Can’t find the best pickups for Hendrix tone? Look no further. We will help you to find a good option.
It is impossible to copy the exact Jimi Hendrix’s tone even using the same gear he used. The pickups provided in this guide help to get a good Hendrix sound.
These modern gears also offer extra benefits such as more power options, smaller pedal size, etc. many good single-coil pickups in the market can assist you if you want Hendrix tone.
Since the old days, there is no change in single-coil pickups, and they are favored because of their sharp attack and bright tone. Double-coil pickups or humbuckers do not have hum still, and single coils are used widely.
Let’s take a look at the seven best single-coil pickups we’ve chosen for their genuine Hendrix tone.
Best Pickups for Hendrix Tone – Comparison Table
1. Fender Custom ’69 Pickup (Editor’s Choice)
We cannot avoid Fender when it comes to Hendrix’s tone. These are excellent pickups that are crafted long back, and their great tone places them high on the list. The ’69 pickups are there to fulfill the dream of guitarists. Fender Custom 69 is made with attention to quality components.
The pickups are made with fiber bobbins, cloth lead wires and are wax potted. The wax potting ensures that these are free of microphonics. The Stratocaster pickups create the most liked sounds in the music history that ruled the era. The unique coil wind and magnet structure create transparency and clarity. The pickup design works fantastic with pedals allowing the high end to soar and the low end to thump.
Features
- Authentic tone
- The bridge pick up stays tight and heavy
- Bright and loud
Pros
- Good for vintage tones
- You can use it with any amount of gain
- Sounds fantastic
- Huge upgrade from stock
Cons
Delicate pickup ribbon wires
2. Seymour Duncan California ’50s Pickups (Close Runner-Up)
A three pickup set for guitarists who have modern instrument set-up and seek the bright vintage tone. These pickups are budget-friendly for the guitar-playing population and are worth it. The best part is that you can get that Hendrix tone with these pickups and a wide variety of genres. These pickups amazingly replicate Jimi Hendrix’s tone and give the same feel to our ears.
The vintage-style pickups are made to have a hot tone, and the middle pickup is wound in a manner that eliminates the hum in the combined positions in the neck and bridge. This is beneficial when playing the gear with fuzz or high gain distortion. As a result, these pickups qualify for the best Seymour Duncan pickups for early Hendrix tone.
Features
- The fantastic definition on all frequencies
- Installation is easy
- The perfect tone in all conditions
Pros
- Glassy Sounding
- Best on budget
- Handles high gain
Cons
- Lack the bottom end to balance sounding
3. Fender Pure Vintage ’59 Pickups
The Fender Pure Vintage pickups are made with attention to the winding to create the traditional, authentic performance and tone. The vintage bobbin construction to cloth wiring, the Fender is known for its warm tone. These 59 Strat pickups create a round sweet edge warm tone.
The formvar coated magnet wire improves the brightness, and the Alnico 5 magnets create enhanced and focus dynamics. Balanced output and volume are due to staggered pole pieces across every string. The wax potted ensures that they are free from microphonics. The formvar-coated magnet improves the brightness.
Features
- High output
- Made well
- Wound for authentic tone
- Exceptional performance
Pros
- Great vintage sound
- Pure vintage package
- Installation is easy
Cons
- No hum-canceling in position 2 and 4
4. Wilkinson K929 Pickups
These pickups are unbeatable for the price and sound amazing. The pickups create dirty sound on the neck like Hendrix to quaky strat in a bridge. These give a vintage feel and sound excellent. Wilkinson K929 pickups have ceramic magnets and have staggered pole piece design.
These pickups amazingly replicate Jimi Hendrix’s tone.
The pickups are made to create vintage tines and varieties of other tones. These are fantastic, even if made of ceramics. The set comprises items for installation, and it comes with six mounting screws. These are excellent replacements and create vintage tones. The pickups are worth the price and deliver the high output like highly-priced pickups in the market. The product is best on budget with excellent performance.
Features
- Ceramic Magnets
- Pole piece has staggered design
- Delivers vintage tones
Pros
- Affordable
- High quality
- Easy installation
Cons
- No wiring diagram
5. Fender Pure Vintage ’65 Pickups
The Fender Pure Vintage 65 pickup creates the clean, powerful and clear Hendrix tone. These are constructed to create an authentic vintage tone. From the vintage bobbin construction to cloth wiring, the Fender is known for its warm tone.
