Opinions on Diezel VH4 & EMG pickups.

Hi, I'm running a vh4 through an old Marshall 4x12 with v30's and g12-75's in a X pattern. My guitar is a Les Paul Custom w/emg 18 and 85 (zakk wylde set up). I have recently done the 18v mod to it.
Anyhow, I tried it at practice tonight and using the channel two with gain set at 12 oclock,channel vol at 12 oclock, and master on about 9 oclock. The sound is just weak! We play acdc covers, so I cant dial in too much gain or it will be overkill! Is there a way to fatten up the sound(change valves etc) or do you think the EMg's are just a bad match for the amp?

I'm not an expert on the AC/DC style stuff, but I don't think it is the pickups and the amp not meshing. It's probably the pickups just not being the best for AC/DCish classic rock tones; they are very tight, have a prominent and very strident midrange, and tend to not be very dynamic or organic (which I think allows them to stay so tight and articulate in high gain metal situations). I dig EMGs in some situations, but if I was going for classic sounds I'd opt for something different.

+1

It would seem to me if Angus used Gibson guitars/pickups and your going for his sound, I'd get some 57 classics in that bad boy, they'll be much fatter as well. Plus, Diezels like lower output pups alot. That or you need to trade that for a Herbie... the 2nd channel (-) mode nails the old school sound perfect. While thats not really my thing, I had my Herbie sent back to me from Salwender with channel two set up perfect for it, which I guess is what Peter had it set to, since he worked on it, and I'm sure he was the one jammin it up, and it had the most awesome old school marshall thing going on, almost had me going all classic rock and stuff haha.

-Nick

P.S. I don't know if you were getting badass classic rock tone with the speakers you have before the vh4, but I'd get some G12h30's or something not quite so modernly voiced(tight/crisp).

I've found the EMG 85/81 to be the most robust live pickup I've ever tried...

I use them in my Les Paul and my PRS along with my VH4.

After trying the 18v mod I reverted back to 9v out of personal preferance. Although the 18v mod takes away the signature EMG sound, it does make it sound like an ordianry pickup to some extent...

It's interesting what people say about Diezels liking lower output pickups... For me, I get a lot more clarity from my EMGs, but my lower output pickups do sing.

What I might try doing is the 18v mod and lowring the ouput of them (guitar volume knob) to see if that will give me the sound that i'm looking for...

Either way, I'm sticking with EMG 85/81. Even though I don't play metal, there's something about my Les Paul and EMGs that speak to me personally...

One trick to try is to use a bog-standard boss overdrive pedal OD1 in front of the clean channel... I got some really nice things from that combo, especially using the 81.

Hope this helps...

John

Hey, thanks to you all for the advice. I know what you mean about the pickups not being voiced for the 'classic rock' type tone. I agree, and thats probably the problem. I just a/b my LP standard with the custom and the tones are worlds apart! I'm gona stick with my standard (tonezone in the bridge).
Infact, I think I might take the emg's out altogether. Fancy some Bareknuckle's. ,just not sure which one