EMG P-J Set

Inludes an EMG-P: "squat coils" not in series, adding about twice as much low end as a passive pickup. Ceramic magnets to add clarity.

Includes an EMG-LJ: low ratio of resistance to inductance that increases the low frequency response. Narrow aperture for a Jazz Bass tone.

Replaced the stock pickups on an Ibanez SR800. The stock pickups had a lot of tonal options, but seemed glassy/brittle--always a little thin.

The output of the EMG set compared to the stock pickups was the same if not slightly lower. I'm a little disappointed, but my expectations may have been too high. I might switch to the double battery configuration if I can find some way to squeeze them in.

Today I have a very worn out GK 400RB connected to a Trace-Elliot 1x18 and a Behringer 2x10 w/horn.

I like to run both pickups/tone all the way up on the bass and then make adjustments on the amp. The EMGs have a lot more low/mid output that makes the sound fuller. The clarity is good.

I like to play alternative pop rock. These pickups sound very rich and balanced--good for slap/pop.

I regret waiting 15 years to replace the stock pickups with these EMGs. I would think about it every now and then, but wasn't sure if it would help. I wish I'd done this a long time ago. It turned my cheap bass into a nice sounding instrument.

Someday, I'd like to own a 5-string. But until then, these pickups have given new life to my old Ibanez.

One P (neck), one J (Bridge). Standard, the set comes with 3 prewired pots for volume (P neck), volume (J bridge), and tone, plus battery clip.

I've had the pickups on 2 Spectors, and a Fodera Monarch Deluxe with Monarch electronics. They came stock on one Spector and the Fodera, and were added to the other Spector (Korean) by the previous owner.

The P is bassier and wrmer then a passive. The J is brings the punch. These pickups can be adjusted to get a wide tonal range. I've always called Spectors "do everything" basses, and these are the pickups that make that happen. I couldn't imagine using these indipendantly. The sound of the P by itself doesn't quite have the springy sound you'd find in a stock P-bass.

These will cover the gamit tone wise. They may be too clean for some, and Bartolini fans will feel their too dirty, but they are capable of covering just about anything you need. I don't understand why more cover-band bass players don't use these. I like them mainly for Jazz and experimental rock.

Pickup features: Active w/BTC Preamp
Impedence or other specs: As listed in reviews for BTS system

Model of guitar or bass: Ibanez GSR 200
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: Stock
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Anything and Everything
Reason for pickup change: Sound searching

Perceived output level: Definitely hotter than stock
Tone: Shake the ground to crack the crystal
Sonic evaluation: Ran the pups straight through a Polytone Mini-Brute V and QSC 1450 with homebuilt cabinets with various speaker combo's: JBL, Celestion, L-coustic, Klipsch, Altec. Also through the same using a Korg Px-4B.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Everything

