SD mV Pickup Ratings Reference

[TABLE="width: 320"]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl65"]MODEL[/TD]
[TD="class: xl65"]OUTPUT[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]PA-STK1n Parallel Axis Stack[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]291[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]SH-18n Whole Lotta HB Neck[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]382[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]SH-3 Stag Mag[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]389[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]SH-55n Seth Lover Model Neck[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]399[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]SH-55b Seth Lover Model Bridge[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]399[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]SH-18b Whole Lotta HB Bridge[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]440[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]APH-1n Alnico II Pro Neck[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]452[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]APH-2n Slash Alnico II Pro Neck[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]475[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]SH-8SGn Synyster Gates Neck[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]491[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]SH-8n Invader Neck[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]491[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Sentient[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]499[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]APH-1b Alnico II Pro Bridge[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]499[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]SH-12 Screamin' Demon[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]500[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]SH-2n Jazz Model Neck[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]501[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]SH-PG1n Pearly Gates Neck[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]513[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]PA-TB1n Original Parallel Axis Neck[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]515[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]APH-2b Slash Alnico II Pro Bridge[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]524[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]LW-CH2n LiveWire II Classic Neck[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]534[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]SH-PG1b Pearly Gates Bridge[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]543[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Pegasus[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]555[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]SH-2b Jazz Model Bridge[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]571[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]SH-1n '59 Model Neck[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]572[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]SH-11 Custom Custom[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]574[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Perpetual Burn Bridge[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]582[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]SH-1b '59 Model Bridge[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]593[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]SH-16 '59/Custom Hybrid[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]625[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]SH-14 Custom 5[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]646[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Nazgul[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]666[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]PA-TB3b Blues Saraceno[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]694[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]SH-10n Full Shred Neck[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]709[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]SH-10b Full Shred Bridge[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]724[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]SH-6n Duncan Distortion Neck[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]732[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]SH-4 JB Model[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]737[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]PA-TB2b Distortion Parallel Axis[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]741[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Black Winter Neck[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]744[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]PA-TB1b Original Parallel Axis Bridge[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]749[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]SH-15 Alternative 8[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]761[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Black Winter Bridge[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]763[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]SH-5 Duncan Custom[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]784[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]SH-6b Duncan Distortion Bridge[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]792[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]SH-8SGb Synyster Gates Bridge[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]813[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]SH-8b Invader Bridge[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]813[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]LW-CH2b LiveWire II Classic Bridge[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]936[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]AHB-3n EMTY Blackouts Neck[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]1079[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]LW-Must LiveWire Dave Mustaine Neck[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]1080[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]SH-13 Dimebucker[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]1160[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]AHB-1n Blackouts Neck[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]1283[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]LW-Must LiveWire Dave Mustaine Bridge[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]1368[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]AHB-3b EMTY Blackouts Bridge[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]1419[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]AHB-1b Blackouts Bridge[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]1598[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]AHB-11n Gus G Fire Blackouts Neck[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]1725[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]AHB-11b Gus G Fire Backouts Bridge[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]1784[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]AHB-10n Blackouts Coil Pack Neck[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]1829[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]AHB-10b Blackouts Coil Pack Bridge[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]1870[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]AHB-2b Blackouts Metal[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]3648[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
 
There are definitely some small discrepancies in the SD results. For example, no one who has played both a PATB-1 and a PATB-2 is likely to suggest that the PATB-1 has the higher output. Even on their respective product pages today, SD shows the PATB-2 as having the higher output.
:dunno:

Nonetheless, most of the values on the table seem to fall in line with what would be expected, at least in a relative sense.
 
It is a guide really. It isn't exclusive across all frequencies either, but it is most useful when comparing pickups of the same type. I don't know if I'd notice (in an actual guitar) the difference between 450mV and 500mV.
 
PAF Level: Seth, 59, PG, Jazz, A2P

Hot PAF: Demon, Whole Lotta?

Hot: Custom 5, Custom Custom, JB, Full Shred?

Very Hot: Distortion, Black Winter, Custom, Invader, Dimebucker

Just to my ears...
 
The mv chart isn't any more accurate than trying to rank pups by dcr in my view. Pretty sad effort.
 
