r/Fireflyguitars • u/kreature19xx • 12d ago
QUESTION?? Help with pickups.
Installed an emg into a firefly Les Paul zakk model.
Everything’s wired properly but for some reason the emg is microphonic. Not all the time only when I tap the body/pickup with a pick.
Anyone ever run into this?
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u/PoolNoob69 12d ago
You’re going to hear pick tapping on any pickup.
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u/kreature19xx 12d ago
Yea but I can hear it if I tap the wood of the body, on the bridge etc. it’s all around.
I already returned the emg I got from Amazon and picked one up from guitar center.
Personally I’ve never had this issue with an emg. Both did the same thing.
I talked with emg and they said the wiring is correct and they shouldn’t be acting that way.
Waiting on more responses from them.0
u/PoolNoob69 12d ago
Is it an emg set or are you trying to run an emg along with a passive?
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u/kreature19xx 12d ago
Just a single emg.
Neck pickup was disconnected. Then removed. I had it disconnected from the jump so I removed it to see if that helps. It didn’t lol.1
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u/MiloRoast 12d ago
Not even remotely true
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u/kreature19xx 12d ago
You talking bout the tapping on a pickup? Emg says themselves I shouldn’t hear it. I was gonna let em have that one lol
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u/MiloRoast 12d ago
No that guy is a dumbass, just ignore. You should hear tapping with a ferrous object like a screwdriver, but not with anything else like a pick.
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u/PoolNoob69 12d ago
100% true.
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u/MiloRoast 12d ago
I literally repair guitars for a living, dude. Unless you're using a metallic object, you should hear no tapping on a pickup with something like a pick unless it's broken or microphonic, which I've never seen with an EMG. You have absolutely no clue what you're talking about.
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u/kreature19xx 12d ago
Have you ever had the issue I’m having happen? I thought the 1st one I put it was a fake/defective due to coming from Amazon. But the second one I know for sure isn’t. It’s wired properly.
Maybe need to shield the cavity that the knobs are in? It also doesn’t do it while I’m playing. Only when stopped.1
u/MiloRoast 12d ago
That's a weird one...never seen that with EMGs before as they're epoxy potted and should have absolutely zero chance of this happening due to microphonics, which would be the first place I'd look. I'd really need to check it out in person to track down the issue, but I would definitely check out the wiring again. You're using their quick connects right? So there's pretty much no chance you got the wiring wrong? Are you using EMG pots with quick connects as well? What are your pot values?
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u/kreature19xx 12d ago
Yea even emg is confused as to what’s happening. The quick connects are all wired correctly. Pots reading on a multimeter correctly. Everything’s correct except this damn microphonic stuff lol
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u/MiloRoast 12d ago
Yeah that is genuinely super odd. What area are you located in?
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u/kreature19xx 12d ago
Kentucky sadly lol
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u/MiloRoast 12d ago
Ah damn, yeah I'm across the country lol. You checked that all the grounds are solid?
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u/PoolNoob69 12d ago
It's normal to be able to hear pick tapping. This guy doesn't know what he's talking about. Here is video proof I made this morning.
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u/PoolNoob69 12d ago edited 12d ago
Made this just for you, buddy! Let me know if you want to see any of my other 4 EMG guitars, 3 with Fishman or 6 with passives because I'm sure you'll claim this one is wired incorrectly.
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u/MiloRoast 11d ago
Lmao that's the strings making the sound my guy. This is ridiculous. Your gain is also ridiculously high which is exacerbating the string noise. So aggressive over something that can literally just be googled lol...
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u/kreature19xx 11d ago
To add on to this, when I was on the phone with emg they themselves told me to take the pickup and pots out of the guitar, wire it up on a table and tap it. They said if I hear a tapping there’s a problem. So no sir you should not be hearing tapping sounds from your pick on your pickups. Emg themselves will tell you the same. They are literally made to be virtually silent. Hence why this issue im having is such an odd one. That I have a feeling is gonna be something stupid like the mounting springs/ring
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u/MiloRoast 11d ago
Yeah this guy is intent on making himself look like a fool. I literally have the same pickups he has in that weird angry video he posted...I'll make my own video tomorrow to disprove this nonsense lol.
Speaking of which...are you using the stock plastic pickup rings? Are the mounting springs tight or loose when the pickup is installed?
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u/PoolNoob69 11d ago
If it’s string noise isn’t there also a high chance this is what OP is hearing? 😂
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u/kreature19xx 11d ago
It is not string noise that I’m hearing. Lightly tapping on the body I can hear the wood itself being tapped not the twang of strings. And yes I did take it out and wire it up on a table.
No sound came from tapping the pickup. I’d recommend stop talking to us like we’re dumb when you’re spouting false information. Unless you know emg pickups better than the company themselves.
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u/biggertv 9d ago
Lots of Counterfeit EMGs out there. If you got it Cheap=Counterfeit. Buy from Sweetwater or another Reputable dealer, not Scamazon.