8 String Guitar Passive Pickups For Sale (2024 Update)

I put this pick up in my 8 string legator ghost. The guitar is fanned fret. If you have a guitar with fanned frets where the pickups are slanted, you might find that this pick up does not cover all the strings (depending on string spacing). It barely fits my guitar and I had to do some light Dremel work to get it to fit my guitar (not a problem it's barely noticeable). But overall the pickup sounds fantastic!parbel-89

I am building a 8 string steel guitar. I am using a standard 8 pole in the bridge position for that standard twangy Nashville sound. Flip the selection switch and boom! Lace sensor in the bridge position with the 25 db Eric Clapton boost kit by Fender and hello Sonic bliss. Totally different tone, very harmonic sounding. All the tone I never knew I had. Love it.dave-n-wv

These pickups are powerfull, more gain, more tone and a very new and exiting design. Out of the box I was suprised how simple and elegant they are, nothing like I've seen before! After installing them, a big smile on my face (and in my ears) while I tested! They sounds fantastic, all across my 9 strings, and no noice! I think my instrument looks great now, the pickups shine both vintage and modern on it! I'm going to order new Lace pickups for my other guitars, also for my 6 strings, -and so should you, I highly recommend Lace!atomkraftverk1

I have been using the 81-7 for a few years now(although mine is an earlier issue with the extended housing). I have it installed in a Schecter Damien 7 which I use as my primary guitar for practice and home recording. I find that this pickup is great for this type of application as it cuts down a great deal on the amount of noise you get with computers and TV's in the room. At home I play and record using a Line6 Pod X3 and the EMG's are great for low volume playing. I have also used that guitar live but the pickups give me A LOT of feedback at high gain/volume settings. Right now I have the 81-7 in the neck position with a 707 in the bridge. Since the 81 has a greater mid range voicing it tends to sound very well balanced and clear at the neck while the 707 provides slightly sweeter tones at the bridge. The 81-7 can sound very flat or even harsh at the bridge depending on what kind of amp you are using.No matter what position, I do recommend doing the 18 volt mod if you use EMG's(google it). The increase in power is really noticable and it essentially gives the pickups the dynamics of passive pups while maintaining their active gain character. EMG's are actually designed to operate at up to 27volts but 3 batteries is just not practical in most cases.some guy-mr0kN

The EMG 60A is of course a 60 with the ceramic magnet swapped for Alnico. What's the difference? Well it has a Kim Jong-un and smoother sound, less of the hard 'clang' to the treble of the 60(c) for sweeter cleans and a more open, fluid delivery with the gain turned up. The age old EMG 18v mod works magic bringing better dynamic response, clarity with extended frequency response and depth. 50k pots add a touch more bite.pauln4813

I put this pick up in my 8 string legator ghost. The guitar is fanned fret. If you have a guitar with fanned frets where the pickups are slanted, you might find that this pick up does not cover all the strings (depending on string spacing). It barely fits my guitar and I had to do some light Dremel work to get it to fit my guitar (not a problem it's barely noticeable). But overall the pickup sounds fantastic!parbel-89

I am building a 8 string steel guitar. I am using a standard 8 pole in the bridge position for that standard twangy Nashville sound. Flip the selection switch and boom! Lace sensor in the bridge position with the 25 db Eric Clapton boost kit by Fender and hello Sonic bliss. Totally different tone, very harmonic sounding. All the tone I never knew I had. Love it.dave-n-wv

These pickups are powerfull, more gain, more tone and a very new and exiting design. Out of the box I was suprised how simple and elegant they are, nothing like I've seen before! After installing them, a big smile on my face (and in my ears) while I tested! They sounds fantastic, all across my 9 strings, and no noice! I think my instrument looks great now, the pickups shine both vintage and modern on it! I'm going to order new Lace pickups for my other guitars, also for my 6 strings, -and so should you, I highly recommend Lace!atomkraftverk1

If you wanting a high output pickup, these are not your choice. I’ve had blackouts and emgs and those would be better a better choice. If you want more Note clarity and pick response and a WIDE VARIETY of tones, this is your guy. The neck pick up- super clean with the right amount of output, and with the push pull options, you can get a glassy strat shimmer. With the tone knob dialed back and using voicing two, you get a super dark and top and mid heavy that Keith is known for. The bridge pickup- it chugs with heavy distortion and get super note definition when tuned down. Pull in the knobs and you can get Slash from a half powered PAF. I have got e erything from David Gilmour to Korn to some Pantera rhythm tones. You will not get a high end “sizzle” aka Dime leads but still sounds greatDennis

