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EMG James Hetfield Signature Pickup Set - Chrome
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Description
The JH Set is a totally new dimension for EMG with the design being driven solely with the input of James Hetfield. In early 2009 James Hetfield contacted EMG Pickups president Rob Turner and presented him with a challenge: to create a stealth looking set that captures the clarity and punch of a passive pickup and still retains the legendary active tone that molded a generation.
Featuring sleek metal plated caps and EMG's Solderless Installation System components, the JH Set consists of the JH-N (neck) and the JH-B (bridge). Both pickups were patterned after the pickups James has used for 30 years but the end result was a completely different animal. The JH-N has individual ceramic poles and bobbins that feature a larger core and are taller than the 60. This produces more attack, higher output, and fuller low end in the neck position. The JH-B uses the same type of core but has steel pole pieces, unlike the 81 that uses bar magnets. This produces the familiar tight attack with less inductance for a cleaner low end.
String Spacing: Standard (Tune-O-Matic) 49mm
Potentiometer Shaft Length: Short (Standard) 10mm
Featuring sleek metal plated caps and EMG's Solderless Installation System components, the JH Set consists of the JH-N (neck) and the JH-B (bridge). Both pickups were patterned after the pickups James has used for 30 years but the end result was a completely different animal. The JH-N has individual ceramic poles and bobbins that feature a larger core and are taller than the 60. This produces more attack, higher output, and fuller low end in the neck position. The JH-B uses the same type of core but has steel pole pieces, unlike the 81 that uses bar magnets. This produces the familiar tight attack with less inductance for a cleaner low end.
Specifications
String Spacing: Standard (Tune-O-Matic) 49mm
Potentiometer Shaft Length: Short (Standard) 10mm
Q & A
There are currently no questions for this product.
Reviews
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4.9/ 5 10 Reviews
5 StarsBest Ever
1 of 1 customers found this review helpful
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Product Experience I own it
Closest Store Vaudreuil-Dorion, Quebec
For those who are fans of James Hetfield's sound, this is a must. Very impressed with the output and quality of the sound. Was a no brainer for a Gibson Explorer project guitar that fell onto my lap.
Posted by Vince on Oct 2, 2025
Blown away
1 of 1 customers found this review helpful
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Closest Store Ottawa, Ontario
I'm over the moon on this pickup set. I was going to buy the EMG Zakk Wylde (81/85) set but listening to some comparisons online, this one sounded like it had a bit more bottom end , I also prefer the look of them for my particular guitar (black pickguard so it stands out better than black on black) and this set comes with short (regular) length pot shafts so it fits nice in a super Strat. (The Zakk Wylde one comes with long shafts because they're usually installed in Les Paul style guitars.) The sound, quality and looks are to die for. I'm blown away, this was what I was looking for. I wish they had coil split options too and that they included a solderless pickup selector, but the latter can be ordered separately. I highly recommend this, I'm converted to active pickups right now. EMG rocks.
Posted by George on Dec 1, 2024
No remorse!
1 of 1 customers found this review helpful
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Closest Store Edmonton Highlands, Alberta
I put these in my 1976 reissue Gibson Explorer. If you like metal, from Sabbath to Metallica you will not be disappointed. Even the bridge tone sounds amazing and clean. I don't know what else to say except that I want to put them in my Gibson Flying V as well. You can't ever go wrong with these EMGs!
Posted by Tyler on Dec 9, 2021
Worth the price
1 of 1 customers found this review helpful
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Closest Store Abbotsford, British Columbia
I waited a long time to pull the trigger on these because I wasn’t an active pickup player in the least. But after putting these in my explorer... it has changed my opinion (on the paf/active ones that is ) I’m an early day Metallica fan so it this may have something to do with my opinion but these pickups are great. Great pick attack and low end punches you in the stomach on the bridge and the neck buttery smooth with sustain. . When playing clean its sooooo nice and clear , snappy on the bridge and angel like “Aaawwww” on the neck !! Super happy with these. And I will be buying more emg products because of them.
Posted by Scott on Feb 2, 2021
Yes, it was easy.
1 of 1 customers found this review helpful
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Product Experience I own it
Closest Store Oshawa, Ontario
The jack tunnel on this Dimebag Dean needed to be reamed out, (slowly, by hand), to allow the wires, (terminals), to pass through. The output and battery cables were then discovered to be too short. This is due to the extreme shape of this particular ax. Cut off terminals, soldered extensions on, then soldered to jack. EMG website does sell longer wires for instances like this. Purchased some and will install if my soldering job should ever snafu. I know they'll fit! The terminal ends mentioned are 1/4 inch each and there's 3 of them along with 1 smaller terminal. Makes for a thick bundle, but they are Heavy Duty. All good things to say about how they are sounding. The Seymour Duncans sound fantastic too. The EMG's are more full throttle, turbo charged POWER DRIVEN.
Posted by Maak on Jan 12, 2020
Great
1 of 1 customers found this review helpful
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Product Experience I've tried it
Closest Store St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
The cleans really stuck out on these. Very nice.
Tried them in a Jim Root Strat.
Posted by CRW on Nov 6, 2018
Great pickups!
1 of 1 customers found this review helpful
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Product Experience I own it
Closest Store Victoria, British Columbia
I have a set of these in my PRS Torero, which came with a set of EMGs. I love the look of the nickel finish, rather than the flat black pickups the guitar originally came with. I also love the tone! These pickups give a great clean sound, and can really crank when you want to rip it up!
Posted by anonymous on Nov 15, 2015
wowser
2 of 2 customers found this review helpful
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Product Experience I own it
Closest Store St. Catharines, Ontario
The easiest way to describe these pickups is a passive pickup and an active pickup had twin babies an angel (clean tone) & demon (dirty tone). I cannot get over how amazing the sound is I get from these. I have tried to accomplish a bad sound but got inspired to write a new song with the new amazing sound. EMG & Hetfield have really outdone themselves with these pickups but why would you expect less from either party. I am so pleased with these pickups I have been changing all my guitars to have JHHET set. Nothing but the best tone for me and my guitars
Posted by anonymous on Oct 19, 2015
Greatest pickups ever made.
3 of 5 customers found this review helpful
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Closest Store Oshawa, Ontario
These are the best pickups i've ever played, and i've been playing guitar for about 25 years and own over 20 electric guitars.
Simply the best.
Posted by Philly Duffy on Sep 20, 2014
EMG JH
1 of 2 customers found this review helpful
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Product Experience I own it
Closest Store Winnipeg (Pembina), Manitoba
I bought this ( from the U.S. as no one in Canada even had them in their system to order ) set and am absolutely impressed. EMG & Hetfield accomplished exactly what they set out to do. This set is as close to have both passives and actives as you will ever get. Distorted very close to the 81/60 however the clean tones are amazing.
Posted by T. Bigelow on Oct 18, 2011
Reserve in Store
| Product | SKU | Qty |
|---|---|---|
| James Hetfield Signature Pickup Set - Chrome | 354292 |
