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  • Charvel Desolation Active pups question

    Wondering if anyone knows if the active Charvel pups on the DS-2 can be swapped out for EMG 81/60s without a complete rewire? I guess I could break down the guitar but I wanted to see if anyone here knows first. Since some of the active models come with EMGs or the Duncan Blackouts I thought it might be reasonable to assume the wiring would be the same/similar to make building each model easier for Charvel??? or am I dreaming... lol.

    "Rule number one: In my van, it's Rush. All Rush, all the time. No exceptions. Rule number two: Nobody touch the red button. And I mean never touch the red button. Most importantly, rule number three: There's no jerking it in my van!"

    Kemper 600 watt Profiling Amp
    ENGL Powerball II
    Peavey 5150 4x12 Slant Cab
    Mesa 4 x 12 Slant Cab
    Marshall 2x12 Cab

    2010 Jackson SL2H Trans Blue
    1988 Charvel 750XL Trans Cherry Burst
    1989 Charvel 750XL Trans Cherry Burst Hardtail
    2011 Jackson DK2M Blue
    2011 Jackson DK2M Black
    1987 Charvel Model 2 White
    2012 Charvel Dimartini Crossed Swords
    1991 Charvel Dinky 080-SH Blue Crackle
    1990 Grover Jackson Dinky Trans Purple
    2010 Jackson Mutt Slime Green
    2012 Charvel Jap Pro Mod Candy Blue
    2006 Gibson Les Paul Custom Black
    2003 Gibson Les Paul R9 Custom Shop Reissue
    2013 Gibson Les Paul Studio Pro Silverburst
    2013 Epiphone Plus Top Pro w/ Bonamassa pups
    2014 PRS SE Custom 24 Emerald Green
    1987 Tokai Silver Star Strat

  • #2
    Well, the pups do hook right up but no dice...something in the wiring is different. I can get some sound but the tone is terrible. Waiting on my solderless wiring kit to come and do it up right. Oh well, it was worth a shot. If I was better at tracking down where each wire runs I am sure it could be modified but that is more work than I need! Too bad to...It would have been awesome to be able to just plug and unplug the pups. :think:
    "Rule number one: In my van, it's Rush. All Rush, all the time. No exceptions. Rule number two: Nobody touch the red button. And I mean never touch the red button. Most importantly, rule number three: There's no jerking it in my van!"

    Kemper 600 watt Profiling Amp
    ENGL Powerball II
    Peavey 5150 4x12 Slant Cab
    Mesa 4 x 12 Slant Cab
    Marshall 2x12 Cab

    2010 Jackson SL2H Trans Blue
    1988 Charvel 750XL Trans Cherry Burst
    1989 Charvel 750XL Trans Cherry Burst Hardtail
    2011 Jackson DK2M Blue
    2011 Jackson DK2M Black
    1987 Charvel Model 2 White
    2012 Charvel Dimartini Crossed Swords
    1991 Charvel Dinky 080-SH Blue Crackle
    1990 Grover Jackson Dinky Trans Purple
    2010 Jackson Mutt Slime Green
    2012 Charvel Jap Pro Mod Candy Blue
    2006 Gibson Les Paul Custom Black
    2003 Gibson Les Paul R9 Custom Shop Reissue
    2013 Gibson Les Paul Studio Pro Silverburst
    2013 Epiphone Plus Top Pro w/ Bonamassa pups
    2014 PRS SE Custom 24 Emerald Green
    1987 Tokai Silver Star Strat

    Comment


    • #3
      Bionic posted in one of the import Charvel threads that the Charvel branded pickups are made in house. I wonder if it is a set up like the old JE series with a board in the cavity.
      GTWGITS! - RacerX

      Comment


      • #4
        I will let you know when I tear it down this weekend. The EMG solderless kit will be here and I will be rewiring the whole shebang...the Desolation pups are pretty good but they just cannot hold a candle to the EMGs...The good news is when I am done I will have a DS-1 (essentially)! Other than the tone the guitar is pretty well built. Binding and inlays are nice and the finish is very good. Neck is smooth and feels smooth and fast...I would have preferred the buttery smooth feel of maple but this is a very nice guitar for the money.
        "Rule number one: In my van, it's Rush. All Rush, all the time. No exceptions. Rule number two: Nobody touch the red button. And I mean never touch the red button. Most importantly, rule number three: There's no jerking it in my van!"

        Kemper 600 watt Profiling Amp
        ENGL Powerball II
        Peavey 5150 4x12 Slant Cab
        Mesa 4 x 12 Slant Cab
        Marshall 2x12 Cab

        2010 Jackson SL2H Trans Blue
        1988 Charvel 750XL Trans Cherry Burst
        1989 Charvel 750XL Trans Cherry Burst Hardtail
        2011 Jackson DK2M Blue
        2011 Jackson DK2M Black
        1987 Charvel Model 2 White
        2012 Charvel Dimartini Crossed Swords
        1991 Charvel Dinky 080-SH Blue Crackle
        1990 Grover Jackson Dinky Trans Purple
        2010 Jackson Mutt Slime Green
        2012 Charvel Jap Pro Mod Candy Blue
        2006 Gibson Les Paul Custom Black
        2003 Gibson Les Paul R9 Custom Shop Reissue
        2013 Gibson Les Paul Studio Pro Silverburst
        2013 Epiphone Plus Top Pro w/ Bonamassa pups
        2014 PRS SE Custom 24 Emerald Green
        1987 Tokai Silver Star Strat

        Comment


        • #5
          Wiring answer...

