Seymour Duncan SH-1 '59

Pickup features: humbucker
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: PRS SE Tremonti
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: Stock humbucker
Other pickups on guitar: DiMarzio Steve's Special in bridge position
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): dunerrock / stonerrock
Reason for pickup change: Stock pickups lack character and life

Perceived output level: I put a bridge model in the neck position so it is hotter than it should be but this way it work fine with the Steve's Special which sits in the bridge position. Standard series wiring since Seymour Duncan told me the SH-1 output would be too low for this configuration when put into parallel mode.
Tone: low but sweet like honey, nice and round full bodied tone, not muddy or hazy at all, just what I was looking for.
Sonic evaluation: Using a PRS SE Tremonti which is cheap. I do not believe in putting down more than ?500 for any guitar - it is very possible to pay a normal amount of money for a good guitar which you equip with the hardware you like best. You probably have to do this with the expensive (over ?2000) guitars anyway. Using it with a LabSeries L4 bass head and the Orange 4 x 12" cabinet. Still try to figure out the pedals. Experimenting with a Boss SD-2 (dual overdrive) and a Korg AX-30B.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Good pickup for what I do but can do many styles and sounds. Suitable for every position.

Comments: I had a LAG Roxane before which had two Seymour Duncans as stock. Which types I do not know. That guitar has a very nice sound to it but the neck is too thin for me. So I figured a fatter neck with the same pickup would be as good and right I was.
I do not know what will happen to the Steve's Special when time goes by. The Seymour Duncan is definatly my favourite one. But since I rarely play with only the bridge pickup and this configuration is not the most typical one I guess I will leave it where it is.

Pickup features: Passive Humbucker
Impedence or other specs: 1 conductor braided shield

Model of guitar or bass: '97 Washburn P-II QS model
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: Washburn 621
Other pickups on guitar: Seymour Duncan SH-5 (Duncan Custom)
Artists using this pickup: Quite a few; I believe Dimebag Darrel used it in the neck position
You musical style(s): Hard Rock, early Metal, Instrumental Prog Rock
Reason for pickup change: The stock pickups on the Washburn were nasty, even though they were "duncan designed" supposedly. I wanted an updated "vintage" tone for the neck position

Perceived output level: slightly more than a normal PAF
Tone: middy with pretty smooth highs
Sonic evaluation: Line 6 PODxt modeling technology with amp packs installed going straight through a Mackie 1202-VLZ Pro into a Layla3G for recording on my DAW.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Currently into Progressive Instrumental Rock/old school metal; I am using the neck model

Comments: It this pickup was destroyed, I'd probably go with the SH-2 "Jazz" model due to the more high end response with that pickup. However I'm pretty satisfied with the '59 model. I've been playing for over 20 years and I used to use strictly DiMarzio Super Distortions paired with a HS-3 in the neck position of a modified strat. I found the Washburn P-2 a few years ago for dirt cheap and bought it for a more "rock" guitar with a traditional bridge (I am used to Floyd Rose floating bridge setups). I had to replace the toggle switch as well as the stock pickups.
It's a very clear, midrangey sound which really sings when you run it through a distortion pedal (like the Tube Screamer). The pick definition is very high, so if you are into fast lines this pickup really does a good job in making it all sound very clear and defined. I also like the fact you can easily change the pole height, and I had to lower the poles on the low E and A string in order to get a more defined sound on those strings. An extremely WARM sound, to my ears.
I'm pretty satisfied with this pickup choice, as I wanted a vintage warm sound with a little more "oomph" to it. Playing it clean is a joy as it every chord is very defined.

Pickup features: Neck humbucking....
Impedence or other specs: DC resistance: 7,5 kohms, inductance: 4,27 henry...

Model of guitar or bass: Les Paul
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: stock pup, with ceramic magnet.
Other pickups on guitar: SHPG1 and now, APH1 instead of the SH1...
Artists using this pickup: Too much people.
You musical style(s): All I can eat.
Reason for pickup change: first change: stock pups = crap;
second change (APH1 instead of the SH1): the mix was not good between our alnico 5 SH1 and the alnico 2 SHPG1;

Perceived output level: Moderate but high for such a DC resistance. The magnet is rather strong.
Tone: Bright and dynamic.
Sonic evaluation: It's an update of my previous review (done a year ago): the SH1 is a good pup but its frequency resonance and power are higher than with other PAF replicas. I've read here a review saying that this pup wasn't in fact a PAF clone. My answer: YES, it is. But Seymour seems to have duplicated the "ideal" PAF defined by Seth Lover (7,5 Kohms and alnico 5 magnets) instead of the real PAF pups made by Gibson in the years 1957-1961 and often defined by their "flaws" (overwound coils giving an higher inductance, alnico 2 because alnico 5 was out of stock, etc.). The result is a "clear" PAF variation, with a sharp attack and resonant frequency. To obtain a "sweet" pafish sound, choose an alnico 2 magnet and a higher DC resistance/inductance - in other words, a Duncan like the Seth Lover, the AlnicoPro, or the mythic Antiquities (i forget the Pearly Gates, that I use and love but which also has a bright tone).
If you buy the SH1, you have to know that the expected good round sound comes after a sharp attack which can become a little harsh. Good mix with ceramic magnets or alnico 5. Not so good with an alnico 2... Good sustain and woman tone reachable during the sustain. Not so satisfying when you attack the strings IF you want a classic hot and sweet lespaulish tone (and in this case only).

