Seymour Duncan SH-1 '59

Pickup features: Passive Humbucker
Impedence or other specs: 7.2?

Model of guitar or bass: Les Paul Studio 93
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Stock Gibson 498-490-
Other pickups on guitar: '59
Artists using this pickup: Dime.and Moi!!!
You musical style(s): Rock/Blues Hard/Rock
Reason for pickup change: They came with the guitar

Perceived output level: I previously owned a Gibson Custom that lacked treble sound with the stokies
Tone: Great bass, few mid-range (and that's good) and a very good treble
Sonic evaluation: I use it through a KORG GX1 Guitar processor pedal and a Peavey classic 30 tube amp.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I love play blues with this pick ups and this incredible guitar!

Comments: I would probbaly buy them even though I did not do it in the first place, but I am glad that the previous owner replaced the stock pick ups!
In the past I did buy lots of Gibson pick ups such as the Toni Iommi signature and the T-500, nothing comparable to these two '59.
This pick ups do not need any further thing, they are as perfect as they could be! The impressive thing is how cool and clear they sound when used clean! Buy them if you have a Real guitar!
They ain't no good for chepo Korean guitars!

Pickup features: humbucking,passive,4 -wire,alnico-V magnet,trem-spaced poles
Impedence or other specs: around 8k.

Model of guitar or bass: ESP ''strat'' style kit guitar -(back when ESP sold parts)
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: J.B. trembucker
Other pickups on guitar: it's an '80s style one hummer
Artists using this pickup: Eddie Vanhalen and tons of others
You musical style(s): rock/blues/metal
Reason for pickup change: I absolutely hated the trebly,one dimensional J.B. I had in the guitar,wanted something with more character,bass and mids.

Perceived output level: low to med. output,with alnico V magnets for great harmonics.
Tone: gutteral distortion,a bit muddy,but still retains some clarity,great bass and mids.
Sonic evaluation: marshall jcm900,fender twin,zoom 505 for practice.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: good over all pickup,I can see using it for rock/blues/metal,I dunno, maby even country?

Comments: I would probably get another,or try a screamin demon or custom custom ,it's a good all around pickup,I think it would be great in any guitar that's lacking in bottom end or needs some good tone.I'm satisfied with this pickup,I learned that J.B.s are good for bottom end heavy guitars but lousy in high end sounding guitars,and vice/versa for the '59,in other words,put a J.B. in a mahogany les paul with a rosewood frett board,and a '59 in an alder strat with a maple neck, it'll even the tone qualities out.

Pickup features:
Impedence or other specs: I dunno. What am I? An engineer?

Model of guitar or bass: Epiphone Les Paul Std.
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Stockie
Other pickups on guitar: Stockie neck (hope to replace with DiMarzio Evolution)
Artists using this pickup: Who cares?!
You musical style(s): hard rock/a bit of thrash
Reason for pickup change: Stockie was a bit lame. It lacked character and any balls whatsoever.

Perceived output level: A lot higher than the stockie. Too loud to go with the stock neck pickup.
Tone: So warm it could keep you alive in winter. but I suppose it depends on your amp as well.
Sonic evaluation: I use it through a Marshall valvestate 265 (which probably helps). I can get a wide variety of sounds, all of which are handled extremely well by the 59.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: This pickup will suit guitarists of all genres. From Indie to blues to metal. It's so versatile.

Comments: If this was stolen, the bastards would take my guitar as well. I would suggest this pickup to replace stockie on a Les Paul, but I don't know about other guitars. If you're looking for a really warm, thick classic tone then get it. If you're looking for something a little more individual, then try a DiMarzio Humbucker from Hell or something.

Pickup features: passive humbucker
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: epiphone sg
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: stock humbuckers
Other pickups on guitar: '59 bridge and neck
Artists using this pickup: ???????
You musical style(s): british rock, old and new
Reason for pickup change: stocks were flat and boring. decided to change after comparing to my les paul.

