EMG SEHB

Pickup features: passive humbucking
Impedence or other specs: high impedance

Model of guitar or bass: Spirit (by Steinberger) XT-2 (4 string headless)
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: came on bass
Other pickups on guitar: this same pickup is at the bridge position as well
Artists using this pickup: me
You musical style(s): High energy Praise and Worship with a little funk thrown in
Reason for pickup change: No change,...the pickups came on the bass

Perceived output level: Average output for a passive humbucker
Tone: Very balanced tone, clear and punchy
Sonic evaluation: I am using the Steinberger 4 string headless (boat oar) bass, planetwave 10' cable (yes they make a difference) and a Trace Elliot Boxer 15 combo amp (for monitoring/mic'ing) considering a MXR M-80 DI or SansAmp Bass Driver DI for plugging into the PA system. Ok the previous review was just about comical. He reminded me of me when I first started playing bass and didn't know which end of the bass from which. I was unmarried then without any children and actually had money unlike now in which I could buy and did buy some nice basses which had great pickups and active onboard preamps. Because of my lack of experience and flat out inability to properly dial up a bass sound that would cut and work with a band, I figured it must be the bass's fault. I also figured the pickups and active circuitry was junk as well and sold 2 nice basses because of my ignorance. It wasn't until after playing guitar for 3 years and then coming back to bass recently with the purchase of this Spirit model headless bass that I really have learned how to dial in a sound that blends, yet cuts right through, etc...Anyway, these pickups in some moderately experienced hands sound great. Personally, unlike the previous reviewer which from now on I will simply call PR, I like the punch of these pickups. With a hot but clean amp setting, the pickups have the punch, clarity and meat that flea gets from his bass/amp in the BloodSugarSexMagik album. Not that I really appreciate their music anymore, but I can't overlook flea's bass playing and the fact that his sound in this particular album is the nearest match to the tones I am getting with my setup. However, his funky midrange tones that you hear when he gets up higher on the neck with his soloing, isn't really in these pickups,...you may have to look at a Wal or Stingray for that. The Slap and pop as well as tapping tones from the EMG's are absolutely awesome! With a passive bass like this though, it is a little more critical that your hands be in shape with at least some callus on them and that you really know how to tweak your amp and that you have a good enough control over your amp to get the drive you need because there is little to mess around with on the bass itself. Also without an active onboard preamp it is essential to have two of these passive EMG humbuckers to get the tone and punch from your bass,...the neck pickup alone is quite useable, but the bridge alone is tonewise great but lacking in any real volume or fullness which you can't compensate for since you don't have active bass boost(on this bass anyway). These pickups sound the best with the neck pickup on full and then regulating the bridge pickup anywhere from completely off to full on for a surprisingly varied amount of tones. When you start rolling off the bridge pickup, the tone gets more nasally and snarls. Again if you like these sort of tones that I have described, then you probably would like these pickups,... Also and this is VERY important for any passive pickup!!!! Get the pickup height set up correctly! If you have them too low, then the tone is weak, thin, without punch, and kind of hollow with no meat! If they are too high (and too close to the strings) which I suspect is or was the PR's (previous reviewers) problem, then the tone is so punchy it gets muddy and probably very light strings would correct or compensate for the mud like he was suggesting as the only strings that sounded good with the pickups. I am using Labella stainless steel roundwounds also, and they do sound very good with these pickups. I also happen to prefer the lighter guages as well (40,60,75, and 95) ,..I cannot comment about other brands, guages and/or nickel, etc.... All these little adjustmental things that I have described above can be corrected or compensated to some degree with active electronics on ot

Comments: I have been playing since the early 90's of last century but took a break for a few years until picking back up with the guitar and then back to my passion, the bass guitar. The only other gear I have and/or need is a small combo amp for monitoring purposes (Trace Elliot Boxer 15), a high quality cable (PlanetWave), and a DI box. I wish EMG would have more about their select line of pickups on their websites but they seem to be trying to ditch this line as far as advertising for it goes,...Probably becuase EMG is best known for their active pickup line. I am very satisfied with this pickup and am not looking for my "sound" After owning 2 active basses and now this bass with these passive pickups, I really do prefer the passives now and just tweak at the amp. By running a quality DI like the MXR M-80 DI or the Tech21 SansAmp Bass Driver DI, you turn this passive bass into an active one so really I have more options (depending on the DI box I use) to which "active" preamps my bass utilizes. I am totally satisfied with my passive sound and only need a DI for getting my tone to a PA system.

Pickup features: the ones on my bass are passive humbuckers
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: a custom rebuilt fender mustang bass
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: theres one humfucker on the neck and on the bridge
Other pickups on guitar: both emg select humbuckers model # sehb
Artists using this pickup: no artist would use dumbass pick ups like these
You musical style(s): punk,and metal
Reason for pickup change: i'm not the one who had them fucking changed man, these are the humfuckers i wanna change them

Perceived output level: these sound like shit, their too punchy and a sucky high end sound,and there just ment for small gauge strings,fuck they just suck i think emg was high on dope or somthing when they made these
Tone: too trebly, i even try to get a bass sound with them and it still sound like crap!
Sonic evaluation: a marshall bass cabniet with 4 12inch speakers in them

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: no these pickups suck a big one,like i said i play punk and metal and there not a good match

Comments: i'm getting a ibanez atk300 bass with fat sound, those have a badass active tripple coil pick up with 3 way toggle switch. if those humfuckers was stolen i would laugh at the fucker who stole cause the frickin suck.i wouldnt ever buy them. they sound to trebly and punchy,and they cant handle hevy gauge strings