How can I make my model 6 sound brighter?

[dan glover]

I have had this guitar for awhile and while I love the way it plays and its set up it always sounds like the tone nob is down halfway. I have put in an EMG 81(pickup height is correct) in the bridge and then I disconnected all the pickup selectors and tone nobs so its just the 81 going into the volume nob and then straight to the output. This cuts down on the amount of electronics the signal has to go through which makes it brighter. This worked but I still feel its not as bright as it should be. Is there any other way I can fix this before I cut my losses and sell it?

[Boxcar Willie 84]

Re: How can I make my model 6 sound brighter?

What kind of pots are in it?

[jazzman]

Re: How can I make my model 6 sound brighter?

Yeah, it could be the pots. Call EMG. If that don't work, I would just keep trying pickups. Every guitar I've ever owned has had the pickups changed at least a few times.

[nonamemx]

Re: How can I make my model 6 sound brighter?

Try a pot with a larger ohms rating, im not the expert on emgs, but they use a 25k for the vol, right?

Then try a 50k or 100k pot, radio shack has these types, i think, should only cost about $2 each

[Newc]

Re: How can I make my model 6 sound brighter?

As I recall, EMG states their pickups need a 25K pot - nothing higher.

It could be your amp as well. EMGs don't work too well with "just any old" amp setting, particularly if the tone you've dialed in was done using passive pickups.

I'd say it's the pot - make sure it's 25K and NOT 250K.

Newc

[taxistationary]

Re: How can I make my model 6 sound brighter?

EMG pots are specially designed to handle the impendance that the pickups put out. A standard pot doesn't give the pickup its full potential level/tone at all. An EMG with a 500K pot slaped on it is about as strong as a strat pickup.

[toejam]

Re: How can I make my model 6 sound brighter?

Maybe try turning up the treble on your amp? [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[nonamemx]

Re: How can I make my model 6 sound brighter?

ah, im sorry. I said I wasn't the expert on EMGs, or actives in general.

Im more of a DiMarzio guy [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[Ace]

Re: How can I make my model 6 sound brighter?

I just had a client that wanted me to brighten up his model 6. He had the stock circuitry, and he had not had the guitar in his possesion for about 2 years. In the mean time he had been playing a BC Rich with a maple fretboard and Tom Anderson pickups. That guitar was much brighter sounding, and when he got the Model 6 back, it sounded wrong to him. After we compared his Model 6 to mine, I decided that there was nothing "wrong" with his guitar. What I ended up doing was adding a second 9V battery to his guitar to bump the output to 18V. He plugged it in and within five seconds he decided that he loved it, and was very pleased. I played the guitar after I put the extra battery in myself, and I noticed a big difference in the sound. The guitar felt much more alive.

[dan glover]

Re: How can I make my model 6 sound brighter?

Thanx for the help. I know his isn't sopmething new to this guitar and its not just the pot for sure because before I put in the 81 it was even duller sounding. I also know that 25K is what EMG's are supposed to run at (or at least think thats what it said in the EMG installation sheet). I am interested to try putting in another nine volt though. Oh and by the way I have the treble on my amp on 10.

[dan glover]

Re: How can I make my model 6 sound brighter?

Well I was gonna try to put a second 9 volt on there, but I decided against it out of lazyness and the inconvenence of changing more then one battery. So I am just gonna play it as is, it is not as bright as my rhoads but I can live with that.

[mm2002]

Re: How can I make my model 6 sound brighter?

Well excuse me for my opinion but with a fukking name like ROTTING666CADAVER I think I'd have to assume that "brightness" really wouldn't be one of your concerns would it? Is it just me?

[Brad]

Re: How can I make my model 6 sound brighter?

[ QUOTE ]
Well excuse me for my opinion but with a fukking name like ROTTING666CADAVER I think I'd have to assume that "brightness" really wouldn't be one of your concerns would it? Is it just me?

[/ QUOTE ]

[img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] Fukkin Hilarious.... and the Irony of it all.... [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[nor]

Re: How can I make my model 6 sound brighter?

Q: How can I make my model 6 sound brighter?

A: Play smarter.

[img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[dan glover]

Re: How can I make my model 6 sound brighter?

Its not my playing... its the actual tone from the guitar. No matter what you do differently the guitar is just not naturally a guitar with alot of high end. Also just because I listen to death metal doesn't mean brightness isn't an issue ( i know you were kidding though). The brighter a guitar is, the more clearity you will have while playing through very high gain amp settings, and it will also cut better.