Yeah, if you're comfortable with your guitar... just spend the 150 dollars to get a new set of pickups. It will sound a ton better and give you time to save up for a new axe. The EMG's are the most popular metal pickup for a reason... they sound amazing. The Schecter C-1's come with Seymour Duncan JB/59 sets. They're more versatile than the EMG's but they lack the hard edge that the EMG's have because they are passive pickups and EMG's are active.