Comments: Now for some useful info. Pups take the sound of your bass/strings and your amplifier makes that combo louder. Duh! Well you'd be suprised at how many people pay no attention to the sound of an unplugged bass - which is where "the sound" actually is. If your bass sucks unplugged, then it's going to really suck plugged, regardless of pups in all probability. To me, these EMG's have the synthetic sound I've heard about but not to the degree that it's in your face. This Ibanez unplugged is a thud bass even without the Thomastik flats that accentuate that characteristic and the EMG's kick that characteristic into hyperspace. Upright bass is my favorite bass sound and you can pretty much nail that sound in variation with these pups. By tweaking the bass knobs and adding the Korg Px-4b, you can get a professional sound for any music style, although some take more work than others and the sound inherent in the bass itself always shows through that.
The BTC preamp is the same system as the BTS except you've got a concentric (combined/stacked) treble bass knob so you don't have to punch another hole in a 3 pot bass, like the GSR 200.
Installation was not just a drop in replacement however. The EMG J pup was a strong 1/16th longer than the routing. About an 1/8 inch drill bit and drill motor effectively removed the difference. Just be sure and throw some masking tape to the face of the guitar and keep the bit well within the existing routing so you don't mare the finish of the guitar. Just pull the drill bit back against the wall of the routing, taking small amounts at a time, checking periodically to see if the pup will drop in. You can't even tell mine had been touched afterward and if I ever decide to put the originals back, I can pull the EMG's back out and throw the stocks back in and it won't look like the guitar has ever been touched.
The other problem was the input jack that came with the EMG set wasn't near long enough to thread the nut to hold it in place. I picked up a jack that worked from Sam Ash. Although it was a lot longer than needed (taking up unnecessary space in the control bay), it fit snuggly in the existing hole.
The EMG's came with a single battery clip and I added another simply becuase the control bay was large enough to hold two 9v batteries and the instructions stated the additional battery would add some headroom. I don't know that it added volume enough to justify it but it didn't hurt anything.
I haven't jacked with the preamp dip switches for various midrange fequency changes other than to set it per EMG's recommendation before installation. It was set on the least recommended setting when I got it - perhaps why the guy sold them? Obviously, it would pay to set the dip switches in a direction that they can be accessed with the bay cover off, so pay attention to that when you tighten that pot down so you don't have to pull the knobs back off and loosen the nut to change the frequency settings if you choose to.
I also picked up a couple of NiCad battiers and a charger. The instructions stated to use Alkaline batteries but it didn't say NOT to use NiCads and I couldn't find any reason not to. So I spent $12 on the NiCads and $10 on a neat little charger at Radio Shack. Wally World had one for $30 that looked like a moonboot and charged every battery known to mankind, not what I had in mind so I walked next door. Their batteries were $3 a piece cheaper though. Got the rechargeables mostly for convenience but I probably won't have to buy another 9v battery for the bass again.
Bottom line, I liked the bass and I wanted some EMG's and now I got both. It would be a plus if the EMG's were both active and passive like the Barts in the Pedulla I have, just for convenience if the battery goes or you want to cut them some slack. The Barts sound the same active, just more output, but the master volume control kicks in with the actives and it's nice to be able to adjust volume from th

Pickup features: Active P J pickups
Impedence or other specs: ehhh.....don't know

Model of guitar or bass: Fender American HotRod P Bass
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: stock american vintage P and J pickups
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: Quite a few, but that's not why I got the pickups
You musical style(s): Alternative emo/power pop hard rock.
Reason for pickup change: Low output, sounded too muddy....but had a great organic warm tone.

Perceived output level: Well I have mix opinions on the output of their pickups....there older models dating back a few years ago had better output than this year as far as I can tell.......It's actually the pots ..they are lower in output than their previous ones....other than that., their tone is still the same... it's funny i have another set of EMGs PJ on my other bass dating back to 98 and comparing it to the new one i just bought the ouput from 98 was pretty damn hot the 2003 has medium output and since the Fender is my new favorite bass I had to remove my 98 EMGs from my Ibanez SR400 and put it on my Fender and just love how loud my Fender can get. now....it was a pain in the ass swapping them around.....soldering, screwing, unsoldering and unscrewing and etc......
Tone: It's very balanced with a Clean punchy tone with great clarity and cuts through any mix! Whether it's live or studio..EMGs will get the job done! The tone control is basically all you need to get radical tones from deep lows to crisp punchy highs....you can use it for any style of music!!
Sonic evaluation: I have an Ampeg SVT 4 pro with 4x10 ampeg cabs.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: This pickup was extremely well thought out...like I said before it can suit any style you play and sound great!

Comments: Yes I would buy it again if it were stolen or broke..i've used it for several years and has served me well on every occassion. I've been playing for 13 years and I've tried out just about every brand out there and I have to say that EMGs have never let me down in the tone department....I can dial in any tone i want to in an instant as oppose to other pickups...but i love Fender pickups....especially their jazz. For recording the Fender j and p pickups has a more organic rich tone than the EMG's. If i had a j bass i would keep the stock pickups because they sound amazing! I'm very satisfied with the EMG's!

