Do you need the best humbucker for Strat? Look no further; you’re in the right place.
The Fender Stratocaster, popularly called the ‘Strat,’ is an electric bass model introduced in the early 1950s that still finds extensive applications. Featuring a distinctive elongated top with a horn style for steadiness and a dual-cutaway profile on the upper bout adjoining the neck, the Strat works with both single-coil and dual-coil pickups.
Humbuckers that first emerged in 1934 as an upgraded option to single-coil pickups tend to be heavily popular with hard rock and metal bassists. A humbucker helps belt out the acoustic sweet spot associated with Strat tunes that seasoned bassists attempt to accomplish.
That’s why we decided to find and compare the eight best humbuckers for Strat.
Best Humbuckers for Strat – Comparison Table
1. Seymour Duncan SH8 Invader ( (Editor’s Choice and the Best Humbucker for Strat Bridge)
This is the best Strat pickup for bridge, in our opinion.
The Seymour Duncan SH8 Invader blends three big ceramic magnets, twelve black oxide cap screws, and hot coils punch much above its weight. The judicious conjunction of powerful ceramic magnets and hot coils imparts an extensive magnetic field pumping power into the amplifier, making an impressive soundstage. As a result, the aural effects picked up by your tympanums tend to be perfectly resonant, clean, and heavy.
You’ll also love to use the SH8 Invader by Seymour Duncan, as the melodious notes produced even at a low volume spares you from the hassle of using a gate during recording. The SH8 delivers a heavy, full-bodied sound striking a chord with punk rock and heavy metal or rock. The Seymour Duncan SH8 Invader may look intimidating and vicious but the notes it helps reproduce are pleasantly warm.
The SH8, handcrafted, features oversized metal pole pieces, ceramic bar magnets, nickel silver bottom plate, and 4-conductor lead wires for customized wiring options.
So, this wraps up our review for the best bridge humbucker for Strat.
Features
- Three ceramic magnets with over-wound coils
- Double-coil pickup
- High output
- 4-conductor hookup suitable for multiple wiring options
- 12 black-oxide screws
Pros
- The performance-oriented bridge pickup will make any electric guitar perform optimally
- The large metal oxide pole pieces, oversized ceramic magnets, and over-wound coils join forces to make this pickup powerful
- Delivers very profound low-end and stocky sounds
- Vacuum wax-potted checks squealing and screeching
Cons
- Cleaner subtler tones that tend to be somewhat piercing may not appeal to many
- This pickup is a pickguard mount (instead of being direct mounting) which many bassists may find inconvenient
- The screws are a bit on the heavier side.
2. Seymour Duncan 11205-02- SHR-1b
The 11205-02-SHR-1b Hot Rails Strat Guitar Pickup is one of the most sought-after humbucker pickups used extensively by rock and blues bassists. Taking inspiration from the vintage coils of the 1950s, this versatile humbucker makes amps give off a full and warm yet loaded sound. The vacuum wax potting and sealing and the Alnico 5 bar magnet render it companionable with the booming amplifiers and the lightweight bass strings of the 1950s.
The modernized design of the Seymour Duncan 11205-02-SHR-1b implies that this double-coil pickup is now more compatible with various styles. As this humbucking pickup easily installs on a guitar with an opening for single-coil, you feel the noise-cancellation effect. In addition, this humbucker comes outfitted with dual thin blades for creating a highly powerful sound with great sustain, ideal for heavy rock.
Features
- Seymour Duncan pickup typified by an unusually high output
- Four conductor cables available in black and white colors
- Bridge pickup
- Passive pickup
- Protective covering
Pros
- This Hot Rail pickup works for both bridge and middle or neck positions
- Pickup responds and performs superbly on rosewood and maple fingerboards
- The beefy tone syncs seamlessly with vintage rock, garage rock, and metal
Cons
- Those still on the learning curve might find the directions for wiring a bit confusing.
3. Seymour Duncan SHR-1 Hot Rails
If you’re looking for a more dynamic sound from your bass, then the Seymour Duncan Hot Rails SHR-1 bridge pickup is your best bet. Despite being a single-coil pickup, the SHR-1 pickup is as powerful as a humbucker and effortlessly installable in any single-coil compatible bass. In addition, the Hot Rails SHR-1 is one of the most versatile offerings from Seymour Duncan that boasts of extraordinarily high output.
