Kent Armstrong HSDO-1

HSDO-1 Super Distortion passive humbucker, about 19k.
Mine is open, and Zebra, but you can get plain black, plain cream, chrome etc...

Model of Guitar: Rally Les Paul (see my review of this)
Position: Bridge
Pickup being replaced: Stock (don't know what brand they are)
Other pickups on guitar: Kent Zebra PAF in the neck (see my review of this too)
Artists using this pickup: Kent doesn't waste time with celebs
Reason for changing pickup: The stock pickups were fine, make no mistake. They could take on a Gibson. However, I deliberately bought this guitar for a 'plug and scream' tone. I wanted the Super Distortion for this.

Output level: Hot. Very hot.
Amps and effects being used: Laney VC-15 valve amp
Tone: Everything that gets played is so clear, just a hell of a lot more powerful. This pickup truly does super distort your sound, and in a good way. Theres no way I can play clean on my Laney, even on the clean channel. With a valve amp, this pickups will always push it beyond breakup. If i run my amp flat out, I can get it into proper distortion, not just overdrive. It makes me want to throw away my pedals.
Styles of music that you play: I play anything that sounds good, which includes rock (hard rock), funk, ska and some jazz/blues. I could make this pickup work for most of these.
What this pickup is (un)suitable for: This is definately a bridge pup. I think it works best here. It doesn't do clean though. That could annoy some people.

I have now achieved tonal nirvana (at least for hard rock). If I had to, I'd do it all again for this perfect sound, and at just ??40 I can afford to. Kents are so good for the price.
However, I will once again add that this will not do clean. This could prove an irritance.

I recommend this pickup.

Pickup features: A Passive humbucker with an alnico magnet.
Impedence or other specs: 19 Ok.ohm

Model of guitar or bass: Jackson jj4
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Dimarzio Steve's Special
Other pickups on guitar: Duncan Designed, but not in use.
Artists using this pickup: Me and maybe some music store clerks. Nobody never mentions these anywhere.
You musical style(s): Brutal Truth meets Voivod (old) but also Mot?rhead, Thin Lizzy, Sex Pistols etc.
Reason for pickup change: Dimarzios really lack definition and are relatively bassy, and the big strings I use(DR 10-52 tuned Eb)get not muddied, but the notes just don't jump out the way I like them to. I don't scoop out the mids, and could only get ''some'' definition while using too much treble which ended up sounding like a nails running down the blackboard, so they were ripped out of the axe.

Perceived output level: Compared to a Duncan JB on my other guitar (different wood though) they give a bit more needed Umphh and clarity. I was worried that in an alder body they would feedback like hell, but are very silent, yet deadly. Medium loud, but not irritatingly clear nor crisp.
Tone: Good balanced tone, very responding to different picking techniques (a big plus!) and after lowering the pickup slighty it really started to push out legato's and hammer-on's/off's whitch is something I always thought was lacking in my technique......Not! Not good for getting good clean sounds, but who buys a distortion-friendly pup for that?
Sonic evaluation: My current at rig at home is H/H 50watt bass combo with Dod DM & Mxr micro-amp pedals, and soon the new Peavey Satriani Head with a marshall cabinet at the rehearsal space (Been using friend's 5150 at practises + live).

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play mostly heavy driven music, and can easily whip VH, Repulsion and heartwork-era Carcass with it. Although I like the sound of out-of- phase pickups I wouldn't put in in the neck or middle position myself, for a gook maybe? I dunno...

Comments: I'm pretty practical when it comes to gear, and tend to stick with what works for me, so I'll be putting these to some Dean V:s in the near future. Never have been interested in mickey mouse racks or tap-dancing floor boards(that'll get soaked with beer anyway!)
I've been playing wholeheartedly since '97(and some classical for about 2 years in the late-eighties) and feel that this pickup helps me to become a better guitarplayer, by making practising more fun and sounding closer to what I hear in my head.
I was supposed to buy a used Duncan Screaming Demon but it happened to be a tremolo-version, so I decided to go with this instead, after the clerk recommended it over the HRO-1 that I asked about. Could have been a recipe for disaster, but turned out be the jack-pot.
Yes, yes tone is in the fingers and so on...but if a pickup swap can do wanders to your clunky Squier or other low-end backup axe, then what could it do to to a lot better six-string?
Be original people, stop chatting about playing and start doing it, don't be one of these guys who do office-work all their lives thinking they're above all novelist's at heart, when a real novelist wouldn't even bother thinking about it while being too busy writing. Got that one from Charles Bukowski's 'Women' - a recommended reading, folks!

Pickup features: Passive Humbucking
Impedence or other specs: 18.5K

Model of guitar or bass: Epiphone Les Paul Std
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Stock
Other pickups on guitar: Kent Armstrong HPAO-1 (neck)
Artists using this pickup: dunno
You musical style(s): rock/metal/alt country
Reason for pickup change: Stock pups were a bit poor. Wanted more oomph and tone

Perceived output level: quite high output but not insane. still useable clean
Tone: clear and shimmering with good individuality
Sonic evaluation: Behringer GM110 + Zoom 505mkII

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: great for rock to metal but not bad clean either

Comments: I would get these again - pound for pound better than Seymour Duncan or Dimarzio distortion pups - I have had both and these are more versatile and have better definition. Consider Kent Armstrong if you are looking for new pups