Blackouts AHB-1 Review

9-volt active humbucker for aggressive playing styles. Recommended for old school metal, garage, punk, thrash, drop tunings, and other heavy rock styles.

Content Richness:	10
Style:	9
Impression:	9.5
Overall rating:	9.5
Users rating:	9.5
Comments:	25

overall: 9

Featured review by: DagMX, on december 13, 2007

Content Richness: The sound on these pickups is bloody brilliant. I'm using them in my B.C. Rich Afterburner warlock and they sound very meaty and substantially better than the stock BDSM pickups. Output level is very high as expected yet noiseless. For cleans you'll need an amp that won't break up easily as these pickups push out a lot of sound. That said, I could get nice bluesy tones out of them in the neck position with just a touch of gain to round out the sound. For lead/distortion they are extremely heavy and tight sounding. I play all kinds of stuff and with the right EQ, it can be awesome for anything. As for Tone, I would describe it as being heavy and a little scooped. Think Metallica at their best. I used it through a whole host of amps and ran it through in-built distortion as well as a DigiTech RP350. I say it's perfect for both neck and bridge, but if you play a lot of chordsy stuff, stick to a sligtly lower output active pickup like the EMG-60. // 10

Style: The pickup seems very durable and all the parts were there except for height/mounting screws. This was a problem because the pickups couldn't take the original mounting scews, so now they are just stuck into place. II can deffinitely depend on it. I tried all afternoon to make them come off justas a test but they stuck. If your mounting screws fit, then there'll deffinitely be no problem. // 8

Impression: I love how it can handle almost all the stuff I throw at it. It sounds really smooth and imo, it's much nicer than comparitive EMG pickups that I've tried. I only hate the fact that mounting it was a pain. They are installed in a B.C. Rich afterburner warlock and I'll be getting the phase-1 7 string versions for my Kramer. It came as a set of both neck and bridge pickups. // 9

overall: 10

Reviewed by: Psycho_McFool, on june 23, 2008

Content Richness: This pickup has been dubbed by some as the "EMG Killers", and for good reason. EMG pickups have been shown the door The level of output this pickup dishes out towers over that of an EMG 81. I have loaded my ESP SV Standard with these pickups, and I run it into a Valve driven Solid State Randall RH300G3 Halfstack (with the respective cabinet). Before installing the Blackouts, my SV had an EMG 81 set, so that's for all of you Who would say that my comparison is invalid. I find the EMG 81s to sound extremely thin compared to the Blackouts. I also find EMG 81s to rob your tone of your guitar's natural woodiness. Prior to installing the Blackouts, I found my tone to resemble early Devildriver. Now, it can be compared to later Machine Head. These pickups sound extremely thick, with more than enough highs and mids. They also punch out some mean lows without getting muddy. You'll need an amp with a lot of headroom though, to prevent breakup on a clean sound. Apart from that, The cleans sound lush and pristine. This pickup is available in individual Bridge and neck models, or as a set. The bridge pickup is great for heavy riffs, leads and cleans. The neck pickup is also great for a more fluid lead sound. It gives a woodier tone that buzzes with character. // 10

Style: I daresay these pickups will last a long time. A single 9 volt battery will power one pickup for 1420 hours plugged in. Divide that by 2 (710 hours) for the life of the set. This is a high quality pickup, and I could definitely depend on it to not only do the job it needs to, but to do it exceptionally well. // 10

Impression: I bought a set of these pickups for my ESP SV Standard, purely following the hype out of hearing and reading all the positive reviews about them. I had never A/B'ed these pickups with EMG 81s. However, upon plugging my guitar in with the new pickups, I knew I made the right choice. I recommend this pickup to any and all active pickup freaks, and especially metal guitarists. // 10

Comments

[schecter_r0cker]

how much did these set u back cause im looking at new pups either dimebuckers, or syn custom invaders. these look good 2 tho

[DagMX]

schecter_r0cker wrote:

how much did these set u back cause im looking at new pups either dimebuckers, or syn custom invaders. these look good 2 tho

Was $175 of amazon if i remember correctly. I haven't heard many favorable responses to the dimebucker and the invaders are decent.

[wasted-years]

i have never had a dimebucker but i have a buddy that put one one of those goth epiphone v's and i am saving to get one put in my alexi 200

[Death-Reaper]

DagMX wrote:

schecter_r0cker wrote:

how much did these set u back cause im looking at new pups either dimebuckers, or syn custom invaders. these look good 2 tho

Was $175 of amazon if i remember correctly. I haven't heard many favorable responses to the dimebucker and the invaders are decent.

