$475 for a pickup? Yes please!

[MarcusGHedwig]

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/acce...n-zs-1b-zephyr-silver-bridge-humbucker-pickup

There's so much marketing hyperbolic bullshit in the description I really thought it was a joke, and I love how ridiculously padded the "features" list, what a load

 

[colonel_claypoo]

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/acce...n-zs-1b-zephyr-silver-bridge-humbucker-pickup

There's so much marketing hyperbolic bullshit in the description I really thought it was a joke, and I love how ridiculously padded the "features" list, what a load

lol!

good example of the typical marketing bullshit gone crazy.

 

[JeffTD]

Actually, as much as I hate to admit this... It's kind of true.

Last summer SD did another User Group Day which entails a factory tour, Q/A with Seymour, winding your own pickup (for free), a 'garage sale' of old-stock, unused OEM, and b-stock items (pickups for like $25 bucks brand new kind of thing), etc...

During part of this they explained to us the point of the Zephyr series, and that was to spare no expense and really just create a pickup out of the very best materials possible, regardless of price. The silver wiring inside is the bulk of the cost, really.

Anyways, they let us do some A/B tests with guitars they had commissioned by a local builder out of the same cut of wood for all the pieces, basically trying to get identical a test-bed as possible, and see what we thought. It's easily the best pickup I've ever played but it's not worth the cost IMO.

 

[Lasse Lammert]

I'd Love to try one

 

[C-Martin]

I'd Love to try one

+1

Though i don't see myself ditching out near 500$ for a pickup any time soon, one thing i do know is that Seymour puts out quality products and i bet it's a killer pickup. SD pickups are still the only brand pickups that are in all my guitars, and i went on a pickup swapping frenzy years ago trying everything i could find thinking it would be the key to "the tone". I'd love to do one of those "User Group Day", they all seem like really great people that love what they do and strive to deliver the quality product with all the attention to detail that their customers demand.

 

[Robert W]

Actually, as much as I hate to admit this... It's kind of true.

Last summer SD did another User Group Day which entails a factory tour, Q/A with Seymour, winding your own pickup (for free), a 'garage sale' of old-stock, unused OEM, and b-stock items (pickups for like $25 bucks brand new kind of thing), etc...

During part of this they explained to us the point of the Zephyr series, and that was to spare no expense and really just create a pickup out of the very best materials possible, regardless of price. The silver wiring inside is the bulk of the cost, really.

Anyways, they let us do some A/B tests with guitars they had commissioned by a local builder out of the same cut of wood for all the pieces, basically trying to get identical a test-bed as possible, and see what we thought. It's easily the best pickup I've ever played but it's not worth the cost IMO.

What about it, tone-wise, makes it the best?

 

[sprack]

Good for SD. I'm glad they have pickups specifically for the guys that'd rather buy their tone than practice more. Milk that market.

 

[JeffTD]

What about it, tone-wise, makes it the best?

Just felt like the absolute most accurate conveying of my playing and hands; felt super open, the dynamics were all there but it was also quite tight. Whole thing felt more 'real' and '3d' than normal pickups. I hate buzzwords like that but it was literally like a normal passive was a good mix but the Zephyr was a perfect master.

 

[Adrian Warren]

This is really interesting. Thank you for bringing up these pickups.

 

[Ascendant]

Good for SD. I'm glad they have pickups specifically for the guys that'd rather buy their tone than practice more. Milk that market.

That doesn't even make sense, it's not like these pups are going to make you a better player or magically mute ringing strings for you..

 

[Max Morton]

That doesn't even make sense, it's not like these pups are going to make you a better player or magically mute ringing strings for you..

Why not being a better player AND having a better pup in your guitar?

The same as others I do not like aggressive marketing, but the same as others, I'd love to give it a try. I absolutely love SD.

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

I'm sure the gear page will be all over that sumbitch.

 

[Rex Rocker]

Are these based off the JB? I remember reading somewhere they were, but I can't find it anywhere on the description.

 

[egan.]

If it really sounds great then I'm down with it. People will pay $1000+ extra to get an exhibition top on a PRS or Gibson and that's about visual aesthetics.

 

[decoy205]

I can see how it would sound better than most "regular" style pickups. SD knows his shit and he is not a snake oil salesmen. If I liked the sound that much I'd pay it but for that price I'd have to try it first.

I know guys who've paid way more for boutique pickups. At least these have silver in em ha.

 

[electricred]

I knew this was going to be about the Zephy before I clicked anything, haha.

 

[loktide]

how about 1299€ for the set:

http://www.musicstore.de/de_DE/EUR/-/art-GIT0023915-000?campaign=GBase/DE

 

[FIXXXER]

music store halt, nur deppen da

 

[PhilTheBeard]

My dog's name is Zephyr....... might get this pickup just because of the name

 

[SwambA]

Not a good high gain example but damn they sound a lot better on this strat





The more I listen to it the less I hear the difference now haha...