EMG KHBB Kirk Hammett Bone Breaker Humbucker Spectrum Pickup Set

The EMG KH-BB Bone Breaker (SKU: EMGKHBBSETSP) is Metallica lead guitarist Kirk Hammett's signature active humbucker set — a matched BB-B bridge and BB-N neck pickup designed in direct collaboration with Kirk and released as a limited edition with Spectrum metal covers commemorating EMG's 50th anniversary. The BB-B bridge delivers a tight, clear picking response with searing harmonics suited to high-gain rhythm and lead playing; the BB-N neck projects top-end bite with clean headroom suited to lead tones and cleaner passages. EMG's quick-connect solderless wiring system and electronics are included. The Spectrum finish — an iridescent, multi-tonal metallic surface that shifts colour under different light — identifies this as the 50th anniversary limited-edition version of the set.

Kirk Hammett and EMG — Four Decades of Active Pickups

Kirk Hammett joined Metallica in 1983 and has been associated with EMG active pickups throughout his recording career. The classic Metallica guitar tone — defined on albums from Ride the Lightning (1984) through The Black Album (1991) and beyond — was built on EMG 81 bridge and EMG 60 neck pickups in a Gibson Flying V or ESP KH-series guitar, run into a Mesa/Boogie rectifier or modified Marshall, with significant mid-scooping through an equaliser. The tightness and clarity of the EMG 81 — its ability to maintain note definition at extreme gain levels that would cause a passive pickup to compress and blur — was foundational to the recorded thrash metal guitar sound.

The Bone Breaker set represents an evolution in Kirk's tonal thinking toward the character he describes in his own words: crispness rather than saturation, clarity rather than compression. The BB-B bridge and BB-N neck are new voicings, not the 81 and 60 relabelled. They are designed to produce a different tonal result — one that works from clean passages through to high-gain riff playing without relying on the gain to do the tonal work.

BB-B Bridge — Tight, Clear, With Searing Harmonics

The BB-B bridge pickup is voiced for the tonal qualities that define Kirk Hammett's rhythm and lead guitar work: tight low-end that does not bloat under high gain, a clear picking attack that preserves the articulation of fast alternate-picked passages, and the ability to produce pinch harmonics and natural harmonics that cut through a dense mix. "Searing harmonics" is a specific characteristic — harmonics require a pickup with sufficient high-frequency response and clarity to reproduce the overtone content that a good harmonic produces. High-output pickups that compress the signal can smooth over harmonic content; a tighter, clearer voicing makes harmonics more pronounced and easier to control.

The bridge position in a humbucker-equipped guitar is naturally brighter and more attack-forward than the neck position because it sits closer to the saddle, where string vibration amplitude is smaller and the attack component of each note is more prominent. The BB-B uses this positional character as its tonal foundation, voiced to emphasise definition and harmonic clarity within it.

BB-N Neck — Top-End Bite With Clean Headroom

The neck pickup on a high-gain guitar is one of the most commonly neglected tonal resources, because neck pickups at high gain often become muddy — too warm, too compressed, too undifferentiated in the low-midrange to be useful for anything beyond rhythm work. The BB-N is voiced with top-end bite and clean headroom specifically to avoid this: it is designed to remain articulate and defined at high gain settings, and to have enough clean headroom to be musically useful on clean and edge-of-breakup tones without sounding thin.

"Top-end bite" from a neck pickup is relatively unusual — neck pickups are conventionally warm and full, with the treble rolled back compared to the bridge. The BB-N's design prioritises articulation and high-frequency response in the neck position, which suits Kirk's lead playing style: fast, legato lines that need note separation to be intelligible, and a tone that can shift from high-gain lead work to cleaner, more expressive passages without a pickup change.

The Spectrum Finish — EMG's 50th Anniversary Limited Edition

The Spectrum finish on the KH-BB covers is an iridescent, multi-tonal metallic surface — an oil-slick or rainbow effect that shifts through different colours depending on the viewing angle and lighting conditions. Under direct light, Spectrum covers show a range from blue and purple through green and gold; under stage lighting the effect changes character depending on the source and angle. The Spectrum finish was used by EMG for their 50th anniversary limited-edition releases, making the EMGKHBBSETSP a commemorative version of the Bone Breaker set rather than the standard production version.

Functionally, the covers are cosmetic — the pickup's tonal character is unaffected by cover finish. Spectrum covers are a visual specification for players who want the limited-edition anniversary aesthetic, or who want a distinctive look on a visible instrument.

Quick-Connect Solderless Installation

The KH-BB set includes EMG's quick-connect wiring system — pre-terminated connectors that plug into a wiring harness rather than requiring soldered joints. For a full pickup replacement in a double-humbucker guitar, the installation involves connecting the pickup cables to the harness, mounting the pickups, and connecting the output jack and battery — no soldering required for a standard installation. A 9V battery is required and is not included.

Note that EMG's quick-connect system is proprietary — if you are mixing the KH-BB with non-EMG pickups or a non-EMG control set, confirm connector compatibility before purchase. EMG publishes wiring diagrams for common configurations including mixed setups.

Specifications

Expert Advice at Angkor Music

At Angkor Music Melbourne we stock EMG pickups including the KH-BB Bone Breaker set. If you want to compare the Bone Breaker to other EMG active humbucker sets, discuss compatibility with your guitar's existing wiring, or get advice on the right pickup set for your amplifier and playing style, our team can help.

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