The Slash 2.0 pickups are based on the GNR rocker's flagship APH-2 set – which he's used for nearly a decade – but make one essential tweak
(Image credit: Seymour Duncan)
Seymour Duncan has teamed up with Slash to release the Slash 2.0 humbucker set – a pair of pickups that update the electric guitar hero's flagship APH-2 set.
In a continuation of its fine signature product releasing form, Seymour Duncan has once again joined forces with one its biggest ambassadors, who has been using his APH-2 humbuckers for nearly a decade.
For his new set, though, the top hat-toting titan sought out Seymour Duncan’s expertise in making a hotter-wound, higher-output set, which didn’t compromise the original’s clean and overdriven tones in any way.
According to the brand, Slash’s need for a louder set of humbuckers emerged from his extensive touring activities with Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators and GNR, with Slash himself explaining, “I've found on occasion that I needed a louder pickup for certain live applications”.
“For some reason, certain guitars that I have are quieter than others, and I started finding I needed louder pickups in those guitars, and I went to Seymour Duncan,” he added.
“They’re higher output, but they don’t add any distortion. There’s no gain, just a higher level.”
Owing to Slash’s needs, the Slash 2.0 humbuckers were given a hotter wind, meaning they promise to deliver the same Slash sound and tonal capacity as the original APH-2s, but with a little more output – delivered via rough cast Alnico 2 magnets.
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“The Slash 2.0 is basically the same as my Alnico Pro II, same tonality, same great clarity,” Slash added. “But it's hotter. I asked Seymour if he could make a version of my pickup just a wee bit louder & he did just that. Same tone, just louder.”
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(Image credit: Seymour Duncan)
(Image credit: Seymour Duncan)
(Image credit: Seymour Duncan)
(Image credit: Seymour Duncan)
(Image credit: Seymour Duncan)
(Image credit: Seymour Duncan)
The Slash 2.0 pickups are available in an array of finishes – black, black-nickel cover, gold cover, nickel cover, raw-nickel cover, reverse zebra and zebra – and can come as a set or standalone humbuckers.
Sets start from $238, while single pickups start from $119.
Matt is a Senior Staff Writer, writing for Guitar World, Guitarist and Total Guitar. He has a Masters in the guitar, a degree in history, and has spent the last 16 years playing everything from blues and jazz to indie and pop. When he’s not combining his passion for writing and music during his day job, Matt records for a number of UK-based bands and songwriters as a session musician.
