What SD Pickup Is This?

[LLL]

:13:

 

[JamesPaul]

I was remembering they used "Semourized" for pickups which had been rewound, repaired, etc. The VH tag is interesting, but someone else will have to comment on it.

 

[jeremy]

what does it read on a meter? id guess it might be an old '78? but hard tellin, not knowin

 

[hamerfan]

This could be a very rare bird. For a very short time the now '78 was advertised as the 'The Van Halen Pickup'. Probably a legal issue forced SD to rename it.

 

[gsammo79]

I'd hang onto that pickup, man. First time ive ever seen this.

 

[JamesPaul]

Looks like it could be the Holy Grail of pickups! :18:

 

[jeremy]

how does it sound? thats the real question

 

[Mincer]

And, do you know the history of this pickup? Is it yours? Are you trying to buy it?

 

[JamesPaul]

I'm interested in the baseplate. SD or ?

 

[beaubrummels]

I don't believe the VH is an SD sticker. If it has Seymour's signature and that Seymourized sticker, more often than not it would be another vendor's pickup that he rewound/repaired.

 

[JamesPaul]

Agree on the repair or rewind.

 

[eclecticsynergy]

Agree on the repair/rewind. "Seymourized" often meant hot-rodded with a ceramic mag; sometimes it meant a complete rewind.

 

[JamesPaul]

Throw it in something and play it, LLL. You'll rock it.

 

[DavidRavenMoon]

Back in the 70s, Seymour used to advertise in the back of Guitar Player magazine offering a pickup rewinding service. I believe this might be one of those rewound pickups. This was before he started selling his own pickups.

I had a hand written letter from him when I wrote him about rewinding my Rick bass pickups. Pre email. I probably still have it somewhere. Probably around 1976 or so. Around the same time I bought a Hi-A pickup for that bass. Bill Bartolini called me on the phone with questions about the bass.


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[eclecticsynergy]

Back in the 70s, Seymour used to advertise in the back of Guitar Player magazine offering a pickup rewinding service. I believe this might be one of those rewound pickups. This was before he started selling his own pickups.

I had a hand written letter from him when I wrote him about rewinding my Rick bass pickups. Pre email. I probably still have it somewhere. Probably around 1976 or so. Around the same time I bought a Hi-A pickup for that bass. Bill Bartolini called me on the phone with questions about the bass.


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I still have a Hi-A in my 72 Ibanez Jazz Bass. Great sounding pickup.
Seldom play that one these days though - it weighs in at 12 lbs.

PS: Any progress on that mold you were working on for epoxy Thunderbird pickups?

 

[LLL]

According to the guy at the Van Halen Museum, this is a "prototype" that came from one of Ed's guitars.

 

[LLL]

Love to hear Seymour's take on it if he's got the time.

 

[gsammo79]

According to the guy at the Van Halen Museum, this is a "prototype" that came from one of Ed's guitars.

I'm interested in hearing what it sounds like. If you get a chance you should give it a good test drive

 

[Masta' C]

As someone who has had dozens of very early SD's from the '76-'82 period, this one definitely piques my interests. Everything looks right for an early SD. Possible rewind, but definitely something custom. Most likely 1980 or earlier. Ink stamping looks correct for the period. I think we need some specs for this one!

 

[LLL]

I'm not getting how people are assuming I own this pickup.

I found this pic (off a video actually) and posted it; very intriguing.

I do not own this pickup... the vid has a guy from the "Van Halen Museum" talking about it.