Are you looking for the best HSS pickup set to upgrade your Strat? Look no further; you are already in the right place!
The standard US HSS Strat features a Diamondback humbucker and two Fender custom-built single-coils, while the Mexican version comes with regular single-coils and humbucker.
The pickups embedded in a MIM HSS Strat enable it to belt out tunes that are subtly distinct from that of its American cousin.
These both are pretty decent but if you want an upgrade we have several good options for you listed below:
Best HSS Pickups and Pickup Sets – Comparison Table
1. Seymour SH4-JB Model Humbucker Pickup (Editor’s Choice)
The SH4-JB Model Humbucker Pickup has been the go-to double-coil humbucker for most bassists for over 30 years. Compatible with a wide variety of musical genres, you can stay rest assured that the SH-4JB will suit your playing style. This Seymour Duncan humbucker pickup comes to your aid regardless of whether you specialize in heavy metal, rock, blues, country, grunge, thrash, or punk.
The SH4-JB Model Humbucker guarantees thumping output without sacrificing full-bodies harmonics and mellifluous highs and maintaining a perfect mix of distortion and sustain. This humbucker pickup delivers a more powerful and hard-hitting treble compared to SH-4 Custom 5, transitioning effortlessly from blistering rock ‘n’ roll to mesmerizing blues. The highs are crunchy and brittle, the lows tend to be full, and there’s an unmistakable smack in the upper midrange.
This refined detailing reinforces the hefty chords’ crunchiness that transforms to a crooning diva-like quality while playing solos. The SH4-JB pairs perfectly with a 250k pot for a softer and sweeter tone, as well as with a 500k pot for a rasping high-end attack.
Features
- Standard replacement for bridge pickup in HSS Strat
- Staggered pole pieces for installing in split-coil mode
- Unique and hardwearing construction: Alnico 2 pole caps
- Supremely suitable for a wide range of musical genres such as vintage rock, blues, jazz, country, and punk
Pros
- Ideal for practicing a sweeping gamut of playing styles starting from heavy metal to hard rock and everything in between
- Suitable for pairing with neck pickups such as an SH-1 ’59 or SH-2n Jazz for vintage PAF tenor
- Effortlessly toggles from feral rock ‘n’ roll to poignant jazzy tunes
- 4-conductor connection cable for customized wiring
Cons
The pickup is wanting in focus and sounds a bit too flimsy.
2. Seymour Duncan SH8Â Invader Bridge Pickup (Close Runner-Up)
The SH-8 Invader Bridge Pickup from Seymour Duncan comes equipped with three large ceramic magnets, hot coils, and 12 black oxide cap screws. The powerful combination of three heavy-duty ceramic magnets and the hot coils creates a broad electromagnetic field to propel power into your guitar amp. Consequently, the guitar amp and the mixers help generate an imposing soundstage enabling you to play your style positively.
The SH-8 Invader bridge pickup facilitates your bass to reproduce notes that tend to be heavy, crystal clear, and punchy. You do not need to use an electronic gate even when recording music at low volume as the tune is harmonious. The notes this Seymour Duncan bridge pickup delivers are sweet and snug, its menacing and dark looks notwithstanding.
Handcrafted in California, the SH8 Invader features extra-large metal pole pieces, nickel-silver bottom plate, and ceramic bar magnets, ensuring high output. On the other hand, 4-conductor lead cables offer players a range of wiring options.
Features
- The double-coil humbucking bridge pickup
- High-output
- Three large ceramic magnets with overwound coils
- 12 black oxide screws
- 4-conductor lead wires for multiple wiring options
- Screws and springs for ease of installation
Pros
- Comprehensive electromagnetic field for pumping greater power into the amp
- A potent blend of black oxide cap screws, hot coils, and big ceramic magnets for a unique sound palette
- Punchy and crystal clear notes
Cons
- The screws are somewhat heavy
- The clean and subtle tones could be a bit shrilling.
3. Seymour Duncan JB Humbucker Pickup
Seymour Duncan claims that its JB Humbucker Pickup is the most sought-after humbucking double-coil the world over. The JB Humbucker pickup model continues to be Seymour Duncan’s most preferred pickup to date. The JB Humbucker has enabled bassists to fine-tune thrash, grunge, hard rock, punk, fusion, country, and blues and enabled them to master the new-fangled genres.
