“It needed a louder pickup That’s where the idea came from”: Slash played a Gibson SG at Ozzy Osbourne’s farewell show – and now its purpose-built Seymour Duncan humbuckers have been released

Introducing Slash 3.0: How Slash Got More Bite Without Losing Tone - YouTube

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NAMM 2026: When Slash opted to wield a Gibson SG at Ozzy Osbourne's farewell show, he turned to pickup guru Maricela “MJ” Juarez for a purpose-built set of Seymour Duncan humbuckers that would be up for the job. Now, they’re available worldwide as the Slash 3.0 Signature Humbuckers.

As the name attests, the Seymour Duncan Slash 3.0 pickup set, comprising two Alnico V pups, is the third iteration of signature pickups for the top-hatted guitar hero. It's the first time, however, that he's stepped away from Alnico 2 magnets

This generation, built specifically for Slash’s SG, follows its older siblings in packing a little more heat than PAF-style pickups without being particularly high-gain, instead prioritizing clarity over power.

That being said, the 3.0s adds greater “punch and aggression” to his signature recipe, with robust-cast Alnico V magnets and a vintage-inspired construction coalescing for “players seeking extra cut without compromise.”

Those tweaks, ultimately, lead to an enhanced output with a tighter low-end. And though they were originally installed in his SG, they’ve become far more widespread across Slash’s electric guitar collection.

“The SG that I had at the Ozzy gig [Back to the Beginning] needed a louder pickup, but I still wanted that true-to-life guitar sound that I like in my guitars. That's where the idea for the 3.0 came from,” explains Slash.

“There's a little more oomph to it, but you still have the cleanliness and honesty of the guitar. It's raunchier than the 2.0; it gives me the extra boost I need in certain guitars.”

The Seymour Duncan Slash 3.0 pickup set is hand-built in Santa Barbara, California. The set starts at $258, with individual pickups priced at $129. There are a handful of color options, including Black, Nickel, Gold, and Zebra.

Visit Seymour Duncan for the full lowdown.

In related news, Seymour Duncan recently made its celebrated JB ‘buckers available for Telecasters and recreated Tommy Bolin’s legendary Les Paul pickups, with the help of Joe Bonamassa.