Seymour Duncan SH-1 '59

Pickup features: Passive Humbucker
Impedence or other specs: Nickel Cover

Model of guitar or bass: Gibson SG Faded Brown
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: Stock 490R
Other pickups on guitar: Stock 490T in Bridge (soon to be Duncan Distortion)
Artists using this pickup: Not researched, don't really care. It works for me.
You musical style(s): Hard Rock, Blues, Metal.
Reason for pickup change: The stock pickups are muddy. I wasn't as aware of it before and was thinking about changing the speakers in my cab. Not anymore. :)

Perceived output level: Hotter than the stock pickup, but still has calrity and harmonics.
Tone: Well balanced all around.
Sonic evaluation: I play through a Mesa Dual Rectifier and a Marshall 1960TV cab with Celestion 70's in it. The SG is my main guitar.
Previously the neck pickups was just about useless. It was too muddy to even get decent note definition. Now, I am stoked! The note definition is there, and the added harmonics made the dead strings I had on the guitar, when I changed pickups, sound great. Now the Bridge pickup sounds muddy.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play Hard Rock, Blue, and some Metal. This pickup is a great match for these styles. It has clarity and can still sustain when you want it. The harmonics are wonderful.

Comments: I bought the SG at an incredible deal and love it. y only problem was that my tone was a bit muddy. I like to play celan stuff with a little delay, and just wasn't getting the clarity I like. I suspected the spekaers in the cab I picked up. Then I played my US Strat through the rig, and I knew it was the SG's pickups. SO, I started shopping around for pickups. I bought and installed the Zakk Wylde EMG pickup set into the guitar, and thought it was great. Then after playing them at a show, I got rid of them. Very sterile. SO, I went back to the drawing board. I wanted more clarity, some bite, but still some warmth. A good freind of mine plays a Les Paul Classic, and has a Duncan DIstortion in the bridge of his guitar. WOW. I played it and was blown away. I had a DUncan lil '59er in a previous guitar and remember how good it sounded. SO I decided to put the 59 model in the neck and the Distortion in the bridge. I custom ordered them with Nickel covers. The 59 model cam in after two weeks, but I am still waiting for the Distortion to come in. Apparently they had to custom make one.
I am very satisfied with this pickup. It sounds GREAT, and is the solution I was looking for.

Pickup features: Passive Humbucker
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Epiphone (S)G-400
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Muddy Stock Epiphone POS Pick Ups
Other pickups on guitar: Stock
Artists using this pickup: Myself, other than that I don't know
You musical style(s): Classic Rock, Hard Rock , Blues
Reason for pickup change: The original stock Pick ups were muddy and didn't have clear note definition. I also wanted to get a more versatile sound.

Perceived output level: Slightly hotter than normal, sounds pretty close to a PAF
Tone: well balanced, clear note definition
Sonic evaluation: I'm using an Epiphone (S)G-400 plugged straight into my Marshall half stack, sometimes I'll use my Jim Dunlop Cry baby 535Q Wah and my Boss Super Chorus. With thess Pick ups I can get a lot of good Classic Rock Sounds(Led Zeppelin, Cream, Black Sabbath, even some Hendrix) I can also get a Pearl Jam Ten album era sound and even early Soundgarden

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play Classic Rock, Hard Rock, and Blues Which this Pick up is perfectly suited for. But if you're looking for more extreme Metal sound look somewhere else.

Comments: If it were destroyed or stolen, I would buy another in a second. With this Pick Up I can easily get that Clapton "Woman" tone out of it and it's still versatile enough to play Zeppelin or Black Sabbath.

Pickup features: humbucker
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Epi Explorer
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: Epi Stock PU
Other pickups on guitar: JB in bridge
Artists using this pickup: shit i dont' know, check the website, lotsa them
You musical style(s): Blues, Rock, Metal
Reason for pickup change: The Stock pickup was really muddy and i needed something with alittle more edge, i was recommended the 59, and it is a great pickup

Perceived output level: Alot louder than the Stock pu, i'd say medium
Tone: balanced
Sonic evaluation: I'm am using a crate gx 30 with an Epi Explorer, i really want to upgrade the amp it is a begginner amp and i've had it for awhile, like to get a marshall or something, make the new pickups come alive.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: blues rock and metal, good for all 3, better for the blues and rock though i'd say.

