WRMG Warrior with some new pickups since i've been told the EMG HZ pickups aren't to good.
I hope to get some for £200 are less but i'm willing to pay more.
I'm looking for some that will carry hamonics better than the HZ's and also be abit more sensitive...
I'm still not sure if i want to go threw with it though (first time i've bought pickups) .
does upgrading your pickups make much difference to the sound of your guitar?
What pickups would be best?

"been told the EMG HZ pickups aren't to good"
I can't say anything about that. I've got no experience of them.
"£200" "carry hamonics better" "abit more sensitive"
EMGs come to mind.

"does upgrading your pickups make much difference to the sound of your guitar?"
YES. Even though pickups marketed as "metal humbuckers" probably sound rather similar, they will do a good deal to change your sound. So changing is probably a good idea.

"What pickups would be best?"
I'd recommend EMGs, either 2 EMG 81s or 1 EMG 81 and 1 EMG 85.

However, try to get to play with the pickups you're buying, since it's very much a matter of personal preference.

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Yeh id say go with the 81 and 85

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For the bites, definately go EMG Actives

Is it worth it though?

It's just i don't want to go spending £££ on something that will make my guitar a tiny bit better.
what difference does getting better pickups make? Surely someone here could tell me from personal expierence.

Well... Do YOU think you current pickups are good enough? That is what realy counts, because the pickups you have should be good enough for your bandmates to accept your sound...

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I don't play in a band, and i haven't got any mates who play musical instrements or share an instrest in guitars, all i've got is myself... the internet and the guitarshop for sources of infomation.

Well Personaly i think the picks are OK but they don't seem to hold harmonics to good, they fade away in about 6 seconds.
When i read other peoples oppinions on the pickups i assumed the pickups were the reason i wasn't getting very good pinch harmonics.

When I realy want some new guitarstuff, I am not satisfied before I have it...

Go for it if you can afford it, but it may be smart to try it out.
The active EMG's may fit good as you allready have a cheaper version of them in your guitar...and do you have space for the bateries?
Seymore Duncan is also good, I may get that for the guitar I havent bough yet after a few years, but they are a litle bit more expensive.

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My guitar has space for one battery (for the gain boost).
Is that enough? how much are pickups?

You'll only need one battery.

If you're talking active EMGs (81+81 or 81+85) you can find them on eBay for around $50-$80 a piece. I think they list at $136 though (check www.emginc.com about that though). Since I've never heard of any problems with "wear" on pickups, I can't see why you'd not want to buy them used.

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I have an EMG-81 and sometimes my harmonics dont ring out very long, sometimes has to do with my sometimes sloppy setup (which I fix quite quickly by moving your bridge pickup closer to the strings, or a dying battery(which you dont have a problem with as of now.
It could also be caused by your amp or pedal chain, every link before your signal gets to your amp has an effect on your tone, or could be your amp settings them selves or even just the amp.
As for replacing your pickups, try a few things first: changing the settings on your amp, trying a new amp, moving pickups closer to strings, new strings, and then take a look into new pickups. Try to fix the problem without spending more money first, most of the time you dont need to spend more. I have played a few instruments that have emg-hz's and I really like the sound of them (with the afterburner boost on anyways) and I havent had a problem at all with a lack of sustain in them.
Shop around and play some guitars with what kind of pickups you want as well, I use EMG-81's same with most people on here, but you may personally not like them, so dont just buy them, play a few different things out there first.

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Active EMGs (81 and 85 preferably)

81 on the bridge and 85 on the neck.

You'll be able to squeeeeeeeeeall

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woah woah woah.. a TINY bit better???
EMG actives will make your guitar LOT better, seeing how you have passives now.
were talking increase in sustain, out put and harmonics. i'd suggest an EMG 85 in the bridge, cuz they have a balanced tone and they have lot's o' balls.

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active pickups like emg 81/85 will kick some ass.. IF you have an amp that will allow you to notice the difference. if you have some 20w solid state, then use your money to buy a new amp.

I had problems with muddiness when I had my EMG 85 in the bridge, though that was through a really crappy amp. I changed places of the 85 and 81 about the same time as I changed amp, so I couldn't tell if it was the amp or the 85 that was the problem.

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Thanks for the help, i am getting the pickups installed on monday *can't wait*

But G_urr_A's post has got me worried because one of the main reasons i want new pickups is because the HZ's are muddy as fuck.
I'd hate to pay like 30 quid to get 81 - 85's installed and then pay another shitload of money to get them changed round because of the setting of the picks being muddy.

Does anyone ellse think the original setting is muddy, are would it have been G_urr_A's shite amp that mad the picks sound muddy LoL?

put the 81 in the bridge, and the 85 in the neck, the 85 is a bassy pup and may have caused the muddyness, I use an 81 in my bridge and have not once found it to be muddy or anything but crystal clear, unless its a bad battery, but now at 27v I dont need to worry too much about that

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Doesn't anyone use Seymour Duncans? If so what model?

dumbest question in this thread: how long do those batteries for EMG last?

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Fuck EMG...
SD or Gibson!

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I really hate EMG HZ's the just dont sound right , but then again all passive emgs suck ass. I'd go with some kickass seymour's, perhaps a custom or invader in the bridge and a pearly gates or 59 in the neck. You can then rock out, big style!!!

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