[Chaotic Kittie]

So, I'm planning to switch my current EMG passives into actives, and I'm curious as to whether this requires any extra stuff to take care of? I've heard stuff about re-routing etc, but then again also that newer pickups does not require this.
Also I'm wondering if it works with one active and one passive mic, or is it better to wait and get both actives before I install?

[Ben_Sir_Amos]

You might not have to do any routing for the pickup holes if you are using direct replacements (e.g. humbucker to humbucker). Whether you need to do any other routing depends on how much room you have in the control cavity of your guitar because for actives you will need a source of power - usually a battery - that sits inside your guitar. Have you got plenty of space inside?

As to whether you should do it in two stages or one, it depends on which guitar you have and how it is wired. Some EMG active kits come with replacement controls, socket, etc. The active pickups don't have a bridge ground (and most passives do). So the potential for screwing things up when trying to wire up a passive and an active together is quite great and I would advise against it if you are going to have to re-wire to fit another active when you've saved up a bit more cash. If you need a guitar tech to do the work for you, it will probably end up costing double to have one fitted and then another later on.

What sort of guitar do you have? Is it worth the hassle? Or would you be better off saving more and trading up to a guitar with actives already fitted.

[Chaotic Kittie]

Yes, it's a humbucker to humbucker switch, and I've got plenty of space in the control cavity.
Though, I've read somewhere about having to adjust the jack from a barrel jack to a screw-in jack, and that made me confused. Those who mention this say that I shouldn't do that myself because there's a huge risk of screwing it up.
I know I need a new jack when switching from passive to active, but is it anything certain about changing the jack that makes it harder? :S

[Ben_Sir_Amos]

I don't know what those who mention it are talking about either. If you go to the EMG web site it looks like the main reason for changing the socket is to provide a mechanism for breaking the circuit to the battery when it is not plugged in.

What sort of guitar do you have? Perhaps the answer to what those who mention it mean is in the type of guitar you have at the moment.

If you don't know what you are doing there is a huge risk of screwing it up. Take it to an expert and get a quote and then they will tell you exactly what is involved and you will have a better idea of whether you are capable or not.

[Chaotic Kittie]

k, might check with my teacher at school, he does a lot of tech-stuff.
If there's any more details than the soldering, then I guess I don't know what I'm doing, so I'll take the safe path.

It's a Jackson SLSMG btw, as for the thing about switching the jack, I read that in a review of it on harmony central.

Anyways, thanks a lot for the help!

[Ben_Sir_Amos]

Wow. The SLSMG looks like it is a terrific guitar. You are very lucky to have an axe like that.

I can't think of any problems might come up as it looks fairly straightforward but it would be worth checking with your teacher too. The support section of the emg site does recommend a particular type of switchcraft socket (part number 152B) - but I don't know your model well enough to see why there would be problems in converting from the existing socket.

Good luck. I'm sure it will sound great.