What SD Pickup Is This?

[Masta' C]

People don't know how you are connected to the pickup because you didn't specify.

I figured it likely wasn't in your possession, but that doesn't mean it wouldn't be awesome to learn more about it!

Have you reached out to the VH museum since you're the one who had the questions to begin with?

 

[beaubrummels]

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.

It might be because you didn't reveal that until post #16

 

[Mincer]

Yeah, I thought it was something you owned, too.

 

[Wound_Up]

It might be because you didn't reveal that until post #16

It was pretty obvious to me that it was a screen cap from a video. You all just got too excited and looked over that fact, IMO

 

[Masta' C]

Link to video?

 

[LLL]

Very near the very end.

 

[beaubrummels]

It was pretty obvious to me that it was a screen cap from a video. You all just got too excited and looked over that fact, IMO

I never assumed he owned it or said anything to that effect. The photo looked too old.

 

[LLL]

I'm surmising it's the prototype "SD '78" (product formerly known as the "Evenly Voiced Harmonics" in the 2Ks) and it comes from the year 1978.

I have a screenshot of SD's website page showing the history timeline, with "one of our very early, December 1978, orders for Eddie" and you can barely read "PAF something something'.

Possible the text also says "Rewind" but it's difficult to 100% discern due to the small picture (which pixelates when magnified). The date is there too but again difficult to discern. It is however able to determine that it is Eddie's sig.

BTW, this is not the pickup on VH1 (that would be the SH-5 Custom). VH1 was recorded in 1977.

Recording dates:

VH1: August 30 – September 1977
VH2: December 10–16, 1978

Release dates:

VH1: February 10, 1978
VH2: March 23, 1979

Back to pickup in picture - very possible this is the VH2 pickup. Everyone over the decades has noticed the tone on VH2 seems to have less gain than VH1.

And after VH2, Ed, in his typical fashion, changed things around again with a different pickup (although difficult to say exactly when, but theory has it with the Floyd Rose becoming his wang bar of choice, he did the SD Custom Custom style to help thicken the tone)

 

[Masta' C]

The "Seymourized" sticker strongly hints at a rewind.

I'd put my money on that being the original '78 humbucker

 

[superpete]

in the video it's taken from doug anderson says it is the "original prototype", and that it's a rewound gibson humbucker. so the og 78 would make sense, or maybe a paf rewound to the sh5 spec?

 

[Negroni77]

Hi Guys,

Just to give you guys a little more info on the pickup... I recently purchased this pickup and installed it into my guitar. It reads 14.68 with perfectly balanced coils. The magnet is an A2. Seymour himself recognized it while he doesn't have specific details.

I play it through a vintage 68 Marshall Super Lead and it is real bright and wood with a 250k pot. It is very alive sounding. Feel free to ask any questions...

 

[Artie]

Welcome to the forum, and cool forum name. Have you ever had a Negroni? Equal parts: gin, vermouth rosso, and Campari. Supposedly kicks ass.

 

[Negroni77]

Thank you! I love a good Negroni. That is the mix. I recommend it.

 

[Securb]

Hi Guys,

Just to give you guys a little more info on the pickup... I recently purchased this pickup and installed it into my guitar. It reads 14.68 with perfectly balanced coils. The magnet is an A2. Seymour himself recognized it while he doesn't have specific details.

I play it through a vintage 68 Marshall Super Lead and it is real bright and wood with a 250k pot. It is very alive sounding. Feel free to ask any questions...

Welcome to the forum it is cool to get a hands-on view from someone playing a piece of Ed's gear.

 

[Negroni77]

Thanks Securb! Good to be here. I just got the pickup installed today, so I'm still adjusting to it. So far, I like it much better than a SH-5, also it is not as bright. The SH-5 causes ear fatigue after awhile (to me at least). This pickup just feels like everything is pushed forward. With a 500k pot, I think it would be too bright though.

 

[STLMTLHD79]

Sounds like the pickup that he would eventually use around Diver Down/1984 (Custom with A2 mag), which would become the Custom Custom.

 

[Negroni77]

I thought it would sound like a custom custom too but this pickup is just so much punchier. In the same guitar, the custom custom was flat sounding and a bit mushy. That is just me though...

 

[Negroni77]

I would recommend a JB with a short A2 over a custom custom.

 

[gsammo79]

You should throw together a little demo video and let us hear it

 

[Masta' C]

14.7K and A2 suggests it's possibly the O.G. "Custom Custom"...very nice!

Interesting that you think it would possibly be too bright with 500K pots.

Can I ask how you came to own this beauty? Definitely a cool find!