I've been trying to wire an emg 81 in a friends guitar and i can't get that shit to work. It's a BC Rich KKV with one tone and two independent volumes with a three way switch. We're keeping the original neck pickup and putting the 81 in the bridge. I checked emg's page and they said it was possible to wire a passive with an active, I wired it in exactly like the diagram said and it still doesn't work. I think it might have something to do with the switch but I'm not sure. If anyone has had a similar problem or could help me out, I'd appreciate it.

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what exactly doesnt work?? no sound, lots of buzz/noise

try to be a bit more specific, it might be easier for us to help then

also it is possible to wire a passive and active together, but i dno if its that easy, also, did you use the stereo jackinput that came with the emg pickup??

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when i try to wire it the way i described above i get no sound. yes, i used everything that came with the package. when i pull the cord about half way out, then i can get some sound, but it can be controlled by the volume or anything. I tried wiring it without the switch or neck pickup and works just fine. so if there's anything else i could tell you that would help, just let me know.

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im no electronics expert but i guess its the whole passive/active mixing, if i remember correctly, you need some kind of DC resistor?? (whatever its called) to mix the active with the passive pickups.

try searching for actives passive, or sumtin along those lines, i remember their being a thread about mixing actives and passives toghether.

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thanks

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That "pulling the cord halfway out" thing is a common problem, but I'll be buggered if I can remember what it is.

Because EMGs use a stereo jack to turn them "on and off" so the battery doesn't run flat when the guitar is unplugged, it might be something to do with that.

http://www.emginc.com/support.asp

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why dont you just wire the emg 81 on its own for the moment. forget the passive at the neck. get an emg 85 later on.
mixing passives and actives is just too much trouble to be bothered with imo

dont listen to him... hes crazy. be unique, just like everybody else, mix your pickups!

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He does have a point though, my mate has an 89 in the bridge of his Ibanez RG, and an 85 in the neck, with the passive single coil in the middle position and his wiring is a mess and the volume controls don't work properly, and the tone is somehow a volume.

I've heard that because the passive pickup is not preamped (so.. passive) it's usually a lot quieter than the active pickup.

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