EMG 81X Active Humbucker Pickup in Brushed Gold

The EMG 81X uses solderless installation technology, so it's a drop-in fit with no soldering required. The package includes a complete wiring kit with battery bus, stereo output jack, pickup cable, connection cables, output cable, battery cable, and mounting hardware, plus 25K volume and tone pots.

The 81X runs on a single 9V battery with a rated lifespan of 3000 hours, which translates to roughly 4–6 months of regular use before replacement. Active electronics provide consistent output until you swap the battery.

The 81X excels in metal, hard rock, djent, progressive, and modern fusion. Its tight low end, articulate attack, and crisp highs are engineered for high-gain setups and aggressive playing; it's not recommended for jazz, blues, or folk applications.

The 81X is a refined version of the 81, delivering the same tight, high-output character but with improved articulation and controlled sustain optimized for modern tones. Both are ceramic-magnet active designs; the 81X offers updated tone shaping.

The pickup comes with a complete wiring kit (battery bus, stereo output jack, pickup cable, connection cables, output cable, battery cable, and mounting hardware), 25K volume pot, 25K active tone pot, and mounting hardware. You'll need to supply a 9V battery to power it.

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. 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.