Sound:
Sound is very distinctive between the two pickups. These replaced the stock pickups that came in my ESP LTD starter which were no named. The difference is night and day, it really brightened up the sound. When I sit down and play, I have a smile on my face now because the tone actually alive compared to what I was used to.
Feature:
Not sure how to rate this. It came with screws and springs.
Ease of Use:
Didn't have any issue desoldering my old pickups and soldering these in. I had never used a soldering iron, and the wires in my guitar were different colors than what the SDs use. However, if you look at your current wiring, then look at the instructions SD provides (They have even more diagrams for ALL types of guitar layouts) anyone can figure out what goes where.
It was cake. Just look up some youtube videos on soldering tutorials and go to town. What may seem daunting at first, was cake. Don't worry about it!
Quality:
Everything appears to be rock solid. Made in USA is a plus.
Value:
For the cost, the tone was worth it. It breathed new life into my guitar.
Manufacturer Support:
Their web site has every diagram you may ever need if you get stuck. Seriously.
The Wow Factor:
Hey, it's SD. They're known for good pickups, and these deliver.
Overall:
Very happy with it. I was looking for a second guitar, and I decided to just mod my starter with these. I am extremely happy with the guitar now, and if and when I ever get that second guitar, these pickups will make the trip.
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Sound:
These pickups give a robust warm tone and let my amp do it's job of creating the distortion tone and not getting in the way with any scratchy, thin grit. I tried the SH-5 Custom thinking it would give a nice boost to my bridge pickup but it was distinctly different from the JB. It did not boost or cut through. The Custom was just a buzzy grit. The JB is just an awesome all-around pickup. I play a lot of heavy and ripping rock and am now totally sold on sticking with the JB and SH-2 combo for clean and blazing tones!
Quality:
Beautiful and solid!
Manufacturer Support:
I've read many very positive anecdotes about dealing with Seymour Duncan.
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"Best pickups around, give your Les Paul what it wants! - Skip the girlfriend for a while and give your 'real lady' the treat she" submitted September 4, 2010
By a customer from gmail.com
Overall
Sound
Features
Ease of Use
Quality
Value
Manufacturer Support
The Wow Factor
Musical Background: Pro
Music Style: Most all (Nothing I cannot play except for Carpenter stuff)
zZounds has verified that this customer bought this product from us.
Sound:
Ha ha, I now think I have a Gibson! :) Actually, and technically of course...Much, much better! :) The sound quality is far superior than I had imagined before these came in! I have an Epiphone Les Paul plain top (looks more like a goldtop with the pickguard removed) and these not only look far better in my epi than the stock pickups, but the performance is outstanding! My volume controls never worked until about halfway up, but after installing these new pickups, they now work over the entire range! They are not noisy like my stock pickups were and actually seem to allow for mild mistakes (unlike the stock ones would) NOTE: In wiring the standard way (1st method shown on diagram) - on the epi's, wire to the short wire coming off the volume control (otherwise, you may de-solder much of what should remain in tact) Always take your time, plan ahead, and use all the light possible. Do not apply too much heat or you will destroy your volume controls.
Feature:
This particular set only comes with the pickups, so you do not get anything beyond that. Other sets give you the pots and more, but not this one for some reason. There is, however, a wiring diagram to allow for 4 different procedures depending on your preferences and the sounds you are going after.
Ease of Use:
Caution here, I say it is easy, but I have soldered for over 20 years in electronics and I am IPC-610-D certified 5 times over. Much of my soldering was in regards to medical devices, in which I was also an electronics technician for, so, I may say this is easy, but if you do not have a great deal of electronics/soldering experience, you may hate this job. Take this for it is worth to you, but all it takes is brushing against the wrong place with that soldering iron, and your controls are doomed. Before removing your old pickups, tape some extra wire to them so you don't have to fish everything back through (this can be a pain with the Les Paul's) - Oh yeah, watch the springs (you will see what I am talking about here) They love to shoot accross the room, and if they do? - Good luck trying to find them again!
