Do EMG humbuckers require 9V batteries to operate? ?

Question

i saw on musician friend that it took a 9v battery to keep them active. just wondering if i read that right...

Answer 1

Yes, EMG's use a single 9V battery. Brand new EMG pickups are prewired when packaged. Package includes volume/tone pots, 9V battery clip, output jack and the EMG pickup all wired together. All you need to do is install the parts into your guitar. The battery can be tucked into the electrical components cavity in the back of your guitar. This is accessed by unscrewing the plastic cover on the back of your guitar. The battery will last for a long time, especially more expensive quality batteries.

Also, you can combine two 9V batteries to get the total of 18V. This makes the tone slightly different to having a single 9V battery.

Answer 2

Yes that is correct. Active pickups such as the typical EMG pickup require at least one 9 volt battery to operate. This is because a small preamplifier IC chip is built in to the pickup. EMG does make passive pickup models (no battery required) but most are active types.