EMG HZ

EMG-HZ,H3 model I guess. Humbucker.

Installed in a Jackson DKMG (factory setup HH), same pickup in both positions.

Using it with a peavey 5150 head and a randall rh150 G3 head with randall 300W cab and a marshall jcm800 lead cab respectively. Use some boss pedals, but mainly play on overdrive from amps. Don't like clean too much, so I focus my review only on overdrive settings.

I play metal and have had many guitars with different pickups, passive and active ones. EMG HZ? The worst pickups I ever had in any guitar. I won't compare these with active pups, because it's just silly - any active pickup would put this one to shame.

This pickup just doesn't have the TONE. Or output level, for that matters. Any Duncan, DiMarzio, not to say Bare Knuckle or Lundgren just ripped this one apart. Too much mids, no sustain, not loud enoug, no BALLS. It's said that this is a hot pickup, but I'd totally disagree. This thing is weak. I can't do any decent pig squeals, or just riff out with my guitar. Can't say that I'm a badass player, but I had some guitars, and lots of different setups. This pickup just didn't meet my demands.

However, when not playing it's pretty silent (guess that is because of it's lack of gain), and that gives it a +1 on my rate + it's better than stock pickups on low budget guitars, so I won't label it as total trash.

If it was stolen I would find the guy who stole it and take my guitar back, 'cause I like it and I live in a third world country. However, I would leave the pup ;)

Those EMG-HZs are going to move away from my guitar as soon as I get enough money to buy some decent pups.

I hate everything about this pickup except the fact that it is almost noiseless when not playing.

Beside my Jackson, I have an ESP ltd. anniversary viper with active EMG's and an Epiphone Gothic V with live wire HMET SD (which is, for me, one of the best pickups ever).

Back to HZ:

Anything you wish it had? - HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I wish it had normal pickup properties. This one only has an EMG logo, nothing else.

Ppl who mostly play under a distortion - avoid this pickup.

Humbucking, Passive

I installed two passive EMG HZ humbucker pickups in a 1978 Ibanez Iceman. I installed one in the bridge to replace a dead Bill Lawrence L-500 pickup that was installed back in 1987, and one in the neck to replace a Seymour Duncan JB pickup.

These pickups are incredible. The sound is so crisp and clear and the tone is balanced. I play many different styles of music; classic, metal, punk, new wave, grunge, 50s, you name it, and I'm more than happy with the sound of these pickups. The amp I use is a Crate G-600 half stack.

If these pickups were destroyed or stolen I would definitely buy them again. I've been playing for 20+ years and this is the first time I've tried EMG pickups. I was more than happy with the Bill Lawrence L-500 pickup in the bridge that I had used for 20 years, but when it died I decided to try something different. I saw these EMG HZs up for auction on ebay, brand new, so I read some reviews here on Harmony Central and other sites and decided to give them a shot. I'm very glad that I did.

Passive humbucking pickup with tappable coil. Standard EMG EZ connector. Gorgeous pickup with EMG-HZ silver lettering on flat black cover.
Bridge pickup.

Cort Z42, the factor neck pickup is AWESOME, but the factory bridge desires some ummph. So I bought this EMG-HZ off of Ebay for $28.

The output level is not as high as I would have liked, the pickup does sound a bit microphonic. It's not quite what I expected from EMG, but it does sound better than my stock PU, so I'm happy. It's a bit tinny, and sounds a bit off balance. I think some ppl will like the tone though (it's a bit too "raspy" for me though).

I play from blues, to punk, to rock. I play for church, we play alot of Hillsong United.

If this pickup was lost or stolen (or if it somehow broke), I don't think I would get another one. I think I would put down another $20 and get something with a bit more balance and tone.

I've been playing on and off for about 17 years now. I love my little cort axe, this pickup did do a little to improve the sound. It did help a guitar that already sounded great sound a bit better, but nothing worth getting excited about. It does however look VERY cool!

However, factoring in price, and the fact that it's an upgrade from stock, I'll give it an 8.

Passive Humbucking

ESP LTD Viper 301

Hotter than PAF, Primarily using it through a POD XTLive direct to the board, studio as well as live. The tone is very well balanced, and glassy slightly scooped mids. Very sweet clean, and OD'd, very clear and distinct with great harmonics. You can hear each string ring clearly. No mud. The neck pickup has a lot of single coil/p90 quality, and I play many styles and this pickup combo is great! I usually play H/S/S guitars, and have been looking for a humbucking pickup that will give you the pianolike quality on the E and A strings for rhythm playing for blues Like SRV etc, and this is the first hummer pickup that can get close with much more depth of tone. With the right POD amp model and efx, you can replicate just about anything you need. This also covers metal very well. If you want the typical mushy saturated death metal sludge that a lot of these reviewers are looking for, just dial in more mush and distortion and balance it with screetching highs...

Please ignore many of the reviewers here who only use it with cheap equipment. Many of their amps may be fried, speakers blown, dirty strings, or they may just be deaf.

