Seymour Duncan SH-16 '59/Custom Hybrid, Black Pickup

The SH-16 '59/Custom Hybrid delivers a refined balance of vintage warmth and modern aggression, pairing a classic '59 coil on the screw side with a hotter Custom coil on the slug side. This hybrid architecture produces a pickup that responds dynamically across the frequency spectrum, offering clarity on single notes while maintaining powerful sustain under full chords. Hand-built in Santa Barbara, the SH-16 excels in bridge position applications where players demand versatility without sacrificing character.

Tonal Character & Output

The medium output level and Alnico V magnet generate articulate highs and punchy mids without excessive brightness. A resonant peak of 5.95 kHz combined with balanced EQ values—8 bass, 6 mid, 6 treble—produces a response that cuts through a mix while retaining harmonic complexity. The vacuum wax potting eliminates microphonic feedback, ensuring clean, squeal-free operation at high gain.

Construction & Specifications

Built with professional-grade components, this pickup features a nickel silver short leg bottom plate and a four-conductor lead wire for flexible wiring configurations and split-coil capability. The 11.5 kΩ DC resistance positions the SH-16 as a high-output hybrid that maintains responsiveness to pick dynamics and amp settings, making it suitable for both classic rock and contemporary styles.

Key Features

• Alnico V magnet for articulate, dynamic response
• DC Resistance: 11.5 kΩ
• Resonant Peak: 5.95 kHz
• EQ: 8 Bass / 6 Mid / 6 Treble
• '59 screw-side coil paired with Custom slug-side coil configuration
• Medium output level
• Four-conductor lead wire for coil-split capability
• Nickel silver short leg bottom plate
• Vacuum wax potted for squeal-free performance
• Bridge position design
• Hand-built in Santa Barbara, CA

The SH-16 '59/Custom Hybrid represents decades of Seymour Duncan's pickup engineering, delivering the tonal complexity and reliability expected of a hand-crafted instrument component.