EMG's

[AStarUpInTheSky]

i have a question regarding EMG's and the power from the 9 volt battery. it would seem to me that from the minute EMG's were in use they would start to constantly lose the power to amplify the signal or whatever it is that they do ? i really want to pick up a set of emg's for one of my guitars but im kinda worried about the battery life. i checked the emg website and it says they last for a while but for me this is kinda hard to understand WHY they would last for a while ? i know somethings take less power than others..but..to me..power drain is power drain..right ?

[man-in-moon]

i had a set in one of my guitars that i just played for like an hour aday and i had the smae battery in there for about 2 months and never noticed a change in sound. the pickups only use the battery when the chord is plugged in so as long as you unplug the chord from your guitar they should last a long time.

[Loserchief]

i never had problems with the battery lifeon my emgs. I use a high-level rechargeable 9V-block and it holds up for about 3 months without weakening.

[ztevie]

i have a question regarding EMG's and the power from the 9 volt battery. it would seem to me that from the minute EMG's were in use they would start to constantly lose the power to amplify the signal or whatever it is that they do ? i really want to pick up a set of emg's for one of my guitars but im kinda worried about the battery life. i checked the emg website and it says they last for a while but for me this is kinda hard to understand WHY they would last for a while ? i know somethings take less power than others..but..to me..power drain is power drain..right ?

Batterypower doesn't work like that. A battery is supposed to give 9 volts under it's entire life time. A really good battery is supposed to go from 9 to 0 volts when it's drained in a very short period of time...

[rinse_master]

EMG quotes 3000 hrs IIRC, and teah, they don't power up until you put the cord in the guitar (that's why they have a stereo jack)

I have never heard of anyone complain of short battery life, you should be fine...

[some_dude]

Batterypower doesn't work like that. A battery is supposed to give 9 volts under it's entire life time. A really good battery is supposed to go from 9 to 0 volts when it's drained in a very short period of time...

+1.

[JB_From_Hell]

Ztevie is right. This whole "batteries are inconvenient and inferior" myth is just that. It's the same as a pedal. Does it sound progressively worse and worse each time you use it? No, it sounds the same forever, then starts sounding bad shortly before the 9v craps out.

Anothe active myth that needs dispelled is the "the battery will crap out in the middle of a solo" idea. Unless you totally ignore the fact that your guitar sounds like sh*t for plenty of time to change the battery, this will not happen.

[WICKED LESTER]

what i do in my ZAKK lester is use two 9 volts in parallel
the second 9 volt battery is a back up to the first

here from the EMG site,

Can I use multiple batteries?

You can also wire two batteries in parallel to provide a regular 9 volt supply but with much longer lifespan between battery changes.

Although most of our products are rated for 27 volts, we recommend a maximum of 18 volts. The additional benefits of 27 vs. 18 volts are negligible.

[Luke Duke]

So what's the tone difference between 9 and 18 volts?

Luke

[ranalli]

One battery lasted for over a year in my Les Paul and that was 3 gigs a week plus rehearsals.

[WICKED LESTER]

So what's the tone difference between 9 and 18 volts?

Luke

LUKE it gives the pups more headroom and makes them crisper when tow 9 volts are wired in series
I like the 9 volt more wired with another 9 volt in parallel for extended battery life
it does NOT change the tone though