Primarily a bridge position pickup designed for solidbody guitars, it's similar to the Super Distortion with more midrange grind and a chopped treble. Perfect for anyone who plays their amp with scooped mids and intense overdrive. The top end is very dark and the low end isn't muddy. With this pickup you can crank the bass and the treble on your amp and get both scream and crunch. Dark top-end soundClean, clear lows [Read more]
Increased midrange with extra high-end crunch along with vintage warmth and sustain. The 498T guitar pickup can deliver a solo that will cut through the mix without sacrificing any fullness. Equipped with a 4-conductor lead cable. [Read more]
Plus, it's a direct replacement for single coils. With an even, dynamic response and adjustable pole pieces, it allows the guitarist to fine tune the string balance and dial in just the right amount of punch. A whole set of Little '59s will deliver a rich, open sound; or a bridge Little '59 matched up with Duckbuckers in the neck and middle will provide a best-of-both-worlds '59 Les Paul and '57 Strat tone. Direct replacement, single-coil size... [Read more]
Powerful ceramic magnet surrounded by two stack coils sends more current into your amp. This enhances sustain and super string sensitivity combined with extra output for stage work. Four conductor cable. [Read more]
The Fender Custom Shop '54 Strat Pickups are an augmented set of vintage-style Stratocaster electric guitar pickups that features staggered, hand-beveled Alnico 5 magnets and Forvar magnet wire wound for classic bell tones and clear harmonic enhancement. The bridge pickup is calibrated for increased, balanced output. Increased, balanced outputHand-beveled Alnico 5 pole pieces [Read more]
John Petrucci has had a lot of recent experience playing the D Sonic on his 6-string guitars, so when he wanted the same sound from his 7-string, DiMarzio couldn't say no. The D Sonic combination of clean and heavy that works so well with high-gain amps for both chords and soloing makes a great choice for a 7-string bridge pickup. The DP706 guitar pickup is recommended for bridge position. As with the 6-string D Sonic, the character of the sou... [Read more]
The Gibson '57 Classic Plus Pickup mimics those late-1950s humbuckers that received a few extra turns of wire. This treatment gave the pickup slightly higher output without sacrificing its rich vintage tone, which helped overdrive tube preamps to a smooth level of saturation without becoming overpowering. Made with the same features as the Gibson '57 Classic. Special Alnico II magnetVintage enamel-coated wireNickel-plated pole piecesNickel slu... [Read more]
Bring new life to your guitar with the Seymour Duncan Hot Rodded Humbucker Set. SH-2 Jazz model at the neck and SH-4 model at the bridge. Seymour's favoritesGreat versatility [Read more]
The Fender Fat '50s Strat Pickup Set gives you calibrated pickups constructed with hand-beveled, staggered Alnico V magnets and Formvar magnet wire. '50s Strat Pickups deliver enhanced bass response without the harsh midrange. The middle pickup is reverse wound/reverse polarity for hum canceling in positions 2 and 4. OEM on Custom Shop Fender Showmaster series Stratocaster guitars. Hand-beveled, staggered Alnico V magnetsFormvar magnet wireRev... [Read more]
This "Modern Classic" features tonal characteristics similar to the '57 Classic with a slight increase in the upper mids, for a more contemporary humbucking sound. The special Alnico II magnet gives this beauty a singing quality that delivers on demand. The 490R (See recommended accessories box on this page), with its neck-spaced pole pieces, is calibrated to match the bridge-spaced 490T for a perfect match. Available with chrome, go... [Read more]
A humbucker pickup is essentially two single coils connected in series and out of phase. As a result the 60 cycle hum traditionally heard in single coil pickups is greatly reduced.
Count The Wires
Pickups with more than 3 wires can provide multiple wiring possibilities. Having each coil of a humbucker tapped individually will allow wiring configurations such as splitting (using a humbucker as a single coil) and running the coils in series or parallel (which changes the resistance and tone.)
Stacked Humbuckers
A stacked humbucker can be used on many instruments that were originally routed for single coil pickups. Instead of placing both coils side by side like a traditional humbucker, they are stacked one atop the other, making them taller instead of wider. This gives many the option of installing a humbucker into a single coil slot without modifying the guitar's body routing or pickguard.
Passive vs. Active
Active pickups will normally require power from a battery and onboard circuitry. If considering an upgrade to active electronics make sure the control cavity provides the space needed for any additional circuitry and power source.
Neck vs. Bridge Pickup
While you can certainly use a neck pickup in the bridge position and vice versa, pickups are so designated to compliment each other volume wise. Since the strings are anchored at the bridge, there is less vibration in the strings in that area. As a result bridge pickups are usually hotter to compensate for the difference in string movement/vibration.
