Description
Back in 2009, James Hetfield walked into EMG with a specific mission: give him the snap and clarity of a passive pickup without sacrificing the aggressive, saturated active tone that’s defined his sound for decades. The JH Set is what came out of that collaboration, and it’s genuinely a different beast from EMG’s other signature offerings.
The set pairs the JH-N (neck) with the JH-B (bridge), both dressed in sleek DLC-plated covers and wired using EMG’s Solderless Installation System for a straightforward install. While both are modeled on the pickups Hetfield has relied on for 30 years, the internals tell a different story:
- JH-N: Individual ceramic pole pieces sit on a taller, larger-core bobbin than the 60, delivering more attack, higher output, and a beefier low end from the neck position.
- JH-B: Shares that larger ceramic core but swaps in steel pole pieces instead of the 81’s bar magnets, keeping the attack tight while trimming inductance for a cleaner, more controlled low end.
This bundle also throws in two extras to get you playing faster. The Fishman FT-2 clip-on tuner is a featherweight 21 grams, chromatic, and accurate to within ±1 cent — flip the display up to power on, read the backlit needle display, then flip it down when you’re done. It’s low-profile enough to leave clipped on during a set, and the soft clip won’t chew up your finish.
Rounding things out is a set of Ernie Ball Regular Slinky Nickel Wound strings (.010–.046), the brand’s best-selling gauge and a favorite of players like Eric Clapton, John Mayer, and Steve Vai — nickel-plated steel wound over a hex steel core for a balanced, consistent tone.
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