Clint 55 said:
The mv chart isn't any more accurate than trying to rank pups by dcr in my view. Pretty sad effort.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't go so far as to say that...

I think this is a much more accurate reflection of relative output than DCR alone. Of course, most of us that are familiar with the progression of DCR for each gauge of wire and the effects of magnets pretty much knew this info without objective measurements.

Still, I think this IS a better way to show the relative output of SD pickups, even if the method was prone to a small margin of error. There are a couple outliers in the chart, but it's actually fairly consistent overall.
 
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Clint 55 said:
The mv chart isn't any more accurate than trying to rank pups by dcr in my view. Pretty sad effort.
Click to expand...

It was accurate on the day the experiments were performed. It is pretty impossible to test all variables across all frequencies consistently. So if you wanna know that an Invader is much louder than a 59, then this is your chart.
 
Mincer said:
It was accurate on the day the experiments were performed. It is pretty impossible to test all variables across all frequencies consistently. So if you wanna know that an Invader is much louder than a 59, then this is your chart.
Click to expand...

In mV

How much louder in actual human hearing dB? Who knows....
 
It has too many ouliers that are way off to make me take it seriously. Much like trying to go off dcr alone.
 
THAT would be an interesting experiment, wouldn't it?

The chart is a useful reference. I'm not sure why some are trying to dismiss it in favor of mere opinion. There's room for both to coexist and help create a more informed view of the pickup landscape overall.

Experience is valuable, but there are so many variables at play that you have to sort of "average out" everyone's input to get a clear picture about a pickup's voicing, character, etc. This chart provides a basic and convenient way to compare one particular aspect of SD's products (output)...nothing more, nothing less.
 
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Masta' C said:
THAT would be an interesting experiment, wouldn't it?

The chart is a useful reference. I'm not sure why some are trying to dismiss it in favor of mere opinion. There's room for both to coexist and help create a more informed view of the pickup landscape overall.

Experience is valuable, but there are so many variables at play that you have to sort of "average out" everyone's input to get a clear picture about a pickup's voicing, character, etc. This chart provides a basic and convenient way to compare one particular aspect of SD's products (output)...nothing more, nothing less.
Click to expand...

I think ti would have been a much more useful reference if it was demonstrated to be complete and reliable. As soon as suspect numbers, like 666 and what-not, are seen, it call the whole list into question. Now we don't know which numbers came from testing and which were just deliberately or mistakenly put in there.
 
There's a *chance* the "666" was pure coincidence :dunno:

But I agree that it's hard to put full faith in something like this, especially when it was basically abandoned and clear inconsistencies exist
 
LLL said:
I highly doubt Scott Olson (SD's former Media Manager) would try to pull our legs
Click to expand...


giphy.gif



Aceman said:
Ignore list. Use ears and experience, or ask people who generally know about relative comparisons.
Click to expand...


THIS
 
I have one question:

Is this list easily replicated?

I.E. can someone else follow the same methodology used to arrive at these same results time after time?

If not, it's no more valuable than opinion. I'd go so far as to argue that it is *less* valuable than opinion, as someone can take this chart as gospel simply because it's in an easier to digest, more authoritative format.
 
I think it is just as easy to not factor it in decisions about pickup power. But for those who want to get an idea about comparing similar pickups, it can be helpful.
 
Mincer said:
I think it is just as easy to not factor it in decisions about pickup power. But for those who want to get an idea about comparing similar pickups, it can be helpful.
Click to expand...

I disagree. Just browsing said list, it states that the 59n is hotter than the Demon. That's just not true.
 
Benjy_26 said:
I disagree. Just browsing said list, it states that the 59n is hotter than the Demon. That's just not true.
Click to expand...

For the record, transients can be extremely strong with P.A.F. style HB's. If the test mentions peak voltages (and I think it's the case like in the measurements done here), I see how it could give such results : my experimental data rate a Burstbucker Pro @ 660mV while this pickup was not that stronger than other P.A.F. clones when played... A good part of the output level was in the attack with this A5 unbucker.

Also and FWIW: in my archived data, a same P.A.F. clone in neck position delivers 150mV more than in bridge position - reason why there's "neck" and "bridge" models, basically. :-)) So, the SH-1n in the test above should spit 422mV once in the bridge slot: it "sounds" possible to me... but YMMV. :-)
 
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