The enamel-coated magnet wire creates vintage-style warm tones. The formvar coated magnet wire improves the brightness, and the Alnico 5 magnets create enhanced and focus dynamics. Balanced output and volume are due to staggered pole pieces across every string. The wax potted ensures that they are free from microphonics. The formvar-coated magnet improves the brightness.
Features
- Pick up sound fantastic
- Clean and clear tones
- Pure vintage
Pros
- Unbeatable price tag
- Medium output
- Easy use
Cons
- Kind of bland
6. Seymour Duncan Antiquity Surfer Set
The set comes with three Antiquity II pickups, i.e., RWRP middle pickup, Surf neck pickup, and the custom bridge pickup. These pickups are comfortable for different tone requirements. The Antiquity II Surfer is an ultimate pickup for traditional quack and chime.
These are perfect for playing West Side Soul, Blues, or Jangle Pop. The lows and high gives your guitar a ride without compromising versatility or output. The Antiquity II Surf works with the bridge and neck and is made for the middle position. It mimics humbuckers in the second and fourth notch of a five-way switch. This intentionally created vintage component is made to capture the beauty of Hendrix’s tone.
Features
- Increased musicality within tones
- High-end solution
- Reasonable price tag
- Active high output
Pros
- Round sounding pickups
- Fantastic pickup set
- Super attractive
Cons
- None we could find
7. Fender Custom Shop Strat Texas Pickups
Fender custom shop strat Texas particular pickup set is characterized by the tight, high bass, and midrange chirp. The overwound single coil construction makes it well balanced, and these produce Texas bluestone.
These pickups convey a classic tone that your ears love to hear. Loud and bright tones do not overpower. The versatility of sound is impressive in all switch positions. This perfectly nails that Hendrix tone with ease. The neck position creates a richer tone.
Features
- Active high output.
- Clean tones
- Appealing price
Pros
- Passive pickup
Authentic tone
Low magnet pull
Cons
- Ribbon wires are delicate
Best Pickups for Hendrix Tone: Buying Guide
A guitar pickup transforms the guitar strings sound into an electrical signal. You can amplify this signal. There are certain things to consider while buying the best-sounding pickups for Hendrix tone.
Single/Double Coil
Double coil pickups create a warm tone. Single coil pickups generate clear and bright sound. The choice between them depends on the hole’s size for pickup in your guitar, and the sound preferred.
However, Jimi Hendrix used single coils, and Carlos Santana plays with Humbuckers. Many guitars have a mix of these two.
Size-Specific
The first thing is to know what size pickup is suitable for your guitar. Several instructional videos are there on the internet that can help you with this. We concentrated on Strat pickups because Strat was Jimi’s first choice, so all models mentioned above of single-coil pickups should fit if you have a Stratocaster.
Type
Type of pickup is another crucial aspect to consider for getting the right “Hendrix” sound. Each pickup model creates a different tone depending on its position on the guitar. Identical pickups also create different tones depending on the segment of guitar they are situated.
Those placed near the bridge create high frequency then placed near the neck positions. The tone control depends on the number of a pickup in the guitar. For example, a guitar with three pickups has 5-way switching while 2-pickups have three ways of switching.
Pickup Switching
Some guitars have many pickups, and you can do the change between pickup sounds with a switch. Different permutations are also allowed that let you use a range of combinations with a single style.
Passive/Active
Passive pickups do not need electricityto functiong, while active pickups have a battery-powered preamp and high output and low noise. Get the high output replacement if you feel a weak tone. Try low for muddiness or distortion.
Conclusion: The Best Strat Pickups for Hendrix Tone
Many guitarists are fond of Hendrix’s tone and want to achieve the same these days. This seems easy but may not be the most straightforward task. Copying the guitarist is not that simple as plenty of factors impact the tone, and one of the most crucial factors is the pickups.
Jimi Hendrix has used single coils, and his tone was fuzzy, twangy, and sharp, making it the most prominent one. The vintage-style tones with bright high-end do the work.
So, we need to pick the winner now. We find Fender Custom ’69 pickup as the best to create a vintage-style Hendrix tone. It’s the best Hendrix-style pickup on our list.