Seymour Duncan Humbuckers

Jigsaw

Folks,

A bit of advice needed if anyone can help. I was wanting to upgrade the pickups on my Epiphone Les Paul. I have done a little research and I think that Seymour Duncan "59" humbuckers would be the best for me. I like a classic rock sort of sound.

I just wanted to know if there are pickups that are specifically neck and specifically bridge. I have seen a pair on ebay and they are identical. I just don't know if they'd be two bridge pickups or two neck pickups, or if it matters at all.

Here is the ad in question if anyone needs to see.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/seymour-duncan-59-model-humbuckers_W0QQitemZ280294855950QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Guitar_Accessories?hash=item280294855950&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1298%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318

Hope someone can advise!

Cheers

feylya

You should be grand for installing into a Les Paul style guitar. If you were installing into a guitar with a Floyd Rose bridge (or similar), F spaced bridge pickups are recommended so that the poles are directly below the strings.

Voodu Child

The SD '59 is available in both neck and bridge, you would need to ask the guy in that ebay ad which models he has, they have different code#'s (should be on the SD website).

Even if they're both bridge versions, you could still use them, they just won't very well matched/balanced. I wouldn't bother unless it was a great deal.

FWIW, the 59/JB is the commonly recommended combo, not two 59s.

Jigsaw

voodoo_child wrote: »

The SD '59 is available in both neck and bridge, you would need to ask the guy in that ebay ad which models he has, they have different code#'s (should be on the SD website).

Even if they're both bridge versions, you could still use them, they just won't very well matched/balanced. I wouldn't bother unless it was a great deal.

FWIW, the 59/JB is the commonly recommended combo, not two 59s.

Thanks for that!!

Could you tell me a bit more about that recommended 59/JB combo? For the 59, which of these two models would be the best?

http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/electric/humbucker/vintage/59_model_sh1_an/

And for the JB pickups which would be the best?

http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/electric/humbucker/progressive/sh4_jb_model/

Then which would you suggest would be best at bridge and neck respectively? Sorry about all the questions but I just want to be as well informed as possible before splashing the cash!!

population

The 59/jb is absolutely the best combo for what you are looking to do, but be warned.

Though the SD pickups will make your guitar sound a bit hotter, it wont sound like an original les paul. Some people replace the pickups and expect miracles but it doesnt always work out like that.

Also how old is the epiphone? Because the stock pups they have been installing in the last 3 or so years are not too shabby in their own right.

Voodu Child

Jigsaw wrote: »

Thanks for that!!

Could you tell me a bit more about that recommended 59/JB combo? For the 59, which of these two models would be the best?

http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/electric/humbucker/vintage/59_model_sh1_an/

And for the JB pickups which would be the best?

http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/electric/humbucker/progressive/sh4_jb_model/

Then which would you suggest would be best at bridge and neck respectively? Sorry about all the questions but I just want to be as well informed as possible before splashing the cash!!

TB stands for Trembucker, its means the pickup is F-spaced (a touch wider pole-to-pole) for certain guitars, as mentioned by Fey. You don't need one, so stick with the SH-1 (Neck version) and a SH-4 JB (Bridge version).

Where you buy them, they should have details on whether its a bridge or neck version.

Jigsaw

population wrote: »

The 59/jb is absolutely the best combo for what you are looking to do, but be warned.

Though the SD pickups will make your guitar sound a bit hotter, it wont sound like an original les paul. Some people replace the pickups and expect miracles but it doesnt always work out like that.

Also how old is the epiphone? Because the stock pups they have been installing in the last 3 or so years are not too shabby in their own right.

Yeah I know that putting in new pickups won't work miracles but I just wanted to improve the sound on my guitar as I am going to be gigging with it soon, although in the fullness of time it will be a back up guitar to an Ibanez or Musicman Axis.

The Epiphone is nearly ten years old unfortunately although you'd think it was brand new.

I just wish there was some sort of way to hear a "before and after" installation of the pickups. I'd know then exactly what to expect.

Paolo_M

The difference between the models appears to be mounting and dimensions. AFAIK SH1 is the one for a LP style guitar.

In general you'd go for a higher output pickup for the bridge to get a good balance between bridge and neck. If you look at the tone chart for the SH1 the neck has 7.43k dc res and the bridge model has 8.35k, the higher the dc res the higher the output.
The JB model has a particularily high output 16.4k and so it more suitable for the bridge and pushes your amp that little bit harder.

I've personally installed a '59 in the neck of one of my LPs and a JB on the bridge. It's a great combination for hard rock!!

However I really like the tone of the Alnico II Pro's. Think Slash, I think they bring out the true LP tone more. Higher output isn't always better as you loose some of the harmonic content as well as a bit of the famous LP sustain.

darrenw5094

SH-4 in the bridge and SH-2 in the neck. The best overall combo.
Even Slash himself will tell you that......just ask him.

As for a pickup change in a 10 year old Epiphone, I set a pair of Dimarzio X2N'
in my old Custom Epiphone LP and it did miracles.

punchdrunk

seth lover's are wonderfull
i had one in my mexican tele that i sold,and it will be going into my US tele soon enough :pac: