What instruments do these pickups fit?

The long shaft configuration and 19mm potentiometers are designed for Les Paul-style instruments and mount directly into Les Paul controls without modification. They use EMG's solderless installation system, so no drilling or rewiring is required.

How long does the battery last?

At 160 microamps current draw on a standard 9V battery, you get approximately 1500 hours of playing time per battery. The system also supports up to 27 Volts DC if you want expanded headroom.

Are these pickups good for genres other than metal?

These pickups are optimized for metal, hard rock, and thrash metal with drop tunings. Their aggressive attack, tight low end, and reduced feedback make them less suitable for jazz, blues, or country applications.

What comes in the box?

The set includes the JH-N neck and JH-B bridge pickups, two 25k volume potentiometers, two 25k tone potentiometers, battery bus, pickup busses, mounting hardware, springs, connector cables, and all components needed for solderless installation—no soldering required.

How do the neck and bridge pickups differ?

The JH-N neck pickup uses individually ceramic pole pieces and oversized bobbins for warmth and sustain, while the JH-B bridge pickup employs steel pole pieces for articulate attack and defined string separation. Both operate at 10 kΩ DC resistance.

Do I pay sales tax on this order?

Sales tax is collected only on orders shipped to California; orders shipped to any other US state are not charged sales tax at checkout when you buy direct from our website. At a typical 7% rate that is an estimated $19 less at checkout than the same listed price on a marketplace, which collects sales tax as the facilitator in most states. Buyers remain responsible for any use tax their state applies. Free US shipping and 30-day returns are included.

EMG James Hetfield Het Long Shaft Active Humbucker Pickup Set in Chrome

Developed in collaboration with Metallica's James Hetfield, the Het pickup set captures aggressive, articulate output with the precision and clarity required for modern metal production. The long shaft configuration accommodates Les Paul-style instruments, providing direct responsiveness and tight low-end definition that maintains clarity in dense mixes. Built with vacuum-sealed epoxy construction, these pickups reject microphonic noise and deliver consistent performance across tracking and overdub sessions.

Tone & Recording Character

The JH-N neck pickup features individually ceramic pole pieces with oversized bobbins exceeding EMG 60 specifications, supplying warmth and sustain without sacrificing definition on layered recordings. The JH-B bridge pickup employs steel construction pole pieces for articulate transient capture and defined string separation, operating at 10 kΩ DC resistance with a neck resonant frequency of 2.11 kHz. Current draw efficiency yields 160 microamps @ 9V, providing approximately 1500 hours of battery life per 9V cell—sufficient for extended session work without interruption.

Studio Integration & Setup

The long shaft potentiometers (19mm) integrate directly into Les Paul controls without modification, paired with 2x 25k volume and 2x 25k tone potentiometers for independent pickup level control during mixing and re-amping. EMG's solderless installation system includes battery bus, pickup in/out busses, mounting hardware, springs, and connector cables—enabling rapid installation and reconfiguration without soldering. The stereo output socket accommodates both mono and stereo signal paths, while maximum supply voltage reaches 27 Volts DC for expanded dynamic headroom during tracking.

Key Features

JH-N neck pickup with individual ceramic pole pieces and oversized bobbins
JH-B bridge pickup with steel construction pole pieces
Vacuum-sealed in epoxy to reduce microphonic feedback
Long shaft design (19mm) for Les Paul-style instruments
10 kΩ DC resistance per pickup
Neck resonant frequency: 2.11 kHz
160 microamps current draw @ 9V
1500-hour battery life on standard 9V battery
Maximum supply voltage: 27 Volts DC
2x 25k volume potentiometers, 2x 25k tone potentiometers
Stereo output socket for mono or stereo wiring
Solderless installation system with battery bus, busses, screws, springs, and cables included
Stainless steel caps in Chrome finish
Made in the USA

This set merges Hetfield's signature aggression with EMG's active electronics architecture, delivering studio-grade transient clarity and session-ready reliability in a straightforward installation package.

Best suited for	Metal, Hard Rock, Thrash Metal, Drop Tunings
Tonal character	Aggressive attack, tight low end, articulate definition, high output, reduced feedback
Less specialized for	Jazz, Blues, Country (it will do it; instruments voiced for that style do it more easily)
Skill level	Intermediate / Advanced / Professional