Kinda funny. I just put back in my EMG 81's after playing around on SD Blackouts, AHB1's and the Mick Thompson AHB3's. They were too tame for me. Nice active pick-ups. The Micks were to harsh/cold/stiff and the AHB1's were boring and sterile, maybe more of a polished sound than the EMG's? The EMG's rock. More growl, bite and 'tude IMO... Although at one point i wanted more refinement than the EMG's had to offer. SD Blackouts take care of this.
Probably going to throw my Motor City Hell baby in the bridge and after talking to Wade, he said he'd make me a custom version of his 2nd degree Black Belt to balance out the Hell baby...