Quality:
These look absolutely beautiful in my guitar! Awesome upgrade! Honestly, it made my guitar look less like a toy for starters. Breakage? Well, you have to solder 100% of the wire going here and there, or your volume controls will not respond well. Arrange your wiring so that nothing shorts out of course, and you will be fine. Electrical tape? I'm not huge fan of it. It really does not prevent shorts very well in the first place and is not the best electronics insulator there is - Ask the pros and they will tell you the same thing. Electrical tape is like using duct tape to put your furnacing ducts together with (you are not really supposed to do that - it is an often known mis-conception of things...)
Value:
Here is where I pull the ratings down a tad. Ya know, these things are great to me, and worth the cost, but I can see where many may question the $130 freakin' dollars in the first place. Yes, they are nice, but for people looking for sound alone, try a $50 pedal out first. Hint: They do a lot. - Plus, they are far less hastle to begin with! Now, if you just 'wan em' go for it! Especially if money is not much of an object. If it is, think it over for two weeks. After that time, if you still 'have to have them' by all means, go for it!
Manufacturer Support:
I had to choose a 10 here as I never had to use them. (Hey, I could not give them a '1')
The Wow Factor:
'Sex appeal?' Wow! - I did not expect that sort of question, but here goes...Super sexy! After installing these, if it came down to my guitar or my girlfriend, the obvious choice is the guitar. This guitar is absolutely amazing in how beautiful it now looks with these pickups. It is now a raging monster with far superior looks than ever before. The better sound also makes you want to pick it up all of the time!
Overall:
I am very satisfied with this product and personally do not regret the money paid for it. I am glad that I bought these and nothing else.
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Sound:
Replaced out the c-1 plus "duncan designed" awsome little pickups for beginners for the price...but not quite what i needed....installed jb/jazz set just like the c-1 classic uses...and WOW what a difference i would not recoment for much drop tuning or super heavey as this guitar is used to blues jazz and classic rock....these pickups are perfect...everything is crisp and clear even when adding on some heavy distortion....the cleans are clean and the punch is really cranked! perfect for anyone with a jazz blues classic rock ect background very well rounded pickups!!
Feature:
both pickups came with springs and gold screws (i got the gold plate pickups)
Ease of Use:
Modding was fairly simple if your replacing a schecter the wireing color was just a bit different pickups green and bare is ground where as the black is in the guitar and the black on the pickup is the green in the guitar....no biggy just read your diagram first!
Quality:
Seymour has always blown me away by the quality....ive seen reviews saying the hum sucks this is a pos...well then you obviously did not read the diagram and did not ground properly....and if anyone complains about the heavey tone not being heavy...well thats bc you did not do any reserch this is not a heavy pickup..this is for well rounded for everything really except death metal.. perfect for what im designing this guitar for!
Value:
again perfect for what i need ....for a heavy tone look for the blackout series i have those shoved in my jackson....WOW emg are trash compared to the blackouts....but thats if your doing metal....sustain and harmonics with the jb/jazz are heavenly tone is great couldnt ask for anything better!
Manufacturer Support:
its seymour duncan they probably only have 1 phone person bc no one ever calls to complain XD
The Wow Factor:
Dark cherry finish on my c-1 the gold is really bold yet southing to look at...i will be gold leafing the hardware to match but even a streight drop looks great...
Overall:
perfection
Sound:
sweet nice highs and crunchy lows.
Quality:
c'mon now, it is a seymour.
Value:
I think it turns my nice sounding Epi into a High quality axe.
Manufacturer Support:
Just be patient.
Overall:
worth it.
7 of 14 people
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Sound:
Put these in my Epi Les Paul Classic,sounds ever bit as good as any Gibson i've heard...
Feature:
Typical humbuckers...
Quality:
It's A Duncan...
Value:
Excellent price...
Manufacturer Support:
I guess its good, but i have no use for it ,i do all my own work,thats 1/2 the fun of playing..
The Wow Factor:
"I GOT IT"
Overall:
Best setup i've found ,for me anyway...
7 of 15 people
(46.67%) found this review helpful. Did you?
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