Been playing and gigging for 30 years. Owned lots of guitars and bought lots of after market pickups. These pickups are shockingly good. They do exactly what they say they'll do. They have the punch, cut thru, and clarity of actives but they react to your fingers like passives. Very rewarding playing experience. They sound and feel like low output PAF style pickups. Long cable runs are not an issue. I'm shocked by how good they sound. Definitely worth checking out.Chuck

Bought two sets of Invaders to replace the stock pickups in both of my PRS SE Miras. For the longest time, I’ve always wanted to put a set of these pickups in one of my guitars but never got the opportunity until now. These pickups bring out the sheer brutality in my guitars!!! Oh yeah, in split coil mode, the pickups can do clean tones, although somewhat gritty. But if you have the chance to buy these pickups…DO IT!!!Larry

Love this humbucker. I play a Bill Nash stratocaster relic with a maple neck. This Invader sounds kickass in my guitar. I use an Orange Rockerverb 100watt. For balls to the walls rhythm the Invader is the best I've used. I've tried Bare Knuckle-handwound boutique humbuckers-Rio Grande-EVH-Dimarzio Evolution-Super Distortion-Super 2…….They're all pretty good pickups honestly. I don't hate any of these and could use any of them. But the Invader just has that little extra 'oomph' the others don't. I don't play a ton of leads-mostly rhythm. I think if I did I might go for that EVH humbucker. The Invader has tons of output too. I tried other pickups but always come back to the Invader.jq127

Overall: These have a bottom end growl like no other pickups I've played, very touch and attack sensitive, no matter how low I tune there is no mud, the neck pickup is the best I've ever played , fluid , smooth with definition , I play Duncan Jupiter's and they kick ass , the Fishmans are easily on par with them with a growling voice I've never heard from a passive pickup , I like EMG's but the Fishmans are hand's down better. Installation will be a bit frustrating for first timers and novices , I installed them in 2&1/2hrs That included modifying my Epiphone Les Paul Custom Special , the pot holes , were too small as was the input jack hole , I did have to order Long Shaft pots as the included pots are short shafts , If you like EMG's you'll love these. I gave the fetures a low score because they should make them plug and play at this price.Dennis

These pickups are amazing for someone who wants to run with one bass and wants pickup options. The different voicings are truly different and can change the sound quite well, also considering they can be coil split. These are perfect for the guy who has one bass or wants to use one bass and is a session guy. The voicings and ease of change on the fly make it ideal for studio work. I would say though, if there's a specific tonal sound you are going for, I would buy the pickups that beat give you that tonal sound. Are there better single coil jazz bass pickups? Yes. Are there better active soapbar pickups out there? Yes and no, depending on what you like. But what this does is give you very good pickup sounds for the different styles and voicings it offers, and pretty much puts 6 basses into one bass (if you consider the coil splitting). If you already own multiple basses, this may not be for you as it may not add to your Arsenal unless you're looking for a singular bass to travel with. But if you own a single bass and are wanting more tonal options, this is the way to go. One thing to note, I did have to route out just a little bit the pickup cavities in my Jackson JS3VQ bass, so do check your pickup cavity size. I didn't need to remove much though and they fit.Matthew P.

I just installed these in my baritone Viper tuned to DropG and hoooolly ***!! I expected nice articulation and clarity but I didn't think they'd sound THIS good. These are truly next-level and I don't think anything else comes close. The lows are just nasty, the tightness, bite, the attack…it's just drool-worthy and I can't put the guitar down. The definition is consistent across every string but nothing ever sounds harsh or treble-y. Most 'metal' pickups are all about output and I've never understood that. Too hot, too boomy, too compressed, etc. Both voices are extremely useful and the neck never gets muddy. Cleans are nice and flat, nothing in the EQ is 'boosted' so it's the perfect platform for layering effects. I was skeptical about all the hype and rave reviews but I stand humbly corrected. It's all true and I can't recommend the Fishman Fluence Moderns enough. They are extraordinary.Cody

If you wanting a high output pickup, these are not your choice. I’ve had blackouts and emgs and those would be better a better choice. If you want more Note clarity and pick response and a WIDE VARIETY of tones, this is your guy. The neck pick up- super clean with the right amount of output, and with the push pull options, you can get a glassy strat shimmer. With the tone knob dialed back and using voicing two, you get a super dark and top and mid heavy that Keith is known for. The bridge pickup- it chugs with heavy distortion and get super note definition when tuned down. Pull in the knobs and you can get Slash from a half powered PAF. I have got e erything from David Gilmour to Korn to some Pantera rhythm tones. You will not get a high end “sizzle” aka Dime leads but still sounds greatDennis

