Description
Extending the Blackouts formula to seven strings, the AHB-1s Phase 1 set runs the same 9V active circuit that made the 6-string version a modern metal staple. Instead of a single-ended output, these pickups use balanced inputs feeding a differential preamp, which cancels hum and noise far more thoroughly than a typical passive coil or standard active design.
Tonally, Blackouts intentionally avoid the overly compressed, mid-scooped sound associated with some active pickups. You get more dynamic range and a fuller midrange, which keeps articulation intact under palm mutes, drop tunings, and fast picking — territory where a lot of active humbuckers turn to mush.
This is a matched neck and bridge pair, calibrated to work together rather than two pickups that happen to share a name. Because it’s engineered as a direct retrofit for passive 7-string humbuckers from Seymour Duncan and DiMarzio, swapping in the AHB-1s doesn’t demand routing changes or a new pickguard — just a compatible cavity and the willingness to rewire for active electronics.
Seymour Duncan ships the set with everything needed to get it running:
- 25K pots
- Stereo jack
- Battery clip
- Mounting hardware
If your playlist leans toward old-school thrash, punk, garage rock, or anything living in low, detuned territory, this set is built for exactly that — noiseless, dynamic, and unapologetically heavy.
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.