Perceived output level: seems a little less than the stock and overall not very hot
Tone: both are very warm and are balanced. they both are clear even with a heavy overdrive. although the neck seems to get muddier quicker than the bridge, its only at high gain.
Sonic evaluation: epiphone through a vox wah to a daddy-o overdrive into the clean channel on a carvin 200fx amp

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: i wanted to get a cream sound out of it but the les paul does that better. it's not a real high gain pickup so metal wouldn't work for that, but its warm and clean so it'll work for almost anyhting.

Comments: if stolen i would seriously consider getting another set. they don't do what i wanted them to but i love them nonetheless. they really work well with the epiphone and for classic and modern rock. it is a 2 conductor wire and i wish it were a 4 conducter but thats being picky. i like this pickup but it doesn't give me "that" sound, it's full, warm and clean. ive heard this pickup with covers on it in a bluesbird and it's killer, so that should be considered also.

Pickup features: Passive humbucker, exposed coils
Impedence or other specs: 7.2K ohms (or whatever)

Model of guitar or bass: Epiphone Emperor II (Joe Pass)
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: Stock Epiphone humbucker
Other pickups on guitar: Stock Epiphone humbucker in the bridge position
Artists using this pickup: unknown
You musical style(s): Jazz
Reason for pickup change: The stock neck Epi pickup while pretty in gold sounded
fuzzy and thin at louder volumes.

Perceived output level: This pickup is NOT hot at 7.2K ohms. As such, the tone is warm and clean; no distortion - just right for jazz. The volume is no more or less than the stock Epi humbuckers which is just fine.
Tone: Tone is warm and clear. The bass is not muddy at all. All tonal ranges (lows, mids, highs) come through clear, though the mids and highs are accented more than the lows.Still a good goerge Benson-like jazz tone with woody overtones. Sustain is good as notes roll off naturally and are NOT clipped as with cheaper pickups.
Sonic evaluation: I play my Epi Joe Pass through a Fender Acoustasonic amp which is an acoustic guitar amp, but sounds great with an archtop.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I paly jazz and am venturing into early R&R. The pickup is perfect since it emulates a late 50's PAF. I don't know how close it comes since I don't have something to compare it to, but it sounds much better than the stock Epi humbucker.

Comments: If it were lost or stolen, I'd buy it again. At $60, it is $30 cheaper than a Gibson '57 Classic PAF reissue and, according to 2 guitar techs that I know, Harmony-Central reviews, and a few other folks, it sounds as good. I have been playing off and on for about 8 years. In addition to the Joe Pass archtop, I own a Taylor acoustic (that's why I have an acoustic guitar amp).
I love the warm, rich jazzy tone of this pickup. I don't like the fact that I did not have enough money to get a bridge pickup :)
I bought the zebra type of Duncan SH-1 - no cover, one black coil, one cream one. The gold covered Sh-1's are not yet available and the chrome covered ones would have looked funny on my Joe Pass since everything else is gold. As it is, it looks a little funny now with the remaining Epi gold humbcuker in the bridge position, but I plan to remedy that in the next 30 days or so when I buy an SH-1 for the bridge.
The exposed coils in cream look pretty good on my natural finish.
The Duncan '59 (model SH1) is the food equivalent of a rich, thick milkshake, while the stock Epi pickups are more like 7UP with a tiny scoop of ice cream.

Pickup features: Humbucking
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: it's my own model... but it looks like the Jackson PS4 that i changed... I made an agressive mahogany body... then i take neck (maple with rosewood fingerboard) and hardware stuff... and found a great guitar...
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Jackson J70
Other pickups on guitar: Seymour Duncan Invader in neck
Artists using this pickup: Dimebag Darrell... (Pantera)
You musical style(s): Heavy Metal, Rock N Roll of 70's...
Reason for pickup change: Jackson standart pickups (original of this guitar) are shit... noise, no great sustain and no very much clarity in sound...