Pickup features: Active
Impedence or other specs: Not sure

Model of guitar or bass: B.C. Rich Warlock Platnium Supreme
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: Stock Neck and Bridge
Other pickups on guitar: None anymore
Artists using this pickup: Not sure this set, but Metallica, In Flames, Victor Wooten and many more use the brand
You musical style(s): Death/Black/Powermetal.. heavy music...
Reason for pickup change: The stock pickups were flat and "woody" sounding...

Perceived output level: Extreme Output... these things scorch
Tone: Extremely balanced
Sonic evaluation: I'm using a Ampeg SVT-3 PRO with a classic series 8x10"... these things have more bass than any other pickup I ever used. The insane sparkle my guitar/string combo gives is produced perfectly... These things sing... most amazing thing you can do for you're sound... the bass is amazingly tight... even sounds good on cheep little amps!!

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: These are suitable for any style that you want the best bass tones ever with!

Comments: It anything happened to them, I would go out and buy a new set immadiately! Playing for about 10 years so I'v used it all before, seymore, fender, Dimarzio, etc.. Never used anything else better. One great thing is the output is low impedience so you can run long cables and still get prestine sound or use a wireless and not have it change you're sound at all... for all of us that love wirelesses these pickups rule! Nothing better than these!

Pickup features: Active
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Cort Action Bass
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: neck and bridge
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: Victor Wooten
You musical style(s): jazz,rock,funk,gospel and anything in betweet
Reason for pickup change: Stock pickups gave poor sound and hum alot.

Perceived output level: Way more output and definition
Tone: Clear Lows ,nice mids and transparent highs = balanced tone
Sonic evaluation: Zoom Bfx 708 and Lany Hardcore 60w.
Mostly direct to beihringer preamp then to a 16 channel HH mixer.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Jazz,funk ,rock and gospel

Comments: I have been playing bass for 3 years.I would certainly buy it again if is was stolen or destroyed.Love the wide range of tones and very hi definition.The only thing that I didn't that the bridge pickup was a bit too large, but the servicer did a good job.I still have to find that perfect tone in my head,but this set gave me much more than I was expecting.I would recommend these to anyone looking for good tone.It's like having a new bass.I love it more and more everyday.

Pickup features: active
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Ibanez SR 400, before active electronics were provided
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Both p and j pickups
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): contemporary christian, funk styles
Reason for pickup change: wanted cleaner sound

Perceived output level: Slightly more than stock
Tone: Varies with settings versatile
Sonic evaluation: Using Ibanez sr400 with older peavey tko 80 retrofitted with a 15"
speaker from radio shack

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: These pickups should be ok for anything, they slap & pop well.

Comments: I would buy these again, i have played worship team for about 3 years
I like the smooth operation of the provided pots, very clean sound.My instructor has emgs in his bass, i have nothing else to go on. I am satisfied with these pickups, I can easily dial in the sound.

Pickup features: Active P-J Set w/ included passive tone controls
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Fernandes Gravity 4
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: Stock active FGI pickups
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): folk/rock
Reason for pickup change: Couldn't find the sound I wanted with the stock pickups, plus they were noisy with a lot of hiss.

Perceived output level: About the same as the stock FGIs
Tone: Whatever you want you can have
Sonic evaluation: I replaced my 30 year old Precision with a Fernandes Gravity 4, but wasn't happy with the sound until I replaced the stock pickups. The stock FGIs (which seems to be the Fernandes house brand) were just OK, but they were quite noisy with hiss and I couldn't find a tone I was really happy with. They were very trebly, and even with the treble control way down and bass boosted I couldn't get an even sound all the way from deep to high. I use it with an Eden Nemesis 210, so I knew the amp wasn't holding anything back - this amp has all kinds of tone.
The Fernandes is a really good bass for the price, with a great maple neck, swamp ash body, and good balance, and I knew it deserved better. The EMGs turned it from a pretty good bass to a really good one. The sounds coming out of the Nemesis now are much more like what I had in mind.
I think to get further improvements it would take a major step up, to something like a Lakland or Warwick, at a much higher price.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: folk/rock, mostly finger style, occasionally a pick, no slap or pop. These pickups work great; I especially like the added sustain you get with good active pickups.

