What does the long shaft mean, and will it fit my guitar?

The long shaft design accommodates a wider range of guitar body cavities—both modern and vintage—making retrofit installation more flexible than shorter designs. If your guitar currently has a humbucker bridge position, the EMG 57 will almost certainly fit without routing.

Is this pickup good for jazz or blues?

No. The EMG 57 is voiced specifically for metal, hard rock, and high-gain contexts; its presence peak and aggressive output character are not designed for jazz or blues playing.

How long does the 9V battery last, and is installation really solderless?

The battery is rated for approximately 1500 hours of typical use. Yes, installation uses solderless 5-wire plus ground and battery harness connectivity, so you can swap it in without soldering if your guitar's cavity already supports a 5-wire harness.

How does the EMG 57 compare to the EMG 81?

The 57 delivers more articulate, punchy definition with a presence peak at 2.11 kHz, making it better suited for bridge positions where you want clarity and attack. The 81 is typically hotter and more compressed; choice depends on whether you prioritize cut and definition or maximum output.

What output voltage should I expect?

The EMG 57 produces 3.00V output on single-note strings and 4.50V on strums, with a noise floor of -100 dB at 60 Hz—high signal integrity for studio recording and live amplification without hum or noise contamination.

Do I pay sales tax on this order?

We collect sales tax only on orders shipped to California. Orders shipped to any other US state are charged $0 sales tax at checkout when you buy direct from our website. On this item that is roughly $10 less out the door than the same listed price at a national retailer or on a marketplace. Marketplaces such as eBay, Reverb and Amazon collect sales tax in nearly every state as marketplace facilitators no matter who the seller is, so the same item at the same price costs less bought direct. Free US shipping and 30-day returns are included. Some states ask buyers to self-report use tax on out-of-state purchases.

EMG 57 Long Shaft Active Humbucker Pickup in Brushed Black Chrome

The EMG 57 is a bridge-position pickup engineered for tracking clarity and punch in high-gain sessions. Its covered humbucker design and long shaft accommodate a wide range of guitar body cavities, making it a straightforward retrofit choice. The active circuit delivers articulate, defined output across palm-muted rhythms and aggressive lead passages—cutting through dense mixes without sacrificing note separation in the mix.

Electronics & Tone

Built on Alnico V magnets paired with steel poles, the 57 produces a 3.00V string output and 4.50V strum output with a resonant frequency of 2.11 kHz—a presence peak that sits cleanly in a mix without muddiness or phase issues. The active circuit runs on a single 9V battery (rated for 1500 hours of typical use) and maintains excellent headroom with an output impedance of 10 Kohm and noise floor of -100 dB at 60 Hz, ensuring quiet, noise-free recordings at any session level.

Design & Installation

Solderless connectivity via 5-wire plus ground and battery harness streamlines session setups and mid-project swaps; the long shaft design fits most modern and vintage cavities without modification. Finished in brushed black chrome, it complements both traditional and contemporary instrument aesthetics while resisting fingerprints and tarnish through extended studio use.

Key Features

Alnico V magnets with steel poles
Covered humbucker design
Long shaft for broad cavity compatibility
Active electronics powered by single 9V battery
Output voltage: 3.00V (string), 4.50V (strum)
Resonant frequency: 2.11 kHz
Output noise: -100 dB @ 60 Hz
Output impedance: 10 Kohm
Battery life: 1500 hours typical use
5-wire plus ground and battery configuration
Solderless connectivity
Maximum supply rating: 27 Volts DC

The EMG 57 pairs aggressive output with genuine note definition—a dependable bridge pickup for tracking sessions demanding high signal clarity and clean articulation in demanding studio contexts.