What's included in this set?

The package contains all three pickups (neck, middle, bridge), potentiometers with split-shaft controls, output jack, battery clip, mounting hardware, and the solderless wiring harness—everything you need for a complete retrofit into a standard Strat-style guitar.

Do I need to solder these pickups in?

No. The EMG solderless install system is included, so you can wire the pickups without a soldering iron. All connectors and terminals are pre-assembled for quick, reliable installation.

Will these work for metal or drop-tuning styles?

The EMG SX is voiced for blues, clean tones, and articulate lead playing rather than heavy or low-tuning applications. For those genres, a higher-output active or passive design would be better suited.

How do active pickups differ from the passive single coils I know?

Active pickups use an onboard preamp powered by a 9V battery to eliminate hum, tighten the frequency response, and maintain consistent output levels—you get single-coil articulation and snap without the noise and impedance issues of vintage passives.

How does the EMG SX compare to the Seymour Duncan SSL-1 or DiMarzio DP419?

The EMG SX is an active design with hum elimination and lower output impedance, while the SSL-1 and DP419 are passive pickups. The SX trades some of the organic dynamics of passives for cleaner, more controlled tone and modern studio-grade noise rejection.

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 $20 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 SX Active Single Coil Pickup Set in Black

The EMG SX delivers articulate, punchy single-coil character with the clarity and output consistency of active electronics. This three-pickup set trades traditional passive pickup noise and impedance issues for controlled, modern tone—ideal for players who want authentic single-coil definition without the hum and dynamics loss of vintage designs.

Tone & Performance

Ceramic magnets paired with low impedance preamp circuitry produce tight, defined highs and responsive mids across all three pickups. The internal shielding and active design eliminate 60-cycle hum while maintaining the snap and articulation that make single coils essential for clean tones, blues work, and articulate lead playing. On stage, you get hum-free reliability without sacrificing the cut and responsiveness that sits well in a mix.

Installation & Setup

The solderless install system simplifies wiring without sacrificing reliability or tone—no soldering iron required. The complete package includes potentiometers, split shaft volume and tone controls, output jack, battery clip set, screws, springs, and switch jack, covering everything needed for a full retrofit into a Strat-style guitar. Road-ready out of the box with straightforward wiring that keeps your instrument gigging without downtime.

Key Features

Set of 3 single-coil pickups for Strat-style guitars
Ceramic magnet construction
Active electronics with low impedance preamp
Internal shielding eliminates hum
Black housing
EMG solderless install system included
Split shaft volume and tone control potentiometers included
Output jack and battery clip set included
Mounting screws and springs included
9V battery-powered operation

The EMG SX set bridges the gap between vintage single-coil character and modern active reliability, delivering hum-free performance in a format that retrofits cleanly into any standard Strat-style instrument.