Seymour Duncan TB-16 59/Custom Hybrid, Nickel Cover Pickup

Seymour Duncan TB-16 59/Custom Hybrid, Nickel Cover Pickup

The TB-16 59/Custom Hybrid is a bridge pickup engineered to sit cleanly in dense mixes while delivering both articulate definition and responsive body. This hybrid design pairs the warm, vintage character of a classic '59 with the aggressive midrange presence of a Duncan Custom in a single coil architecture. The Trembucker configuration spaces its poles wide for guitars with 2" or wider string spacing, ensuring consistent magnetic field strength across all six strings—crucial for balanced recording and tracking sessions. Hand-built in Santa Barbara with meticulous attention to detail, this pickup excels at capturing nuanced playing dynamics without losing cut through layered arrangements.

Tone & Frequency Response

Tuned to a resonant peak of 5.95 kHz with an EQ profile of 8/8/6 (Treble/Mid/Bass), the TB-16 sits naturally in a mix without requiring aggressive EQ work during mixing and mastering. The Moderate output level performs reliably across both high-gain and clean recording scenarios, capturing transparent top-end detail while maintaining musical midrange presence—ideal for everything from rock and metal tracking to more transparent, dynamic sessions.

Construction & Materials

Built with Alnico 5 bar magnet technology and a nickel-silver bottom plate, this pickup combines traditional materials with hybrid coil engineering—one winding from the legendary '59 model and one from the Duncan Custom. Vacuum wax potting eliminates microphonic feedback during recording, and the 4-conductor lead wire enables series/parallel switching and coil-split configurations for expanded tonal flexibility within a single tracking session or live playback scenario.

Key Features

• DC Resistance (Bridge): 11.5 kΩ
• Resonant Peak: 5.95 kHz
• EQ voicing: 8/8/6 (Treble/Mid/Bass)
• Moderate output level
• Alnico 5 bar magnet
• Nickel-silver bottom plate
• Hybrid coil design: '59 Model neck coil + Duncan Custom coil
• Vacuum wax potted for feedback-free operation
• 4-conductor lead wire for switching options
• Trembucker wide pole spacing (2" or wider string spacing)
• Hand built in Santa Barbara, CA
• Nickel cover finish

The TB-16 delivers recording-focused versatility for producers and engineers tracking guitars that need to balance clarity with character in professional mixes.