7 Best Single Coil Pickups of 2024

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The pickups are perhaps the most important electronic component of a guitar. They determine the instrument's tone, and without them, there would be no signal to amplify.

Today's article will focus on the original guitar pickups: single coil pickups. Dating all the way back to the 1930s, the single-coil pickup has long since been a dependable way to capture guitar tones across all kinds of genres.

If you are looking to upgrade your guitar's pickups, replace broken pickups, or just learn about them, then read on, and you'll see our rankings of the seven best single coil pickups on the market today, as well as a buyer's guide and FAQs about single coil pickups.

The Fender Deluxe Drive Stratocaster pickup set gets our number-one spot thanks to its incredible value. What other pickups will earn a spot on our list? Let's find out!

Best Single Coil Pickups

1. Best Overall Pick – Fender Deluxe Drive Stratocaster Single Coil 3-piece Pickup Set

SPECS

• Price: $99.99
• Magnet: Alnico-3
• Passive

Fender Deluxe Drive single-coil pickups are effective, affordable, and ideal for anyone looking to upgrade or replace their Strat pickups.

They get the top spot on our list because they prioritize convenience and performance above all else. Fender included the installation hardware and pickup covers with this set, so it's a simple matter to install them into your guitar.

And if you'd rather have a guitar tech do it, then it will be a breeze for them and shouldn't take them longer than half an hour or so.

On top of all this, the pickup set is only a hundred dollars, making these Strat pickups a fantastic financial value.

Okay, so they're convenient and cost-efficient, but how do they sound? In a word, powerful.

The set includes a neck pickup, bridge pickup, and middle pickup, all of which have Alnico-3 magnets and flush-mount pole pieces, which provide robust dynamics and an even string response.

These pickups are high-output, so they sound great even with a lot of distortion or other tonal effects. They have an overwound design that beautifully captures your articulation, as well as some high-end sparkle for a tone that really cuts through the mix.

2. The Runner-Up – Fender Ultra Noiseless Hot Stratocaster Pickup Set

SPECS

• Price: $249 - $269
• Magnet: Alnico V
• Passive

Installing these Fender ultra-noiseless Strat pickups is another way to really heat up your tone. These are high-gain passive pickups that are simply a joy to play, especially if you like high-energy music like punk or hard rock.

Stratocasters are the most famous guitars that use single coil pickups, and they've been loved for decades because of their versatility and fluid playability. By installing these ultra-noiseless hot pickups, you can turn your Strat's versatility up another notch by accommodating even crazier tones than before.

The Alnico-V magnets in these pickups make them very high output, especially for passive pickups. In addition, they offer an impressive amount of noise reduction thanks to the tightly wound coils and construction of the electrical components.

Put this all together, and you wind up with some of the best single coil pickups on the market today. High output and effective noise reduction mean you can crank up the distortion or overdrive, and these pickups will maintain their clarity no matter what notes you play.

If you play punk or metal and prefer passive pickups, then this Strat pickup set is a fantastic option for you. And they even sound great on clean settings! Notes are beautifully pronounced and defined with these pickups, so the audience will be able to enjoy all the dynamics and nuances of your playing.

Upgrade to the Fender Ultra Noiseless Hot Stratocaster Pickup Set to give your notes some extra definition and cut out almost all of the unwanted noise in your signal. We reviewed another noiseless alternative, Fender Vintage Noiseless pickups.

If you don't mind the noise, you may as well go for the Fender Original Stratocaster '57/'62 pickups.

3. Best for Metal – EMG SA Active Alnico Strat Single Coil 3-piece Pickup Set

SPECS

• Price: $259
• Active

If you know, you know. EMGs are some of the most sought-after pickups on the market for tone junkies. If you want single coil pickups that can compete with the top-of-the-line humbuckers, then look no further than the EMG SA Active Alnico Strat 3-piece Single Coil Pickup Set.

Unlike most single coils, these are active pickups. As such, they allow you to modify your signal using your guitar's onboard tone control before it even hits your amp or audio interface. You can fine-tune your tone in ways that passive pickups simply don't allow.

Now, there's nothing wrong with passive pickups; they're simple, convenient, and loved by millions of guitarists. But if metal is your passion, then you'll probably be better off with active pickups. Your notes will be remarkably distinct and clear, even when the distortion is cranked up to eleven.

You can achieve high levels of sustain while maintaining some very desirable tonal characteristics like harmonics, a gritty high end, and a tight low end. Now your metal riffs will sound clear and well-defined, rather than muddy or just plain hollow.

Another thing that really sets these EMGs apart from other single coils is their noise reduction. Much like humbuckers, these EMGs have an extremely low noise floor.