Take my word for it. I use this playing live/recorded running direct to the board and running through many different systems for monitoring which shows that the tone of the pickups are consistant. They are very versatile and very dependant on your signal chain. I can just about literally play any genre of music on these. DON'T crank them too close to the strings, or you will get mush and a lack of sustain.

I love these pickups. I am curious to see how they behave in a non mahogany body. I tried dimarzio Humbuckers from hell on a few H/H guitars to try to get a cleaner more P90/singlecoil sound, but got mud with no definition on the bass strings. These EMG's are perfect.

Passive humbucker... specs online at www.emginc.com

I tried this in the Epiphone Zakk Wilde Les Paul Custom Bullseye at a Guitar Center in Phoenix. The HZ-H4A is in the bridge with the regular H4 in the neck position. The one I picked up had to be the HEAVIEST Les Paul I'd ever tried. It was like a neck glued to a bowling ball!

Playing through a new Vox AD120VTH head and matchign AD212 cabinet, which I'd just purchased, I was evaluating these pickups against the Gibson BurstBucker Pros in an LP Standard 60's neck. Same Marshally sound, as the amp as just turned on and stock, with no changes to the settings, the EMG HZs just blew away the Gibsons, hands down. Every frequency was clearer, and better defined with silky smooth highs and a tight bottom which was great for choring. I almost hate to admit it but the ZW Bullseye Custom is worth every penny that Epi wants for each copy they build, simply because of these pickups. If you're like me, and the sound of the "active processing" bothers you a little, this is the answer. I have EMGs in two of my other guitars and the HZ-H4A and H4 will soon find a home in one of my other guitars!

If you want a big rock or heavy metal sound, you can do it with this pickup. Playing with the Vox settings, I selected "Fat OD" then slammed it into a "UK Modern" sound with a healty chunk of stereo chorus and a touch of reverb and delay and, voila, there was Zakk's sound flowing out of the speakers! The Gibson BurstBuckers just didn't feel that "alive" by comparison.

Pickup Features: Humbucker, Passive
Impediance or other specs? : N/A

Model of guitar or bass: ESP LTD EX-260
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: none
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Thrash metal, heavy metal, metal and heavy in general
Reason for pickup change:

Perceived output level: High
Tone: Balanced, crisp and clear
Sonic evaluation: ZOOM G2.1u Multi-fx (tube pre-amp+dist mainly)Fender FM 100 series stack. Haven't head any combination with more studiolike sound ever.

Comments: It's a great pick-up. High output, Crunchy high tone, Superb harmonic and artificial harmonics. In my opinion the only passive pick-up
that's better is the famous dimebucker, even so it's not alot better and considering the prices; the HZ 64,90 ??? the Dimebucker 118,90 ??? (by the local store)

Pickup features: Passive covered Humbucker
Impedence or other specs: n/a

Model of guitar or bass: Jackson DKMG (cobalt blue swirl)
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: none
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: n/a
You musical style(s): Power chordal heavy rock
Reason for pickup change: Though I haven't replaced it quite yet though, it's replacment is in the mail, I'm really replacing it for output reasons. I needed more output.

Perceived output level: Enough for reasonable Heavy Metal. But, total metal meltdown saturation may not be a good idea.
Tone: Crunchy high mids and useful clarity in 'loading' situations. Sterile sounding when used straight up.
Sonic evaluation: My tones are mid-dy and using the Jackson DKMG that this pickup is loaded in doesn't flatter my tone. If I used a darker sound and/or used a heavy effects/processor, then this pickup would rule in that sense. Since my tone has sparkley brights this pickup is a loss when it comes to my perfect idea of what MY tone should be. I wouldn't knock this pickup because it has moderen tone even past the 12th fret (can't beat that)and helps when clarity is an issue in today's detuned, heavily disorted Metal styles. It was really just an output issue with me as regards this stock pickup, I needed more output, not a whole lot, but more than the HZ provided. I wanted to replace it with another EMG, but their pickup tones (like the 81 and 85 that everybody clamors about) weren't what I like... at all.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play heavy, but not detuned, power chordal textures. The HZ had a REALLY nice crunch and way to deliver the power chords!

Comments: I'd just buy the Seymour Duncan Distortion trembucker in place of the HZ due to higher output and tone, the S.D. tone is more of what I like in my personal guitar tone. I've been playing for 12 years and never bothered changing pickups because all the pickups I used 'til now were adequate. It wasn't until a few weeks ago(maybe a month) I realized that I had come to my natural wits end that pickup output could no longer be tolerated. If you like a covered, crunchy, clarity (but sterile) loving, moderen sounding pickup, then maybe the EMG HZ (passive)humbucker line is for you.

Pickup features: passive humbucker
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: ESP LTD Viper-301
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced:
Other pickups on guitar: Seymour Duncan SH1 '59
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Blues/Jazz
Reason for pickup change: Stock pickups, changed the HZ to a Duncan 59 in the neck, left the HZ in the bridge.

