The Philip Sayce “Big Daddy” Stratocaster® Pickup Set is inspired by the pickups in one of Sayce’s favourite vintage guitars, capturing the power, character, and punch of classic early-’60s Strat® tones—shaped by over 60 years of use and high-intensity performance.
A modern blues powerhouse, Philip Sayce is closely associated with two iconic 1963 Strats: Mother and Big Daddy. While Mother features slightly underwound 1958 pickups with a clear, airy ’50s character, Big Daddy delivers a bigger, more muscular sound that defines the best of ’60s Strat tone. Following the 2025 Custom Shop recreation of the Mother set, Sayce set out to give Big Daddy the same treatment.
Early ’60s Strat pickups evolved toward higher output and a punchier response, which drew Sayce to 1963 models throughout his career with Jeff Healey, Melissa Etheridge, and as a solo artist. After years of searching, he found Big Daddy—a 1963 sunburst Strat that became a go-to guitar on stage and in the studio. It retains its original neck and bridge pickups, paired with a carefully chosen early-’65 grey-bottom middle pickup. Together, they deliver what Sayce describes as a “steamroller” tone—his ultimate choice for a powerful Strat sound.
To recreate this, the Seymour Duncan Custom Shop meticulously matched the originals’ tone, feel, and output: a full-bodied neck, a “greasy,” expressive middle, and a distinctive bridge with strong highs that cut without harshness. As the original bridge pickup aged, its copper windings contacted the Alnico 5 magnets, subtly smoothing the top end. To replicate this, Duncan engineers added a micro-capacitor to gently shift the resonant peak, producing a sweeter, more balanced treble response.
To honour the original 1963 guitar, the first 630 sets are specially aged in the Custom Shop, include signed certificates of authenticity from Philip Sayce and Seymour W. Duncan, and feature Sayce’s signature on the flatwork.
The result: a bold, vintage-inspired ’60s Strat pickup set with the huge, expressive tone behind Philip Sayce’s most powerful performances.
Available to buy now from Rosetti. For more information, please visit:
https://www.rosetti.co.uk/seymour-duncan-philip-sayce-big-daddy-for-stratocaster-pickup-set
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