Longtime EMG Pickups signature artist David Ellefson is putting his tone on full display with a blistering playthrough of his former band Megadeth’s classic track “Holy Wars… The Punishment Due”. The playthrough showcases Ellefson armed with his signature Jackson bass loaded with his signature EMG DE Set and powered by his preferred onboard EQ configuration, the EMG BQS System.
Ellefson is always a joy to watch, especially when it comes to those Megadeth basslines. Go search pretty much any Megaeth song’s isolated bass tracks and I guarantee whatever you thought Ellefson was playing, it’s at least two times harder than that.
Dude deserves more credit, is what I’m getting at here. Grab Ellefson’s EMG DE Set right here for $209 in either a 4- or 5-string configuration, and check out Ellefson’s many signature Jackson basses right here.
Ellefson’s preferred pickup combination pairs an EMG dual-coil DC pickup in the bridge position with a ceramic-and-steel CS pickup in the neck. The bridge-position DC pickup provides the sharp, focused attack that drives Ellefson’s signature pickstyle tone, while the CS neck pickup adds thickness and a thumpier sound, balancing the setup with a fuller low-end foundation.
The inclusion of the EMG BQS onboard EQ system certainly helps when it comes to tone sculpting as well. The BQS gives players active control over bass, treble, and midrange shaping directly from the instrument, allowing for rapid tonal adjustments without sacrificing output or articulation. For players navigating dense modern mixes, that level of onboard flexibility becomes especially valuable.
