This analysis is intended to serve two purposes – first, a comparison of two popular pickup models. More importantly, to explain the difference that pole pieces can make to your tone. The Seymour Duncan Jazz and Full Shred neck pickups are the perfect examples to perform this, because they are identical in every way besides the pole piece configuration.
The pole piece designs for both pickups are without doubt the most common configurations seen in humbuckers; single screw and double screw. In the case of these models, the Jazz has longer flat head screws typically seen on PAF-style humbuckers, while the Full Shred has shorter allen screws. We haven’t tested the difference between screw types or lengths, but from our measurements on the next page, it does not appear to affect them greatly.
To prove the coils are identical, see our measurements below. Notice that even though the DCR values are generally equivalent, the inductance value is fairly different on the south coil. This is because the south coil of the Jazz contains the slugs, which have more ferrous mass than screws, increasing the inductance. Both pickups have a slight asymmetrical wind favoring the coil closer to the neck.
| Â | South DCR | South Inductance | North DCR | North Inductance |
| Seymour Duncan Jazz Neck | 3.65K | 1.74 H | 3.76K | 1.68 H |
| Seymour Duncan Full Shred Neck | 3.67K | 1.64 H | 3.78K | 1.70 H |
The Full Shred’s pole pieces decrease the resonant peak compared to the Jazz, which will make it sound slightly more balanced, with a bit more perceived bass. Both pickups have the same resonant frequency of 3.2 kHz, which is similar to other PAF-style neck pickups like Seymour Duncan’s Alnico II Pro (3.2 kHz), Pearly Gates (3.3 kHz), and 59 Model (3.3 kHz), among others.
More importantly, this is a difference you can expect in other double screw humbuckers. Double screw pole pieces are generally found alongside ceramic magnets, which can be especially cutting with single screws. Double screws can help tame a loud resonant peak, and have a character of their own.
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Did you know the Seymour Duncan Jazz and Full Shred are entirely identical except for one thing? Let’s see how that affects the tone.
Pole pieces aren’t just for aesthetics, they play a fundamental role in the tonality of the pickup. Here, we analyze the differences between the most common options.