EMG Hetfield set - 18v mod?

  • Thread starter Thread starter The_Kid
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The_Kid

The_Kid

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I'm aware of the 18v mod for regular EMG's....my girlfriend got me the Hetfield set for christmas and i'm curious if the headroom in these is more than a regular pair of EMG's. I've noticed with my rig that when I go to dig into a pinch harmonic, sometimes I can hear it compress and squash the output....not sure the Hetfields are the same and doing the 18v mod would be beneficial. I'm dropping my guitar off with my guy this weekend to have ready for next weeks full band show....

Thanks in advance! Happy Holidays/New Year!!
 
So you haven't installed them to see if there is a problem yet? If so, I would try them out first after proper installation and see what you think.
 
No. The headroom isn't any more than regular EMG's (non-X series). It's the exact same preamp. The 18V mod benefits these pickups more than the rest of the EMG lineup because the pickups themselves are hotter and louder before the preamp, so at 9V, they clip really hard. Harder than the standard 81/60 set.

I've never understood people who claim these are more passive-like. They're louder, and at 9V, they're technically more compressed than the 81/60. That's just my opinion, but I am going on the fact that they've got the exact same amount of headroom. I've recorded DI's with them and classic EMG's. Same goes for the 57/66 set. They all peak at exactly the same level, unlike the X series.

I do like these pickups, though. Great attack and slightly more chunk and power than the standard 81, which I also love.
 
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Rex Rocker said:
No. The headroom isn't any more than regular EMG's (non-X series). It's the exact same preamp. The 18V mod benefits these pickups more than the rest of the EMG lineup because the pickups themselves are hotter and louder before the preamp, so at 9V, they clip really hard. Harder than the standard 81/60 set.

I've never understood people who claim these are more passive-like. They're louder, and at 9V, they're technically more compressed than the 81/60. That's just my opinion, but I am going on the fact that they've got the exact same amount of headroom. I've recorded DI's with them and classic EMG's. They all peak at exactly the same level, unlike the X series.

I do like these pickups, though. Great attack and slightly more chunk and power than the standard 81, which I also love.
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Maybe because of this. James Hetfield wondered, "Why can't I get the clarity and punch of a passive pickup - and the fat wall of sound of an active '81?" Straight from the EMG website.
 
Yes i agree trying out them out first... but, maybe im wrong in thinking this way.... my guitar is getting a fresh rewire from the slaughter job the last guy did. Why not have the 18v mod wired in. And if its not needed i just have an empty 9v connection? Or is there deteiment for that?

The current guy is a well trusted. Well known touring guitar tech with people like nugent/cheap trick... etc... needlessly.. he is a qualified guy. The last guy cut off the quick connects because he "didnt trust them" and since he wired my current ones in ive had static and signal output inconsistency. At this point i just want a fresh install, done right.

I think ill have him do it, if he thinks there is room for it... i know there was a pretty sweet adapter being sold online that made that upgrade even easier to do your self too.
 
Rex Rocker said:
No. The headroom isn't any more than regular EMG's (non-X series). It's the exact same preamp. The 18V mod benefits these pickups more than the rest of the EMG lineup because the pickups themselves are hotter and louder before the preamp, so at 9V, they clip really hard. Harder than the standard 81/60 set.

I've never understood people who claim these are more passive-like. They're louder, and at 9V, they're technically more compressed than the 81/60. That's just my opinion, but I am going on the fact that they've got the exact same amount of headroom. I've recorded DI's with them and classic EMG's. Same goes for the 57/66 set. They all peak at exactly the same level, unlike the X series.

I do like these pickups, though. Great attack and slightly more chunk and power than the standard 81, which I also love.
Click to expand...
People hear differently, of course. Personally, I had them in an Explorer, and I found them LESS compressed and more passive feeling than the 81/85's. I actually really dug them, and I'm not a big active fan.
 
The_Kid said:
Yes i agree trying out them out first... but, maybe im wrong in thinking this way.... my guitar is getting a fresh rewire from the slaughter job the last guy did. Why not have the 18v mod wired in. And if its not needed i just have an empty 9v connection? Or is there deteiment for that?

The current guy is a well trusted. Well known touring guitar tech with people like nugent/cheap trick... etc... needlessly.. he is a qualified guy. The last guy cut off the quick connects because he "didnt trust them" and since he wired my current ones in ive had static and signal output inconsistency. At this point i just want a fresh install, done right.

I think ill have him do it, if he thinks there is room for it... i know there was a pretty sweet adapter being sold online that made that upgrade even easier to do your self too.
Click to expand...
Try them out, man.

I actually found that when I 18V-modded my old Hets, they had the exact same headroom as Duncan Blackouts at 9V. They're about as loud/hot too, just a whole lot tighter. I much prefer EMG's to Blackouts, personally.
 
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