Been playing and gigging for 30 years. Owned lots of guitars and bought lots of after market pickups. These pickups are shockingly good. They do exactly what they say they'll do. They have the punch, cut thru, and clarity of actives but they react to your fingers like passives. Very rewarding playing experience. They sound and feel like low output PAF style pickups. Long cable runs are not an issue. I'm shocked by how good they sound. Definitely worth checking out.Chuck

This is a VERY solid 7 string. I've tried quite a few brands searching for the perfect intermediate 7 string, both active and passive electronics. So far, the best ones, by far, have been LTD and Schecter, with this one taking the cake (even over an $850 Ltd ec-407). First off, the guitar is beautiful, and the neck feels great. I usually don't like the super-strat body style, but this one has the top curves in all the right places. There is a bit of fret buzz when strummed hard on the low B, but that's to be expected and it's much more manageable than some of the others I tried. If it's a problem, I'd recommend a thicker gauge string set, I like ghs boomers in a heavy gauge (they eliminated fret buzz on a previously owned, less expensive LTD 7 string I owned) The pickups sound incredible, honestly. There are models of this same guitar with Duncan Designed pickups, and that model is slightly more expensive, but I assure you that you're not missing out if you get this one with Schecter Diamond active pickups instead. In fact… I think these sounded better in some applications! Fantastic gain, clarity, and definition, and perfect for metal, they will make your riffs sound brutal… they sound good clean too though! Overall the best bang for your buck 7 string I've tried yet. I've personally owned 5 different ones, but this and the now-discontinued Jackson slathx-m 3-7, which come stock with Seymour Duncan Sentient and Nazgul passive pickups, take the cake for the best I've played.Brian F

I was honestly quite skeptical about the idea of an eight string. A few of my buddies and I decided that, based on the type of music that we wanted to play, an eight string was the right answer. Not wanting to spend a ton on an eight string if I didn't like it, I found this model at a decent price. Needless to say, I was blown away by this guitar. Everything about it is above what I would expect for a guitar of this price point. The neck is very fast with a smooth finish, the action was set up just right, the intonation is spot on, and the correct gauge strings for the tuning we are in were already installed. I was also worried about the neck being much thicker than I would have liked, but Schecter did a phenomenal job with his neck. Another concern that I had was the electronics. In my experience, a guitar that has stock branded pickups has never really been that great. These pickups more than do the job. Eventually I can see switching them out for Fishman Fluence, but they will certainly do for now.Derek

I've had this guitar for about 10 months, and it's great! It's everything you'd come to expect from the ESP LTD line. But the big question is, "How's that bridge?" My motivation for buying this specific guitar was my unending frustration with the floating tremolo on my previous guitar. We started jumping back and forth between standard and dropped D in our set, and making that work with a FR was a nightmare. With that, I had set out on finding a non-FR or fixed bridge, since I rarely used the trem' anyway. I had always wanted an ESP and the idea of each saddle being independent of one another was compelling. It can take a little to get used to, though. Tuning is done at the bridge, and the tension on the strings is adjusted by the tuning pegs. Once the string has the right amount of tension, that saddle will be "activated" in what is referred to as "zone 2". Here, the springs will counter any additional tension applied to that string up to a given point. This means that you cannot do bends or change the pitch in any real or easy way. Some people may like this, but it feels very odd, and the people at Evertune know that most people don't play like this. So, to get the best of both worlds, you will need to apply enough tension on the saddle to bring it right up to the edge of zone 2 by turning the tuning pegs. What I found to be helpful here is to not just listen for the note to change, but to pull on the string and visually inspect movement in the saddle. Once this is set, it feels like a normal guitar with just a tad more tension on the strings. The guitar will come with 10-gauge strings. I gave that a shot for a while. Only recently did I switch them out for some 9s. I think it feels a lot better with a lighter gauge string, especially considering that tad bit of tension. A tip I learned regarding Dropped D was to tune the guitar down by default. Then tune up the low E, which puts that saddle into "zone 3". This is far easier than the reverse and stiJohn Q. GuitarPlayer

Getting used to the extra 2 strings, which is a little awkward. And the fanned frets is something new too. It's kind of like learning the basics of swimming, then decide to try the diving board. LOL. I'm cool with that, as it saves me from buying a bunch of guitars along the way to be comfortable with this concept. I really dig the guitar, has all the features I was shooting for at a really accessible price point. Well made, a keeper.Will R.