Perceived output level: output level ULTRA HOT....
Tone: its sound louder, clear and with distortion I can get a very good sound!
Sonic evaluation: I play in a Boss ME-8 and a Tagima 100w amp. with valves

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play Rock and Heavy Metal basically... and this pickup its very good in all positions

Comments: well if i found more money in my pocket today i will go to store and buy other 59 to put in neck. its one of best seymour pickups. i play by a year and someone may think... its a bullshit a Invader in neck and a 59 in bridge... but... i advice you to try this combination... it sound like a punch in face... good not specifically for one style but misc rock to metal... and thats it i have to say...
and about 59 by itself... its good for someone who search a versatile pickup with a very good sound

Pickup features: passive humbucking
Impedence or other specs: have not measured yet

Model of guitar or bass: Epiphone "SG" (clone?....no S/N)
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: unknown, came with guitar (used)
Other pickups on guitar: added two new pickups Distortion and 59
Artists using this pickup: unknown
You musical style(s): Rock/Blues/some metal types
Reason for pickup change: bought guitar used, completely unknown. sounded like a
hammer in a bowl of rocks. very muddy, no clarity.
besides, I have never changed pickups on any guitar I've
owned so I wanted to play around.

Perceived output level: higher output than stock HB. can overdrive my amp with direct connection. (not happened before)
Tone: distortion pickup: little low on bass but very clear, middy to trebly. 59 pickup: bassy to middy but very mellow, lot's more low end but not muddy. nice combo when both selected.
Sonic evaluation: pickups installed about 3 hours ago. guitar is an
Epiphone "SG" (clone?), fine gauge strings, home design AMP. nice
screaming leads with the DISTORTION pu and very good sustain (have
not made any adjustments yet). the 59 sounded great with power cords
nice bottom end and note definition. played together with heavy
overdrive (my own distortion box) was a dream.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Rock & blues some metal type stuff. not sure what would not be good, but this combo is great for me.

Comments: if these pickups died or something I would replace them, although at
some point I want to try some other ones. I have been playing for
about 25 years off and on (not really a musician). most of my gear is
my own design (microwave engineer by trade).I had a hard time deciding
on which pickups to buy, so I read all the comments writen here about
Duncan and Dimarzio and then had to force my self to pick two. very
satisfied with the sound, and am curious to try some others sometime.

Pickup features: Humbucking
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Epiphone Les Paul Standard
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced:
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): Rock/Blues
Reason for pickup change: Pickups supplied with guitar lacked quality

Perceived output level: same as Gibson Les Paul Standard
Tone: Top end accentuated with mid range overtones
Sonic evaluation: pickups installed into Epiphone Les Paul Standard, wired out of phase for that Peter Green out of phase sound.
Amp used is a Fender Concert.
Good for replicating that classic Les Paul sound that inspired us all to play in the first place!

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Blues/Rock suitable in every position.

Comments: Would definitely purchase these again. Range of sounds available provide endless possibilities.
I love that they were purcased as a gift to me, hate that I'm forever reminded of this fact!!
I chose these pick ups following recommendation from internationally renouned luthier.
If I had another guitar with dual humbuckers I would opt to have the pick ups in phase for tonal variety.

Pickup features: Passive
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Fender Strat/Les Paul Standard/Ibanez and Yamaha 335/Performance Custom Tele/Yamaha SBG000 and SBG3000
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: Stock pickups
Other pickups on guitar: Duncan Seth Lover, Duncan JB, Duncan Custom Custom in the bridge
Artists using this pickup: Robben Ford, Scott Henderson
You musical style(s): Eclectic Jazz-Rock-Blues
Reason for pickup change: I wanted a fatter fuller sound that I wasn't getting from stock pickups.

Perceived output level: It's a fat, thick sounding PAF with a bit more output. Nice Blues distortion!
Tone: Big bottom and mids, and just enough treble to cut through the band. Warm too! It also cleans up real well to get that warm Jazz tone.
Sonic evaluation: I have this pickup in about 95% of my guitars. I have some Ibanez and Yamaha 335s, a Performance Custom Tele, A Fender Lone Star Strat with a Performance Custom neck, some Yamaha SBG3000s and SBG2000s, and A Les Paul Standard. For amps I'm using a Fender Hot Rod DeVille with 2X12s, A Peavey EVH 5150, A Peavey Classic 50 4X10s, and a Fender Twin Reverb II.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play Blues but it gets Jazzy and Rocks all in one song. I use it in the Neck position and it seems to work for me. I've never tried it in the bridge and don't intend to.