Perceived output level: Hotter then my 59, but quiet compared to most pickups floating around today
Tone:
Sonic evaluation: Using my LTD Viper-301 through a Kustom 200dfx head with a Kustom 4x12 cab. I think everybody who doesnt like this pickup is into metal, these pickups just dont work for metal. They have sparkle on the mid-high range when you turn down your volume knob to half way or less. I really dont see these as meant for metal, they do a great job of cutting through with the 'magical guitar' sound of the late 60's or early 70's humbucking guitars.
When you crank your volume all the way on your guitar, it really doesnt sound to well, its not muddy, but its unappealing. Im not a fan of hot pickups, if I want a higher output Ill just get a booster pedal. This pickup has a nitch, but you have to find it. It really can hit a magical sound, but its not meant for thrashing.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Blues/Jazz

Comments: I replaced the neck HZ because I wanted something not as hot, and something to sound more balanced for low distortion play. I got the SD 59 and Im happy I did, having an HZ in both positions can get bland. Ill never replace my bridge HZ, I love the retro sound it offers when you lay back on the volume.
I know all the guitar tone-philes make fun of solid state amps too, but there are some great options out there. Im not one for metal, and my Kustom Amp is not a metal amp. The Kustom head I have does not sound like any other solid state, and when you fiddle around the HZ's through the kustom are a perfect match.
This pickup lacks versatility, but you do get a few good retro tones if you play around with it. In the end, the pickup doesnt effect the sound of your guitar as much as your body wood, neck wood, fret wood, strings, amp, or effects.

Pickup features: passive humbuckers
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Custom
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced:
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: JCC of Doodis
You musical style(s): jazz, jammy rock
Reason for pickup change: New custom guitar.

Perceived output level: I have XLR 500's that are hotter.
Tone: Balanced, crisp and clear
Sonic evaluation: see below

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Jammy rock in the vein of Moe., also Jazz (mostly latin and swing)

Comments: These pickups are in a custom guitar I had built by luthier Dave Cronce. The guitar is an electric hollowbody w/ maple top and neck (bolt on) and mahogany back and sides, trapeze strung. Also a block under the bridge. I play through a fender twin. With this wood recipe these pickups sound excellent. I have owned several guitars over the years and am extremely happy with the sound of this one. These pickups have a very clean and distinct sound. The notes come out crisp and clear, they are well balanced and very quiet. It was hard at first for me to set my amp up properly for them, but now that my settings are dialed in these pickups sing.

Pickup features: MINE ARE ACTIVE HZ
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: JACKSON DKMGT
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: NONE
Other pickups on guitar: NONE
Artists using this pickup: NONE
You musical style(s): ROCK- HEAVY METAL
Reason for pickup change: NO COMENT

Perceived output level: SINCE MINE ARE ACTIVE AND I HAVE A TURBO CHARGER THEY CAN GET" MEGAHOT"
Tone: THEY ARE BASSY AND TREBLY
Sonic evaluation: A MARSHALL MODE FOUR

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: ROCK AND METAL IT IS A VERY GOOD MATCH ALL POSITIONS SUITABLE

Comments: IVE HEARD THE HZ STORIES AND THEY ARE NOT TRUE IF U GET THE NEW ACTIVE HZ'S THEY CAN ALMOST MEASURE UP TO AN 81 IVE BEEN PLAYIN FOR 7 YEARS SO IVE HAD MY FAIR SHARE OF EMG'S AND THERES NUTHIN WRONG W/ THESE

Pickup features: passive humbucker..
Impedence or other specs: High Impedance, H4A (neck) and H4 (bridge)..

Model of guitar or bass: Dean "Dean Owner's of America" 1/50 SilverBurst Cadillac.. (no, you can't get one)
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: stock MIK pickups..
Other pickups on guitar: none..
Artists using this pickup: millions of bedroom and garage rockstars..
You musical style(s): none..
Reason for pickup change: the stock MIK pickups sounded like stock MIK pickups..

Perceived output level: much higher ouput than the stock MIK pickups.. i'd rather have these than the stock MIK pickups..
Tone: the tone is sterile, like everything EMG makes.. typical EMG-tone.. good for heavy effects usage, or to punch through a muddy preamp.. the neck has a warmer tone than the bridge.. pronounced mids, and not-so-needle-like highs.. the neck pickup can get a little muddy, but if you adjust your height, it gets much cleaner..
Sonic evaluation: Dean D.O.A. Caddy, Digitech 2101, BBE 362 (in the fx-loop of 2101), and Ampeg "Lee Jackson" VL-1001 half-stack.. sweet stuff..

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: i have no style, haha.. the pickups do not sound as bad as others make them out to be.. they seems suited for use with effects, and depending on how you adjust for the output, you could play pretty much any "style" you wanted to.. but, since they are a much higher output, rock would seem to be the best for them.. i think that they would probably be unsuited for polka..

