# EMG 707 18v pickup mod??



## axechain (Jun 26, 2007)

...so what do you think is it a big difference and is it much better for metal playing and for playing with tube equipment???(modding the setup for the emg active pickup so it will have two 9v batteries)


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## thadood (Jun 27, 2007)

More organic is all that I have to say. Much better =)


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## daemon barbeque (Jun 27, 2007)

i get more dynamics with 18V.And that work "more organic" fore some ,but some find it loose sounding!So you might try it out..
And keep in mind that the gain structure differs too.So maybe you might not like it!


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## axechain (Jun 27, 2007)

will it give more gain, or tighten the sound, except the headroom, what it will do


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## thadood (Jun 27, 2007)

I'd consider it as giving more headroom.


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## daemon barbeque (Jun 27, 2007)

well ,the gain is not changing in amount ,it's more like changing the voicing.I use my EMG60a ,and the cleans have more headroom ,but the "riffing" tightness is dicreased somehow.I can't describe it ,you have to test it for yourself!


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## axechain (Jun 28, 2007)

can someone post some clips with 9v and 18v moded emg?


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## Edroz (Jun 28, 2007)

with the 707, i really didn't notice much of a difference running it with 18v... the change in the 81/ 81-7 at 18v however is slightly more noticeable, makes it a little smoother sounding with just a tad more dynamics, cleans are greatly improved... to me, this is the only thing that makes this mod worthwhile. dirty sounds aren't drastically altered IMO.


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## JMP2203 (Aug 18, 2007)

axechain said:


> can someone post some clips with 9v and 18v moded emg?



that would be cool!


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## Ext789 (Aug 18, 2007)

I've done it. It gives more headroom but barely. The most noticable thing it does is make the pickups less compressed sounded. The only way I can describe it is that it makes the sizzle in the distortion seem... like not so close together  

Sorry, I know that doesn't really make sense.


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## zimbloth (Aug 18, 2007)

I think the 18v benefits the 81-7 and 707 greatly, but the 81-7 much more so as others said. Not only does it help with the dynamics and overall tone, it also lets a lot more musical lows come through. With the 707 its more subtle, but the added warmth and tone is somewhat noticeable. 81-7 owners definitely will notice a bigger difference.


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## Rick (Aug 18, 2007)

All my tracks in my band material will have the 18v mod.


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## JMP2203 (Sep 5, 2007)

axechain said:


> can someone post some clips with 9v and 18v moded emg?



bump for this


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## jaxadam (Sep 5, 2007)

I've done the 18V mod on just about every 6 string pickup EMG makes.

At this point, I can't say what it does for the 7's, but I probably will be able to soon since I have a few projects lined up.

IMO, it makes a pretty big difference with the 6's. 

It makes the 81 sound a lot fuller and gives it a little more attack.

It rounds out the 85 and adds a little mid boost.

It makes a 60 in the neck sound absolutely killer overdriven or clean. Especially clean.

60A w/ 18V mod is almost a cross between 60 in neck and 85 in bridge w/ 18V mod. I think I actually like this pickup a little better without the mod.

SA w/ 18 V mod sound incredible clean. S sounds pretty good as well, but not as good as SA, to my ears.\

With H-S-H configurations, it's really all up in the air, the 2,4 spots sound pretty good either way.

This is the way I'd do it:

18 V mod: 81 bridge, SA middle, 60 neck

9 volts: 85 bridge, S middle, 60A neck.

I'm going to be A/B'ing an 81-7, 707, and 60-7 with this mod soon, but haven't gotten around to it yet.


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## Edroz (Sep 5, 2007)

i doubt you'll hear much of a difference in any clips posted. it's an extremely easy mod to do and completely reversible. this is the guide i used to do it :

Upgrading EMGs to 18 volts


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## nitelightboy (Sep 6, 2007)

Where'd you guys get your battery clips?


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## jaxadam (Sep 6, 2007)

Radio Shack.


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## nitelightboy (Sep 6, 2007)

Cool, think I'll be doing the mod this weekend


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## 7 Strings of Hate (Sep 6, 2007)

i'v been thinking about putting a tiny switch in my guitar that i can turn the 18 volt mod off and on


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## darren (Sep 6, 2007)

That would be pretty cool. You'd have the best of both worlds!

Having recently tried the 808s in the RG2228, i find the tone and attack of EMGs pretty interesting. And the 18v mod sounds even more appealing. It's yet another colour i'd like to add to my palette of humbuckers, single coils, piezos and lipstick-tube pickups. When people ask, "What's your dream guitar?" my answer is: "One of each."


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## soldierkahn (Sep 7, 2007)

Heres my RG1077XL without the 18volt mod (EMG 81-7)

Putfile - bstan


Here it is WITH the 18V mod (EMG 81-7)

Putfile - EVIL1 9


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## jacksonplayer (Sep 7, 2007)

I've only done the 18v mod with EMG bass pickups, since it is absolutely necessary on those. Bass guitars require a lot more low-end headroom (duh!), and my old bass w/EMGs had this horrible-sounding distortion if the volume went above 6 or so. The 18v mod fixed that right up.

I wouldn't mind trying the 18v mod on my Jackson w/707s, but it's got a battery box and I'd have to do a little more complicated installation as a result.


