What humbuckers do you suggest for a Superstrat?

[PlatinumFox]

Hey everybody. I'm working on putting together a superstrat and could use some help finding the right pickups. I'll probably get a Jazz for the neck position, but I need to figure out the bridge position.

I plan on playing stuff like Dokken, Van Halen, Alice in Chains, and Queensryche. Maybe a JB could work, but I'd like your feedback.

Feel free to suggest pickups from any brand as well. I'm open to suggestions.

Tone examples:

I know I won't be able to match the multitracked mayhem, but surely the right pickups can help.
https://youtu.be/PaydF5KWTnY?si=_ITsfTBOiZkkxltg

https://youtu.be/ea-rKcNkCgA?si=jm0bSDZ1LI9egwaD&t=35

 

[Aceman]

So many good options...but...

JB/Jazz is a hard to beat combo for all around hard rocking.

My other suggestion might be a Distortion/59. That's more highs, tighter bass, and a more classic PAF neck.

No one pickup will hit all of that well. However, either combo and an EQ pedal going into the amp would do a lot.

 

[Mincer]

I say get a JB and be in 80s heaven.

 

[Coma]

I've the JB/Jazz in one of my superstrats. The JB is very good, has a lot of bite to it. Quite a few people here have complained about it having too much of an upper mid hump. Personally, I don't hear it. I think it's very well balanced.

The jazz to me is quite uninspiring, both for playing clean or for smoother leads.

I've got floyded superstrats loaded with Dimarzio Tone Zone + Air Norton, EMG 89, Sentient + Pegasus and Full Shred + modded Alnico 2 Pro. Except the Full Shred, all of those sound very good. Tone Zone is the warmest, sounds pretty good split, would probably work well for hard rock. The alnico 2 pro is probably my current favorite neck pup. The solo tone is smooth and it sounds great split if you wanna do the whole spanky strat/crystal clean thing. The EMG sounds great if you crank the gain, but it is very much a metal pup in a metal guitar.

But honestly, your amp and speakers will have the largest impact.

 

[donaldr]

I have a set of EMG Retroactive Fat 55 in my Ibanez and I'm very impressed, they cover a lot of ground and don't sound like the usual 81/85 pickups.

 

[Securb]

I got a Dimebucker/Jazz combo in the Iceman that pairs well and a Dimebucker in my Superstrat that screams.

 

[uOpt]

'78

 

[EmiAba]

I'd go with a full shred set.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

I'd say JB or Distortion would be a safe bet. I think either would more than get the job done.

I don't think they sound the same, but I also think there's a lott of overlap between both. Enough to say both would get the tones on the OP.

 

[Artie]

I'd say JB or Distortion would be a safe bet.

And a Distortion sounds great split. A Custom Custom is also sweet in an HSS Strat.

 

[donaldr]

Always under the radar, but if I ever build another Superstrat I would definitely try a PA-TB3 bridge and a PA-TB1n neck.

 

[Artie]

Always under the radar, but if I ever build another Superstrat I would definitely try a PA-TB3 bridge and a PA-TB1n neck.

Killer combo!

 

[jeremy]

patb3 is a great pup!

 

[Aceman]

If DiMarzio is in play, a PAF/SuperDistortion is a great combo, or an Air Norton/ToneZone

 

[Sirion]

Since Dokken was the first band mentioned: go get the new Exciter, which was long known as the Dokkenbucker (later The Hunter), and is based on the modified Distortion that Lynch used in the late Dokken days.

 

[MikeS]

The two YouTube clips posted were JB and DD. I find the JB to be more versatile than the DD.