Comments: i wold dumpster-dive again for a set.. i don't think that i'd pay the Stew-Mac 75/ea for them.. but they seem to be good pickups, really quiet, and very accurate.. and coil-tapping yields another tone, output is dropped dramatically, but get a narrow tele-like tone to them..
for high impedance pickups these are very similar to the typical EMG output.. pretty sterile, not much color.. not like a DiMarzio, or Duncan, which have much more personality than these do.. but, compared to the stock MIK pickups, these are a much better choice..
i've never liked EMGs, active or passive (selects), but i'm going to give these a serious try..
the neck pickup (H4A) is much warmer than the bridge (H4).. i would imagine that this sounds similar to a Zac Wilde setup (85 & 81), but only passive.. i do have the option of installing a 9v preamp with these, but i really don't see the need for more output.. or noise to creep in.. and to install a 9V every 6 months..
they do sound very nice in my DOA Caddy, which is built like a Caddy Select.. ( www.deanguitars.com ) maple top, mahogony body and neck..
the natural resonance of the guitar comes through, but in a very clinical EMG way..
i must say that EMG is great to deal with.. i was missing the pickup leads, and i emailed EMG and was replied to by a service-tech named Rick Hunt, and was dealt with in a quick and respectful way.. he sent the pickup leads to me, for free.. and included a few picks and stickers to boot.. what a great guy.. this *almost* makes me want to *actually purchase* a set of EMGs..
as far as it goes, i'm pretty satisfied..

Pickup features: passive humbucker
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: jackson dkmg
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced:
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): mostly metal
Reason for pickup change:

Perceived output level: not very hot like gibson 498t for ex. better clean sound than the active emg, but not hot enough for metal
Tone: quite well, but something is missing i cant specify
Sonic evaluation: besides that guitar i use a gibson explorer with emg 81/85 a gibson lp classic and standard with stock pus and an bcrich mockingbird je with 496r/500t.
run it throug engl e650 richie blackmore head and 4x12 hughes cabinet

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: i play thrash metal. this pu doesn't match perfectly

Comments: this pu is ok not really good, but not bad enough to replace it.
looks great (like all emg's). but is?not hot enough for most guitars it comes in (ltd, jackson etc)
by the way this is the h3 model, h4 is said to be way hotter.
so if ne1 wanna trade h4 ---> h3 please contact me

Pickup features: Passive humbucker
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Epiphone Evolution
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Stock p'ups
Other pickups on guitar: sock epi bridge p'up
Artists using this pickup: i dunno
You musical style(s): thrash, black, death, and industrial metal
Reason for pickup change: I needed a more balanced p'up in the bridge of my epi, and the stock p.o.s. just wasnt cuttin' it.

Perceived output level: pretty damn hot for a passive p'up, but amazingly not noisy.
Tone: good and balanced, great with high gain. clean aint all that great but i rarely play clean anyway.
Sonic evaluation: epi evolution running through crybaby wah to my randall rh100 with an ibanez phaser, and arion chorus in the fx loop. Sounds big and crunchy just like i like it, not muddy at all.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: This is a great p'up for thrash metal, black metal, industrial, etc...

Comments: I have been playing for 2 1/2 years, and this kicks the ass of any stock p'ups of my guitars. If it were destroyed or stolen I would deffinately buy one again, just cuz its so damn cheap. Im considering getting one for my strat. I love this thing because its very affordable, and really dishes out the good shit.

Pickup features: Hum cancelling passive
Impedence or other specs: 14?

Model of guitar or bass: Ibanez RGT42
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: INFs
Other pickups on guitar: n/a
Artists using this pickup: n/a
You musical style(s): blues, R&R, etc.
Reason for pickup change: experimentation with sound improvisation

Perceived output level: dependent on the guitar...response and resonance varies with body composition
Tone: read below
Sonic evaluation: I have to agree with guitarmanbfs about people trashing pickups. The HZ is a fine sounding pickup- on the right guitar. I pulled the HZs from an ESP LTD EX351, with its huge mahogany body, and put Duncan Invaders in it. That guitar sounds excellent now. But the Ibanez was a problem child. I wanted a cleaner, quieter, slightly glassy sound for leads. So I dropped HZs from the ESP in the Ibanez, and voila, a match made in heaven. They sound better than both the stock INFs and Duncan Distortions. I believe the basswood body and the Floyd Rose trem help the HZs sustain more and provide substantial harmonics. Like the man says, you have to match up your equipment...and not expect a pickup to overcome deficiencies of poorly designed/ constructed instruments and transistor amps, like (sorry guys, but they are the worst guitars to work on)any BC Rich guitars and Crate amps. Also, I'm just curious about the change...the gentleman who changed out the pickups on his Steinberger...usually those instruments sound sensational when set up correctly. Defect, short, etc? Thanks

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I great lead pickup on the right type instrument, in any position

Comments: I really don't see anything wrong with the design or power of these pickups. They sound clean, have a sweet crunch, and give singing highs. They have average output and are quiet, so if pushing them is a requirement, an overdrive is recommended.

Pickup features: passive hum, neck and bridge
Impedence or other specs: 12-14, varies

Model of guitar or bass: Ibanez RGT42
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: stock INFs--> S/D Distortions-->EMG-HZ
Other pickups on guitar: n/a
Artists using this pickup: not known
You musical style(s): blues, rock
Reason for pickup change: I just couldn't find the sound I was looking for and I tried a pair of HZs I pulled out of an ESP, and was pleasantly surprised.

