tubedude
New member
Anyone know about these pickups? Are they really GOOD? I don't mean good as compared favorably to a 1987 Hondo Bass from Sears. I mean, are these really good piclups, or standard closet fodder?
Thanks.
Thanks.
O
Oysterman
New member
They are so-so, not all great, but not too sucky either. Every EMG HZ I've seen has been in a bass in the $500 range or less... and basses in that price-range usually don't have "good" pickups.
Closer to the "standard closet fodder", I would think.
Closer to the "standard closet fodder", I would think.
Scooter B
New member
Tubedude,
Are you asking in reference to buying them as replacement pickups or as a factor in buying a bass with them allready in as original equipmment?
I believe the EMG HZ's were the standard original equipment entry level (for EMG's entry level anyway) on a lot of $300-$600 basses. I have a slightly used EMG soap bar style double coil Humbucker that has a pretty good sound.
I built this fretless bass and originally put in the EMG's because I have always been happy with their sound in good basses but I wanted something closer to a Music Man sound. Then later Seymore Duncan/Bass Lines came out with a Music Man direct replacement upgrade and I put it in instead. It gets a better growl on the fretless with the more piano string like tone the Music Man's are known for.
Anyway I would be willing to sell it fairly cheap if you are looking specifically for a pickup but you may be looking more at buying a certain bass that has the HZ's on it.
The model I have is the EMG DC-45 and I believe I still have the original paper work and an EMG instalation guide book. Again it sounds pretty darn good IMHO and dead quiet but it wasn't THE sound I was after for my fretless. I still have the EMG BCQ on board pre-amp with active bass, treble and sweepable mids intalled on the bass but would like to get the matching Basslines Music Man onboard pre-amp instead. If you are intersted in both I could probably get the other Basslines pre-amp. I had planned on trying to do a trade in with a custom builder/repair guy here in town that built my fretted bass.
If you are interested let me know; otherwise I will stick with plan A
Are you asking in reference to buying them as replacement pickups or as a factor in buying a bass with them allready in as original equipmment?
I believe the EMG HZ's were the standard original equipment entry level (for EMG's entry level anyway) on a lot of $300-$600 basses. I have a slightly used EMG soap bar style double coil Humbucker that has a pretty good sound.
I built this fretless bass and originally put in the EMG's because I have always been happy with their sound in good basses but I wanted something closer to a Music Man sound. Then later Seymore Duncan/Bass Lines came out with a Music Man direct replacement upgrade and I put it in instead. It gets a better growl on the fretless with the more piano string like tone the Music Man's are known for.
Anyway I would be willing to sell it fairly cheap if you are looking specifically for a pickup but you may be looking more at buying a certain bass that has the HZ's on it.
The model I have is the EMG DC-45 and I believe I still have the original paper work and an EMG instalation guide book. Again it sounds pretty darn good IMHO and dead quiet but it wasn't THE sound I was after for my fretless. I still have the EMG BCQ on board pre-amp with active bass, treble and sweepable mids intalled on the bass but would like to get the matching Basslines Music Man onboard pre-amp instead. If you are intersted in both I could probably get the other Basslines pre-amp. I had planned on trying to do a trade in with a custom builder/repair guy here in town that built my fretted bass.
If you are interested let me know; otherwise I will stick with plan A
O
Oysterman
New member
FYI: EMG HZ and EMG DC45 are two different animals - the HZ is, as the name states 
, a high-impedance pickup and passive, whereas the DC45 is an ACTIVE pickup. Their tonality is quite different too.
Of what I've heard, many bass players either love or hate EMG's - there are many player who swear by them, and others who think they're too harsh and brittle sounding. Also, the result of equipping a bass with EMG's would definitely depend on WHICH bass you have them installed in.
, a high-impedance pickup and passive, whereas the DC45 is an ACTIVE pickup. Their tonality is quite different too.Of what I've heard, many bass players either love or hate EMG's - there are many player who swear by them, and others who think they're too harsh and brittle sounding. Also, the result of equipping a bass with EMG's would definitely depend on WHICH bass you have them installed in.
Scooter B
New member
Thanks Oysterman,
I agree 100% on the sound results depending on the bass the pickups are installed in.
The local Luthier told me ALL EMG's were active and internally grounded. They kind of built their reputation and business on offering the dead quiet (no noise or 60cycle hum) by being active, internally grounded and designed with that end in mind.
Did they change their policy or philosophy on the HZ's ? I am not saying active is neccessarilly superior in my veiw but it would be like Mesa Boogie making solid state amps.
Any one else out there know about the HZ's. I am not doubting your word Oysterman it just suprised me EMG was making passive pickups.
I agree 100% on the sound results depending on the bass the pickups are installed in.
The local Luthier told me ALL EMG's were active and internally grounded. They kind of built their reputation and business on offering the dead quiet (no noise or 60cycle hum) by being active, internally grounded and designed with that end in mind.
Did they change their policy or philosophy on the HZ's ? I am not saying active is neccessarilly superior in my veiw but it would be like Mesa Boogie making solid state amps.
Any one else out there know about the HZ's. I am not doubting your word Oysterman it just suprised me EMG was making passive pickups.
O
OneLouder
New member
EMG HZ pickups are most certainly passive. I have EMGs in my bass (dont ask me the specific model numbers) which are active but the HZs are passive. Hence the HZ suffix to differentiate between the two.
D
dmcsilva
New member
I've got EMG HZ's in a Spector Bass that are definitely passive but are passed through an active preamp before the output jack. They sound pretty good, but I have heard more natural-sounding pickups.
dmc
dmc