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Replacing My Emg 81's And 60's


pike168

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I Have an LTD EC-1000 Guitar which are fitted with EMG 81 and 60 pickups, i would like to install the zakk wylde set but im unsure if i have the knowledge to do this. I Took out the pickups from the body (not de-soldered) and it seems they just have a simple 3-pin connector at the back of the pickup, is it possible to just unplug the stock installed 81's and 60's and plug the ZW Pickups in or will i have to solder everything again ?

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I don't believe there is any difference between the sets other than the 60 in the neck and the 85 in the ZW set. Drop it in and go....just don't buy the ZW set, just buy an 85 :-\

I actually prefer the 60 in the neck to the 85 to be honest.

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I actually prefer the 60 in the neck to the 85 to be honest.

+1. On the guitars I've played with it, at least, the 85 is much too bassy in the neck position. I've got the Jimmy Hetfield combo myself, though I'm looking on trading it out (shh, don't tell my pickups. I don't want my guitar to gently weep).

Bad puns mean it's time for me to go to bed.

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What is it with the 81 and 60 you don't like? As the guys before me said, the ZW set is 81/85. Not a huge difference from 81/60.

Not huge, but with a good guitar you can certainly tell the difference.

Yeah, the sound is probably different (hence the different names of the pickups), but I meant that the only difference from the ZW set is the 60

If you want to change the 81 as well, why buy the ZW set? Of course you could use the 81 as the neck pup and 85 as bridge pup.

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I Have an LTD EC-1000 Guitar which are fitted with EMG 81 and 60 pickups, i would like to install the zakk wylde set but im unsure if i have the knowledge to do this. I Took out the pickups from the body (not de-soldered) and it seems they just have a simple 3-pin connector at the back of the pickup, is it possible to just unplug the stock installed 81's and 60's and plug the ZW Pickups in or will i have to solder everything again ?

Yeah, that's EMG's "Quik-Connect" wiring. You simply need to buy another EMG pickup with the same connector and swap 'em! Tip: if you're buying used ones, check that you're getting the newer version cos some of the older ones don't have that connector, which means you would need to break out the soldering iron! Oh, and make sure it's active EMG's you're looking for - the (non-active) passive ones have a similar looking connector but it has 5 pins, not 3 (you need 3).

I actually prefer the 60 in the neck to the 85 to be honest.

+1. On the guitars I've played with it, at least, the 85 is much too bassy in the neck position. I've got the Jimmy Hetfield combo myself, though I'm looking on trading it out (shh, don't tell my pickups. I don't want my guitar to gently weep).

Bad puns mean it's time for me to go to bed.

So, can I have your Harrison...er, I mean Hetfield combo then please? :D

Regarding pickup placements:

You can always go down the Hammet route and have EMG81's in both neck and bridge...shrug.

You can get coil-tapable 81's now: EMG81TW

DJ

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Indeed. However the wiring loom for the coil tappable EMGs will differ from the exising "standard" quick connector type loom in the EC-1000. Not much work to replace it however.

Long story cut short - stop dreaming about the hyperbole surrounding the all-singing all-dancing ZW set. You pretty much already have it. If the 60 isn't giving you the right tone in the neck position, perhaps consider *trying* and 85 in there before you spunk money out on replacing it. Do any of the local pup merchants *allow* you to test-drive pickups models? DiMarzio do IIRC. Plus - don't spend over the odds for a set just because it has a chunky sweaty bloke on the front who plays guitar how you think you want to play guitar. It makes girls think you like men more than them, plus your sound should be developed by your ear, not your imagination and your wallet (as coaxed out by the marketing goons). I think in comparison, you would prefer an 81 or keeping the 60 instead of going the 85 route. They're really bass-heavy and have too flabby an output unless you play heavier gauges or longer scales ATME.

I am a service. A real service. Totally, I am.

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