This single-coil pickup comes equipped with ceramic magnets and wax potting, ensuring a thickset tenor with a steady sustain. Guitarists and bassists specializing in funky rock, blues, jazz, and country genres will find the SHR-1 Hot Rails immensely handy. The SHR-1 pickup features two slim blades along with heavy-duty coil wraps that help reproduce intensely powerful audio.
No wonder bassists find the Hot Rails SHR-1 pickup indispensable for playing heavy metal and rock. This Duncan Seymour pickup reacts to even the most delicate of strumming, thanks to its excellent sensitivity.
Features
- A high output Seymour Duncan pickup
- Four conductor cables offer different wiring options
- Ideal for full and fat tones
- Pickup for the neck position
Pros
- This bridge pickup makes your Strat give off powerful and rich tones
- Single-coil package with the potency of a humbucker
- Excellent noise canceling effect
Cons
- Installing this pickup could be an issue if you’re not into electrical soldering.
4. Seymour Duncan Little 59er Pickup
The Little 59er Pickup by Seymour Duncan comes across as a highly versatile humbucker as it fits seamlessly into any modern-day single-coil Strat without carrying out any modification. The sound output is nearly identical to the classic tones reflected by PAF, regarded as the benchmark for analyzing humbuckers. The adjustable pole pieces allow you to keep fine-tuning the tone until you get it right and regulate the balance between strings.
The adaptable pole pieces also let you set the appropriate punch level, resulting in an open and rich sound. The Seymour Duncan Little 59er Bridge Pickup with a single-coil is designed like a humbucker rendering it ideal for heavy rock, classic rock, funky rock, blues, and jazz music genres. This pickup is companionable with neck and bridge positions and does well in basses with rosewood and maple fingerboards.
Features
- Directly replaces stock single-coil pickups
- Replicates the notes of a ’59 humbucker
- Adjustable pole pieces
- Single-coil sized
- Twin-coil design
- Bridge pickup
Pros
- Smooth and clear tone with a consistent dynamic response
- When coupled with Duckbuckers in the middle and neck positions delivers the best of ’57 Strat and ’59 Les Paul tones
- Adaptable pole pieces facilitate creating the perfect punch level as well as adjusting string balance
Cons
- Lowering pickup height adversely affects volume balance
- Inexperienced bassists may have difficulty understanding the phasing instructions for setting up with other Fender style pickups
5. OriPure OHJ5-B Humbucker
The OripurecOHJ5-B Alnico 5 Humbucker is a handcrafted bridge pickup that enables your guitar to deliver strong and punchy notes. The reproduced tones tend to be smooth and mellowed with high granularity and elasticity. This handmade pickup for electric guitars can also help produce extremely powerful rhythms and immersive solos that have a good impact.
The Alnico 5 double-coil OHJ5-B Humbucker by OriPure comes integrated with 12 adjustable hexagonal screw pole pieces that boost its pickup capabilities. This bridge humbucker pickup comes with springs and screws, enabling you to install the component easily. In addition, the OHJ-5 humbucker can eliminate noise, undesirable feedback, and microphonics as it is wax-potted and sealed.
Features
- Pickup position: Bridge pickup
- 12 adjustable hexagonal screw pole pieces
- Magnet: Alnico 5
- Pole spacing: 52mm
- Wax sealed and potted
Pros
- Well-designed, high-quality pickup guarantees a full-blown tone
- Spongy bass, a clean midrange, and smooth highs
- Wax sealing improves the pickup’s longevity
Cons
- Soldering the piece could be problematic and take time owing to the unusual wiring.
6. DiMarzio DP218 Humbucker
If you’re looking to squeeze out more from your Strat workhorse, then impart to it the versatility of the DiMarzio DP218 Humbucker. This Strat Humbucker has been designed meticulously to ensure that it packs in the same combination of tone and power as the original Super Distortion S Strat pickup. DiMarzio has also taken great care in fine-tuning the sound keeping in mind that the DP218 humbucker will be fixed in the vintage inclined bridge position.
This state-of-the-art bridge pickup features four-conductor coils both for split-coil and parallels humbucking modes.
Features
- Simulates the performance of the original Super Distortion S Strat Humbucker
- Designed meticulously for installing in a slanted bridge position
- Offers delicate balance for both lead playing and rhythm
- Performs as effectively as a humbucker
Pros
- Brawny mids with powerful low-ends
- Vintage high-output tone
- Four conductor cables for split-coil and humbucking techniques
Cons
- Thinline telecasters may find this pickup a tad too hot to handle
7. DiMarzio DP184 Humbucker
The Chopper Single-Coil DiMarzio DP184 Single-Coil Humbucker packs in a greater punch compared to its brethren-Fast Track 1. This DiMarzio pickup aids in dialing in a crunchier and crispier sound, thanks to the concentration of power in the mids and low-end. You’ll never have to put up with string-pull issues or imbalanced poles as the DP184 humbucker features the twin-blade construction and juxtaposed coils of the Fast Track 1.