The wiring diagram is useless for a 4 connection (Les Paul); Zero YT vids. When connected to an EMG active circuit the sound is unimpressive. Just stick with duncans…The Grouchy Guitarist

I got a set of these to install into an old beater of a Schecter I have. Let me start with the conclusion: they sound great. Really massive tone, with a great high end sizzle and tight bottom. They might be some of the best sounding pups I have ever played, quite frankly. There are two negatives that I want to bring up: First, I do not really feel like there is a lot of tonal difference between the two voices. It's really hard to tell apart, to be honest. The good news is that both sound great. Second, the install was harder than usual. I am not a pro by any means and probably not even very good with the soldering iron but hey, they could have made it easier. First of all, the set comes with two push-pull pots and one 25K volume pot. All pots have short, wide stems. My guitar has three pots, two volume and one tone. I had to drill out the hole for the tone pot (which has the push pull for the two voices). Fine. The wiring diagram suggested that there ought to have been a wire that connected to the bridge with a single white wire. No such wire appeared in the box I got. This confused me for a while, until I finally just hooked up a two wire connector with orange and yellow wires. In retrospect, having searched Fishman's site for wiring diagrams, I see that the wires that came in my box correspond to the other models in the fluence line while the wiring diagrams don't. Whether this was a mistake on part of the folks that packaged the particular box I got or not, I do not know. It is possible that if I had wired it differently the tonal differences in the two voicings would have been clearer. Anyway, for anyone who is considering these as aftermarket pickups, I would recommend that you take some time studying the various wiring diagrams on the Fishman site, and order correctly spec'ed pots for your guitar before doing an install. If you go with the Will Adler preferred wiring, you also need to get a second 25K volume pot (only one included in the package).Bjorn

Overall: Tried the Ibanez . Ibanez being my favorite brand, I was disappointed. Schecter was even worse. Very cheap. Have had a few ltds before including a deluxe that ran a grand. Wasent impressed. This guitar is heavy, huge short neck, but the pickups are actually playable for stock. They hit pretty hard for what they are. Lil fret buzz but I'll get around to that when I order a new pick up. Worth every penny for $500. Never thought China could make a playable guitar . Proved me wrong. LTD hit a home run with this. Can really only say the pickups aren't top of the line but they usually aren't for this price range. Compared to the $100 less schecter Ibanez (don't even bother with the cheap Jackson) that extra hundred goes a very long way. Thank you so much LTD and zZounds.Kyle

These pickups have given new life to my Schecter Omen 8! Along with the Rechargeable Battery Pack, my Omen 8 is an enjoyable guitar to play!Larry

I am completely satisfied with these pickups. Easy to install and deliver face smashing tone. They also look really good in the guitar.Durty

I put this pick up in my 8 string legator ghost. The guitar is fanned fret. If you have a guitar with fanned frets where the pickups are slanted, you might find that this pick up does not cover all the strings (depending on string spacing). It barely fits my guitar and I had to do some light Dremel work to get it to fit my guitar (not a problem it's barely noticeable). But overall the pickup sounds fantastic!parbel-89

I am building a 8 string steel guitar. I am using a standard 8 pole in the bridge position for that standard twangy Nashville sound. Flip the selection switch and boom! Lace sensor in the bridge position with the 25 db Eric Clapton boost kit by Fender and hello Sonic bliss. Totally different tone, very harmonic sounding. All the tone I never knew I had. Love it.dave-n-wv

These pickups are powerfull, more gain, more tone and a very new and exiting design. Out of the box I was suprised how simple and elegant they are, nothing like I've seen before! After installing them, a big smile on my face (and in my ears) while I tested! They sounds fantastic, all across my 9 strings, and no noice! I think my instrument looks great now, the pickups shine both vintage and modern on it! I'm going to order new Lace pickups for my other guitars, also for my 6 strings, -and so should you, I highly recommend Lace!atomkraftverk1

Replaced stock pickups from G&B I believe. Was for a Schecter c8 deluxe. Easy install and they sound really good. Great for tight gain with the bridge and great clean tones. Will probably be getting the same pair for my 6 string LtdBenzone

I installed the Alpha in a basswood guitar with a Floyd Rose. I like a neck pickup that retains brightness and clarity, has a modest open vowel quality with hard picking, and doesn't compress. This pickup joins the Mojotone Black Magic and Seymour Duncan Saturday Night Special as one of my top three favorite neck pickups. If you have a similar taste in neck pickups, I highly recommend the Alpha.Basswood Rules