Comments: I would recommend the EMG P-J set strongly. I wanted the BTS control system, too, but it was out of stock so I went ahead without it. I don't think I need it, after all, since I am getting all the tone I need from the stock controls that come with the P-J set.
I like having one volume control rather than two, which is the downside of using the stock controls, but I got used to that pretty quickly.
I would buy EMGs again without hesitation. The only other pickups I would like to know more about are Bartolinis.

Pickup features: Active, 1 humbucker, 1 single coil, pre-wired passive controls
Impedence or other specs: 10K Ohm

Model of guitar or bass: Squier P-Bass Special (Korea)
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: Stock Squier pickups
Other pickups on guitar: none
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Punk, Alternative
Reason for pickup change: Hated to tone and lack of output on the stock pickups

Perceived output level: The output is somewhat greater with one 9 volt battery, but when I put in two as per EMG's recommendation, it became much greater.
Tone: The neck pickup has lots and lots of bass. The mid-range is decent and the highs are weak. The bridge, on the other hand puts out excellent sharp, bright highs and mids, but lacks the bass. When you use them together, you can get any tone you want. I like to turn he neck all the way up, the bridge about halfway up and the tone a bit down. They give me a beautiful tone.
Sonic evaluation: I use a Fender Bassman 100. They sound beautiful through it. These pickups are clear and bright, never muddy at all. They are loud too. What an I say? They are great.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play punk and alternative and they sound better for the music I play (even in my shitty bass) then even some really expensive basses I have played.

Comments: I love them. I took a bass I bought for $40 off a friend, spent $110 on these pickups and $20 on new strings (for a total of $170) and now I have a bass that sounds better with my style of music then just about any other abss I've used. They blow passive pickups away and are better then most active pickups too. They may not be for everyone, but I love them.

Pickup features: Well... basically an active PJ Set with pre wired passive controls
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Yamaha 350RBX
Position: middle
Pickup being replaced: The stock Yamaha pickups
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: Victor Wooten, I think endorses them...
You musical style(s): Alternative rock
Reason for pickup change: The stock pickups on this bass were a bit too wimpy. They lacked the low bottom of good bass pickups. The controls were also crap, and were starting to wear out (a slack tone control shaft).

Perceived output level: Louder. Not much louder, though, the tone is the real difference.
Tone: With the tone control open, lots of bass and very hi-fi, snappy high mids and highs. It can get a little irritating, though, so I roll it off.
Sonic evaluation: I play this usually with a crap Laney Linebacker 80W 15" combo and a Zoom 506 fx unit. My tone is really saved by a low distortion effect I programmed on the Zoom, running direct to the amp it's just crap, BUT!!!... I have tried this bass clean on an Ashdown 200W 15" combo, so I think this one can evidence the pickup qualities better. The bass is enormous and very pleasant on the P pickups with subdued highs. The J pickup, on the other hand gives a louder high mid response, which should please you if you're not a "plain-rock" person. I could play different right hand positions and tell a clear diference and articulation. Also, because they are active, they can be placed farther away from the strings, allowing you to play harder. I do miss a little mids from the stock pickups, though, as they evidence any harmonic and slap harmonic work much better than the EMG's perceived "U-curve". I was thinking of drilling another hole in my bass and reinstall my stock J pickup between the EMGs. Hmm... two outputs?...

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play alternative rock, mostly fingerstyle. I do slap'n'pop, harmonics, slap harmonics, fret-taps, uh... etc. Like I said I miss the mids of the old stock pickups in the harmonics. I think these pickups are definetly well suited for funk-style and "flashy" players, because it is rather bright.

Comments: If it was destroyed or stolen, I would try another pickup, I think. Mind, this is a personal sonic preference, the EMGs are excellent pickups, I just think that they are not the right ones for me. As an indiviudal who bought these pickups and did not get THE sound I was hoping for, I would give these pickups a 6. Considering its qualities objectively and generically, though, I think it deserves an...