The Chopper single-coil humbucker works excellently in neck and bridge positions and can be used in conjunction with two Fast Track 1s neck and middle pickups.
Features
- Shares features of Fast Track 1
- Recommended for use in all positions
- 4-conductor wiring for multiple wiring options
Pros
- Works in perfect sync in the bridge position with Fast Track 1, The Chopper, and Pro Track
- It matches the original Super Distortion S Strat humbucker in tone and power.
Cons
- Classicists will choose a Tele Deluxe pickup over a Chopper.
8. Fleor M00071-3-4 Humbucker
The Fleor M00071-3-4 dual-coil pickup is the best humbucker for Strat, in our opinion.
As a celebrated bassist, if you want to make a statement with your electric guitar or Fender Stratocaster, then look no further. This neck+ bridge humbucker pickup pair from Fleor works perfectly with any electric guitar model ensuring sonic clarity and minimizing audio feedback. Featuring Alnico 5 magnets, these Fleor bass pickups serve as a seamless replacement for stock humbuckers installed in most electric guitars.
This humbucker pair by Fleor helps achieve a crunchy bass tone minus the common squeakiness with Alnico 2 PRS and Seymour Duncans. You’ll be pleasantly surprised when you’ll hardly experience any hash or fizz when you go on overdrive. You bet you’ll be able to make your Strat twang, wail, clang, and croon when you install the Fleor M00071-3-4 Humbuckers in your bass.
Features
- Double-coil humbucker pickup for neck + bridge
- Replaces OEM humbuckers in electric guitars
- Alnico 5 magnets: 6 adjustable screw pole pieces and six non-adjustable slug pole pieces
- Wax potted and sealed
- Pickup pole spacing: 52mm (bridge); 50mm (neck)
- Bobbin: Black color ABS bobbins
Pros
- 12 pole pieces (six adjustable and six non-adjustable) makes this humbucker pickup immensely powerful
- Works with any Strat or electric guitar compatible with double-coil pickups
- Wax potted and sealed for minimizing microphonics and audio feedback
- Wax sealing also prolongs the active lifespan of the pickup
Cons
- Playing at high volume could cause a slight distortion
- Not suitable for surf and country bassists
Single Coil vs. Humbucker on Strat
The archetypal Stratocaster came with three built-in single-coil pickups but later on underwent design modifications enabling the Strat to work with double-coil humbucker as well. Though your electric guitar or bass might be compatible with both single-coil and humbucker pickups, there are noticeable differences in how they sound. By and large, humbuckers tend to be more effective for overdrive, while single-coil pickups come in handy for crisp sounds.
But if you take the time to experiment with both pickup types, you’ll have a better idea about the subtle distinctions in tone. For example, bassists strongly feel that humbuckers reflect heavy sound identified as warmer and rounder. On the other hand, single-coils come to your aid if you’re more into temporal or fuzzy effects.
Additionally, good single-coil pickups owing to their lower output, suit better with modulation effects. Finally, in sharp contrast highlights, Humbuckers sustain generated by the woodwork of the guitar’s fingerboard, neck, and body. Nevertheless, the amp type used also makes a huge difference.
Single-coils can reproduce smooth clanging sounds based on the playing technique and amp type. With humbuckers, the soundscape feels more hollowed out and attenuated. While surf and country players will settle for single-coils, bassists focusing on metal, rock, and jazz will go for humbuckers.
You can also get the best from the two worlds by using the best P90s that fit the humbucker slot.
Conclusion: The Best Humbucker for Strat
In this article on ‘Best Humbucker for Strat’, we compared four Seymour Duncan humbuckers, two DiMarzio humbuckers, and one pickup from Fleor and OriPure. Bassists have the leeway to choose from veritable double-coil pickups and single-size coils designed as dual-coil humbucking pickups.
While Seymour Duncan pickups quickly chart to the top of the list, DiMarzio, Fleor, and OriPure humbuckers can give the Duncan models a run for their money.
The Fleor M00071-3-4 double-coil pickup is the best humbucker available on the market at the moment.