Installing EMG's

blackelement · 08-08-2009, 10:07 PM

I am installing a set of EMG's into my Les Paul. Do I need to still use the metal plate in the control cavity to install the EMG volume and tone pots? Or should that be left out?

Any help, links, etc. on this installation would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

jrnic · 08-09-2009, 02:17 AM

Depends on you. You don't have to if you don't want to. Plenty of people have done it here. The main reason for the plate is for grounding issues. EMG's don't have to be grounded to your bridge. They're supposed to be isolated from it. It would work quite easy without the plate. Just use the shorter shaft pots. (The longer ones are made for use with the metal plate.) Think of it this way. If you remove the entire plate with all the controls, you can tuck it away and re-install it to make the guitar original again.

As for links, go to EMG's web site. They have great wire diagrams for their pickups with different combinations if you want to customize it.

blackelement · 08-09-2009, 02:26 AM

Thanks for your help! I ordered the pickups with Long shaft pots thinking I needed them. Of course, once I took the plate out and put a volume/tone pot in I realized they were to long

Could I use the washers etc. from the plate to take up the extra length? Or just use the plate to install all pots and wires and then attach it to the body?

Of course, if i use the plate I figure I would remove the original output jack wiring and bypass the center section of the plate where the output jack and other wires attached too? Is that right?

Sorry for all the questions... just trying to get an idea of how to do this!

Beerdog80 · 08-09-2009, 03:07 AM

Epiphone Les Pauls use the short shaft pots since the tops on those are really thin. Gibson Les Pauls require the long shaft pots. To adjust the height of the pot, just use the washers that came with the EMG kit.

In my Gibson Les Paul, I took out the plate and used the long shaft pots that came with EMG's kit.

blackelement · 08-09-2009, 10:05 AM

Ok, makes sense. I'll try that and see how it comes out. Thanks for your input.

jrnic · 08-11-2009, 01:40 AM

If you want to, you can removed everything from the plate and start from scratch with the new electronics. It should work fine.

08-08-2009, 10:07 PM	#1 (permalink)
blackelement Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 3 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Installing EMG's I am installing a set of EMG's into my Les Paul. Do I need to still use the metal plate in the control cavity to install the EMG volume and tone pots? Or should that be left out? Any help, links, etc. on this installation would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

08-09-2009, 02:17 AM	#2 (permalink)
jrnic Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 384 Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 1 Post	Re: Installing EMG's Depends on you. You don't have to if you don't want to. Plenty of people have done it here. The main reason for the plate is for grounding issues. EMG's don't have to be grounded to your bridge. They're supposed to be isolated from it. It would work quite easy without the plate. Just use the shorter shaft pots. (The longer ones are made for use with the metal plate.) Think of it this way. If you remove the entire plate with all the controls, you can tuck it away and re-install it to make the guitar original again. As for links, go to EMG's web site. They have great wire diagrams for their pickups with different combinations if you want to customize it.

08-09-2009, 02:26 AM	#3 (permalink)
blackelement Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 3 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Installing EMG's Thanks for your help! I ordered the pickups with Long shaft pots thinking I needed them. Of course, once I took the plate out and put a volume/tone pot in I realized they were to long Could I use the washers etc. from the plate to take up the extra length? Or just use the plate to install all pots and wires and then attach it to the body? Of course, if i use the plate I figure I would remove the original output jack wiring and bypass the center section of the plate where the output jack and other wires attached too? Is that right? Sorry for all the questions... just trying to get an idea of how to do this!

08-09-2009, 03:07 AM	#4 (permalink)
Beerdog80 Senior Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 5,265 Thanks: 5 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Installing EMG's Epiphone Les Pauls use the short shaft pots since the tops on those are really thin. Gibson Les Pauls require the long shaft pots. To adjust the height of the pot, just use the washers that came with the EMG kit. In my Gibson Les Paul, I took out the plate and used the long shaft pots that came with EMG's kit. __________________

08-09-2009, 10:05 AM	#5 (permalink)
blackelement Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 3 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Installing EMG's Ok, makes sense. I'll try that and see how it comes out. Thanks for your input.

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08-11-2009, 01:40 AM	#6 (permalink)
jrnic Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 384 Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 1 Post	Re: Installing EMG's If you want to, you can removed everything from the plate and start from scratch with the new electronics. It should work fine.

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