Perceived output level: normal, but surprisingly quiet
Tone: These pickups match the guitars basswood body, and resonate very well.
Sonic evaluation: I use a BOSS ME-50 and a Marshall AVT50. Great, versatile little setup. The EMGs have just enough crunch and glassiness with this guitar to make it a superb lead guitar. I wasn't impressed with EMG-HZs on my ESP, so that got S/D Invaders, and these became spares. On the Ibanez, they are balanced across the scale.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I'm happy with the combination. Given the Floyd Rose, I didn't have high expectations for sustain.

Comments: I've been playing for years. My first guitar was an old Hagstrom I, which I still consider to be the best playing/ sounding electric guitar ever built. That's why I got the Ibanez RGT42, because it was closest to that guitar, but the stock pickups or the S/D Distortions were not what I wanted for sound. The EMGs were spares, so I decided to try them and I got the sound I wanted. This is strictly preference, not a criticism of the quality/ performance of the other pickups. On the Ibanez, which has a full scale, the EMGs have excellent range and sweet harmonics, definitely a plus with the Floyd Rose that came stock with the guitar. I now know why HZs were originally used on high end guitars. If you're into metal or highly distorted guitar playing, a different pickup like a Dimarzio Super Distortion, Gibson Burstbuckers, or a Duncan Invader may be a better choice.
Also, the encased coil and the slide-in connecter make the HZs appealing to the guitar's overall appearance and convenient, should a coil short out requiring replacement.

Pickup features: Passive humbuckers
Impedence or other specs: 14 K each approx

Model of guitar or bass: Eppiphone Explorer
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: stock eppiphone humbuckers
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s):
Reason for pickup change: i thought the old pickups sounded rubbish

Perceived output level: a good bit better than the old ones
Tone: very midd
Sonic evaluation: my amp is a 80w marshall valvestate combo

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: any rock style

Comments: the improvement was impressive, but as i can get a new zakk wylde set for less money than i payed for these posted from america!(i wish i knew that when i bought them)
overall good tone and much more clarity. not so good for hiding your mistakes when playing but if you hit the note you want then it will sound powerful thick and with more presence. sweet!

Pickup features: passive humbocker
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Fernandes Native X
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Worn out stock (bridge)
Other pickups on guitar: wearing out stock (neck)
Artists using this pickup: its not really a pro level pickup
You musical style(s): metalcore, post-hardcore, screamo, pop-punk, ska
Reason for pickup change: I needed something to replace a malfunctioning stock for an upcoming show. I didn't have the money for an active EMG or a gibson, so I made a compromise, get this now, and upgrade later.

Perceived output level: Less than everything I've used before. Its kind of pathetic and weak next to the stock neck.
Tone: little range, mostly treble, but it cuts out very early. If you turn down the tone you can get a lot of mids, but bass is non-existant.
Sonic evaluation: My trusty franken-guitar through a Marshall MG100HDFX. That amp has almost too much high end to begin with, combined with a pickup like this it doesn't get the greatest sound. I don't think my amp has quite as much distortion as other Marshalls, and with such low output I can't really get as much as I want. The root notes don't really pull through the whole chord.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: It doesn't really work well with any dropped tunings as it has little bass. I doubt this pickup would do any better in the neck position.

Comments: I'll be replacing it as soon as I get more money. I haven't decided with what yet. I've been seriously playing for just over two years. I've got the marshall and my beloved Fernandes I call Winona. I've also got a Gibson ES-325, and my mom's old Gibson acoustic that's older than she is. I kind of like the pattern of the tone, but it just needs more of everything. More range, more bass, more mids, and some extra highs to ballance with the extra output.
I picked this pickup dispite its inconsitant reviews because I really wanted to try something with and EMG label on it. Also it was one of the lowest prices I could find on a good condition pickup.
I have either the HZ-1 or HZ-2 (it has one set of exposed screws) maybe the other models are better.

Pickup features: humbucking, passive
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: LTD Viper 301
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced:
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Rock, Hard Rock, Trash
Reason for pickup change: Su sonido apesta. Plagado de arm?nicos, metalico y similar a una ecualizaci?n hecha por un anarqu?sta.

Perceived output level: Muy alta
Tone: De todo, tiene todo elevado xD
Sonic evaluation: Guitarra: LTD Viper 301
Ampli: Peavy Express 112
Multiefectos: Boss GT-6

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

Comments: He de cambiar esa pastilla. Soy un guitarrista iniciado, un manta vamos. Pero hasta yo puedo percibir que esa pastilla es un moj?n, he probado cientos de presets con la pedalera y no hay ni un sonido hendrixiano, pageysiano o metallicano decente. Tengo una guitarra vantage con una seymour duncan y su sonido es sin duda mejor, mucho mejor, infinitamente mejor. La HZ parece estar encerrada en una lata de tomate.

