Jazz and blues guitars have long been associated with humbucker pickups. They were created to address the hum problem that single coil pickups frequently have. The noise was minimized by connecting two single coil pickups in series and inverting the poles. The humbucker was born, and guitar players cheered.
The tone was also darker thanks to the double coil arrangement. As a result, humbuckers became popular among jazz and blues guitarists seeking clarity for prolonged chords, chromatic and bluesy runs.
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Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates SH-PG1n/1b Pickup Set Neck & Bridge Nickel
The Gibson ’59 Burst Les Pauls’ famed tone is desired by guitarists for a reason, and seymour duncan Pearly Gates is an iconic example. The results were always going to be extraordinary when one of the best pickup makers endeavored to reproduce their humbuckers, which is why this is number one on our list of the best electric guitar pickups.
These won’t let you down, whether you’re a Les Paul owner trying to boost your bridge position tone or want some golden era vintage blues mojo for your humbucker upgrade.
The pickups will still be more regulated than single-coils, and you won’t have the same attack, but it’s still a really cool take on the traditional humbucker setup. Having said that, the Pearly Gates set by Seymour Duncan is excellent for those overdriven or slightly “fuzzy” tones. They perform at their peak when coupled with some overdrive pedals and vintage-style tube amps. They are primarily recommended for hard rock, blues, and blues rock music.
Sustain is provided by a somewhat bright high-end with rich harmonics, while midrange raunch is also present. A four-conductor hookup wire is included with the Pearly Gates, allowing for a multitude of pickup switching choices. This is one of the Best Humbucker Pickups in 2023.
DiMarzio Super Distortion Pickup Black Regular
- Hot output and mid-boost get maximum scream out of your amp
- Magnet: Ceramic
- Bridge Neck - Black
The Super Distortion is historically significant in addition to being a terrific humbucker. Before the Super Distortion established a benchmark by which other high output pickups were compared, the concept of buying a replacement electric guitar pickup didn’t actually exist.
This signature humbucker pickup design is made to blast your tube amp into gorgeous overdrive and has been utilized by Paul Gilbert, Kurt Cobain, Def Leppard’s Phil Collen, and Kiss’s Paul Stanley, among others. But why should humbucker guitarists have all of the fun?
The Super Distortion S is designed to fit in the Strat’s slanted bridge position and gives the same legendary thrills as its older sibling. It’s a fantastic all-arounder that’ll turn you into a super Strat in no time! This is one of the Best Humbucker Pickup in 2023.
Gibson Gear 57 Classic Plus Humbucker
- Features the same enamel-like coated wiring, Alnico 2 magnet, and maple...
- Comes with braided, two-conductor wiring
- Fully wax potted to eliminate any chance of microphonic feedback
The 57′ Classic has been the quintessential humbucker PAF since its inception in the 1950s, famed for its smooth and velvety tone. The ’57 Classic Plus is an overwound variant of the ’57 Classic. The output is increased, making it perfect for usage in the bridge position.
Few pickups have the pedigree, history, and legacy of the Gibson ’57 Classic when it comes to humbuckers. Many of the most well-known jazz and blues guitars include this pickup. The Gibson ’57 Classic Plus is a little overwound variant that gives the bridge position a little more bite without sacrificing the smoothness that made the original so famous among blues and jazz performers.
The ’57 Classic Plus is the ideal partner for the ’57 Classic, providing a gorgeous PAF-like fat tone with a vintage taste for playing blues, jazz, and rock in the style of Yes’s iconic Steve Howe. With this pickup, guitarists will get the right blend of creamy and smooth sound with some bite from the bridge position. The ’57 Classic Plus is a real classic that will shine in overdrive or clean on most Gibson type guitars, as its name suggests.
