Do I need to solder these pickups, or is installation straightforward?

No soldering required. The EMG TC system uses solderless wiring with pre-measured, color-coded connectors that plug together directly. All cables, the stereo output jack, 3-way selector, volume pot, and tone pot arrive ready to integrate, cutting installation time and eliminating heat-damage risk.

What tone character should I expect?

Expect aggressive treble, high output, and ceramic brightness with articulate lead clarity and punchy rhythm tones. These pickups cut through a mix with cutting sustain and are voiced for metal, hard rock, progressive, and djent styles. They are not designed for jazz, blues, or folk.

What's included in this set, and what do I need to supply?

The set includes the RTC bridge and FTC neck pickups, all pickup and output cables (pre-cut to length), battery cable, stereo output jack, 3-way selector switch, 25K Ohm volume pot, 25K Ohm tone pot, and connect cables. You will need a 9V battery and an instrument with a routing cavity large enough to accommodate the electronics.

How long will the battery last?

The active electronics draw 160 microamps at 9V, with a rated battery life of 1500 hours of typical use. That translates to roughly 2–3 months of regular playing before replacement is needed.

How do these compare to other high-output single coils?

The EMG TC uses ceramic magnets for enhanced high-end response and increased output, offering more aggression and clarity than traditional alnico designs. Comparable models like the Seymour Duncan Quarter Pound and DiMarzio Evolution also deliver high output, but EMG's active system and solderless integration make this set faster to install and road-friendly.

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 $14 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 TC Active Single Coil Pickup Set in White

The EMG TC Active Single Coil Pickup Set is built for players who demand articulate, punchy tone with the reliability to handle night after night on stage. This ceramic-magnet pair delivers high output and cutting clarity without the installation headaches—the solderless wiring system gets you playing fast, and the white finish sits cleanly on most instruments without sacrificing the aggressive sonic character EMG is known for.

Tone & Electronics

Ceramic magnets give you enhanced high-end response and increased output compared to alnico designs, cutting through a live mix with aggressive treble definition and sustain that doesn't quit. The RTC bridge and FTC neck pickups handle everything from bright, articulate leads to punchy rhythm work, with 25K Ohm volume and tone potentiometers giving you the precision control to dial in your exact sound night after night.

Installation & System Design

The solderless wiring architecture means no soldering iron, no heat damage to components, and a fraction of the installation time—crucial when you're prepping a guitar for gigs or swaps. All necessary connectors arrive pre-measured and ready to go: pickup cables, output cable, battery cable, and connect cables, plus the stereo output jack, 3-way selector switch, volume pot, and tone pot are all included and integrated into a system designed for on-the-road reliability.

Key Features

Two-pickup set: RTC bridge and FTC neck configurations
Ceramic magnets for enhanced high-end and increased output
Active electronics drawing 160 microamps at 9V
Battery life rated at 1500 hours
25K Ohm volume potentiometer
25K Ohm tone potentiometer
Solderless wiring system for quick installation
Stereo output jack included
Pickup cables: 13.5" (34cm) and 9" (23cm)
Output cable: 6" (15cm), battery cable: 7" (18cm), two connect cables: 5.5" (14cm)
White finish
3-way selector switch included

Fast install, aggressive tone, gig-ready reliability—this set gets you stage-ready without wasting hours on setup.