Is this a real Seymour Duncan?

[domjammoo]

HI everyone. So I've bought what I think is a much-modified Fender American Standard Strat, either 2000 or 2001 (so theoretically could be an American Series, but I think it's a Standard). Humbucker has a 'PGP' sticker on it - Pearly Gates Plus? But can't see any other model / serial numbers without unwiring the whole thing.

So two questions: (i) Can anyone confirm / identify what the HB is, and for a bonus point (ii) any idea on the single coils? I'm wondering whether this might actually be a 'Lone Star Strat', or someone has transplanted the whole loaded pickguard from one of those, as the pickguard doesn't line up properly around the trem (see photo). That would make them Fender Texas specials. The little blue stickers are interesting, one of them seems to say '7-12-00' which supports the 2000 theory, which was the last year Lone Stars were made. Lastly, the single coils are a weird size - they're about 55mm pole to pole. If you look closely the poles are way outside of the strings. Ideas? Thanks!

[JOLLY]

It is a Pearly Gates Plus, which is essentially a '59.

[domjammoo]

Hey thanks very much, that confirms it. And I know this is most definitely the SD forum but....if anyone out there had any ideas on the single coils that would be great. I'm assuming that they're not Seymour Duncan?

[Wound_Up]

I'm 100% sure this is real. I just figured I'd post in here as another example of a genuine pickup people can use for comparisons. Seth Lover bridge pickup from AMS. Looks good to me and sounds FANTASTIC. Nothing special about the top. Looks like every other humbucker.

[Wound_Up]

Hey thanks very much, that confirms it. And I know this is most definitely the SD forum but....if anyone out there had any ideas on the single coils that would be great. I'm assuming that they're not Seymour Duncan?

Going by the tape around the single coil leads, it looks like stock Fender tape that you see on countless guitars. Not sure what the pickups are but they seem to be something by Fender. Are you sure the pole spacing is almost 55mm? You measured it?

[Edika]

Hi all, new member here and first post. I was trying to find information about a pair of pickups I bought of the ebay. They are used and they seem legit but some info on a search I did really made me question their authenticity. It's a TB4 and a 59 neck from 2021. Measurements are accurate with the TB4 measuring at 17.7 kOhm and the 59 at 7.4 kOhm. You can see some photos below to help me figure out if they're real or not. They seem to be but still, seems like fakes have gotten really good. Some are with flash and some with just light. I'd appreciate any input you might have.

[CarlosG]

Hi! Are they original hot rod set? I have never seen "made in USA" on backplate.

[Masta' C]

Hi all, new member here and first post. I was trying to find information about a pair of pickups I bought of the ebay. They are used and they seem legit but some info on a search I did really made me question their authenticity. It's a TB4 and a 59 neck from 2021. Measurements are accurate with the TB4 measuring at 17.7 kOhm and the 59 at 7.4 kOhm. You can see some photos below to help me figure out if they're real or not. They seem to be but still, seems like fakes have gotten really good. Some are with flash and some with just light. I'd appreciate any input you might have.

They look legitimate as far as I can tell, but it is a bit odd how the printed logo is wearing off like that on the neck pickup (SH-1n). That's also the earliest example (Dec 2021) I've seen with no "Made in America" stamp, but that doesn't mean it's not authentic. Supply chain issues were occurring at the same time SD was making the baseplate change, so who knows...

[Masta' C]

Hi! Are they original hot rod set? I have never seen "made in USA" on backplate.

Yeah, you're good. I suspect that TB-4 is slightly older than the '59 in that particular set, but it's legitimate either way. SD didn't change the TB baseplates to say "America" until the mid-2000s as I recall. The standard (SH) baseplates were updated significantly earlier.

[cebarbosa]

Hi all, I just bought this SH-4 on FB Marketplace and would like to hear some opinions if it looks like counterfeit.

it is the first time I see a serial number laser marked on the back.

[beaubrummels]

Welcome to the forum

Looks like a clear sticker to me and the date code doesn't match the pickup. Looks like it might be a reseller inventory sticker applied to a legit Duncan.

[raspgalax]

These are actually mine already but I've recently removed them from my guitar and they were second hand when I bought them. My questions are: which goes in which box? They have totally different designs so maybe one is much newer than the other. And is the one with the short cable fake as it only has CC written on the sticker? The other one has a 30cm cable and the short one has a 10cm cable, is that because the short one is for bridge, closer to the electrics, or was it cut? Thanks!

[Masta' C]

The one with "CC" is a mid-'90s production and not fake. That's a transitional label between the older ink-stamped labels and the newer style of printed labels. It goes in the more plain package that says "for the bridge position".

The one with the more detailed label that says "SH-11" on it goes in the newer package that says "Pro Shop" on the front.

The shorter cable was cut to that length by whomever installed the pickup. It would have come with about 11" or so of leads originally.

[raspgalax]

Thank you for all the info, so I paired them up right yay! The 90s one is the one that I was going to sell as long as it's real. I hope that the really short cable doesn't hurt its chances of finding a new home, I guess it can be spliced.

[Masta' C]

Thank you for all the info, so I paired them up right yay! The 90s one is the one that I was going to sell as long as it's real. I hope that the really short cable doesn't hurt its chances of finding a new home, I guess it can be spliced.

Someone will buy it

Lots of Strat guys cut their leads short like this. And, as you said, it can always be spliced/lengthened, if needed.