Comments: It's my favorite pickup in the whole world! Every time I get adventureous and try DiMarzios in that neck position I get dissapointed and go back to the Duncan 59'. I know it's gonna give me what I want. The DiMarzios always sound very serile to me. Never warm and human. My one negative comment about the 59' is that it is not the most consistent pickup in the world. Quality control! You can buy 10 Seymour Duncan 59's and one of them will be bad or not sound as good as the rest. But when you get that good one you are in tone heaven! In my opinion the DiMarzios are extremely consistent ie Super Distortion, Al Dimeola Model, Tone Zone, Steve Morse Model, PAF Pro, and the FRED. But tone wise they come off sterile and antiseptic to me. With the Duncan 59' I love the tone, but I've gotten some bad ones. In addition, when you put pickup covers on them they seem to loose all of it's thick beefy tone. They get kind of glassy to me so I usually get them without the covers. The thing is when you get a 335 style guitar you usually want covers on them. Oh well! Life is not perfect. You can get them with covers already on them but I don't think they sound as good.

Pickup features: Passive Humbucker
Impedence or other specs: ?

Model of guitar or bass: 96 Gibson Les Paul Standard
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Stock Gibson 490R and 498T
Other pickups on guitar: there are only two..
Artists using this pickup: ?
You musical style(s): mostly classic and southern rock..
Reason for pickup change: The Gibsons were too 'modern' for my tastes.. I thought I'd try a lower output PAF copy..

Perceived output level: low, but higher output than the Gibsons..
Tone: The bridge pickup is a little bright for clean.. It sounds great with the amp volume dimed, though. The neck pickup is just sweet.. Think Otis Rush's "I can't Quit You" tone.. These pickups are not muddy.
Sonic evaluation: I tried them in the Les Paul with a 66 Bassman and 75 Champ.. Haven't tried the DR yet, but I'm willing to bet I will be pleased. I occasionally use a TS9/808, and these pickups seem to have really woken it up..

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: They're not shredders' pickups..

Comments: I'm keeping these pickups.. I may replace the bridge pickup, but the neck pickup is staying.. I give them an 8, because the bridge pickup couldbe a little thicker of fatter. Maybe a Pearly Gates..

Pickup features: passive humbucking
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Epiphone Dot 335
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Stock Samsung humbuckers
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: Bunches.
You musical style(s): Uh...pop, I think. Close enough.
Reason for pickup change: Stock Samsung pickups suck.

Perceived output level: Slightly more than the stock pickups.
Tone: Balanced and sweet, with a slight upper-mid bump.
Sonic evaluation: I'm using this pickup in my new Epi Dot 335. I run it into an Ibanez Tube
King and put it in the front of my 1967 Fender Bassman. Poor 335 worshipers
take note: If you want a great-sounding guitar for not a lot of money, get a
Dot and put these Duncans in it. You won't be sorry. I did and I love the sound.
All the versatility and soul of a 335 without worrying about its market value.
These pickups really transform this guitar into something spectacular. I'm often
asked about the guitar after shows. The '59s gave this Korean cheapee a voice--quite
a feat. Complex and airy highs, accurate bass, sweet upper mids, and a medium (yet
healthy) output.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I wouldn't use this pickup for metal, but you could get away with it. It is versatile as hell.

Comments: I don't know if this is the most "authentic" PAF made, but it is damn
good for the price. And it really does wonders for the Epi's! I love it. I'd buy
it again in a flash.

Pickup features: passive humbucker
Impedence or other specs: 7.43 k, resonant peak at 6,8 kHz

Model of guitar or bass: 1989 American Fender Strat
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: Fender strat standardt single coil
Other pickups on guitar: fender strat stand. sc in middle, two Fender strat stand. single coils connected in series
Artists using this pickup: Scott Henderson, and a lot of other artists.
You musical style(s): Jazz-Blues Rock- Blues, Fusion, many other styles
Reason for pickup change: Fender strat stand. sc. was really trebly, and the high end was not solid, without sustain. Not clear with overdriven.