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Good match for all styles, gears etc. if you know its features and know how to use it...

Comments: See above: good pup, all purpose device, if you want a sharp attack and a clean tone. Reproduces the clearer PAF models, with a low inductance and DC resistance. The sweet/buttery/spongy/honky tone is not its territory. That the reason why I've changed the SH1 for an APH1 bridge (yes, in the neck position). Strangely, this one is lower in output, with its 8,29 kohms and 4,67 Henry, than the SH1 with only 7,5 kohms and 4,27 Henry... my neck tone is now much more sweet (principally because I've bought a bridge model for the neck pos.). I plan to mount the neck SH1 on another axe, maybe a semi-hollow body...

Pickup features: humbucker
Impedence or other specs: ?

Model of guitar or bass: Epiphone SG
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: Stock
Other pickups on guitar: Seymour Duncan Invader
Artists using this pickup: ?
You musical style(s): Classic Rock, Blues
Reason for pickup change: I decided it was time for an upgrade and Seymours are one of the best. I'm saving for an Ameican Deluxe Strat that has amazing pickups, but until then (could be a while, 1000 bucks is not a small amount of money) I must have some killer humbuckers.

Perceived output level: ?
Tone: Trebly/balanced, but fair mid and bass
Sonic evaluation: I'm using it on my sg with a fender stage 160 and it sounds great and i'd be even better on a tube amp. Sounds best on a clean channel strumming chords or melodic riffs. Sounds good with distortion also. For most rock an blues i put the switch in the middle position using the '59 and the invader.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: It works great for rock and blues. It would probably be good in the bridge too.

Comments: If it were destroyed i would definately get another. It's an intigral part of my setup now. I've be playing for about 7 years now, seriosly for about 3 or 4. I don't have a lot of other gear, some effects, but i'm saving for a strat and maybe a tube amp.

Pickup features: Passive humbucker
Impedence or other specs: 2 conductor; no push-pull

Model of guitar or bass: Squier Custom Telecaster (I)
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: crappy Fender Indonesia Humbucker.
Other pickups on guitar: I replaced the duplicate Fender bridge pickup with a Distortion humbucker (SH-5, I think)
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Rock Music
Reason for pickup change: I bought the Squier Custom because I wanted a cheap guitar that had been routed and cut for humbuckers with a nice tele maple neck. I planned on the pickups being bad. They were. So I swapped them.

Perceived output level: Actually, compared to the "REALLY HIGH OUTPUT" SH-5 in the bridge, the SH-1 puts out just nearly the same output.
Tone: A great balance. Not muddy at all, I find. Sounds nice and round in the upper range without too much bite. Slightly mellow, but not so much as I anticipated.
Sonic evaluation: I've used the pickup through both a small Ampeg Jet II tube and my Ampeg V-4 head into Marshall 4x12 Slash Snakepit cab (give me a break; I hate Slash but this cab is awesome). In the Jet it sounded full and was LOUD. Matched the output of the SH-5 nicely. Together they sounded pretty sweet, with the SH-5 getting a little bit more crunch. I used to have a Standard Gibson LP, sounds like this bit with the bass pushed a bit. I like it better, actually.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I'm in an indie band playing stuff that tries to do too much, all over the map. Haven't used it too much in this context, but my sound role is kind of to fill the lowed midrange, a more mellow timbre, while the other guitarist has a nasty trebly sound (why does he scoop the mids? ar). Promises to work great.

Comments: Yep. It's pretty cheap (1/2 the price of SD Seth Lover's, which the SH-1 claims to mimick). I've briefly played Fender MIM Customs. This is the sound I wanted. I got it for half the price. Do it. Especially if you're starting with such bad pickups.

Pickup features: Passive Humbucker
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Steinberger Spirit GP-2R
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: EMG Select
Other pickups on guitar: Seymour Duncan Distortion
Artists using this pickup: Dunno with Steiny + '59 combo
You musical style(s): Pop, Rock, Metal
Reason for pickup change: EMG Selects are just... a hunk of junk! Lifeless and sterile, but no hum.