Pickup features: passive humbucker
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: ESP ltd EC300
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: none, HZs come with
Other pickups on guitar: ya heard me!
Artists using this pickup: none. and if so, i pity them.
You musical style(s): metal. most forms.
Reason for pickup change: i want to change these ones, because i hate them.

Perceived output level: meh, i knew the hz story and thought they would probably live up to it
Tone: bassy, not too clear, not enough output.
Sonic evaluation: i am not a big fan of these pickups. they've sucked half of my "heaviness". if they only didn't suck my heavy tone, they wouldn't be too bad.
i'm using my ec300 through a randall rh100 head into a 2x12 cab

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: suitable: jazz! but i doubt any good jazz guitarist would use them.

Comments: i wish someone would steal these. i play mainly through the bridge p.u., and raised the hell out of it just to get a little more output and drive.
why EMG? why would you put your name on these?!

Pickup features: Humbucking
Impedence or other specs: ?

Model of guitar or bass: Ltd Ec-300
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: n-a
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: any?
You musical style(s): Rock/Metal genres suck!
Reason for pickup change: stock

Perceived output level: hotter than normal passives
Tone: balanced in the bridge, muddy in the neck.
Sonic evaluation: They sound good if you know what you're doing. don't crank them up to the strings, it isn't necessary.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: this pickup is best for bridge, rythmn/heavy styles.

Comments: I am tired of reading people's reviews trashing these pickups. Most everyone dissing them has some little kmart crate practice amp, or they payed way to much for a big solid state amp. I use this pickup with a boss eq and a ds-1 distortion into a vintage tube amp. It sounds great, these are good stock pickups. most of you idiots out there have no clue what your doing with your equipment in the first place. don't wine about pickups sounding muddy on a practice/solid state amp. your amp is junk. another thing, if you have your distortion cranked up all the way your pickup doesnt matter. get a tube amp and your pickups will sound better, these are great. solid states are dry and muddy. you could put a $5000 guitar through a solid state amp and it will still sound like shit, so quit trashing good pickups. if you want passives that aren't expensive, these are the ones. i am eventually gonna get the zakk emg 81, 85 set, actives are good. and i have another hint: get an eq pedal and stop complaining about your guitar, its your amp that sucks.

Pickup features: passive humbucker
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: LTD viper 301
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: came with guitar
Other pickups on guitar: na
Artists using this pickup: hopefully noone professional
You musical style(s): precision punk, hardcore, metal
Reason for pickup change:

Perceived output level:
Tone: muddy as hell, way to bass-y, no clarity, no punch, overdistorted...the first time i used it i thought i was going through the neck pickup
Sonic evaluation: I'm going through a 5150 II amp...i've had to compensate for the lack of treble by turning the high up to 10 on my amp and it still sounds like shit...I've eq-ued it every which way and am not having any luck...the pickups in my epiphone sounded like a dream compared to these things...

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play lots of hardcore and punk. that's not to say i know know a good tone though...lots of the stuff i play requires presicion picking speed and clarity because i like to use weird chords and stuff...i guess if you were a nu metal kid you'd like these, because they are all bass...i can't deal with it though

Comments: if it was destroyed, id do a naked dance of joy..i'm probably going to get an emg81...ive had much more success with those...ive been playing for about ten years and i'm pretty solid about what kind of tone i expect....i love the guitar it came in but i hate this pickup...it's the wose shit ive ever heard...the pickup is catering to a trend in tone when it should be more of an all-around pickup...i'll give it a two because it looks cool

Pickup features: Humbucking Passive (H3)
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Steinberger GT-PRO
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Select SEHG
Other pickups on guitar: Select SES
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Rock, Blues, Hammering (Eddie Style)
Reason for pickup change: Selects just don't cut it

Perceived output level: Louder and firmer than I expected
Tone: Firm and well balanced, not enough Mid
Sonic evaluation: I run it through a Boss VF-1 into a Marshall Valvestate VS100R. The tone is firm and clear not soggy and soft like the Selects. For Soloing and hammering, it could use some work, harmonics have a much fuller sustain than the Selects.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: The neck really punches and the difference in the bridge is less noticable

Comments: I think it may be too expensive for what it produces but the design similar to its active counterparts is much more appealing than Seymours or Dimarzios with exposed poles and coils. The sound works really well with the GT-PRO (I think they should come with these in the first place) but I guess it wouldn't fit the class of guitar although the GT-PRO is an AMAZING guitar even compared with the similar GL series of the Steinberger Graphite editions I own. Sharp sound but still lacks the mid in the drive

Pickup features: Passive humbucker
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: ESP LTD Kh-502
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: none
Other pickups on guitar: none
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): metal, classic rock, and rock
Reason for pickup change:

Perceived output level: They are good for metallica sound and bands like that. The clean needs a bit of work.
Tone: The tone is about that of a Les Paul.
Sonic evaluation: I use a POD for a preamp into a crate 120 watt tube amp. The pickups in my Kh-502 are very good but I would replace them if I ever got to play live with a band.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play mostly metallica

Comments: If the pickups were stolen then my whole guitar would be stolen and I would probably kill the person that stoll it. I've been playing about 2 years and its way better then my crappy squire strat and its crappy pickups. To summerize I like the sound and it is a good cheap pickup so I would buy it.