Comments: If this pu was destroyed be hard pressed not to get another one, i think it's one of the best pu's i've heard in a long time. I've been playing for about 5 years now, besides the amp and guitar i own a boss metal zone, and i jimi hendrix wah pedal. I love everything about it. I chose it as a recommendation, you can hear this pu on any cd. I've found that neck sound.

Pickup features: Passive Humbucker
Impedence or other specs: www.seymourduncan.com

Model of guitar or bass: Epiphone Les Paul Standard
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: Neck stock pickup
Other pickups on guitar: Dimarzio PAF-Bridge
Artists using this pickup: Seymour Duncan?
You musical style(s): Rock 'n' Roll
Reason for pickup change: The neck stock pickup on the Epi, as many know was way to muddy and lacked clarity.

Perceived output level: A medium output pickup. Very close to the stock pups output.
Tone: I have this pup in the neck position and it does a good job of blending mid treble and bass to create a very balanced mellow sound. It is the perfect complement to my Dimarzio Paf in the bridge position. The Dimarzio has very distinct highs that pierce the ears, it cuts through sound distorted and becomes very twangy clean. The '59 provides a very smooth mellow clean sound that will soothe your eardrums rather than attack them.
Sonic evaluation: I use an Epiphone Les Paul standard through a Crate GX-900 head into a peavey 4x12 cab. Effects wise i use a boss chorus, equalizer, and blues driver. Generally i crank the reverb on my clean channel and play with the chorus on whenever i play clean, but the '59 sounds good enough that i dont need the chorus to make my sound, i can mold it myself. The '59 lets the true sound of the guitar come out, and pays very close attention to detail. Every note is distinct, and every action (by the player) is emphasized, instead of being lost in the mix..

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play rock 'n' roll, and for that it fits perfectly. With my combination of pups i can get very metal with the dimarzios to very mellow with the '59. Between those 2 extremes, there are many tonal possibilities. However, metal players should probably steer clear of this pup and check out the Seymour Duncan Dimbucker, invader, or Duncan Distortion.

Comments: I have been playing for quite some time now and genuinely love this pup. I also play a fender stratocater with 2 single coils and one humbucker. The '59 is more similar to the single coils when clean and gets gritty when distorted (It bears no resemblance to the single coils when distorted at all). As for finding "that sound," i am very picky when it comes to my sound and am currently researching another array of pups for a different guitar (probly another epi standard. I really love Seymour Duncan pickups and will probably never use any others. The '59 is great, but there are also many other great pickups out there too. This pickup is rock 'n' roll all the way, you can get raw or you can break it down monster ballad style.

Pickup features: Humbucker
Impedence or other specs: 7.43

Model of guitar or bass: Epiphone Dot
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: Stock Epiphone Humbucker
Other pickups on guitar: Epiphone Stock Humbucker (bridge)
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Blues, Jazz, Folk
Reason for pickup change: Original pickup sounded muddy and inarticulate when using the neck pick-up for jazz type pieces.

Perceived output level: Noticably hotter than the stock pickups without being over the top. The neck is louder than the bridge pickup now. I wanted to replace the pickups one at a time so I will be getting a P-90 for the bridge soon.
Tone: Very balalnced - just what I wanted. I can hear the bass notes without them breaking up or being a low indistinguishable low rumble.
Sonic evaluation: Playing an Epiphone Dot (335) through a Fender Blues Junior or Fender Hot Rod 410 (usually clean to slightly dirty)

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play Blues, Jazz and some Pop, Country or Rock. It is well suited for theses but obviously not the pick up for louder styles like Metal or Shred.

Comments: I am very happy with the pickup. It is worlds better than the Epiphone stock pickup prodiving clarity and definition to the notes. Seymour Duncan was recommended by my instructor rather than the Gibson '57 Classic as Seymour Duncan is devoted only to pickups. I would agree plus it was $30 less. I had a few questions as I began to install so I e-mailed Seymour Duncan and still haven't heard from them. I figured out my questions from other sources on the internet.

