Mick’s signature Blackouts EMTY
These custom-designed humbuckers are not for the faint of heart. In fact it’s more for the “rip your heart out and use it like a slide” type of player. If you’ve ever played through a set of our Blackouts Original or their sick and twisted cousin, Blackouts Metal, you’ve experienced the distinctive, screaming metal tones they produce. They pack a serious mid-range punch and produce huge chords and hard-hitting leads.
Blackouts Original have been an integral part of Mick’s unearthly sound since they first hit the market. EMTY Blackouts? Well, it started with a discreet backstage meeting at the 2008 Loud Park festival in Japan. Mick met with our Head of Artist Relations, Evan Skopp, and while talking tone, Mick expressed interest in some tweaks to the EQ curve to fine tune these active beasts more in line with to the sound he always wanted. That was all it took.
To understand the process, you have to understand the player: Mick is not your typical “crank it to 11 and start wailing” type of player, in fact he’s a complete tone freak, so when he decided to get involved in designing a signature series, Mick stayed involved every step of the way from the precise wiring configuration to the logo and printing on the pickup including his renowned number seven imprinted right on the side of the casing.
The main sonic differences between the the EMTY and the Blackouts Original are the extreme highs and lows. Mick wanted the top end to cut through, offering more clarity in the treble range, and tighter bottom. When you’re playing with that much gain and power every incremental tweak becomes amplified by thousands.
Seymour Duncan Blackouts EMTY are available in both neck and bridge versions with all necessary mounting hardware, including pots, jack, and a battery clip. If you already have active pickups as part of your set up, these will plug right into your quick connection harness, making it a snap to unplug the old pickup and plug in the new EMTY.