Pickup features: Humbucker
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass:
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Stock
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Classic rock,metal,blues...ROCK!! labels suck!
Reason for pickup change: The stock pickups gave me the runs...they were SHIT,SHIT,SHIT!!

Perceived output level: Fairly hot...I would'nt expect them to perform like 81's or 85's...they're not active. They ARE alot less of a hassle to install, however. The price was right.
Tone: Tone is decent. Usually anything is an improvement over stock. We were impressed. Me and my friend who owns the local music store.
Sonic evaluation: I'm running them through a custom 50 watt tube head designed by Lee Jackson and a crate 4x12 that is loaded with greenbacks from the factory. Did crate make alot of celestion cabinets? With greenbacks no less...suprises me...

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: These are well suited for blues and/or rock. I don't think these are available for resale as of yet. Only as a stocker 4 esp. When toggled in the middle,it stepped up the low end. They seem to work well together.

Comments: If the guitar they were in was stolen or leaped off a cliff and plunged to it's death,i would probably replace them. IF i ran across another used set for about the same amount of money...or less. Like i said, i don't believe they're available outright as of yet. Still a good pickup for the money.I've been playing on and off for 20 years or so,and i've heard worse. YES i am running these through a dst4 by art, but i have plugged directly into the head with these and they do sound decent. As long as your intelect dose'nt rival that of a dead bush and you don't get your little screwdriver out and crank the fucking thing's up against the strings, they won't squeal. Shit man, iv'e heard Rio Grandes squeal and beome microphonic when you cank em' up too high in the body, and those are GREAT pickups. Don't do that shit... don't be that guy. Even or slightly above your pickup rings will do for these hot bastards. For the money these were a pretty good value.The guitar body did need a little routering to make em' fit, but that wuz cool. It's not a high end guitar anyway.For anything high end i would go with rio grande bbq's. Kick ass pickup's,but ya pay 4 em'.Worth it though.Hating any pickup would be futile. It's just a pickup, not a fucking boy band. They're also a easy replacement for stockers without all that pot and input switching shit as well as all the 9v shit that comes with actives. The actives DO sound better though. So don't expect ta sound like Zac!! You won't anyway. He has his own style. So stop acting like a fucking sheep and create your own. Originality rulezzz!!! There's only 1 Zac...Long live BLACK LABEL SOCIETY!!!!!! I'll rate em a 10 for price and to kick the overall rating up a bit. People, these are not bad pickups. There are better, but there always are. It's just like speed... how how much rubber you want to coat that fucking pavement with is just a question of how much money ya wanna spend. Ya want a nitro kick, try rio grande or the like. One thing i have learned is that more than pickups affect tone so...don't expect your kmart-level amp to wail like a mesa just cuz ya change pickup's. Jeeeeeez...
LONG LIVE ROCK AND FUCKING ROLL!!!!!!!!
Help stomp out pop in yur lifetime...you, yes YOU!!!!!!

Pickup features: Passive humbucker
Impedence or other specs: Only the garbage man knows

Model of guitar or bass: LTD M300
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: This is the stock pickup
Other pickups on guitar: Just the two HZs
Artists using this pickup: No one, I hope
You musical style(s): Hard rock, a dabble of metal and a bit of everything else
Reason for pickup change: I changed these out 2 hours after I first plugged in the guitar ... read on to find out why.

Perceived output level: Very average, I would say a little less or the same as a Seymour Duncan Jazz or 59 (neither of which is very loud) and a lot less than an EMG60/81 or Seymour Duncan JB, Custom, Distortion or Full Shred
Tone: I can't say that I can identify 'tone' in what these things put out. They are simpy put: dead. The bridge makes some harsh popping sounds, the neck sounds completely muffled and undefined. Anyone who praises these pickups will no doubt have in their review that, in addition to their amp, they use a distortion pedal, wah pedal, Woogie Boogie Super Cube, some Digitech product and whatever other crap exists out there.
Sonic evaluation: M300 straight into a Marshall 8040 or JTM60. With the 8040 I get whiny muddled crap, with the JTM60 I get growly muddled crap. In all cases, switching to a pair of Duncans provided excellent sound.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: This pickup works for death metal only, and that's because there is no tone there, just a digital patch that creates noise everytime a string is played.

Comments: I currently own an LTD H200 with Duncan Custom and Jazz, and Dean V Select with Duncan JB and 59. I ended up selling the M300, but both of these setups sound great going straight through the JTM60. The M300 with the HZs coouldn't make a good sound to save its life. I put EMG60/81 into it, that had its moments for the brief metal bits, but I ended up not playing the guitar much so I sold it. I have been playing for 5 years, been thru 6 electric guitars (Jackson Dinky, LTD H200, LTD M2, LTD M300, Dean V Select, a custom ESP HSS strat - all with their stock pickups AND upgrades) and played other models extensively. The HZ is probably the worst pickup I have ever heard.