          Well, I first plugged in the EMG 81/60 set right to the Charvel wiring...no dice. While the connectors are essentially the same, there is something very different in the wiring. You do get faint sound but I did not want to destroy my pups so on to the next step. Stripped out all the stock wiring, pots and jack. There was no board in the control cavity. All the wiring was soldered in a fairly standard config. Busy, messy cavity! lol. In went the EMG solderless wiring kit with 2 vol and 2 tone pots etc...fairly easy to install. Only real issues were the battery box had to be turned around facing the other direction so the battery cable would reach the battery and the bus...the biggest issue was the 3-way switch. For some reason (I am no expert) Charvel wired it with 6 leads instead of the standard 4. I had trouble tracking it down as there were 2 seperate white leads and finding where they terminated was difficult. So I desoldered it and re wired it in standard Les Paul 4 lead style...hooked it up and it works like a champ. The EMGs are far superior to the Stock Charvel actives. Mostly on the low end where the Desolation pups lacked balls, the EMGs bring the guitar to life! So I bought the guitar used for $250 and put another $125 in it for the pups and did all the work on it myself for a total of $375. Not too bad for a guitar that equals the DS-1 going for $500 - $600 bucks. That's my story and I am sticking to it! "E"
          "Rule number one: In my van, it's Rush. All Rush, all the time. No exceptions. Rule number two: Nobody touch the red button. And I mean never touch the red button. Most importantly, rule number three: There's no jerking it in my van!"

          Kemper 600 watt Profiling Amp
          ENGL Powerball II
          Peavey 5150 4x12 Slant Cab
          Mesa 4 x 12 Slant Cab
          Marshall 2x12 Cab

          2010 Jackson SL2H Trans Blue
          1988 Charvel 750XL Trans Cherry Burst
          1989 Charvel 750XL Trans Cherry Burst Hardtail
          2011 Jackson DK2M Blue
          2011 Jackson DK2M Black
          1987 Charvel Model 2 White
          2012 Charvel Dimartini Crossed Swords
          1991 Charvel Dinky 080-SH Blue Crackle
          1990 Grover Jackson Dinky Trans Purple
          2010 Jackson Mutt Slime Green
          2012 Charvel Jap Pro Mod Candy Blue
          2006 Gibson Les Paul Custom Black
          2003 Gibson Les Paul R9 Custom Shop Reissue
          2013 Gibson Les Paul Studio Pro Silverburst
          2013 Epiphone Plus Top Pro w/ Bonamassa pups
          2014 PRS SE Custom 24 Emerald Green
          1987 Tokai Silver Star Strat

          Comment


          • #6
            Thanks for the walk thru on your change out. Will be keeping an eye out for one of these cheap by years end. Sounds like a good option you found.

            Comment


            • #7
              Can I buy those charvel pups from you? PayPal or whatever?? Thank you...

              Comment


              • #8
                Those pups are long gone my friend. Sorry. Did that swap 4 years ago!
                "Rule number one: In my van, it's Rush. All Rush, all the time. No exceptions. Rule number two: Nobody touch the red button. And I mean never touch the red button. Most importantly, rule number three: There's no jerking it in my van!"

                Kemper 600 watt Profiling Amp
                ENGL Powerball II
                Peavey 5150 4x12 Slant Cab
                Mesa 4 x 12 Slant Cab
                Marshall 2x12 Cab

                2010 Jackson SL2H Trans Blue
                1988 Charvel 750XL Trans Cherry Burst
                1989 Charvel 750XL Trans Cherry Burst Hardtail
                2011 Jackson DK2M Blue
                2011 Jackson DK2M Black
                1987 Charvel Model 2 White
                2012 Charvel Dimartini Crossed Swords
                1991 Charvel Dinky 080-SH Blue Crackle
                1990 Grover Jackson Dinky Trans Purple
                2010 Jackson Mutt Slime Green
                2012 Charvel Jap Pro Mod Candy Blue
                2006 Gibson Les Paul Custom Black
                2003 Gibson Les Paul R9 Custom Shop Reissue
                2013 Gibson Les Paul Studio Pro Silverburst
                2013 Epiphone Plus Top Pro w/ Bonamassa pups
                2014 PRS SE Custom 24 Emerald Green
                1987 Tokai Silver Star Strat

                Comment


                • #9
                  hi all, can i change easily the active charvel pick ups with seymour duncan black outs on my charvel les paul ds 2 ?

                  thanks

                  Comment

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