Had to say goodbye to Blackouts AHB-1, AHB-2

[Wormhelmet]

I bought them to try out in my Jackson Soloist because my Epi Les Paul had EMG 81/85 set and I had always used passive pickups before this year and buying two new guitars. I liked them a lot for high gain metal, but when trying to get classic rock sounds out of an amp that was already pretty mid boosted, it just was too much mid punch.

Loved them for high gain metal though.

I recently traded straight across for EMG 81/85 which I liked already for my classic rock amp.

Anyone else think they were too much gain? I had AHB-2 in bridge but left unboosted most of the time with boost available on push-pull switch on tone knob.

I could easily fine tune them with EQ, but didn't want to change signal chain everytime I swapped guitars. Like the Jackson a lot with EMG set. Next guitar will have passives though.

 

[Edgecrusher]

Re: Had to say goodbye to Blackouts AHB-1, AHB-2

Yeah the blackouts are louder than hell. As much as i like loud pickups they are too much for me. One of the reasons ive been interested in like the new Dion Caesares signature Retributions is that supposedly they are a lower output black out.

Then again when I think active sound I think EMG81... for better or worse I love what the 81 does. Most people who hate it are trying to make it be something its not. Its one of 3 pickups that I can put into any guitar and like the sound of.

81's are actually not as loud as most people think they are, its just the frequencies they hit the amp with make them seem that way.

 

[Artie]

Re: Had to say goodbye to Blackouts AHB-1, AHB-2

Anyone else think they were too much gain?

Yeah the blackouts are louder than hell.

Hey guys, don't get me wrong. I'm not trying to be snarky or sarcastic, but doesn't your guitars and amps have volume controls? What I mean is, isn't the purpose of active pups is for their sonic signature?

Know what I mean?

Artie

 

[Edgecrusher]

Re: Had to say goodbye to Blackouts AHB-1, AHB-2

Hey guys, don't get me wrong. I'm not trying to be snarky or sarcastic, but doesn't your guitars and amps have volume controls? What I mean is, isn't the purpose of active pups is for their sonic signature?

Know what I mean?

Artie

Because turning down a master volume on the amp is completely different than using a quieter pickup? Namely one is before the gain stages and one is after the gain stages.

A pickup turned down half way doesnt have the same sound as a pickup running full up? Even if it did I would find it undesirable as I use the volume knob as a mute between songs and finding that perfect not too loud not too quiet spot from zero would be a pain in the arse to do on a dark stage perfectly in time with the beat. Easier to just be able to sling the pickup open full bore before the count of 1 hits rather than flipping it half open and spending the next 3 bars getting it right.

Know what I mean?

 

[Wormhelmet]

Re: Had to say goodbye to Blackouts AHB-1, AHB-2

G

Hey guys, don't get me wrong. I'm not trying to be snarky or sarcastic, but doesn't your guitars and amps have volume controls? What I mean is, isn't the purpose of active pups is for their sonic signature?

Know what I mean?

Artie

I'm not into putting a permanent stop at 3/4 volume and it was the sonic signature I didn't like with some of my amps. I have several amps and several guitars and with the EMG 81 I use most of the time in my two that have actives, plus my passive Screamin Demon in my other guitar, I can set all the controls the same for each amp and swap out guitars without messing around with amp controls. Edgecrusher was right about the 81. Its a hot pickup, but not crazy hot like the AHB-2
Besides - my coworker only plays high gain stuff and wanted them and had the 81/85 set to swap for em, so it worked out well. I like full range guitar volume control rather than bringing it up to the same spot everytime at the same place somewhere below full open.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Re: Had to say goodbye to Blackouts AHB-1, AHB-2

81's are actually not as loud as most people think they are, its just the frequencies they hit the amp with make them seem that way.

I still love the 81, but one of the reason I liked the JB so much was that I didn't notice a huge output difference between it and the 81 when I switched it out, so right off the bat, the JB made me feel at home. You're right. The 81 isn't really that much hotter than the lower-end of the high-output passive spectrum, IME.

Honestly, the 81 is still my favorite active by far. I like it better than the Hetfields and A LOT better than the Blackouts. I still haven't tried the 57, though, but having tried the JB, I doubt the 57 would give me the bite and old-school rough grind that I love from the JB.

 

[Phantasmagoria]

Re: Had to say goodbye to Blackouts AHB-1, AHB-2

I bought them to try out in my Jackson Soloist because my Epi Les Paul had EMG 81/85 set and I had always used passive pickups before this year and buying two new guitars. I liked them a lot for high gain metal, but when trying to get classic rock sounds out of an amp that was already pretty mid boosted, it just was too much mid punch.

Loved them for high gain metal though.