Perceived output level: Hotter than I thought for a '59 PAF copy
Tone: Middy + Trebly yet warm even though my guitar has maple body and neck.
Sonic evaluation: I put this on a Steinberger Spirit GP-2R which has maple body with maple neck (read : BRIGHT guitar). I still have to turn down the treble a bit and turn up the bass in a lot of my patches on my ToneLab SE, but after that it is the best neck pickup I've ever heard for clean and overdriven leads. When strumming, only the clean is usable.
Also, I noticed that this pickup has a very smooth, buttery tone compared to other pickups I have (and had).

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: This pickup can do Pop and Rock well, definitely not a Metal pickup. I can get decent Blues tone out of it too.

Comments: # If it were destroyed or stolen, would you buy it again or get something else?
Probably get something else, there's a lot of different pickups out there.
# What do you love about it? What do you hate?
I love that liquidy, buttery, whatever tone it has.
# Anything you wish it had?
Wish it has a better overdriven rhythm tone.
# Are you satisfied with this pickup or still searching for that sound?
Pretty satisfied.

Pickup features: Passive Humbucker
Impedence or other specs: ??

Model of guitar or bass: Schector Omen 6 (with tailpiece - not string through)
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: stock (duncan designed)
Other pickups on guitar: stock humbucker in bridge
Artists using this pickup: ????
You musical style(s): Hard Rock, Gurnge, Blues
Reason for pickup change: Wanted a more smooth vintage Les Paul sound like Slash

Perceived output level: A bit more than the stock, but not hot.... Medium? Good response.
Tone: Well balanced. A bit warm. maybe a bit bassy in my guitar, but that's the wood
Sonic evaluation: Plugged into a Crate FXT120 combo. Pedals: Boss Drive Zone Distortion Pedal and Vox Wah Pedal. It's got a nice well balanced tone. I use the lead channel on the amp for most leads because I get a smooth warm sound. This pup has a lot of sustain! Awesome.
I lost all the tone in my middle position when I had this put in.... I'm guessing it's that it doesn't match well with the stock in the bridge.. I don't know what it is, but the mid position blows now, it's what I used to use for clean. However, now I can use this pickup for my clean playing. It's not harsh at all. Very nice tone.
As mentioned before, this thing has a lot of sustain. Maybe I'm not used to getting any from the stock pickups.... In any case I really like the sustain.
The distorted tone, aside from sustain, wasn't such a big improvement. But it's noticeable. Not harsh when hitting the high notes, and not muddy at all when hitting the lows.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play mostly everything. It's very versatile. Good for about everything IMO. Something agressive would be better for someone strictly metal.

Comments: I have been playing for over 5 years. I also own a Fender HM Strat that I picked up used, a Squier strat with a Duncan Performer Scorcher in the bridge, a Prelude classical accoustic, and an Epiphone jumbo body accoustic-electric.
This pickup is great. It's not EXACTLY what I wanted, but that's cause I don't have a Les Paul or a Marshall with tubes...
I really like the improvement. To someone else, maybe the pickup wasn't worth the money, but for me, every bit of tone I got is worth every penny. I'd get this pickup again probably... Especailly since the Duncan Jazz was too bright for my taste and Gibson pickups are too pricey.

Pickup features: Trembucker.
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Ibanez S1520 Sabre
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Duncan JB
Other pickups on guitar: Ibanez QM1
Artists using this pickup: Scott Henderson
You musical style(s): Jazz-Rock Fusion
Reason for pickup change: This guitar came with a JB, which frankly, I have never liked. Way too shrill and harsh for me.

Perceived output level: Slightly hot PAF style
Tone: Emphasis on the high mids. See overall rating for description.
Sonic evaluation: MAudio Duo Preamp > TC Electronic TripleC compressor > Yamaha DG80112 with TC Electronic G Major in the effects loop. I am very satisfied with this rig!

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: This is a versitile pickup, and it is suitable for most styles where low to medium output is desired

Comments: The tone I am after is a smooth, singing (almost horn-like) overdrive. With good clarity, but without too many shrill harmonic overtones. I was going for a tone similar to Scott Henderson's early '90s sound, when he was using the Ibanez Sabre. I also like a more aggressive rock tone sometimes, but it needs to be able to clean up when I want it to. This is a good pickup, but it missed the mark for me. I like an emphasis on the mids, but the emphasis is on the higher mids, a little too high pitched. I prefer a more vocal, almost "aaaah" tone. The '59 is an "Improved PAF" design - I don't believe it is a classic PAF design as SD would have you believe. It is more defined, and more harmonically active I would say. This is probably perfect for many people.
The thing that makes choosing pickups so hard, is that there may be something much better out there, but you'll never know it until you try it in your own rig. I believed I was the best bridge pickup, until I tried the Ibanez V2 pickup that came stock in my early '90s sabre. I will submit a review for the V2, but in short, it is miles ahead of the '59 in terms of what I was looking for - More of a mid voiced pickup, and vert defined and musical. The '59 sounds shrill and sloppy in comparison.

