Help! EMGs into an Axis

[neilg50]

I am taking out my stock humbuckers from my axis and putting in an EMG 89 and 85 - has anyone ever done this? If so how did you wire it retaining just a volume control and the 3 way pickup selector?. Many thanks.

 

[V_S]

Should be no problem... you can use the wiring diagramm that comes with the EMG pickups and just don't use the tonepot and -capacitor.

 

[V_S]

Should look like this:

 

[Dante]

that should be easy i think. and you still have to shave off a bit of the tabs on the pickup. emgs are bigger than marcies.

 

[bkrumme]

If we're talking EMG-89, there's the added push-pull pot to deal with.

You can get a diagram from EMG's website.

 

[Tim O'Sullivan]

If you want to sell the original pickups - there will be no end of takers!

 

[ShaneV]

If you want to sell the original pickups - there will be no end of takers!

Yeah, it'll be like Mad Max in here.

 

[bugbus]

Let me know how you like them. I have the 85 and 89 in another guitar and have considered moving them to my Axis since I don't play that other guitar anymore =D.

 

[Jason2112]

Let me know how you like them. I have the 85 and 89 in another guitar and have considered moving them to my Axis since I don't play that other guitar anymore =D.

Me too. I'm very curious to see how these guitars react to active pickups. I'm in the market for a "shredder" guitar right now, and am considering just putting a set of SD Blackouts (essentially the same thing as an EMG 81) in an Axis because I love the neck so much.

 

[neilg50]

Thanks for all the advice : I now have a dilemma! = The Axis will have to be dug out a bit to accomodate the emg's and I have since found out that my Axis was one of 130 made in this edition ( Black body, cream binding and scratchplate).. Who says I go for it and who says don't wreck it and leave it original?. The guitar is currently stripped of gear but I am now wandering if I have the balls to do it!!....

 

[V_S]

What's the problem exactly: widthe or depth of the pickups? If it's possible better mess with the pickups to fit.

 

[neilg50]

Depth of the bridge pickup bay needs to be dug a lot and a little more dug from the neck pickup bay plus a channel has to be dug between both emg's for the wiring too. It stands to be total carnage!!. I have had the axe for nearly ten years now and know what I am about to do cannot be reversed as I would have to replace the dug out wood if I want to put the original pickups back in.

 

[Tim O'Sullivan]

Surely the EMG's could be modified instead?

 

[V_S]

You know that you can install the active EMGs much nearer to the strings than passive pickups?

 

[Jason2112]

I would never suggest tearing up a guitar just for the sake of installing new pickups. I just don't understand the problem. It sounds like you have an Axis Sport (you mentioned a scratchplate), and if that's the case, I wouldn't worry too much about the value being terribly hurt due to some body routing that would be hidden by a pickguard. Why would you have to route a channel between the pickups? The neck and bridge pickups are already routed to the control cavity, just run the wires for the EMGs through the existing channels. Unless I'm missing something?

 

[Slav123]

I would buy the old style EMG pickups that don't have the new bulky connectors on the bottom of the pickups. This way, you will not have to do any digging or routing work (in the bottom part of the pickup cavities). In addition, I believe that the actual wires are also a bit thinner on the old style EMG pickups. You will still need to shave some of the pickup covers' side plastic off of the pickups to fit the guitar. In reference to the 89 pickup, if you are not planning to add a coil tap/split switch (since you have an Axis with only a volume control) I would just get another 85 pickup or even a better a 60. I made a 85 to 81 swap on a '94 Luke 1 with a Floyd and I made the mistake of giving my guitar tech the new (with the bulky pickup connector) 81 pickup and he had to route out a section of the wood out on the bottom of the pickup cavity to fit the new EMG 81 pickup (he told me after he did the work).

I would actually leave the guitar the way it is especially, since it's an uncommon or hard to find Axis.

All the best,
Slav

 

[bugbus]

Oops actually I have the 81 & 85. Talk about high output.

What's the 89?

 

[ShaneV]

Have you considered trying DiMarzio's D-Activator pickups? They built them to be passives that react, feel and have the output of EMGs, and every EMG player I've heard of who's tried them has really loved them. Being DiMarzios, they'd be an exact drop in, and at the very least would let you know if you like that style of pickup in the guitar with no permanent modifications.

 

[bkrumme]

Have you considered trying DiMarzio's D-Activator pickups? They built them to be passives that react, feel and have the output of EMGs, and every EMG player I've heard of who's tried them has really loved them. Being DiMarzios, they'd be an exact drop in, and at the very least would let you know if you like that style of pickup in the guitar with no permanent modifications.

D-Activators are actually better to me than EMGs. They have the high output of the EMGs but react better to pick dynamics and volume/tone adjustments. They're hot, but not sterile.

 

[Slav123]

Oops actually I have the 81 & 85. Talk about high output.

What's the 89?

An 89 is basically an 85 with coil splitting capabilities.