I recently traded straight across for EMG 81/85 which I liked already for my classic rock amp.

Anyone else think they were too much gain? I had AHB-2 in bridge but left unboosted most of the time with boost available on push-pull switch on tone knob.

I could easily fine tune them with EQ, but didn't want to change signal chain everytime I swapped guitars. Like the Jackson a lot with EMG set. Next guitar will have passives though.

Did you have the AHB-2's height adjusted up high against the strings? ..if so, that's what kills it. Even half-way is too much. I've got mine adjusted way down just barely above my (thin) pickup ring....there's a sweet spot there that really lets it sing. It's a nasal sounding pup for sure with harmonics through the roof...but then that's a tone I love & find awesome personally. While it actually does work well for bluesy/rock stuff...It's the quintessential metal pup to me & totally lives up to it's name

Having said that..I've got 81/89's in a couple of guitars and they're great too, though I much prefer them with the 18V mod...especially 81's.

 

[Artie]

Re: Had to say goodbye to Blackouts AHB-1, AHB-2

Know what I mean?

I do now.

 

[Wormhelmet]

Re: Had to say goodbye to Blackouts AHB-1, AHB-2

Did you have the AHB-2's height adjusted up high against the strings? ..if so, that's what kills it. Even half-way is too much. I've got mine adjusted way down just barely above my (thin) pickup ring....there's a sweet spot there that really lets it sing. It's a nasal sounding pup for sure with harmonics through the roof...but then that's a tone I love & find awesome personally. While it actually does work well for bluesy/rock stuff...It's the quintessential metal pup to me & totally lives up to it's name

Having said that..I've got 81/89's in a couple of guitars and they're great too, though I much prefer them with the 18V mod...especially 81's.

It was set pretty low. I had my favorite luthier in Orange County make the change from oassive EMG H4's to the blackouts and put the push pull on the tone knob for the boosted mode.

It wasn't really nasally, more like too much honk when playing through my Mahaffay amp. 81/85 set kills it with all three of my amps and my pedal preamps too. For high gain it was fine. If eq'ed to tone down mids it was fine with Mahaffay, but I really like the EMG output better and less hassle swapping guitars and amps. I gave it a shot and decided it wasn't my cup of tea.

I wanted to like them more than I liked them. My Jackson soloist is a slick neck beast and first floyd rose guitar I have ever had. I've always played stop bar tailpiece or stock strat tailpiece so I wanted this guitar to sound as good as it plays and now it does.

 

[xntrick]

Re: Had to say goodbye to Blackouts AHB-1, AHB-2

The AHB-2 is a great chugging pickup, fun to play with when I had it, but I missed having an actual clean tone. I was using the 81X for a long time, which has a nice passive feel to it. Currently using the EMG 57, very dynamic and versatile pickup with a great passive vibe, the only downside is it has a very high volume output which is odd as it has alnico magnets.

 

[Edgecrusher]

Re: Had to say goodbye to Blackouts AHB-1, AHB-2

the only downside is it has a very high volume output which is odd as it has alnico magnets.

Not odd at all, Actives use their preamps to generate output instead of relying on the coils and the magnet for it.

 

[uOpt]

Re: Had to say goodbye to Blackouts AHB-1, AHB-2

They are called Blackouts for a reason

One of the better named SD products.

 

[Masta' C]

Re: Had to say goodbye to Blackouts AHB-1, AHB-2

I absolutely love the sound of the Blackouts, but I agree that their output is over the top. Even back to back with regular EMGs, the difference is astonishing.

If all my guitars had Blackouts, that would be one thing, but, for me, it took more tweaking than I preferred to go back and forth between passives/EMGs and the Blackouts.

I actually sent an inquiry to SD about a year ago trying to find out if it was possible to build a lower-output version with the same voicing or a preamp that could be dialed in, but never heard back (go figure...ha ha!)

 

[Shooter.556]

Re: Had to say goodbye to Blackouts AHB-1, AHB-2

I miss my Blackouts I had in my Schecter, I miss my Schecter too.
That sucker was loud as hell and was beastly with metal..

 

[JOLLY]

Re: Had to say goodbye to Blackouts AHB-1, AHB-2

I love the AHB-1's for everything!!

 

[xntrick]

Re: Had to say goodbye to Blackouts AHB-1, AHB-2

Not odd at all, Actives use their preamps to generate output instead of relying on the coils and the magnet for it.

It has more output than the 81X, that's what surprised me.

 

[Edgecrusher]

Re: Had to say goodbye to Blackouts AHB-1, AHB-2

It has more output than the 81X, that's what surprised me.

If my understanding is right the 81,85,60,57 etc all use the same preamp. The x series use the same preamp but it has 6 db less gain.