Preventing EMG logo deterioration

[Samark]

I have a pair of NOS EMGs (81/85) and am putting them in my newly refinished guitar. I’ve noticed that over time, the EMG logos deteriorate/fade, likely due to the corrosiveness of sweat. Whilst I’ve never had problems with hardware doing this, they are old logo EMGs and I don’t want this to happen.

I was thinking of using masking tape to create a rectangle around the logos and then spraying a matte clear coat (3 or so coats).

What does everyone think here? Any other ideas you may have? Please share

*first pic is my pickup and the colour I chose for the refinish (not my guitar)



*second pic is an example of logo deterioration

 

[Nightside]

Yeah you need to be careful of the logo area. The more desirable old logo EMGs are only going up in value as they become rarer.

It would be great if there were a way to just dip the whole pickup into a matt rubberized clear protective coating.

 

[crimson]

Yeah you need to be careful of the logo area. The more desirable old logo EMGs are only going up in value as they become rarer.

It would be great if there were a way to just dip the whole pickup into a matt rubberized clear protective coating.

I didn't even know about that...

I always thought having it disappear was a good thing because it means I'm actually playing the guitar.

 

[Grindspine]

If the clearcoat is done wrong, it'll undo the "NOS" status of the pickup more quickly than play wear would.

The best way to keep the logo intact is to not play it.

Alternately, you could sell the NOS logo ones and get some EMG Metalworks style covered pickups where the logo shouldn't wear since its etched into metal.

 

[sonoftheoldnorth]

Maybe get a bottle of transparent matte top coat nail varnish stuff with the little brush and dab a bit on every now and then.

However, this is like one of those can't tell if thread and replies are serious or not.

 

[Nightside]

Or just pop in the old logo EMGs for photos and display and use new ones for playing.

 

[lewis]

Id just shelve this in packaging and buy a new one to use (whilst letting this old one become more and more valuable over time)
The subtle tonal differences arent enough to worry about not just using a new one instead tbh

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

I wonder if you can re-paint the logo with a similar paint and rub off the excess?

 

[Noisy Humbucker]

Did you try contacting EMG?

 

[Spaced Out Ace]

Not only are we telling each other that "older EMGs had better tone/output" but that "older logo EMGs are more desirable."

I have a ton of EMGs and I couldn't care less what the logos looked like, mainly because it isn't something I look at all that often.

 

[Noisy Humbucker]

Not really a fan of active pickups these days, but I prefer the old logo if for no other reason than the era(s) they represent.

 

[spudmunkey]

I'm imagine some sort of sheet material acting like durable screen protector, car paint protecting film, or like those clear adhesive acoustic pickguards, but all of those would be smooth/glossy.

 

[TheWarAgainstTime]

Not only are we telling each other that "older EMGs had better tone/output" but that "older logo EMGs are more desirable."

I have a ton of EMGs and I couldn't care less what the logos looked like, mainly because it isn't something I look at all that often.

I do prefer the look/font of the old logo, but I don't care enough to pay a premium for them. I got lucky and won an auction for an old logo 81/60 set a while back, but I would have been just as happy with the new ones for the price as for the "tonal difference" issue, I just put it in the same BS category as block vs script logo 5150 heads

I would think a very thin layer of clear coat would help preserve the logo, but you would either have to use a very fine brush and only go over the actual lines that make up the letters or go over the entire surface of the pickup. Otherwise, there may be a noticeable difference in texture, depth, or glossiness if you just do one broad stroke around the logo

 

[gclef]

Seriously? This is a thing? Wow, lol.

"I am building an 80s throwback guitar with emgs and need period correct logos....."

Are we restoring a car here or what?

I didn't know old emgs were a thing either.
Aren't they the most consistent pickup maker or something?

 

[crimson]

Seriously? This is a thing? Wow, lol.

"I am building an 80s throwback guitar with emgs and need period correct logos....."

Are we restoring a car here or what?

I didn't know old emgs were a thing either.
Aren't they the most consistent pickup maker or something?

Yeah - it's just for the logo. If I have learned anything, it's that guitar enthusiasts have some sort of obsessive compulsion. I mean, ESP Standard goes for $2000+ and it's the same as EII and people out here saying they prefer one logo over another and would pay $500-600 more just for that.

When I arrived to this thread, I didn't even know which one was the old and which one was the new logo if I'm being honest. I had to Google it and find a Reverb listing.

EMG 81 and SA Pickups (Old Logo and Quick Connect) | Reverb

Selling an old EMG 81 and an SA. They have the old logo and the quick connectors. I just have too many pickups and simply don't need these. They work great, have a bit of wear as you can see. The 81 was made in 2007, not sure when the SA was made. They sound exactly as they should!EMG Verbiage on...

reverb.com

But I get it, I'm pretty particular myself. I expect my guitars to be perfect to my specifications in one way or another. I just don't tend to focus on logos on that granular of an aspect. Seems like pulling hair.

 

[gclef]

Yeah - it's just for the logo. If I have learned anything, it's that guitar enthusiasts have a disorder. I mean, ESP Standard goes for $2000+ and it's the same as EII and people out here saying they prefer one logo over another and would pay $500-600 more just for that.

When I arrived to this thread, I didn't even know which one was the old and which one was the new logo if I'm being honest. I had to Google it and find a Reverb listing.

EMG 81 and SA Pickups (Old Logo and Quick Connect) | Reverb

Selling an old EMG 81 and an SA. They have the old logo and the quick connectors. I just have too many pickups and simply don't need these. They work great, have a bit of wear as you can see. The 81 was made in 2007, not sure when the SA was made. They sound exactly as they should!EMG Verbiage on...

reverb.com

You are so right about the disorder.

TGP is filled with them! Lol.
Perhaps here too.

A les paul has to say gibson on it, right?

There is also an obsession/belief that anything older is better, or that early production ones were somehow made differently and "sound totally different".

 

[Crungy]

@Samark if you had more EMG's or knew others with EMG's you could talk to a screen print or pad pad print shop about a clear over print to protect it. They would be able to get the overprint to be fairly close in size over the original logo and put a decent ink on it. It would be an easy part to make a holding fixture for and print accurately.

I recommend doing more than a couple pickups because it may be expensive but if you spread it out over more parts it would be cheaper. I do pad printing but I'm in the US.

 

[c7spheres]

Not only are we telling each other that "older EMGs had better tone/output" but that "older logo EMGs are more desirable."

I have a ton of EMGs and I couldn't care less what the logos looked like, mainly because it isn't something I look at all that often.

I've noticed the main difference between old and new logo is that it's the changing of pots. The old logo with solder connections and old pots make it sound better, imo. - I can certainly tell a big difference in sound when I tried quick connects in an Agile with new logo 707's and old wiring compared to same exact everything with quick connect system. I put the old stuff/pots back in immediately. The biggest factor in tone even with a quick connect system is the height, as we've all taked about before. The height greatly changes the pickups tone and response, It's a game of fractions of a millimeter.

- THe logo is to delicat and wears. If you want it to stay and not be altered don't play them. Otherwise get some gold or silver.copper paint and redo it if needed If this is a show piece guitar then don't play it. I thin it's better when they're worn off, then nobody can tell what model youre' using. lol.

 

[lewis]

Kind of in the same bracket as people trying to sell a single 68' Gibson screw for thousands on Reverb

 

[Crungy]

Kind of in the same bracket as people trying to sell a single 68' Gibson screw for thousands on Reverb

I've been looking for one of those! /s