Ec256 replacement pickups

Ed G.Ed G.
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    Ed G.

    Are there replacement pickups available for retail sale that are plug and play with the stock 256 pickups? For metal/classic rock/ progressive. Something that has the plug on back so no wiring would be requied?

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    Josh in NY
    Josh in NY wrote

    Generally not... All passive pickups require soldering for connection, unless you use the Seymour Duncan Liberator pot for quick connections... the only pickups that are a true "plug & play" are EMG's, S.D. Blackouts. The Fishman Fluence pickups are as well if you plan on ONLY using them for a single voicing and without the coil splits, voicing selections, etc., etc...

     

    I have had 2 EC-256's - one with an EMG Het Set, and the other with the S.D. Blackouts Modular Preamp... While I deeply regret letting both of them go, I always prefer EMG's for anything and everything. I know pickups - especially anything active - is really personal preference, but you can get quite a bit of diversity now from a set of EMG's... For example:

     

    You can go your standard dual 81, 81/85, or 81/60 set which covers a LOT of ground tonally. But if you want something with a lot more diversity and tonality, there's a combination of the 81TW, 81TW-R, 89, or 89R. The 89 has a slightly warmer tone like and 85, but they have the added coil split to them. Same with the 81TW & 81TW-R. On the R models, the coil that is split is closest to the neck side. The really nice thing with the coil splits is that they are noiseless, because the split is actually a stacked single coil. So you get really nice single coil tones without the typical hum!!!

     

    Plus with either of these 4 pickups, you can get 8 different coil configurations from this set up:

    *Bridge/Bridge & Neck/Neck in humbucker mode...

    *Bridge/Bridge & Neck/Neck in single coil mode...

    *Bridge in humbucker mode & Neck in single coil mode...

    *Bridge in single coil mode & Neck in humbucker mode...

     

    I am using this same configuration on my '67 Flying V 7-string, but I am using the 707TW & 707TW-R pickups, and an Afterburner preamp booster for the tone control... And I can seriously get ANY tonality I want for ANY style or genre from that guitar.  Might be something to consider...

    Best of luck, and at least let me know what you decide on trying!!

     

    Josh 

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      Kyle A
      Kyle A wrote

      Hey guys

       

      sorry to jump on the thread, but the ec256 and het set is exactly what I am looking to get, how was it? And more importantly what was the installation like? Did you need to cut anything to make room for the battery? 

       

      Rock on dudes 

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        Josh in NY
        Josh in NY wrote
        Kyle A wrote:

        Hey guys

         

        sorry to jump on the thread, but the ec256 and het set is exactly what I am looking to get, how was it? And more importantly what was the installation like? Did you need to cut anything to make room for the battery? 

         

        Rock on dudes 

        Hey Kyle!

         

        For me personally, I felt that the HetSet was lacking the typical EMG bite, growl and "umph". I was expecting them to be a bit different than the standard 81 set or the 81/85 or the 81/60, but they just seemed to fall short IMHO...

         

        now the 57/66 set on the other hand, that set was night and day different, and for the better!! Now I see what everyone was talking about with these, because they are a bit different than your normal EMG's, and they really do cover ANYTHING & EVERYTHING exceptionally well!! I use the 7-string set in my new M-II-7-NT, and I play an eclectic mix of hard/classic rock and all kinds of metal (from stuff like Toto to Crowbar & Fear Factory...). And these have become my new favorite over the 707 & 707TW. 

         

        As for the installation, very quick and easy. You dont need to cut any of the wood on the body to fit the battery in the compartment. The only cutting is the wires from the selector switch to the pots, because these will now get connected on the switch buss that comes with the pickups. Everything is quick connect plug & play, so on a guitar like this you can be done with the install, wired, resting and ready to play again in about an hour and a half. To see just how easy it is, head to EMG's website page for the HetSet. When you open the page, there will be a spot for a link for the install diagram sheet. Open that up and it will show you just how simple it is to do.

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          Ed G.
          Ed G. wrote

          Thanks. Im thinking of just changing the bridge now to SD Black Winter. I may get the set...havent decided. Will probably wait and make it a christmas break project.

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            Josh in NY
            Josh in NY wrote

            Ah nice! Ibhave heard a LOT of good things about the BW set... let me know how you make out!!

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              Ed G.
              Ed G. wrote

              So I got the Black winter set today, I contacted LTD and they told me they have all 500k pots in them so i think I can use them as is, anyone got any websites that have a good wiring diagram for this?

               

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