How do I switch between the humbucker and single-coil voices?

A push/pull potentiometer lets you toggle between the two modes instantly—pull to switch, push to lock. No need to swap pickups or rewire; both voices live in a single housing with separate preamp circuitry for each.

What comes in the box, and what do I need to install it?

The pickup includes a 25K volume pot, 25K tone pot, battery bus, stereo output jack, pickup bus connectors, mounting hardware, pickup cable, connection cables, output cable, and battery cable. You'll need a 9V battery and basic soldering or professional installation to wire it into your guitar.

Does this pickup work for jazz or blues?

The 81TWX is designed for metal, hard rock, progressive, and studio heavy-music work. Its high output, tight low end, and noise-cancelling character are optimized for aggressive genres; it's not a natural fit for traditional jazz or blues tones.

How does the 81TWX compare to passive pickups or other dual-voice options?

Unlike passive pickups, the 81TWX's built-in preamps deliver consistent, noise-free output at high gain with both voices. The dual-preamp architecture and X noise-cancellation tech set it apart from simple coil-tap designs, offering true single-coil articulation alongside humbucker aggression.

Is the ivory finish durable on a gigging guitar?

The ivory finish with copper EMG logo is a cosmetic choice that looks striking but will show wear with normal gigging and handling. It's the same quality as EMG's other finishes and won't affect sound or reliability.

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 81TWX Active Humbucker Pickup in Ivory

The EMG 81TWX is a dual-voice active pickup that lives in your bridge position and lets you flip between fat humbucker punch and articulate single-coil snap—all without swapping hardware. Toggle via push/pull pot, and the internal X preamp handles noise rejection in both modes so your signal stays tight even when you're pushing gain hard on stage. The ivory finish with copper EMG logo reads sharp under stage lights and photographs well.

Design & Switching Architecture

This dual-mode active pickup pairs a traditional humbucker element with a dedicated single-coil voice in one housing. Access the single-coil character through a push/pull potentiometer on your volume control—no conventional coil-tap, no extra drilling. EMG's internal X preamp technology runs integrated noise-cancelling circuitry across both voices, so you get genuine tonal range without sacrificing signal cleanliness or reliability on the road.

Electronics & Power Delivery

Dual built-in preamps power both pickup modes on standard 9V battery (the industry baseline for EMG active systems). The 1.1-inch housing runs 0.2 inches thicker than standard EMG humbuckers to fit the dual-preamp architecture inside; ceramic magnets keep output consistent across both voices. The pickup ships complete: potentiometers, battery bus, switching jack, and all interconnect cables ready to wire.

Key Features

Dual-mode active pickup: humbucker and single-coil voices in one housing
Internal X preamp with noise-cancelling technology in both modes
Push/pull potentiometer switching between humbucker and single-coil
Housing thickness: 1.1 inches (0.2 inches thicker than standard EMG humbuckers)
Ceramic magnet construction
Dual built-in preamps
9V battery power requirement
Ivory finish with copper EMG logo
Includes 25K volume pot, 25K tone pot, battery bus, stereo output jack, and pickup bus connectors
Mounting hardware, pickup cable, connection cables, output cable, and battery cable included

The 81TWX trades single-voice limitation for genuine flexibility—humbucker aggression when you need it, single-coil articulation when you want it. No swap-outs, no gear bloat, just one pickup doing two jobs reliably night after night.