The JH set is great. Definitely "hot", but no worse than the original SD Blackouts and WAAAAY more dynamic than the original EMG 81/60. They are voiced a tad different than the 81/60, but cover the same musical territory well. The JH bridge is more throaty than the 81, it's punchy and still very "in your face", but not quite as strident. Notes, especially in the midrange, have this complex (dare I say "3D"?) quality that not even the 57/66 set can match. The JH neck largely resembles the 60, but isn't quite as sharp and has a much more passive response to it, which makes it even more versatile in my experience. For maximum versatility, the 57/66 benefits from a little less output and a slightly more vintage voicing. However, if you want an all-out hard rock tone with the benefits of actives and the dynamics of passives, the JH set is hard to beat!