A Dead EMG?!

[Uplay_2slow]

So I installed a pair of 707's in my Ibanez RG1527 2 years ago, and they've always sounded / worked awesome.. But a couple of weeks ago, the neck position 707 completely stopped working. Whenever I switch to that pickup, there is no signal at all, nothing... All the wiring, switches and pots are completely fine. And the Quick Connector clip on the underside of the pickup still looks brand new (no electrical scoring or burn marks). I swapped the bridge and neck pickups (via the Quick-Connect) and determined that the pickup itself is faulty.

Has anybody here ever heard of something like this? I've been playing EMG's since '96, and I've never had a problem with any of them...

 

[awesomeaustin]

Bummer. Have you tried contacting EMG to see if there are any trouble shooting or warranty options?

 

[Uplay_2slow]

Yeah, I just emailed them yesterday. I'm not sure if they have some kind of warranty or anything (their site didn't specify). But this would definitely fall under the "product defect" category, right? It's not like I bashed it with a hammer and now I want to get a free one...

 

[awesomeaustin]

it depends on warranty length, if they have one, it's definitely a defect. usually electronics and stuff like pickups don't have a long warranty if any(i think a year is pretty average) Also, alot of comapnies require proof of purchase to validate warranty (i know fender does).

 

[brutalwizard]

i remember when my batteries died........

jk hope you figure out this warranty stuff

 

[Kamikaze7]

Yes, EMG does have a warranty period on all the pickups and electronics. The warranty period is 2 years from date of purchase. Judging by the logos, those are older pickups. Depending on when you bought them, your warranty period has passed on them.

As for the pickup itself, it's quite possible that the thing gave out... It's odd and strange that it just gave out with no warning like that... I would contact Rick - EMG's Tech Support - and ask him about this... In the meantime, I would double-check the neck pickup wire at the 3-way switch. Sometimes the connection goes bad due to a bad solder joint, or the wire becomes weak and breaks due to a sharp angle, something pushing on it, ect... The worst case is you may need to buy a new pickup. Sorry to hear about you issue and hope it gets resolved.

 

[GuitaristOfHell]

try a different battery possibly?

 

[Pengu]

may be the battery bro?

 

[Kamikaze7]

I seriously doubt that it's a battery... Although the pickup power wires that connect to the battery could be just like a weak or badly connected neck pickup wire on the switch...

 

[Sephael]

did no one read where he said he had swapped the pickups around via quick connect and ruled out everything else in the wiring to be working fine because he other pickup worked just fine in both positions?

 

[Cheesebuiscut]

did no one read where he said he had swapped the pickups around via quick connect and ruled out everything else in the wiring to be working fine because he other pickup worked just fine in both positions?

I'm quoting this as well because just a like isn't enough to express how far into my face my palm was when I read the shit posted just before you.

 

[Insightibanez]

I friend on mine had the same issue with his EMG, so I gave him a pair I wasn't using. Faulty pups I guess.

 

[Sephael]

I'm quoting this as well because just a like isn't enough to express how far into my face my palm was when I read the shit posted just before you.

I totally understand not reading every post, but to try offering advice and only reading the thread title and not the post itself is...wow.

 

[Cheesebuiscut]

I totally understand not reading every post, but to try offering advice and only reading the thread title and not the post itself is...wow.

Seriously gets me every time, kids who have just read these solutions on different threads see the title and auto post *herp derp this is what someone elses problem was let me not read yours and just assume and share info someone else on this forum has given 1000 times that you've probably already read.*

Its like when I made an amp suggestion thread and specifically stated how I hate 6505's and not to recommend it because I read this forum too and wanted different answers and the little kiddies came out to repeat what everyone else has said.




I apologize OP this isn't constructive in any way, I recall old threads where people have confirmed that emg's just sometimes stop working. What internally causes it (preamp failure etc) is unknown but once its borked its borked.

GL with a warranty or maybe emg will take care of you.

 

[Kamikaze7]

I agree with what you other guys were saying about just posting, BUT from the trouble-shooting I've done on EMG systems in the past, it can sometimes come down to a bad connection or wire. I'm not saying that it's the case here, but it is still a possibility. Just like it could very well be the pickup itself is just shot.

But like anything else, you can always start with the easiest and simplest things to check, and fix if it is something as simple as a bad connection or wire. Like anything else, start with the most simple and easiest, then work up to the most difficult, ruling out possibilities from one end to the other...

 

[Uplay_2slow]

Thanks for all the replies guys!

Hopefully I get a reply from EMG... If they tell me they can't do anything and I have to buy a new one, then so be it...

Then again, maybe it's time to look into some nice passives... I've been hearing some real nice tones from guys with the Bare Knuckle's in their 1527's...

 

[Murmel]

I just want to add that since he's been playing EMG's since '96 he probably already knows that they run on batteries..

 

[Rook]

One of the 81's from the only set of EMG's I've ever had died, I was disappoint. EMG replaced it very swiftly and without even asking when I bought it etc apparently (according to the shop I got it from), it was very strange. Cool though.

A friend of mine bought a guitar with an HZ H4 that never worked from the day he received the guitar, again got it swapped, but duds do exist.