Pickup features: Humbucking Passive Pickup
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: ESP M-300
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: None...This was stock
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: No one with ears for real tone
You musical style(s): Rock, metal, even some soft stuff...I love it all
Reason for pickup change: Didn't change em....these were the stock pickups in my ESP

Perceived output level: Slightly hot...not as hot as an 81 of course
Tone: Harsh and sterile...trebly
Sonic evaluation: I use these pickups through a Lne 6 AX2, and a Peavey 5150 II. It sound bearable through the AX2 only becasue that thing will make every guitar out there sound exactly the same. The Peavey lets the true tonal characteristics shine through and these pickups are HARSH TRASH! A nice PRS or Gibson sounds beautiful through the amp...so I know the amp isn't at fault. And talk about microphonic! These things are more microphonic than...a......MICROPHONE! Well ok its not that bad but man do these things squeal. I'm replacing both of them with SD '59s. These just are thin and lack balls.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: They can match noisey metal crap that is all power chords because who needs tone when all you are hearing is a wall of noise?

Comments: If it were destroyed or stolen, I would celebrate it's loss. I have been playing for 6 years and I am searching for that perfect tone. I give these pickups a 2 becasue they actually make some sound. Nothing else.

Pickup features: Humbucker
Impedence or other specs: 13k

Model of guitar or bass: ESP MH-300
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Was stock bidge and neck
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: ?
You musical style(s): Fast picking and lots of scales
Reason for pickup change: No change

Perceived output level: Is a high output pickup, more than an Dim. Evo. but a little less than a S.D. Hot Rail
Tone: Is well balanced though could use a tad more character, excellent in the neck and also very good in the bridge although a bit more highs and harmonic content would be welcome.
Sonic evaluation: This is an ESP MH-300 and the EMG HZ's are stock. Crate tube VC-120H
and Celestion 4x12 G12-65's. No effects. The sound is very powerful and crisp for stock pickups in a $500 guitar besides being truly a
high output pu. They are what they're supposed to be. The only thing i'd ask for is a little more harmonics and definition out of the bridge position but this is also the guitar's physical composition at work as it has a dark sound to begin with.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Is a good match overall for the instrument and what it was designed for. It sounds good clean too but would benefit from some coloring since its somewhat bland.

Comments: They sound very good for metal/rock and shred and are great for a stock pu in a reasonably priced guitar. They lend themselves well to
a variety of sounds and effects if you wish. Though not necessary i
may in the distant future consider changing the bridge to something
a bit brighter.

Pickup features: Passive Humbucker
Impedence or other specs: High impedance

Model of guitar or bass: BC Rich NJ Series Warlock
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Stock BC Rich pickups, possibly BCR 6's
Other pickups on guitar: Just the HZ's
Artists using this pickup: None that I know of...Most would probably go with EMG's active pickups.
You musical style(s): Mostly old school punk and some metal, but anything rock'n'roll is cool...I'm almost always using distortion though, that's what I really look for in my sound.
Reason for pickup change: I was pleased with the HZ sound in the ESP, however I'd heard so much about active pickups that I had to try them. I liked the power the actives gave me, so I installed EMG 81's into the ESP and moved the HZ's into my Warlock. I hated to waste the HZ's, as they're great pickups and sound much better than the stock BC Rich ones. Plus, this way I have the best of both worlds in active and passive pickups.

Perceived output level: Pretty hot...Nothing extreme but it was definitely designed to rock. Output is similar to the BCR pickups, but with more attack and cut. Better tone.
Tone: It's pretty balanced overall. In comparison to the EMG 81, the tone is pretty similar, except everything is to a lesser extent. For example, it's trebly, but not as trebly...Not quite as loud...etc, you get the idea. I must say, however, it sounds much bassier in my heavy-bodied warlock than it did in my light ESP. Therefore the tone varies to a significant degree depending on the variables. In any case, it proved to be full-sounding and pretty even to me, being more on the trebly side and still with nice mids and bass. They rock, and they rock hard. Great for any kind of distortion, you can dial in any sound you like. It?s just not as meaty and extreme as the actives...think of it as a mini EMG-81. You do get the benefit of a passive clean tone?That is, if you don't like that of the active ones.
Sonic evaluation: I play with a pretty limited setup. I run the guitar through an Ibanez Flanger pedal, a crybaby wah-wah, and straight to my Crate Blue Voodoo 50 half stack (standard speaker cabinet, not the Blue Voodoo) which is occasionally run through a Peavey PA system. The amp is naturally trebly, but sounds great nonetheless and has great distortion. Both the amp and the pickups are good for dialing in different tones, so these pickups shine through it.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Again, I play mostly punk rock and metal, things with distortion...These pickups give you a nice, full sound. It's on the trebly side, but I love that in a pickup. Wouldn?t you rather hear the notes and melodies coming out of the guitar, rather than an inaudible bassy mess that a lot of players seem to think is an ?awesome tone?? For anything that rocks, this is a good choice.

Comments