Onboard preamps and pickup boosters

metalchurch · Post by **metalchurch** » Thursday Oct 09, 2008

Has anyone had any experience with an EMG AB afterburner 20 db boost, or an EMG PA-2 preamp?
I'm thinking about getting one or the other for use with a passive system, but I'm kind of torn on which one would produce the best results.
I've never tried one before on either an active or a passive system, so I'm unfamiliar with what benifits I'd experience.

Basically, I want to experiment with either a Bill Lawrence XL500, or a Seymour Dimebucker, but have a boost for leads which I think the EMG PA-2 would be good because it is an on/off toggle, and therefore easier to switch on the fly as opposed to an EMG AB, which is a push/pull pot, with an adjustable boost from +0-20db.

Any ideas or thoughts on this?
Are passives ok enough to be boosted, or would the character or voicing get too muddy?

old Skool · Post by **old Skool** » Monday Oct 13, 2008

Joe I have a PA-2 on my Charvel model 2 with an EMG 81. I found it worked really well with solid state amps but with tube amps I had to watch how much gain I set it at. Just seemed with a tube amp if the gain was a bit much (and it didn't take much) it would really muck up the tone. Originally I used it with an old Marshall solid state combo to do what you're looking for- boost leads. Worked great. But when I got a Carvin X100B I quit using it. Since I went to a midi rack years ago I quit using it all together and just program lead channels. One step of a switch and I get boost and a tad extra delay/reverb to fatten things up a bit. I've played some guitars with the Afterburner and it works ok but like you mentioned is a pain to swicth on the fly.

metalchurch · Post by **metalchurch** » Monday Oct 13, 2008

Kenny, thanks for the heads up on that. I've been wanting to talk to someone about it, but it seems like it's a rare item in these parts. LOL
Thanks man!

metalchurch · Post by **metalchurch** » Thursday Oct 16, 2008

Kenny, does the PA-2 have an adjustable trim pot on the side to dial in the amount of gain that you wanna use?
If so, is it also adjustable from 0 - +20 db, like the AB?

Thanks

old Skool · Post by **old Skool** » Friday Oct 17, 2008

Yeah the switch has an adjustment on it. You have to pop off the control cavity cover to get to it. It has a ton of adjustment to it, I believe it's 0-20 like you mentioned. Much easier to use than the afterburner for instant boost.

metalchurch · Post by **metalchurch** » Saturday Oct 18, 2008

I thank you much my good man!