EMG-HZ SRO OC1 Pickups?

[Maz]

Has anyone ever tried these pickups out? I've heard a few good things but haven't found any around to try out, and there really isn't enough sound samples on youtube to justify buying them. It seems worth it to get 2 humbuckers for $100 and possibly throwing them in my ESP LTD EC-256. Also, to anyone who's tried these what SD pickups could they be compared to?


http://www.emgpickups.com/products/index/263/259/1
http://www.emgpickups.com/products/index/337/259/1

 

[Zheddar]

Re: EMG-HZ SRO OC1 Pickups?

Damn, I can't believe no one ever replied to this. They are pretty decent, the bridge seems alot like a slightly differently voiced JB (less of the upper mid and treble but damn close) with mismatched coils, one at 8k and one at 8.6k. I can't decide if the neck one is more like a paf or Jazz, mine was at about 7.2k and has symmetrical coils. I don't have a Jazz to compare it to, and my only other 59's are in 22 fret guitars with the EMG being in a 24 fret one. The EMG Sro neck sounds pretty PAF'ish though. They both have rough cast (slightly polished) alnico V magnets, good dynamics and string to string note definition, decent attack. All in all they really seem like EMG's JB and 59, although slightly differently voiced. I don't like them more or less then the real deal Duncans, they are just a different flavor.

 

[Dave Locher]

Re: EMG-HZ SRO OC1 Pickups?

Sounds very interesting, but the links don't work for me?

Edit: never mind, I just realized the first post is from 2011!

 

[Masta' C]

Re: EMG-HZ SRO OC1 Pickups?

I owned these pickups a while back and tried them in a couple guitars. They are a decent value if you can find them at used prices, but I'd never suggest paying anywhere close to retail for them. There are too many other great pickups available for the same price, including Duncans, DiMarzios, etc!

As I recall, my biggest complaints with the SRO set were that the bridge was wound really hot (even compared to a JB, which I enjoy) and both pickups were fairly lacking in expressiveness and didn't respond all that well to rolling the volume back. That said, they are punchy, tight, none too bright and voiced nicely for hard rock.

 

[Zheddar]

Re: EMG-HZ SRO OC1 Pickups?

So I take back what magnet is in the bridge pickup. I took it all the way out, and it's a ceramic one that is slightly less tall the standard, as well as less long (maybe 2.44" long), it's standard width though. I tried a double thick ceramic in it and that kind of made it a little pitchy and slightly mudded. I am trying an alnico 5 right now. Mine may have been modified though. They came from a Schecter SVSS and they are SRO OCR1 labeled pickups made in Indonesia with Retro Active preamps attached to the 5 pin hookups, and those are labeled made in USA. I took the preamps off, I guess I just really am not into active pickups, they seem really one dimensional to me and I have tried the EMG 81, 85, 60, 57, and 66.