Seymour Duncan AHB-1S Original Blackouts Neck/Bridge Pickup Set Black

Seymour Duncan AHB-1S Original Blackouts Neck/Bridge Pickup Set Black Cover

The AHB-1S Original Blackouts are active humbuckers engineered to capture aggressive, articulate performances with precision and snap. In the studio, they translate picking dynamics into recorded clarity—from smooth, singing leads to tight, percussive rhythmic attacks that sit naturally in dense mixes. The neck pickup delivers balanced, defined voicing for complex chord captures, while the bridge model's crushing midrange presence cuts through any arrangement without sacrificing articulation or low-end control.

Tone & Electronics

The neck pickup operates at a 750 Hz resonant frequency with 0.65 Volts RMS average output and 16 dB preamp gain, ideal for recording articulate voicing with clarity and separation. The bridge pickup sits at 530 Hz resonance with 2.00 Volts RMS average output and 18 dB preamp gain, delivering aggressive midrange presence that remains defined in the mix. Both pickups share a 2.60 Volts RMS maximum output, discrete hybrid differential FET-input preamp topology, and .003% THD at 1V, ensuring clean, responsive signal transmission across the full dynamic range for tracking and overdubs.

Active Pickup Design & Build

Each pickup uses blade magnets suitable for both humbucker and Trembucker string spacings, with the neck employing an alnico magnet and the bridge a ceramic magnet for tonal contrast in recorded sessions. The set includes all necessary components: pots, hardware, quick-connector cables, capacitor, output jack, battery clip, and wire. Drawing only 350 micro-amperes per pickup, the system delivers 1420 hours of battery life on a standard 9-volt cell, with -97dBV noise floor (neck) and -96dBV (bridge) and 1K Ohm output impedance on both models, keeping noise minimal during recording sessions.

Key Features

• 9-volt active humbucker design with discrete hybrid differential FET-input preamp
• Neck pickup: 750 Hz resonant frequency, 0.65V RMS average output, 16 dB gain
• Bridge pickup: 530 Hz resonant frequency, 2.00V RMS average output, 18 dB gain
• Maximum output voltage: 2.60 Volts RMS (both pickups)
• Neck pickup uses alnico magnet; bridge pickup uses ceramic magnet
• Blade magnets compatible with both humbucker and Trembucker spacing
• Noise floor: -97dBV (neck), -96dBV (bridge)
• THD: .003% at 1V on both pickups
• Output impedance: 1K Ohm per pickup
• Current consumption: 350 micro-amperes per pickup
• Battery life: 1420 hours on standard 9V cell
• Includes all hardware, cables, pots, capacitor, jack, battery clip, and wire

The original Blackouts remain the uncompromising choice for producers and engineers who demand professional-grade signal integrity, studio reliability, and the aggressive tonal foundation that translates aggressive performances and expressive lead work into powerful, defined recordings.