Designed to deliver classic P.A.F. tone with modern construction, the ?59 (SH-1) vintage output humbucker pickup?s open, detailed sound and sweet top end make it the perfect choice for rock and blues.
The ?59 bridge model (SH-1b) is a vintage output humbucker that?s great for rock, blues, and more. Its vintage-inspired coils give it an airy quality that is firmly in the P.A.F. family, and the alnico 5 bar magnet and vacuum wax potting make it compatible with lighter guitar strings and louder amplifiers than were ever used in the 1950s. The result is a pickup with tons of old-school tonal character, but with a brighter top end, and a slightly more compressed sound.
The ?59 neck model (SH-1n) is one of our most popular pickups because it?s so versatile. Like its bridge-position sibling, the ?59 neck is designed in the spirit of the original P.A.F. humbuckers of the 1950s, with sweet sustain, and a warm, full sound that still possesses a clear attack. We?ve made a few refinements to slightly modernize the design and make it more adaptable to different styles. The high end is slightly boosted for improved pick-attack clarity and the mids are a little scooped for an open, smooth sound that?s great for preserving the clarity of the individual notes in a chord. The ?59 neck was born to accompany the ?59 bridge, but countless players pair it with a high output bridge humbucker, such as a JB or Custom. It?s also a popular choice for humbucker-routed Telecasters.
The ?59 model features a variety of traditional vintage treatments, such as 42AWG plain enamel mag wire, long-legged nickel-silver bottom plate, vintage single-conductor braided push back lead wire, and no logo. As with all of our P.A.F.-style pickups, the ?59 vintage output humbucker is wound on Seymour?s classic Leesona 102 pickup winding machine from the old Gibson factory in Kalamazoo, MI.