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## Edroz (Sep 7, 2007)

jacksonplayer said:


> I've only done the 18v mod with EMG bass pickups, since it is absolutely necessary on those. Bass guitars require a lot more low-end headroom (duh!), and my old bass w/EMGs had this horrible-sounding distortion if the volume went above 6 or so. The 18v mod fixed that right up.
> 
> I wouldn't mind trying the 18v mod on my Jackson w/707s, but it's got a battery box and I'd have to do a little more complicated installation as a result.



my Jackon Demon 7 is the same deal... just wrap some foam around the other 9v and find a nice cozy spot for it to sit in the electronics cavity


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## AVH (Sep 7, 2007)

I think Darren's right, the 808's on the 2228 would probably benefit slightly from the 18v mod. If it works noticably better for basses, it stands to reason that it would probably benefit any low register instrument like that.


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## 7 Strings of Hate (Sep 8, 2007)

yea, i just wired mine up to a switch (courtesy of darrens wiring knowledge) and i can tell a differance at all, on the 81-7 or the 707, clean or distorted


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## Cool711 (Sep 8, 2007)

Can or can't?
I'm assuming can't.


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## cow 7 sig (Sep 10, 2007)

thadood said:


> More organic is all that I have to say. Much better =)



i 18v modded my cow[now that just plain sounds wrong  ],and agree it is more organic.all my emg fitted guitars are 18v modded.


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## xXcondemnedXx (Jan 10, 2008)

soldierkahn said:


> Heres my RG1077XL without the 18volt mod (EMG 81-7)
> 
> Putfile - bstan
> 
> ...



i wish you could have done the same songs but oh well
they sound kick ass anyway  

uh thanks coz ive been wanting to hear the differences for a long time


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## newamerikangospel (Jan 10, 2008)

Three months bro. This board doesn't have an auto delete, so if its on page 6, you are going back in time, minus the goofy hair doo, and the flaming tire trails


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## xXcondemnedXx (Jan 10, 2008)

oh well

edit: i saw a thread that was bumped from like 2 years ago


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## FortePenance (Jan 11, 2008)

Yeah, i've been looking at this thread a long time. Those clips were kinda useful even if not the same song. And also, jaxadam's advice on the prev. page is really good.


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## DarkKnight369 (Jan 14, 2008)

jaxadam said:


> I've done the 18V mod on just about every 6 string pickup EMG makes.
> 
> At this point, I can't say what it does for the 7's, but I probably will be able to soon since I have a few projects lined up.
> 
> ...



Does 18V to an 85 in the neck decrease tightness? I have 85b and 81n in one of my 6 bangers and I was pondering the 18v mod.


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## Edroz (Jan 14, 2008)

the 85 is already a farily loose sounding pickup (compared to the 81 anyway) to begin with. running it a 18v will just take away some of the cold fizziness of it, maybe making it appear a litte less tight. 
just try it out! it's so painfully cheap and easy to do and completely reversable. hell, you can go to radio shack, buy a soldering iron and the materials to do the mod for probably less than $20.


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## Rick (Jan 14, 2008)

I love the sound through my 707 and I plan on installing it on any future guitars I may acquire.


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## DarkKnight369 (Jan 14, 2008)

You put it on your RG7420, how was the routing? I forgot if I asked you that. Did you have it done, or did you do it yourself? Did is screw up the paint.


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## ibznorange (Jan 15, 2008)

I've put 707's in a 7321. if youre handy with a dremel, it takes maybe an hour or so, and you can do it without screwing up the paint pretty easily . 
If youre not too sure about your dremel skills though, you might want to have someone who is do it.


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## Horizon Whore (Feb 19, 2008)

just installed the 18v mod on my 707 (well my mate did it brothermack who is a member of these forums). it sounds fucking killer i reckon!

brings out so much more bass, and rounds it off more.


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## MerlinTKD (Feb 19, 2008)

I'm glad this got bumped... I was wondering what the difference was, and how the mod sounded! Those clips are great!

I'm still not an EMG fan, the tone just isn't for me, but the 18v mod is a lot better (IMO), and it's good to have info!


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## Rick (Feb 19, 2008)

DarkKnight369 said:


> You put it on your RG7420, how was the routing? I forgot if I asked you that. Did you have it done, or did you do it yourself? Did is screw up the paint.



I had it done and they did a great job on it. My friend painted it flat black after the EMG was put in(I think).


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## musicman2879 (May 22, 2008)

Well my recently acquired Hellraiser with 707's got new mods today..First I put a stacked pot in, then an EMG Afterburner and the 18 volt mod....The 18 volt mod just seems to clean it up alot.Got deeper lows too...This thread helped me decide the 18v mod..I Like it alot..I am going to do it with the Duncan 7 string blackouts when they come in...I have also put together a crazy lil setup ..My old sixer has an 81 in the neck and a Duncan livewire metal in bridge.. I have to do the 18v mod cause the Live wire is 18v...I will see how it sounds when my EMG pi2 and pa2 gets here... i did not like active pups or EMG's till about 2 months ago and now all my guitars are active... 18 v mod is great !!! DO IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## FrostyTheDroMan (Jan 13, 2011)

zimbloth said:


> I think the 18v benefits the 81-7 and 707 greatly, but the 81-7 much more so as others said. Not only does it help with the dynamics and overall tone, it also lets a lot more musical lows come through. With the 707 its more subtle, but the added warmth and tone is somewhat noticeable. 81-7 owners definitely will notice a bigger difference.



You have just convinced me to do this to my C-7 w/81-7s  I'll post my comments after I do this on Friday


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## FrostyTheDroMan (Jan 14, 2011)

Great mod! Distortion sounds much more crisp and solid


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