Seymour Duncan

Seymour Duncan Pickups

For over 40 years, the name Seymour Duncan has been synonymous with the very best in guitar tone. Founded in 1976 in Santa Barbara, California, the company was born out of Seymour W. Duncan's obsession with perfecting the art of pickup winding. What started as a small operation repairing and rewinding pickups for players like Jimi Hendrix and Jeff Beck has grown into the industry standard for replacements. Seymour Duncan is revered for its specific "voicing." The company’s catalogue spans the entire sonic spectrum. You can find models that perfectly recreate the bell-like chime of the 1950s, alongside pickups designed for the aggressive high-gain crunch of modern metal. These aren't just magnets wrapped in wire; they are precision tools built to give your instrument a specific character. Known for their meticulous build quality and hand-built approach, their pickups are the secret weapon behind the sounds of Slash, David Gilmour, and thousands of other professional artists.

What Are the Different Kinds of Seymour Duncan Pickups?

Finding the right pickup can be daunting, but Seymour Duncan’s massive catalogue ensures there is a perfect match for every guitar and genre. Here is a breakdown of the main configurations:

Humbuckers

The flagship of the brand. These offer a thicker, warmer, and noise-free sound.

• Vintage: Models like the '59 Model and Seth Lover allow you to replicate the PAF tones of late '50s Les Pauls: airy, sweet, and dynamic.
• High Output: For harder rock and metal, legendary pickups like the JB Model (SH-4) the world's most popular aftermarket humbucker, and the Duncan Distortion offer the push and sustain needed to cut through a loud mix.

Single Coils

Seymour Duncan offers an extensive range of replacements for Stratocaster and Telecaster guitars.

• True Vintage: The SSL-1 and Antiquity series use period-correct materials (like Alnico magnets and cloth wire) to provide that glassy quack and twang associated with the golden era of Fender.
• Noiseless & Stacked: The Classic Stack series solves the 60-cycle hum issue while keeping the traditional single-coil tone intact.

P90s

Often called the middle ground between a single coil and a humbucker, Seymour Duncan P90s (like the Antiquity P90) offer a raw, gritty midrange growl. They are perfect for blues, punk, and classic rock.

Hot Rails & Mini Humbuckers

Some players want to turn a Strat into a rock machine without routing out the wood. Seymour Duncan’s Hot Rails are single-coil-sized humbuckers that drop straight in, delivering massive output in a small package.

Seymour Duncan Bass Pickups

Bass players are often the unsung heroes of tone, and Seymour Duncan has a dedicated engineering team focused entirely on the low end. The range covers every style, including Jazz Basses, Precision Basses, and modern active 5-strings.

• P-Bass & J-Bass Replacements: The Quarter Pound series is famous for its massive magnets and punchy attack, while the Apollo Jazz Bass linear humbuckers kill the hum but keep the tone. These are the easiest way to upgrade a stock Fender-style bass.
• Music Man & Soapbar: For modern basses, Seymour Duncan offers active and passive soapbar pickups and Music Man replacements. These provide hi-fi clarity and deep, extended lows.
• Steve Harris & Signature Models: If you are chasing a specific artist's sound, the range includes signature pickups from legends like Steve Harris (Iron Maiden) and Duff McKagan (Guns N' Roses).

Do You Offer Seymour Duncan Pickup Replacement?

Absolutely. Getting the right pickup is important, but installing it correctly is the key to unlocking its potential. At Fair Deal Music, we are more than just a retailer. Our in-house Guitar Repair Workshop in Birmingham is staffed by experienced luthiers who specialize in electronics and modifications.

Our Pickup Services Include:

• Professional Installation: We can swap out your old stock pickups for your new Seymour Duncans, ensuring the height and radius are perfectly set for balanced output.
• Custom Wiring: We can configure your new pickups exactly how you want them. This includes adding coil-split push/pull pots, phase reversal switches, or "Treble Bleed" mods.
• Troubleshooting: We ensure all grounding is rock-solid to minimize buzz and hum.

You can purchase your pickups from our website or in-store, and book your instrument in for a professional upgrade on the same day. Give your guitar the voice it deserves with Fair Deal Music and Seymour Duncan.