Seymour Duncan SSL-5 Custom Staggered Strat

When David Gilmour needed to push his legendary Black Strat beyond its limits, Seymour Duncan crafted what would become the Custom Staggered pickup — a medium-output Stratocaster pickup that continues to honour the collaboration with this guitar icon. This special overwound single-coil achieves an impressive balance between enhanced output and the classic Stratocaster tonal character that defines the instrument.

The Custom Staggered produces bigger, fuller chords while cutting through dense mixes more effectively than traditional Strat pickups, yet it preserves the essential magic and mojo that makes a Stratocaster sound unmistakably like a Strat. Single notes ring out with bold clarity and volume, making solos truly sing with authority and presence.

For the Gilmour-approved configuration, pair this pickup in the bridge position with Vintage Staggered Strat pickups in both neck and middle positions. Alternatively, install a Custom Staggered RWRP in the middle position to achieve noiseless operation in positions 2 and 4 on your pickup selector.