The higher output from the JB humbucker enables the guitar amp to try a bit more for better harmonics and sustain. The highs tend to be full and crunchy, while the lows typify robustness and detailing. There’s an upper-midrange bump that adds crunch and chunk to heavy chords but translates to a singing, vocal-like quality when you play single notes or solos.
Use it with a 500k volume pot for an excellent high-end cut, or try a 250k pot to sweeten and soften the tone for smoother styles. It pairs particularly well with the Jazz or ’59 neck pickups, and some players even like to use a JB in the neck position for an extra-fat solo tone.
Handcrafted in Seymour Duncan’s Santa Barbara factory in California, the JB humbucker has Alnico 5 magnets, nickel-silver bottom plate, and 4-conductor cables for split-coil, parallel, and series wiring. The Seymour Duncan JB Humbucker features vacuum wax potting for reducing hum and buzz. You can choose from the standardized Trembucker or Humbucker spacing for the passive mount 7-string or 6-string versions.
Features
- Considered as the most sought-after humbucker globally
- Bridge position humbucker
- Includes 4-conductor hookup wire for multiple wiring options
Pros
- Pairs seamlessly with warm sounding and balanced electric guitars
- Compatible for use in standard midrange HSS Strat
Cons
- If you want ultra-high gain, then look elsewhere; unsuitable for alternative metal genres.
4. Fleor M00074-2 Humbucker Pickup Set
Install the Fleor M00074-2 Humbucker Pickup Set on your HSS Strat, and you bet you’ll be amazed by the results. This Alnico 5 Electric Guitar Bridge Pickup/Double Coil Humbucker set pairs perfectly with the stock single-coil bridge pickups in your existing guitar. Performance-wise, these pickups simulate a DiMarzio in string balance and attack and bite, while the EQ effects somewhat resemble Seymour Duncan’s.
These pickups have been fully wax potted and sealed, offering them excellent shielding and eliminating hum and audio feedback. Embedded with Alnico 5 magnets, this humbucker pickup set comes with 12 adjustable hexagonal screw pole pieces. The package includes the complete set of springs and screws to enable you to install the pickup pair with ease.
Features
- Humbucker bridge pickup
- Alnico 5 pickup with 12 adjustable screw pole pieces
- Screws and springs included for hassle-free installation
Pros
- Wax potting for purging undesirable feedback
- Works with any bass that accepts humbuckers
- Pairs well with single-coils
Cons
- Greenhorns could face an issue installing these pickups as the pack does not include any color-coded wiring diagram.
- The wires of the pickup are a tad too short, necessitating you to buy additional 22AWG cables.
5. Seymour Duncan SH-PG1b Pearly Gates Bridge Pickup
The SH-PG1b Pearly Gates Bridge Pickup by Seymour Duncan is temperate and a bit more blistering than a vintage humbucker. The Pearly Gates Humbucker pickup will effortlessly turn any Gibson Les Paul solid-body bass into an archetypal rock-style instrument. This bridge pickup is a quintessential P.A.F delivering an extraordinary tonal palette with a midrange snappier than the 60s humbuckers.
The Pearly Gates humbucker is vulgar yet with a hint of subtle sweetness and dials in good sustain and a sparkling high. Â The midrange accents reveal a distinctive Texas sputter while the highs sound fresh and invigorating, thanks to the Alnico 2 bar magnets. The Pearly Gates bridge pickup by Seymour Duncan will go a long way in enabling you to play your preferred genre to the hilt, owing to its versatility.
Features
- Humbucker bridge pickup
- Moderate output
- Nickel casing
Pros
- 4-conductor lead wire for series, parallel, and split-coil wiring
- More appropriate with warmer toned instruments
- Usable in both bridge and neck position
Cons
- It can become uncomfortably loud when you turn up the volume knob.
6. Seymour Duncan Everything Axe Strat Set
The Seymour Duncan Everything Axe Strat Set of three empowers your Strat hugely, enabling the instrument to reproduce a wide gamut of tunes. This pickup set for Strat comprises a Little 59er neck, Duck bucker middle, and a JB Jr. bridge pickup. This single-coil size pickup displays the best features of a humbucker, letting your guitar reflect a high-pitched lead tone, a vintage upper midrange, and pure crispy chords.
