What does the long shaft potentiometer mean, and do I need it?

The long shaft design extends the potentiometer threading to fit guitars with deeper control cavities or non-standard pot configurations. Verify your guitar's control cavity depth and pot specifications before ordering—if your guitar uses standard shallow cavities and short-shaft pots, a standard EMG model may be the better fit.

Is this pickup active, and what does that mean for my tone and setup?

Yes, the 58X is an active humbucker powered by a 9V battery. Active design delivers consistent high output, superior noise rejection, and the compressed, articulate character ideal for high-gain and studio recording—the tradeoff is battery maintenance and soldering/wiring a power circuit, though EMG's solderless installation system simplifies that process.

What tone should I expect?

The 58X produces fat, round lows with articulate highs and musical sustain, built on AlNiCo/steel magnet construction. It's engineered for metal, hard rock, and high-gain applications; it's not voiced for jazz, blues, or folk playing styles.

What comes in the box?

You get the pickup, two 25k volume potentiometers, one 25k tone potentiometer, a battery bus, stereo output jack, mounting screws, springs, and all necessary cables for solderless installation.

How does the EMG 58X compare to other EMG models like the 81 or 57X?

The 58X sits between the 81 and 57X in output and tone character—it delivers high output and compressed tone like the 81 but with a rounder, fatter midrange. The key difference here is the long shaft potentiometer accommodation; choose the 58X if your guitar cavity demands it, otherwise compare tone voicing across the three models.

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. Marketplaces collect sales tax as the facilitator in most states, so the same listed price can cost more there. Buyers remain responsible for any use tax their state applies. Free US shipping and 30-day returns are included.

EMG 58X Long Shaft Active Humbucker Pickup in Ivory

The EMG 58X is a high-output active humbucker engineered to deliver thick, compressed tone with musical sustain and clarity across the frequency spectrum. The long shaft design accommodates guitars with deeper control cavities or non-standard pot configurations, making this variant essential for specific instrument builds. This ivory finish version pairs aggressive electronics with a classic aesthetic.

Tone & Stage Performance

Built on AlNiCo/steel magnet construction, the 58X produces the fat, round character EMG is known for while maintaining articulate high-end response. The active design runs on 9V battery operation, delivering consistent output and noise rejection that passive pickups cannot match—crucial for cutting through live mixes, handling high-gain rigs, and maintaining signal integrity on noisy stages.

Installation & Compatibility

The solderless installation system streamlines wiring and reduces the risk of heat damage to electronics during setup. The long shaft potentiometer format (versus standard short shaft) ensures proper fit in guitars where pot depth or cavity design demands extended threading—verify your guitar's control cavity specifications before ordering to confirm compatibility.

Key Features

Active humbucker design with high output
AlNiCo/steel magnet material
9V battery operation
Solderless installation system
Long shaft potentiometer configuration
Includes 2x 25k volume potentiometers and 25k tone potentiometer
Includes battery bus and stereo output jack
Includes mounting screws, springs, and necessary cables
Ivory color finish
Fat, round tone with musical sustain

The 58X Long Shaft combines EMG's proven active electronics with the ergonomic advantage of extended pot shafts, making it a reliable choice for players and builders working with non-standard guitar configurations who need dependable gig-ready performance.

Best suited for	Metal, Hard Rock, Studio Sessions, High-Gain Applications
Tonal character	Fat, round, high-output, compressed, articulate highs
Less specialized for	Jazz, Blues, Folk (it will do it; instruments voiced for that style do it more easily)
Skill level	Intermediate / Advanced / Professional