NoInnerKind

A while back, I had a local guitar shop install my EMG's into my Epiphone Les Paul Custom. When I picked the guitar up, the girl who installed them told me that I'd have to crank the volume on my amp to hear my neck pickup. I didn't ask questions, I just wanted to take my guitar home and try it out. Fast forward to now, and I regret not asking why. Since I have no idea how to install pickups, I paid almost $100 for this girl to install them for me, and I don't think she did it right. She wasn't kidding when she said I had to crank the volume. Everything else works fine, except the neck pickup. Any tips, people? Also, forgive me if I sound like an idiot. First time changing pickups in a guitar and wasn't expecting to get ripped off.

AndyGray

Have you called the shop & asked?

W4RP1G

Boy, you got ripped off good. You paid someone $100 to install solderless pickups, and they did a poor job on top of that....

If moving the neck pickup closer to the strings doesn't make it loud enough, then perhaps the pickup isn't getting current to the premp from the battery. I'm not entirely certain if you do have the solderless EMGS though, it depends on how old they are. But if not, it's entirely possible that the battery wire for the neck pickup isn't soldered to the battery, or is poorly soldered.

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tas38

I think I found the problem.

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NoInnerKind

Well, I don't want to take it back to the place that ripped me off. They'll only charge me more money to fix the mistake they made. Any ways I can troubleshoot this problem?

NoInnerKind

I had a feeling somebody would say this hahaha.

NoInnerKind

Update: I've adjusted the height of the neck pickup as high as it could go without hitting the strings and there was some improvement, but still can't hear it when I switch to a clean channel.

Cathbard

EMG have wiring instructions on their website. Compare that to what you have and fix it.

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NoInnerKind

I have no experience in installing pickups, so I don't know what to look for, or even how to fix it.

jthm_guitarist

Either it's time to learn (it's not hard) or go back to the shop and demand they fix it. $100 is too much for an installation and they didn't even do it right.

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Cathbard

That's why you find instructions. There's probably youtube tutorials for it even. It aint rocket science.

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Yamaha SBG500
Telecaster
Ibanez Iceman
Roland GP-8
Quadraverb
Abbey Harmonic II
Marshall JTM45 clone
Marshall JCM900 4102 (modded)
Marshall 18W clone
Fender 5F1 Champ clone
Marshall 1960A

Cathbard Amplification

syzee

perhaps take the cover of the cavity on the back of the guitar and take a picture and post it on here..... there may be something obvious that one of us can see?

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Dave_Mc

you got ripped

emgs should be super hot

they screwed up and palmed you off with a half-assed explanation

i'd go back and complain. you can do what cath says (and that's good advice generally), but you should be covered if you paid for work and it was done poorly, it's up to them to put it right.

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GeetarHeero

When did you buy them? If they are relatively new they are solderless assuming you bought them new. If this is the case, it's definitely something you could fix yourself with an online vid or other guide.

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NoInnerKind

It was a few months ago that I bought the pickups. So not really new. I think I'm just gonna take it back to the shop and ask them to fix it, or may just take it to another shop out of town.

Carl21221

Check everything is connected correctly inside. Change the battery too just incase

If all else fails, take the mofo back and demand a refund or them to put it right!

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crabstampede

An 85 in the neck should be super loud. Take it back and tell them you know they did it wrong. Tell them that you expect them to fix THEIR MISTAKE for free.

I got a guitar repaired at a shop for fret buzz. After I got it back 2 weeks later, it was still bad. The supervisor walked by when I was saying that it is no better and he nearly flipped. He told the guy that was helping me to send it back to the repair guy and that HE was doing it for free. There is no reason that you should be paying for shoddy work.

Another time, I was playing a PRS Tremonti SE at a store on a recommendation from a sales guy. When I switched over to the neck pickup, the overdrive I was getting from the amp went to basically clean. On the clean channel it was inaudible. I asked about this and he said it was "some kind of low-pass filter". I gave the guitar back to him and walked out. Went back about 2 hours later and bought a killer LTD from a different guy. You got to be able to see through this shit.

Just demand it. They can't treat you like that.

PS You got totally ripped off on a $100 pickup installation. Especially on a solderless kit like EMGs are. Good luck dude.

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Offworld92

Educate yourself. EMGs are super easy to install, the solderless versions (which you probably have if you bought them a couple months ago) are stupid easy to install.

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HUMANIZER

This isn't 1968. Use the volume knob.

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NoInnerKind

Alright. Think I got enough info. I'll take it back to the shop and demand they fix their mistake. If they won't, then at least I have the video to try and do it myself. Thanks for the help guys.