You can achieve a focused and taut low-end interspersed with a rich sprinkling of glittering chords. The Duck bucker (the pickup in the middle) aids in accomplishing the bubbly tone that you associate with single coils, especially for the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th strings. The three poles in each coil set in a special split-pole pattern make the pickups bring out the cracking low end and liveliness typical of single-coils.
In the neck position, the Little 59 contributes towards reproducing thickset pithy solos characterized by tight and full-size harmonics.
Features
- Replaces stock pickups for neck, middle, and bridge positions
- Unique split-pole pattern
- Super-versatile single-coil sized humbucker
Pros
- Offers a new lease of life to your instrument
- Replicates the best attributes of single-coils
- Hum-free performance
Cons
- Not as hot as the Diamondback pickups
7. Fishman Fluence SS Active Single Width Pickup
Fishman specializing in electric and acoustic guitar pickups, MIDI control, and amplification instruments, continues to benchmark for quality and sound even after more than three decades. The Fluence SS Active Single-Width Pickup impeccably reflects Fishman’s unflinching commitment towards offering the very best to instrument manufacturers, technicians, and instrumentalists. This new and upgraded single-width pickup enables seamless integration with humbuckers from Fluence for accomplishing HS, HSH, or HSS layouts.
The original Fishman Fluence pickups have been thoroughly remodeled and redesigned, guaranteeing unprecedented clarity, beefy punch, and vintage sweetness in your existing Strat. The Fluence SS pickup steers clear of the annoyance inductance troubles such as hum and feedback afflicting standard coil-wound pickups. Consequently, your instrument reproduces pure and chaste notes without the frustrating hum and noise.
This single-width pickup’s soundscape originates from the ground-breaking Fluence Core, which in turn facilitates the generation of vintage tone and timbres. The Fluence SS active single-coil voice reminds you of the 50s and 60’s vintage tune typified by warmth and clear articulation. On the other hand, you can also dial in the brawny full-bodied Texas overwound tone.
Features
- Single-width pickup
- Belts out any tune you can imagine
- Replaces both single-coils and humbuckers
Pros
- Directly rechargeable via your instrument
- Integrates with HSS, HS, and HSH instruments
- Plastic cover for eliminating noise
Cons
- You might struggle to install this pickup if you’re not comfortable with the soldered installation.
Differentiating Between SSS and HSS in Terms of Pickups
Regardless of whether they’ve accomplished professionals or still on the learning curve, most players have a fair idea about SSS, HSS, HSH, SHS, and numerous other pickup configurations. However, most bassists are concerned with whether to opt for the vintage SSS setup or the more versatile HSS. Single-coils installed in bridge locations tend to give off a finer and more sparkling sound.
On the other hand, a double-coil humbucker set up in bridge position makes the guitar amp belt out a heavier thickset tone. So if you specialize in blues, radio, or country styles, you’re likely to go for SSS configuration. But if you’re into heavier genres such as heavy metal or rock, you’d be better off settling for the HSS setup.
The practice of using the best humbuckers for Strat along with single-coils originated in the 1970s as bassists attempted to get the best of both the worlds-the versatility of a Strat and the playability of a solid-body Les Paul. This experimentation inspired Joe Fender to design Strats featuring an HSS setup, which led to a proliferation of Super Strats in the 80s. The standard MIM or Mexican HSS Strat may not be as adaptable as the American Fender Strat, but the former still offers some unique benefits.
And one of these is the convenience of upgrading to a more resourceful pickup that’ll enable you to play your favorite style more effectively.
Conclusion: Best HSS Pickup Set
In this review of ‘Best HSS pickup Set,’ we compared seven products – five from Seymour Duncan and one each from Fleor and Fishman. The Seymour Duncan humbuckers and single-coils are household names in the US, implying that you can bank on them for use in your HSS Strat. However, the Seymour Duncan pickups command a reasonable price given their extensive popularity.
Nevertheless, the Fishman Fluence humbucker can give the Seymours a run for their money. At the other end of the spectrum, the Fleor costing much less than the branded ones offers much more than what it is worth monetarily.