There are a lot of options in the Seymour Duncan Custom Shop for us bass players. Whether you want something that’s fairly simple (like SPB-3 pole pieces with the SPB-1 wind) or something crazier, the folks at the Custom Shop can make it. With that in mind, when I was spec’ing out the parts for my new bass build, I knew we had to have some very special pickups in it. And it hit me:
Why not a Silver Zephyr Bass pickup?
Originally issued as a challenge, the Silver Zephyr pickups were the result of designing something without the usual constraints of cost or materials. Silver wire coils, nickel and stainless pole pieces, glass fiberfill nylon bobbins and cryogenic treatment all sound magical…and expensive. So, it was no wonder that there wasn’t a bass version. But surely, one could at least ask, right? That was September of 2014.
In December of 2014, I had just come home, to find a little box sitting on the front door step, with that trademark SD packaging tape. I thought to myself, “I don’t remember ordering anything?” but brought it inside. I opened the box, saw the Custom Shop package, saw MJ’s initals on it (which by itself is cause for celebration), but then saw the writing.
Silver Zephyr SPB-1.
They did it.

Prior to this, the bass in question had been enjoying the SPB-4, which is a phenomenal pickup in its own right and you can read my review of that here), that plays well to the dynamics and nuances of my playing and the tonal complexity of a solid piece of walnut for the body. But to say that I had to exercise restraint in taking the bass apart in order to solder in the Zephyr was, a gross understatement.
https://soundcloud.com/monjoody/sets/silver-zephyr-spb-1-pickup
While the bass itself already has a specific tonal footprint (walnut will do that), the Silver Zephyr adds a depth and a richness to the tone that isn’t there otherwise; think of it as the difference between a bottle of merlot and that same merlot but aged in oak barrels. While it still works with the tone print of the instrument, there’s a complexity and a certain smoothness to the tone that wasn’t there prior. With the tone knob rolled all the way off, the booming bass is reined in a bit with focus and clarity. And when the tone knob is wide open, there isn’t that shrill, biting top end that you can find sometimes with Precision pickups.
The Silver Zephyr is well worth the price, if you can swing it. The tonal character that is brought out of this instrument is amazing, and while I’ve always known Seymour Duncan pickups to work with your instrument’s inherent character, this takes it to new levels.
Now, if the cost of the Silver Zephyr by itself is out of the question, but you’d always wondered what an SPB-3 pickup would be like if it was cryogenically treated, or an SPB-1 with just silver conductor wire, THEY CAN DO THAT. As SD blogger Peter Hodgson pointed out, “…any of those individual upgrades are available on anything from the Custom Shop but when you combine them all it’s called a Zephyr, kinda like how each Voltron lion is awesome on its own but when you combine them it’s, like, Zephyr Voltron.”
So, if you’re ready to make the commitment (monetarily, as well as tonally), request the full Silver Zephyr Voltro…er, I mean package. And if not, but still want something unique, go for one of the SZ upgrades. Or even, suggest something else.