Honestly, I think this guitar is pretty hard to beat for the price. I play a lot of heavier music, and this guitar puts out some crushing sounds. (You can also get some really nice clean tones out of it as well.) This is my first 7 string guitar, and I was a bit worried it wouldn't be super comfortable to jam on. But, it's very smooth and easy to play for both rhythm and lead stuff. Would definitely recommend it if looking for a great mid range guitar!Shane F

All the things I will say here are just my opinions, because everybody's hands and ears are different. But, having said that, I do feel qualified to give an insightful review having worked full time in a guitar repair shop through much of the 90's. I was originally just going to buy a backup guitar for my Ibanez 7-string that I use onstage. But then I thought, why not have a little fun and push myself out of my comfort zone? I can stiil play all the same songs I play on my 7-string. So why not? I could tell right away I liked the design of RG8 (from the strighter-string pull headstock to the flat-mount bridge) better than the Schecter8 in the same price point. The RG8 came with D'Addario .09-.64 strings on it, and it felt very similar to playing a .10-.46 set of strings on a standard scale length guitar, bends and slides were no problem (as well as slapping and popping the lower strings). But plan on putting a heavier strings on this axe if you want to go any lower than F#, a .10-.74 set works well for chords and rhythm riffing. the RG8 sounds and plays almost more like a short-scale bass in this configuration, and rings out better as well. Ibanez seems to know where to give you the biggest bang -for the-buck, and thankfully, it seems to be in the construction of the neck. I have never seen a guitar in this price range with a five piece neck, that's for sure. The neck seems very stable and is either unfinished or has a very light sealer on it, it feels nice and satin-y, but I'm unsure how well this neck would do in extreme temperature changes. But, having said that, mine hasn't moved at all, even after a string change with a different brand and gauge. Of course, that means they need to skimp a little in other areas on the guitar, and the most obvious of course, are the pickups and electrontics. The stock pickups have a fairly clear tone and are little lower output than I was expecting (when compared to my 7-string with a Dimarzio Evolution in the bridge position). Luckily, these are easily replaceble, and not difficult to find at all. Seymour Duncan and EMG make perfect retro-fits for this guitar. I did disconnected the tone control from the volume knob, and it does actually make a small diffence in clarity in the tone. The tuning keys are of the no-name variety, and seem to work well, but the heavier strings I installed just barely fit through the hole in the key, and I thought I detected a small amount binding in their rotation afterwards. The 27" scale works well for keeping those lower notes clear and is really not that noticable for me except maybe in the lower regions of the neck (This is another reason I like the Ibanez design…Schecter has a 26.5" and LTD has a 25.5").I'm sure I will upgrade the pickups and electronics in the future, but overall, I'm excited about playing this guitar and the additional creativity it will bring.Locknutmonster

This guitar made me not only hate extended range, but music as a whole for a while. Ibanez as a brand is absolutely phenomenal, and I have been a fanboy of them since the moment I picked up guitar. This guitar delivers virtually nothing I expect from Ibanez – even the gio line. The rg8 series is plagued with shoddy craftsmanship, atrocious fretwork, horrendous out-of-box playability, and they just FEEL disgusting in the hand. An unfinished neck =/= an utterly raw neck. Such has been the case with each of the 6 individual rg8s I have played – when porous, grimy feeling, roughly sanded, horribly profiled necks that seem to fight your fretting hand with a samurai's zeal meet mile-high action that can only be nominally corrected due to atrociously leveled frets, the experience of playing an Ibanez RG8 can be likened moreso to the experience of trying to play a fretted shamisen. If ungodly fit and finish, horrible feel, and the flat plate bridge haven't turned you completely off, the disgustingly poor pickup choice should seal the deal. There are many things that these pickups aren't – but I can confirm that they are without character, flat, unimpressive, and unbalanced. Their response to gain is practically null. I have never enjoyed a tone that has come out of an rg8. tl;dr? run for the hills. or buy the entry level Jackson 8.mamasrockstar

I use this pickup in an Ovation AL Demiola guitar. I've always had problems with the pickup that was original to the guitar. The Black stack soundhole pickup solved all my problems and it doesn't require batteries.I actually kept the same settings on my fishman preamp pedal. the sound quality of the pickup blows away the original equipment Ovation pickup. I think most people would be pleased with the sound and it's easy to install.Greg M