Was that 175 each or in pair

[NoTaMu]

Death-Reaper wrote:

DagMX wrote:

schecter_r0cker wrote:

how much did these set u back cause im looking at new pups either dimebuckers, or syn custom invaders. these look good 2 tho

Was $175 of amazon if i remember correctly. I haven't heard many favorable responses to the dimebucker and the invaders are decent.

Was that 175 each or in pair

DagMX wrote:

It came as a set of both neck and bridge pickups.

[Shortbus82]

I just put these in my SG menace, and the old pickups are out the door. These things kick ass way more than EMG's for crushing distortion sound. But as Ive said before if you looking for a sparkling clean sound, dont buy these.

[splicky]

Could These work in a Washburn X40? I want new pick-ups for it and don't know what to get.

[ugmung]

splicky wrote:

Could These work in a Washburn X40? I want new pick-ups for it and don't know what to get.

you could put any pickup you'd like that fits in your guitar.
it all depends what sound you're chasing.

[the_addict]

schecter_r0cker wrote:

how much did these set u back cause im looking at new pups either dimebuckers, or syn custom invaders. these look good 2 tho

ugmung wrote:

splicky wrote:

Could These work in a Washburn X40? I want new pick-ups for it and don't know what to get.


you could put any pickup you'd like that fits in your guitar.
it all depends what sound you're chasing.

these push out a lot of sound. good for rock-blackmetal. Emgs are more tame and if you want to stick with passives you should go for dimarzio super 2's or X2Ns.

[splicky]

Already got EMG-81's in my rr24's. Thinking of going for something differrent for my other guitars. If I like the sound of these I will begin saving for the ESP custom guitar I want made.

[kubitzdeth]

better or worse than the 81/85 set because ive heard amazing things about both but have ony played the emgs im buying some new pickups and active is the only option so its between these and the zakk wylde set or the emg 89 drop coil

[kubitzdeth]

im looking for some new active pickups for my schecter c1 elite so i was wondering these or emg 81/85 set or maybe the 89 drop coil but ive heard great things about emg and seymour duncan so im not sure

[kubitzdeth]

sorry didnt mean to say the same thing twice didnt think it showed up

[Psycho_McFool]

kubitzdeth wrote:

better or worse than the 81/85 set because ive heard amazing things about both but have ony played the emgs im buying some new pickups and active is the only option so its between these and the zakk wylde set or the emg 89 drop coil

Go for the Duncan Blackouts. They show any and all EMGs the door.

[twinturboaudi]

both my active guitars have had their emg's replaced with blackouts...my schecter hellraiser and my esp/ltd ax-400...never ever going back to emgs...

[albatross169]

well i have been playing guitar seriously for about a year but have just recently started actually caring about my sound so i dont know much about the whole putting pickups in and stuff. i play a epiphone goth g400(sg copy) and was wondering if i could put these pickups into that guitar

[albatross169]

i just recently got into the whole techincal guitar maintinence part of playing and i was wondering if i could put active pickups into a epiphone goth g400(sg copy). and where could i find someone to do it for me

[Multiplayerjon]

Should I put These or Hot Rails On My New Guitar? it's a metal monster but is used for playing Everything...

[youmomstits]

I haven't heard many favorable responses to the dimebucker and the invaders are decent.

Dime bucker is bleh, i popped on in my Schecter Gryphon and it just sounds bleh
Im definatley thinking about putting a set of blackouts , but has anyone tried the Blackout Metals? the Ahb-2s?

[youmomstits]

I haven't heard many favorable responses to the dimebucker

the Dimebucker is bleh, i put one in my schecter gryphon and its just bleh haha

im seriously considering getting a set of these babies, but does anyone have an opinion on the Blackout Metal pickups? Ahb-2s?

[jpguitarist1994]

Im using a EMG HZ H4 pickup with my ESP Alexi Laiho Custom Shop pink sawtooth and im thinking of replacing the pick ups with a seymour duncan black out... should i continue this process or should i keep te emg hz h4?

[jpguitarist1994]

ey guys i hav a esp alexi laiho custom shop pink sawtooth 2007 make and it currently has emg hz h4's ... im wondering if i shuld replace them with seymour duncan ahb -1's..i no alexi is now using them but do you think its worth replacing?

[jpguitarist1994]

msg me on here or send me an e-mail at [e-mail]. thanks

[Kane Pharr]

Sounds perfect for my style...Gotta get a set of these for my new ESP LTD-AX260 when it comes in...

[espshredder13]

its worth replacing i just put these in my alexi 200 it sounds amazing way better then emgs