10 Best Humbucker Pickups for Strat Guitars
for March 2023

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The humbucker pickup is a guitar pickup design. It produces an electric guitar's sound by using two coils of wire that are wound around an electromagnetically induced magnetic field. The coils are wired in series to produce a sound wave.

Humbuckers are known for their full-bodied, warm sound that is popular with guitarists, as well as for their slightly more aggressive tone. Their sound is perfect for rock, blues, jazz and funk. The humbucker pickup design has been around since the 1930s, but newer models, like the PRS SE 24, have updated the pickup's design so it's even more versatile.

While humbuckers are known for their warm sound, they also produce a bright, crisp sound. While humbuckers use two coils of wire, single-coil pickups use one, which is smaller and can produce a twangier sound.

In the MOOZ Themes Reviews Lab, we test guitar pickups for performance, including frequency response, output, and volume. We also test them for durability, including how well the pickup holds up to wear and tear.

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Musiclily SSH Loaded Prewired Guitar Strat Pickguard Humbucker Pickups Set for Fender Stratocaster Electric Guitar are a great choice for anyone who wants a bright, clear tone and a bit of bulk, but doesn't want to sacrifice tonal versatility or balance. We liked how they sounded right out of the box, and they sounded great when we added a bit of EQ to the output, but they weren't quite as crisp or full as our previous pickguards, and they didn't exhibit as much low end or punch. The pickups are more suited to classic rock, blues and jazz than to metal, hip-hop or reggae. They work well with a humbucker in the bridge position, and we like their response and clarity with a single-coil in the bridge position. The Musiclily SSH Loaded Prewired Guitar Strat Pickguard Humbucker Pickups Set for Fender Stratocaster Electric Guitar were easy to install, and come with pre-wired circuit, so we only need to plug in the cables, install the hardware, and adjust the screws. They are a good option for someone who wants a bright, clear tone, but doesn't want to sacrifice tonal versatility or balance.

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9.6
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Musiclily Pro 11 Hole Loaded Guitar Strat Pickguard HSS with Noiseless Alnico 5 Pickup Humbucker Prewired Scratch Plate Set for Fender American/Mexican Stratocaster Standard Modern Style, 3Ply Black (Musiclily Pro Model) The Musiclily Pro 11 Hole Loaded Guitar Strat Pickguard HSS with Noiseless Alnico 5 Pickup Humbucker Prewired Scratch Plate Set for Fender American/Mexican Stratocaster Standard Modern Style, 3Ply Black (Musiclily Pro Model) is an excellent pickguard for Fender American/Mexican Stratocaster Standard Modern Style, 3Ply Black (Musiclily Pro Model). The Musiclily Pro 11 Hole Loaded Guitar Strat Pickguard HSS with Noiseless Alnico 5 Pickup Humbucker Prewired Scratch Plate Set for Fender American/Mexican Stratocaster Standard Modern Style, 3Ply Black (Musiclily Pro Model) is 3 holes(single coil - single coil - humbucker). This pickguard is prewired with 3 pickups(neck - middle - bridge humbucker). The Musiclily Pro 11 Hole Loaded Guitar Strat Pickguard HSS with Noiseless Alnico 5 Pickup Humbucker Prewired Scratch Plate Set for Fender American/Mexican Stratocaster Standard Modern Style, 3Ply Black (Musiclily Pro Model) is 11 holes, 3 ply PVC pickguard. The Musiclily Pro 11 Hole Loaded Guitar Strat Pickguard HSS with Noiseless Alnico 5 Pickup Humbucker Prewired Scratch Plate Set for Fender American/Mexican Stratocaster Standard Modern Style, 3Ply Black (Musiclily Pro Model) is Noiseless Alnico 5 pickup set.

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Musiclily Dual Hot Rail High Output Guitar Single Coil Size Humbucker Pickup for Fender Squier Strat, White

Musiclily Dual Hot Rail High Output Guitar Single Size Coil Humbucker Pickup for Fender Squier Strat

by Musiclily

You can install it in guitar neck, middle, bridge position. Just note: This pickup is not a reversed polarity design

The Musiclily Dual Hot Rail High Output Guitar Single Coil Size Humbucker Pickup for Fender Squier Strat is a drop-in replacement for your Fender Squier Strat guitar. It features a ceramic magnet, wax potted, high output. The Musiclily Dual Hot Rail High Output Guitar Single Coil Size Humbucker Pickup for Fender Squier Strat fits standard single coil size, drop-in to replace. The pickup has four wires so it can be splitted. The Musiclily Dual Hot Rail High Output Guitar Single Coil Size Humbucker Pickup for Fender Squier Strat has a 9K ohm resistance, so it will match all your guitars. The Musiclily Dual Hot Rail High Output Guitar Single Coil Size Humbucker Pickup for Fender Squier Strat is suitable for all types of guitars, for example Fender Squier Strat, Fender Squier Telecaster, Fender Squier Jazz Bass, Fender Jaguar, etc. The pickup has a 3.5 mm jack connection.

