pickup. Anyone have any insight on who the real deal is for those pickups? Remember the Alamo, and God Bless Texas... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted August 31, 2005 Report Share Posted August 31, 2005 Scott Ian runs a signature seymour pickup "El Diablo" its like a hotter screamin demon with rails instead of pole pieces. It has less output than the dimebucker. If a dimebucker is a route you're interested in you could always get the original bill lawrence 500 XL.Its cheaper too. That's something I have considered, but it seems that right now two people are claiming to make the original Bill Lawrence pickup. There's a guy whose stage name was Bill Lawrence, and his partner who claims to own the name for the pickup. Anyone have any insight on who the real deal is for those pickups? Remember the Alamo, and God Bless Texas... ← yeah..i am sure someone will tell you..it has been discussed alot,but i can never keep it straight.. the original guy is the one who makes the good ones...and the other guy is apparently making inferior copies... but i don't know the whole scoop..just hang loose until the guys inthe know come by Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haggardguy Posted August 31, 2005 Report Share Posted August 31, 2005 http://www.billlawrence.com/index.html I'm pretty certain thats the real bill lawrence ones, the ones on stew mac(if they still sell them,are not the real ones) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted September 1, 2005 Report Share Posted September 1, 2005 http://www.billlawrence.com/Pages/Pickup_Window/500.htm yeah that's it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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