Pickup features: NECK HUMBUCKER
Impedence or other specs: 7.2 K

Model of guitar or bass: TRADITION LES PAUL
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: FACTORY
Other pickups on guitar: DUNCAN CUSTOM
Artists using this pickup: A LOT
You musical style(s): ROCK BLUES
Reason for pickup change: FACTORY PICKUP WAS BASICALLY TOO HOT FOR ME

Perceived output level: PLENTY, BUT NOT TOO MUCH. MORE THAN AN ALNICO II OR JAZZ
Tone: WARM AND BRIGHT VINTAGE STYLE TONE THAT DOESN'T WEAR ON YOU AT ALL. IT IS GREAT CLEAN OR DIRTY. I CALL IT SWEET WITH LOADS OF SUSTAIN. THE HIGHS ARE THERE BUT DONT GRATE ON YOU AT ALL. IT SOUNDS BETTER TO ME THAN WHAT COMES IN ANY LES PAUL FROM THE FACTORY INCLUDING GIBSON.
Sonic evaluation: I HAVE PLAYED IT INTO A MARSHALL JTM312 AND 70 FENDER PRINCETON, ALSO A MARSHALL DSL50 HEAD WITH 1936 CAB. IT JUST PLAIN OLD KICKS BUTT IN A VINTAGE WAY. THE DISTORTION WITH THE MARSHALL IS VERY ROCKIN. THE SOUND IS VERSATILE AND I SUSPECT THIS PICKUP WILL WORK FOR MOST PAUL PLAYERS IN THE NECK

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: PERFECT FOR ROCK, BLUES AND JAZZ. MIGHT BE TOO VINTAGE FOR METAL

Comments: I ALSO PLAYED AN ALNICO II IN A FRIENDS PAUL, BUT I PREFER THE GREATER OUTPUT AND PUNCH OF THIS PICKUP. THANKS SEYMOUR FOR MAKING WHAT MAY BE THE BEST VALUE GOING IN A LES PAUL PICKUP

Pickup features: Passive Humbucker
Impedence or other specs: Standard PAF in the 8s

Model of guitar or bass: PRS CU 24 & Les Paul '73
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: T TOP & PRS Vintage Bass, Gibson 57 Classic
Other pickups on guitar: Air Nortons, T TOPs, Tone Zone, Air Zone, you name it
Artists using this pickup: Millions
You musical style(s): Rock, Blues, Jazz, 70s, you name it
Reason for pickup change: No sparkle, dead, lifeless

Perceived output level: Strong and well balanced, little more than very vintage-y PAFs
Tone: Warm, balanced,. woody
Sonic evaluation: I use a Seymour Duncan Convertible with Altecs and Celestion 80s, Relic Fenders with Jensens, you name it. THIS IS MEANT TO BE A WEIRD REVIEW.
Here is the deal, this pickup has no dynamics, it is totally flat, has some decent harmonics. However, it is very woody. This is labeled a building block pickup and IT IS. If you want something straight forward and basic, something vintage that works very well with modern music, something that matches any type of pickup from metal to hard rock, this is a good choice. NO GUESSWORK!
It is basic and to the point. The EQ description is as on the site. It is very warm, but not too warm, decent mids. You can use it for anything. In my PRS it sounded dead. In my Les Paul it is very Dickey Betts - this is a good thing. It is warm, you can even play jazz on it, but it would NOT be my first choice for that. You can play blues on it all day, but it doesnt have that dynamic spank and growl.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Any and all

Comments: You can't go wrong with this pickup. However, you can't necessarily go right. It is basic and to the point. It is quality with the harmonics. I have tried recording with it, and it is kinda disappointing. I have heard it in bridges and it sounds better to me than the neck. It doesnt cut thru the mix all that great. ON THE OTHER HAND - thru any amp - Matchless to Marhsall it gives you a woody sound that works with anything.
I give it an 8 since it is a B level pickup. I think the 57 classic is warmer and sweeter all around. It has better articulation, harmonics, definition etc etc. BUT IT IS ALNICO 2 SO IT CAN BE HARD TO MATCH THE BRIDGE, AND GIBSON DOESNT MAKE 4 CONDUCTOR. MY LES PAUL HAS THE JIMMY PAGE MODS. If I had no huge preconceived notions, just wanted good sound, not after the holy grail - then this is it, an easy no brainer. If you want something articulate - that is both modern and vintage at the same time, great for all kinds of sounds, may I recommend the DiMarzio Virtual PAF. I have tried Voodoos and the SD Jazz (decent), some other brands, not the Fralins yet. But for the price the 59 sets you off very well.
Hope you are now thoroughly confused. Hear me at www.olinmusic.com