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Wilkinson Low Gauss Hot Rail Ceramic Single Coil Sized Humbucker Bridge Pickup for Strat Electric Guitar, Black Rail

Wilkinson Low Gauss Hot Rail Ceramic Single Coil Humbucker Sized Bridge Pickup for Strat Electric Guitar

by Wilkinson

This pickup has no noise but with a narrow focused sound akin a very powerful single coil pickup. Perfect for your Hot Rod style guitar, mix and match with true single coils to give you a great variety of tonalities

The Wilkinson Low Gauss Hot Rail Ceramic Single Coil Sized Humbucker Bridge Pickup for Strat Electric Guitar is a good choice for players who want a humbucker pickup for the bridge position of their Strat style electric
guitar. The Wilkinson Low Gauss Hot Rail has a slightly more saturated sound than some ceramic pickups, but it's well balanced, with a lively, focused tone. The Wilkinson Low Gauss Hot Rail Ceramic Single Coil Sized Humbucker Bridge Pickup for Strat Electric Guitar has a robust, solid build, and it paired well with an acoustic-electric guitar with a passive preamp. The Wilkinson Low Gauss Hot Rail Ceramic Single Coil Sized Humbucker Bridge Pickup for Strat Electric Guitar has clear, well-defined highs, a warm, focused midrange, and a clean, full bass. The Wilkinson Low Gauss Hot Rail Ceramic Single Coil Sized Humbucker Bridge Pickup for Strat Electric Guitar has a slightly scooped treble response, which can get muddy when amplified, but it sounds great unplugged. The Wilkinson Low Gauss Hot Rail Ceramic Single Coil Sized Humbucker Bridge Pickup for Strat Electric Guitar has a smooth, quiet attack, and it responds well to bends and vibrato. The Wilkinson Low Gauss Hot Rail Ceramic Single Coil Sized Humbucker Bridge Pickup for Strat Electric Guitar is a good choice for players who want a humbucker pickup for the bridge position of their Strat style electric
guitar.

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Wilkinson Low Gauss Black Hot Rail Ceramic Single Coil Sized Humbucker Pickups for Strat Electric Guitar (Bridge)

Wilkinson Low Gauss Black Hot Rail Ceramic Single Sized Coil Humbucker Pickups for Strat Electric Guitar (Bridge)

by Wilkinson

This pickup is noiseless. It has a narrow focused sound akin a very powerful single coil pickup. Perfect for modding your guitar! Mix and match with true single coils to give you a great variety of tonalities.

Wilkinson bridges are tough to find, and this pack offers four high-quality bridges at a great price. These humbuckers have a ceramic magnet and a 15K D.C. resistance, which gives them a fairly low noise floor and great note clarity. The Wilkinson bridges have stainless steel saddles, which are a bit more expensive, but offer superior intonation. The Wilkinson bridges are also adjustable, so you can set the bridge height to accommodate a player's personal preference. We also tested these bridges on a Fender Standard Stratocaster, and we found they fit directly over the pickguard with no modifications to the existing wiring. The Wilkinson bridges have a great sound, and they offer accurate intonation, which is particularly important for electric players, who rely on intonation to get a good sound from their instruments. The Wilkinson bridges also come with a mounting screw, so you can install them yourself.

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8.5
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Prewired Strat Pickguard Loaded Single-Coil-Sized Humbucker Pickups,3-Ply Electric Guitar Coil Guard,5-Way Alnico V Magnet Stack Pickup with Tone Volume Knobs for Fender Stratocaster,Beige

LAMSAM Prewired Strat Pickguard Single-Coil-Sized Loaded Humbucker Pickups

by Key-tech manufacture

SPECIFICATION & PACKAGES - Neck pickup R:8.5-9K / Middle pickup R:8.5-9K / Bridge pickup R:9K; net weight - 13.07ounces, gross weight - 22.4ounce; packages come with 1pc prewired scratch guard, 11pcs guitar mounting screws, a sturdy box

The Prewired Strat Pickguard Loaded Single-Coil-Sized Humbucker Pickups,3-Ply Electric Guitar Coil Guard,5-Way Alnico V Magnet Stack Pickup with Tone Volume Knobs for Fender Stratocaster,Beige is a high-quality pickup guard for Fender Stratocaster electric guitars. The pickup guard is prewired, and preloaded with 3-ply plastic scratch protector shell, 5-way pickup selection switch, and 1-way tone pot. All the parts like dual coil pups tone and volume knobs 5-way pickup selection switch Potentiometer capacitor were pre-wired and loaded onto the scratch protector, only need to take few minutes to solder two ground wires and one output wire. The pickup guard can fit 6-strings guitars with 3-conductor output jack. The pickup uses the alnico v magnet, and 5-way pickup selector switch. The pickups are wax potted. The pickup guard has a wide application, can be applied to Fender ST / Strat / Stratocast / MIM style guitars or other DIY electric guitars.