Bare Knuckle Pickups The Juggernaut Humbucker Set
- Standard space bridge
- Calibrated bridge & neck set
- 13.3 bridge resistance, 8.9 neck resistance
It’s difficult to find pickups as nice as Bare Knuckle’s. We can’t help but admire their Juggernaut set of humbuckers when it comes to humbuckers. Misha Mansoor, a modern prog metal prodigy responsible not just for pushing the boundaries in songwriting procedures but also for exploring new sonic areas, collaborated on this pickup model. These have an unusual design and use a combination of Alnico 5 and ceramic magnets for the bridge pickup, as well as Alnico 5 magnets for the neck pickup. On both coils, screw pole components are placed after this. You’ll also get a 4-conductor wire to aid in the creation of various splitting choices.
Bare Knuckle’s Juggernaut humbucker set provides an extremely diverse tone shaping option. Not only will you have those regulated yet extremely distinct mids, but the pickup will also work with you and respond to your playing dynamics. In high-gain settings, they manage to keep a lot of tightness while still retaining a lot of brightness and bottom-end punch.
EMG 81 Active Guitar Humbucker Bridge/Neck Pickup
- Utilizes powerful ceramic magnets and close aperture coils
- The tone was designed with detailed intensity, incredible amounts of high...
- In the bridge position of your guitar, it will make your leads slice right...
EMGs are possibly the most well-known and iconic Active Humbucker. That is, a humbucker that takes more power (usually a 9v battery) but produces a significantly higher output, making it one of the best humbucker pickups for hard rock, metal, and high gain music in general.
The 81/85 combination is synonymous with thrash metal, and EMGs are one of the oldest active pickups available. As a result, players may expect a tone with a high output, high gain, and the finest distortion handling. Allowing for high gain riffs to keep their contour and tone at all volume levels.
Fishman Fluence Signature Series Tosin Abasi 7-String Humbucker Pickup Set
- Active Humbucker-sized Pickup Set f 7-string Electric Guitar with...
With a growing list of endorsees, the Fishman Fluence Modern pickup set is the flagship of this new addition to the pickup industry. Any guitarist looking to stay on the cutting edge of new guitar tones need look no farther than one of the most inventive and best humbucker pickup sets out today.
To highlight Fishman Fluence pickups without mentioning their most prominent and notable endorsee, Tosin Abasi, would be unjust. With his unique technique, Tosin, the lead guitarist in Animals As Leaders, has ushered in a new era of guitar-based music, and his pickups are no exception. His unique set adds to the already groundbreaking foundation by emphasizing pure tones.
The emphasis on clean tones is a unique trait, particularly in the 7th and 8th string groups, making it one of the best humbucker pickups available. The Abasi Set concentrates on the frequently overlooked clean tones, whereas most multi scale pickups are primarily focused on high out and gain tones.
Gibson Burstbucker Type 2
- Authentic Gibson
- Wound in the range of Gibson's '57 Classic, with slightly hotter vintage...
- Mismatched coil windings, just like the Humbucker pickups of the 50's!
Gibson’s series of Burstbuckers is the result of years of invention and humbucker pickup advancements. The Burstbucker Type 2 will be the first one we’ll talk about here. These pickups are replicas of vintage PAF pickups from the 1950s, particularly the style used on the 1957 Les Paul pickups. The output is only a little bit “hotter” than the antique examples from back in the day, which is the only significant change. This pickup comes in both covered and uncovered varieties, providing players more choices.
These pickups have a lot of crunch and crispness, if we listened closely. What’s fascinating is that, with the correct arrangement, you might even be fooled into thinking that recorded guitar tracks contain a single-coil pickup due to extremely particular harmonic content. They still maintain a pretty tight tone, though. These pickups are excellent for some hard rock, vintage metal, and even contemporary metal music due to a “hotter” output signal. However, if you turn off the tone and volume controls, you may also use them for blues and jazz music.
These pickups’ adaptability is their strongest feature. As we’ve shown here, covered versions are a little more dependable because they have more shielding to keep noise levels down. These picks will work regardless of the genre (or collection of genres) that you prefer.