Pickup features: passive humbucker
Impedence or other specs: this information can be obtained through personal research www.seymourduncan.com

Model of guitar or bass: 1997 Fender Big Apple Stratocaster
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: that is in an untrue statement.
Other pickups on guitar: currently a dimarzio super distortion
Artists using this pickup: all six billion humans living on earth use this pickup
You musical style(s): gentle melodies, horrendous overdriven violence, anything with passion and honesty
Reason for pickup change: no change in pickup was necessary as it was included in the guitar itself. one might say that the pickup was like a limb developed in the birthing process of the guitar.

Perceived output level: glows with self-actualization
Tone: full and clean, round bass and clear highs, mids dropped slightly to provide more clarification
Sonic evaluation: with the fender big apple stratocaster running through a marshall head. this pickup is like the sweet whisper of the seraphim as they carry you through the clouds of highest elation in a moment of love. think of the day when you stepped out of a shower, and put on some clean clothes, and felt so fresh and renewed and your day held infinite possibilities; it is what this pickup sounds like. The '59 sounds like childhood.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: This pickup's pure sound can be useful for music in its many incarnations.

Comments: i find that on the clean channel of a turned-up tube amp the clean sound i have always wanted is found. if you want another simile it's like when the woman you love leaves you and your life is hopeless and trite. and you wait patiently for years, perhaps dating a few others but never being satisfied because you know in your heart that the woman is right for you. And years later she comes back to you and confides that she has realized that there is only one man in her life...you. I love this pickup's distinction. If, in a burst of metaphysical spontanaeity squirted out of this universe much like a watermelon seed, then I would purchase a new one. I would like to share with you the sound of hope...Duncan '59

Pickup features: Humbucker
Impedence or other specs: DC Resistance neck pos: 7.43k / Bridge pos: 8.13k Resonant peak neck pos: 6.8khz / Bridge pos: 6.0khz

Model of guitar or bass: Epiphone Les Paul Custom
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Gold factory stock.
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: Don't know or care....
You musical style(s): Country and 50's , 60's Rock
Reason for pickup change: Wanted hotter cleaner sound from this Epiphone Les Paul Custom.

Perceived output level: I would say output up to 25% more.
Tone: Balanced sound, good bottom and enough high end for my style of playing.
Sonic evaluation: Recently purchased Epiphone Les Paul Custom with and older Peavey Special 150. I'm and old timer and have been playing in various bands playing various types of music since '63.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Country and 50's and 60's, real happy with all positons.

Comments: Use Morley volume pedal and Boss Blues driver and Delay pedals. I keep everything real basic. Have had many different guitars including a '65 Gibson ES-335,An '83 Gibson Les Paul Goldtop, A G&L Asat Classic, etc.. and am just as happy with with the sound of this Epiphone Les Paul with these '59 pickups.

Pickup features: Passive Humbucker
Impedence or other specs: 7.9K

Model of guitar or bass: 2001 Les Paul Historic and Kramer 5150 "EVH" Replica
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: '57 classics
Other pickups on guitar: Lindy Fralin 9K Bridge
Artists using this pickup: You name 'em
You musical style(s): Rock n roll
Reason for pickup change: I've had '59's in many guitars over the years. Duncan does a great job chruning out lots of pickups but all of the "have it". The Historic Les Paul's '57 classics lacked character, definition, and clarity. A Lindy Fralin 9K in the bridge and the Duncan '59 with nickle cover in the neck position cured this problem. It was like taking a blanket off my speaker cab. I also currently run a '59 in the bridge position of a detailed Keamer 5150 replica.

Perceived output level: Standard 50's PAF output in both positions
Tone: Open and detailed with balenced and crisp top end. The lows are solid and never bassy. Lacks a bit of the hollow tone of a true PAF. Good note to note articulation
Sonic evaluation: I find the Duncan '59 to have it's own sound. There is a nice "growly" midrange that is attractive about these pickups. In the neck, there is a focused tone that does not get boxy sounding. Bridge pickup has some meat and not shrill sounding. While these may not be as complex sounding as Fralins nor authentic to PAF tone as the Rolphs, Holmes, or Harmonic design PAF's, they are excellent pickups at an attractive price.

