Detail 01
Noise rated at -96dBV
Effectively silent under heavy gain. You can stack distortion without the hiss and buzz that plague passive pickups.
Product detailSKU #1274034493396
Seymour DuncanAHB-1b Blackouts 7-String Guitar Phase I Active Humbucker Bridge Pickup Black
Independent shopping perspective
The Korena take
Active bridge humbucker for 7-string guitars. Built for high-gain playing where noise and string clarity across an extended range matter.
Strong match
Who this is for
- 7-string metal rhythm work needing tight low-string definition
- High-gain rigs where single-coil hum ruins recordings
- Drop tunings where passive pickups get flubby
Consider the trade-offs
When to look elsewhere
- Players who dislike battery maintenance in their guitar
- Vintage and blues tones built on pickup dynamics
- Guitars with no battery cavity or room to route one
What matters in use
The specifications, translated
Catalog numbers tell only part of the story. These are the details most likely to change how this product feels, sounds, or fits into a setup.
Detail 02
18 dB preamp gain, 2.0V RMS average output
Hits the amp front end hard. Expect earlier breakup and a more compressed, even response than a passive humbucker.
Detail 03
1 KOhm output impedance
Low impedance drives long cables without treble loss. Tone stays consistent regardless of cable run or pedalboard load.
Detail 04
1420 hour battery life at 350 microamps
Roughly two months of continuous draw. Unplug the cable when not playing, since the jack switches the circuit on.
Detail 05
530 Hz resonant frequency
Voiced low and thick rather than peaky. Contributes to the flat, even midrange that suits downtuned riffing.
Detail 06
Discrete hybrid differential FET preamp
The onboard circuit sets the voicing, not coil windings. Tone controls behave differently than on a passive guitar.
Final check
Know before you order
- 01Requires a 9V battery and a cavity to hold it, plus a stereo output jack
- 02Battery not included, and passive pots usually need swapping to active values
- 03Bridge pickup only, sized for 7-string routes, not 6-string
Product questions
Before you decide
Straight answers to the questions shoppers most often ask about this product.
01Do I need to modify my guitar?
Usually yes. Active pickups need a 9V battery compartment, a stereo jack to switch power, and different pot values than passive wiring uses.
02How long does the battery last?
About 1420 hours of playing time at 350 microamperes draw. Always unplug the cable after playing, because a plugged-in cable keeps the preamp powered.
03Will it fit a 6-string guitar?
No. This is a 7-string bridge pickup, so it is wider than a 6-string humbucker and will not sit correctly in a standard route.
04Can I mix this with a passive neck pickup?
It is not recommended. Output levels and pot values differ sharply, so the passive pickup will sound weak and the tone controls will not track properly.
Reference
Full specifications
The complete catalog record, organized around the decisions musicians make when comparing gear.
1 detailsSound
- Resonant Frequency
- 530 Hz
2 detailsPickups & controls
- Preamp Gain
- 18 dB
- Preamp Topology
- Discrete hybrid differential, FET input
1 detailsBody & build
- Color
- Black
4 detailsConnections & power
- Output Impedance
- 1 KOhm
- Maximum Output Voltage
- 2.60 Volts RMS (2)
- Battery Life
- 1420 hours (3)
- Average Output Voltage
- 2.00 Volts RMS (1)
2 detailsOther
- Current Consumption
- 350 micro-amperes
- Noise
- -96dBV
