Seymour Duncan SH-5 Duncan Custom Raw Nickel Bdr TShell Pickup

Seymour Duncan SH-5 Duncan Custom Raw Nickel Bridge Pickup

The SH-5 Duncan Custom is built for bridge position duties in modern rock, metal, and high-gain rigs—a pickup that cuts through the mix with aggressive midrange punch and tight low-end definition without losing clarity. The raw nickel cover and tortoiseshell baseplate offer understated visual appeal, while the balanced EQ profile ensures your tone stays articulate and defined even through dense band arrangements and saturated amp settings. This is a reliable workhorse for gigging and recording musicians who need responsive dynamics and controlled sustain when the stage demands it.

Tone & Performance

The SH-5 centers its character around a prominent 6 kHz resonant peak that locks in articulation and note definition—essential for fast lead work and complex chord voicings that need to stay separated in a live context. A ceramic bar magnet paired with nickel-silver bottom plate delivers aggressive output while maintaining string-to-string separation, crucial when you're pushing high-saturation amp settings where muddiness can kill clarity on stage.

Construction & Specifications

Vacuum wax potting eliminates microphonic feedback and squealing, enabling single-coil clarity without the noise associated with vintage construction. The 4-conductor lead wire supports both standard and reverse-polarity wiring configurations, offering flexibility for coil-splitting and series-parallel experimentation in compatible guitar wiring schemes.

Key Features

• Small ceramic bar magnet for aggressive output and focused tone
• Nickel-silver bottom plate enhancing clarity and sustain
• 14.1 kΩ DC resistance delivering controlled output levels
• 6 kHz resonant peak emphasizing articulation and midrange definition
• EQ curve: 7 bass / 6 mids / 9 treble for bright, cutting presence
• Vacuum wax potted construction eliminating squeal and microphonics
• 4-conductor lead wire supporting multiple wiring configurations
• Bridge position mounting—engineered specifically for high-output bridge applications
• Raw nickel cover with tortoiseshell baseplate finish

The SH-5 Duncan Custom combines proven high-output topology with refined EQ voicing, making it a dependable choice for any guitarist committed to cutting, controlled tone in demanding amplifier settings.