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

Comments: The '59 has become the "go to" pickup as they are consistant and deliver the goods year in and year out. While not "this years" new pickup of choice, this old stand-by will cure many woes in a world of sucky OEM pickups.

Pickup features: humbucking
Impedence or other specs: 7.4K

Model of guitar or bass: Les Paul
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: Gibson mini humbucker
Other pickups on guitar: JB bridge
Artists using this pickup: Everyone one from Robben Ford to Dimebag Darrel!
You musical style(s): American Roots Music
Reason for pickup change: Never liked the sterile sound of minihumbuckers. Wanted the tone of a 59 Les Paul!

Perceived output level: Bright, clean, room in the mids for some nice air and breath, solid lows, smooth but bright highs.
Tone: Not as bright and clean as Tom Holmes but very balanced.
Sonic evaluation: Tweed 50's Fenders, Blackface 60's Fenders, '70 Marshall 50 watt small box thru old Celestions.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: As a neck pickup this is perfect for blues, rock and jazz...even for heavy rock. A perfect match, IMO, with a bridge JB.

Comments: For the price, it is unbeatable. I also love the 8.2K bridge version...it's brighter and has less mids and a more breathy vintage tone than the JB. If you can spend a little more money ($120) the 8K Fralin is more harmonically complex and detailed...but it's twice as much. The Tom Holmes is cleaner than the Fralin and just as detailed and complex. But the Duncan 59 is a superb value and for $66 nothing else can touch it. Great for everything from Pantera to Robben Ford to Wes Montgomery! The 59n is pretty much the industry standard for a neck humbucker. I feel it is cleaner and bouncier than most real 50's PAF's and I prefer it to any of the newer Gibson PAF's.

Pickup features: Passive humbucker
Impedence or other specs: :sceps rehto ro ecnadepmI

Model of guitar or bass: Epiphone Sheraton II
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Gibson Classic '57 which went to the neck position replacing the stock pickup.
Other pickups on guitar: Gibson Classic '57 on the neck position.
Artists using this pickup: Jesus Christ!
You musical style(s): Vintage british rock and contemporary rock.
Reason for pickup change: Well, first, it was very cheap. Second, it's a Duncan '59. I couldn't find a better time to drop the shitty stock pup out of my guitar.

Perceived output level: Dunno, I was waiting for something more or less in the verve of the Classic '57.
Tone: In comparasion, the '59 is a brighter and a touch hotter than the '57. Its high end is a bit tighter than the '57. With the '57, it goes along pretty darn well, I might add.
Sonic evaluation: I use this Epiphone Sheraton II through a BOSS ME-8 through a Marshall JCM2000 DSL 401. I do not EQ the guitar signal so the ME-8 is basically in bypass mode as far as EQ goes. I just use some delay, chorus/flanger and eventually turn on the compressor/sustainer to add guts to solos. This guitar has become an ES-335 for one fifth of the price. It sings gently now.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I suppose that the '59ers could be considered the best all around combo available but that'd be too wide open. If you don't know what to do, go for the '59ers on both neck and bridge position until you figure out your sound. The combo will work well for Les Pauls and semi-hollow body guitars like mine. It also works well in humbucker positions in stratocasters. Go for it.

Comments: If it goes, I'd be sad, but I'd probably search for other kind of pup. Not that this is not good but I'd certainly try others.
I've been playing for six years now and I also have an Epiphone Les Paul Standard, a Washburn Lyon Series Strat, an acoustic Yamaha APX-4-12A, an acoustic Epiphone EJ-200 and a Fender Jazz Bass.
I love the clarity and the definition it provides to the notes and the character it brings to the guitar. I hate the fact that the covered (with either chrome or golden cover) SD '59 is almost 20 bucks more expensive than the non-covered one. Aesthetics count...
I wish I could easily cover it.
I am satisfied with it because I have reached a certain level with a semi-hollow body guitar. If I want heavier tones I use my Les Paul. The Sheraton has got a unique sound with which I am satisfied now. It is really an awesome axe!