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Alnicov Dual Hot Rail Humbucker Pickup Single Coil Guitar Pickup Fit for TL Strat Squier Tele Electric Guitar,Black

Alnicov Dual Hot Rail Humbucker Pickup Single Coil Guitar Fit Pickup for TL Strat Squier Tele Electric Guitar

by Alnicov

Tones Features: Full, Sensitive Solid and Thick Sound. It is Specially Designed to Enhance Distortion and Metal Power for Strat Style Bridge Position

The Alnicov Dual Hot Rail Humbucker Pickup is a single coil pickup with a hum-canceling design that makes it an excellent choice for players who like the sound of humbuckers but want to reduce noise. The pickup's ceramic magnet provides plenty of clarity, and the pickup's wax potted design eliminates the unwanted feedback that often plagues humbuckers. The pickup is wired for simple two-pickup switching, which makes it easy to fit this pickup to any guitar. The pickup is relatively small, so it's well suited for smaller guitars, such as electric guitars with smaller-sized bodies. The pickup isn't necessarily a good choice for very large-bodied guitars, however, because the pickup's size makes it difficult to accommodate larger strings. The pickup produces plenty of sound for such a small pickup, and the pickup's smaller size also makes it well suited for smaller guitars. The pickup is backed by Alnicov's manufacturer's warranty, which is one year.

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8
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The Alnico V set from Seymour Duncan is one of the best sounding pickup sets available for electric guitars, and it's one of the few sets that retains the vintage tone without sounding overly vintage. These pickups have a fatter, richer sound than Alnico 5 or 6, and they still retain the highs and mids, making this set a good choice for rock players who want a fat, full-bodied tone. The tone isn't quite as bright or harsh as a typical vintage set, so it's particularly good for players who like their tone a little warmer. The pickups are humbuckers, but they're designed for single coils, so they're slightly thinner and brighter than typical humbuckers. The Alnico V set also produces higher output than many other sets, so it's a good choice for players who need more volume. The set comes with three pickup covers, and it's also compatible with Duncan's 3-Conductor Strat pickup.

9
8
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Oripure Hot Rail Pickups Single-Coil-Sized Humbucker 16K Alnico5 Guitar Pickup Fit Fender Strat Squier Tele Electric Guitar, White

Oripure Hot Rail Pickups Single-Coil-Sized Humbucker 16K Alnico5 Pickup Guitar Fit Fender Strat Squier Tele Electric Guitar

by iknmusic

Tones Features: Full, Sensitive Solid and Thick Sound. It is Specially Designed to Enhance Distortion and Metal Power for Strat Style Bridge Position.

The Oripure Hot Rail pickups are an excellent option for those on a budget who still want great sounding pickups. The 16K pickups are slightly brighter than our top pick, the EMG 81-80, but just as punchy, and at $80, they're even less expensive than the EMGs. The Hot Rails are slightly warmer than the EMGs, with more of a midrange presence. The Hot Rails also use Alnico 5 magnets, which is a little brighter than the stock-style Alnico 2 magnets used in EMGs. The pickups are slightly smaller than the EMGs, so they're a better fit for smaller scale guitars. The Hot Rails are less versatile than the EMGs, as you can't switch the pickup out easily, and the pickup is sealed, so it's prone to feedback. The screws for mounting the pickups are smaller than the screws used on the EMGs, so it's harder to install them, and it's harder to adjust the height.

10
7.7
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Wilkinson Low Gauss Hot Rail Ceramic Single Coil Sized Humbucker Middle Pickup for Strat Electric Guitar, Black Rail

Wilkinson Low Gauss Hot Rail Ceramic Single Coil Humbucker Sized Middle Pickup for Strat Electric Guitar

by Wilkinson

This pickup has no noise but with a narrow focused sound akin a very powerful single coil pickup. Perfect for your Hot Rod style guitar, mix and match with true single coils to give you a great variety of tonalities

If you're looking for a single-coil-sized humbucker replacement for your Strat or Telecaster, the Wilkinson Low Gauss Blue Rail Ceramic humbucker is worth considering. It's easy to install, has nice tone, and sounds good both clean and dirty, though it's a bit brighter than the P. Mauriat humbuckers we tested. The Wilkinson Low Gauss Blue Rail Ceramic humbucker has a wide frequency response and enough output to work well for most cases, though it's a bit bright for clean tone. We wouldn't recommend pairing it with a cigar box guitar, as the bright tone would sound too harsh. The Wilkinson Low Gauss Blue Rail Ceramic humbucker also has less output than the P. Mauriat humbuckers we tested, but if you're looking for a humbucker replacement, that shouldn't be an issue. The Wilkinson Low Gauss Blue Rail Ceramic humbucker is a good choice for typical Strat and Telecaster setups.

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