Perceived output level: Louder than single coils (of course)
Tone: Well balanced, warm. At the same time bright and bassy, it requires to be setted far from bass strings and close to the high ones. Very good when clean, with a nice sustain. A bit muddy when overdriven, but it would depend on my pre amp kind of distortion. When split it sounds like the original Fender sc. (I don't loose the original sound!!)
Sonic evaluation: I use a Twin V Mesa- Boogie pedal preamp with a Fender Showman transistor amplifier, trying to enrich the sound with a few Boss effect pedals. The preamp clean channel is very sweet and full, real expressive with SH-1, expecially with the gain pot setted around 7

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Very good for blues when clean or with a few distortion. Not enough clear for jazz runs, but works quite well for jazz chords.

Comments: I like a lot the sound of Stevie Ray Vaughan and Scott Henderson, and I was lookin' for such a kind of sound for my strat. I made some interesting modifications on my guitar: now I have two splittable humbuckers and one single coil, and I can connect with a simple switch the neck and the bridge pickups so, working with the 5-position switch, I can use three pickups at the same time: what a nice, clear bell-like tone !!!! Very good clean sound is also the match between SH-1 and the series connection of 2 Fender Strat single coils I have in the Bridge position.

Pickup features: Passive Humbucker
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Gibson ES-335 DOT
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Gibson stock (mid 80's patent stamp, maybe 498's)
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): southern rock, blues
Reason for pickup change: When using a little bit of dirt, the stock Gibson pickups are too muddy sounding and lack definition when playing in the higher registers. Besides, the guitar is suposed to be a reissue, but it had 80's style pickups.

Perceived output level: seems to me to be a little tamer than the origional, this is so to get a nice clean sound.
Tone: The responce seem to be fairly balanced with a little bit of punch in the upper mids. It also seem to generate a nice bell-like tone for a more vintage sound.
Sonic evaluation: Nice sound, It cuts well in a stage setting. Its still a little too warm in the lower registers, but you can play with the pole hight adjustments to change that.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Any rock or blues when a more vintage tone is important.

Comments: I would buy it again, this pickup delivers an excellent tone tha can be heard through th noise of the band. A nice, close-to-vintage sound.

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Pickup features: Trembucker
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Fender Mexican Strat
Position: bridge
Pickup being replaced: Stock Standard SC - Ceramic Magnet
Other pickups on guitar: Stock
Artists using this pickup: ?
You musical style(s): Classic Rock, R&B, some Jazz
Reason for pickup change: Wanted fuller,crunchier sound in the virtually useless (to me) bridge only position. Yet wanted to maintain split (position #4) "in-between sound"

Perceived output level: A little hotter, not much, though than stock bridge-
Tone: As a full HB it's what I was looking for...no 21 day deal here. It also splits well- very bright
Sonic evaluation: I'm glad I made the change out. The full HB "drives" my Fender amp much better than the stock SC when the "lead channel" is activated.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: None I can think of

Comments: Again, glad I did the swap out

Pickup features: Passive Humbucker (Split-coil)
Impedence or other specs: FIIK

Model of guitar or bass: Hamer Sunburst
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: Original ???
Other pickups on guitar: Duncan JB in the bridge position
Artists using this pickup: FIIK
You musical style(s): Blues (with an edge) and Rock
Reason for pickup change: My son decided to "adjust" the original pick-up with a flat-blade screwdriver and damaged the coil wire. (Why is this pick-up suddenly so weak: FIIK?)

Perceived output level: Standard for a humbucker; not real hot but strong and smooth.
Tone: Pretty much balanced.
Sonic evaluation: The original may have been a Duncan '59 because there wasn't much sonic variance
when the new one was installed. I wired this pick-up for coil-splitting and so now
have a sc/hb option at the neck position: sounds like a fat Tele. The volume and fullness
drop, as can be expected, when in sc mode, but it sounds sweet.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: Blues/rock/jazz: just about anything I guess.

Comments: I'd probably buy it again. I really didn't compare it to anything else but simply bought it upon reviews/recommendations and price. Maybe I could have done better, and certainly could have done worse.
I can't say it has the best tone on the market, but it works for me.