Their active circuitry makes for less interference in the magnetic field. Most of the time, your guitar will sound dead silent when you're not playing it. This is a breath of fresh air for guitarists who are getting tired of the constant hum that sometimes comes with a high-gain single coil pickup.

4. Best If You Prefer Humbuckers – Seymour Duncan Hot Rails Strat Single Coil Sized Humbucker 3-piece Pickup Set

SPECS

• Price: $297
• Humbucking pickups
• Fitted for single coil cavities

Technically, we're cheating here since these are not single coil pickups. That said, we still wanted to call attention to Seymour Duncan's Hot Rails Strat Single Coil Sized Humbuckers because they are designed to fit guitars that use single coil pickups.

So effectively, this humbucker set is an alternative to single coil pickups. If you have a Strat or other similar guitar, and you've ever thought, "I wish I had humbuckers instead of single coils," then we've got some good news for you.

Seymour Duncan's Hot Rails is definitely a unique product. There's essentially nothing else out there like them.

Humbuckers, as most guitarists know, have the best feedback reduction of all pickup types. They produce electrical signals that are opposite in phase, effectively canceling out the feedback that single coil pickups fail to address.

Humbuckers also have higher output, reduced sensitivity to interference, and a warm, thick tone. Especially for fans of aggressive or heavy music, there are a lot of reasons to love humbucking pickups.

Imagine a Strat that plays like a Les Paul! These Seymour Duncans give you a way to really customize your guitar, combining the aspects of Fender and Gibson that you like best. You can really express your individuality. The Hot Rails makes a great neck pickup for creamy, sustained tones on your strat.

If you prefer the distinctive humbucker sound and versatility but don't want to buy an entirely new guitar, you can always install these Seymour Duncan Hot Rails into your Stratocaster or similar guitar.

5. Best Humbucker Replacement – Seymour Duncan Phat Cat P-90 Soapbar Single Coil 2-piece Pickup Set

SPECS

• Price: $218
• Passive
• Humbucker retrofitted

So we've seen humbuckers that fit single coil cavities, but what about the opposite? For someone who has a guitar fitted for humbuckers, like a Les Paul, for example, there's still a way to get a single coil sound.

Introducing the Seymour Duncan Phat Cat P-90 Soapbar Single Coil Pickup Set.

Now you can achieve the bright, classic single coil pickup sound, even if your guitar is fitted for humbuckers.

Why might you want to do this? Well, single coils provide a different tone and feel, and it's a tone that a lot of players love. Also, many guitarists like to use single coil feedback in creative ways, like letting the hum build up right before the chorus hits to add impact.

Like the previous entry on this list, the Phat Cat P-90 Soapbar pickups are unique and innovative. They allow you to make modifications that fundamentally change your guitar's performance. If you have a Les Paul, but you want it to sound more like a Stratocaster, then you could give these pickups a try.

These pickups have high sustain and a relatively soft attack, so they're great for smooth jazz, indie rock, psychedelic rock, or creamy solos that use lots of reverb. Try them out for yourself and see how you like the sound!

6. Best for Psychedelic Rock – Seymour Duncan SSL-5 Custom Staggered

SPECS

• Price: $247
• Passive

If you're reading this article, chances are you're aware of the massive impact David Gilmour has had on the history of guitar playing. Pink Floyd's tonal innovations and songwriting creativity are nearly unmatched.

Gilmour famously used a black Stratocaster, and he wanted a thick, full, fat sound so that his chords and solos would really wash over the listener. Seymour Duncan created the SSL-5 Custom Staggered single coils, and they quickly became Gilmour's go-to strat pickups.

If you want to achieve huge, full-sounding chords yourself, then you can pick up these same pickups and give your Strat a psychedelic-inspired upgrade!

These SSL-5 Customs make your guitar sound rich and full, giving your audience something to get lost in. They also deliver impressive versatility.

The middle pickup has reversed polarity from the neck pickup and bridge pickup, which causes noise reduction in positions 2 and 4 (when paired with a standard 5-way pickup selector switch). If you have a chance to mess around with these pickups, you'll see just how much tonal variety you can achieve with them.

7. Best for Vintage Sound – Fender Custom '54 Stratocaster Pickups 3-piece Set

SPECS

• Price: $269.99
• Passive
• Magnet: Alnico V

These custom pickups are recreations of the iconic pickups used in Stratocasters in the '50s but with a modern twist. Their Alinco V magnets provide higher output than the authentically vintage pickups, making them suitable for a variety of different tones.

They also provide a balanced output; you can really hear each individual string sing its heart out. The natural tone of these pickups has a midrange chirp and slightly gritty high end. They sound great with overdrive pedals for a bit of extra edge.

Right out of the box, these pickups effortlessly deliver the vintage-inspired sound that so many guitarists search for. Perfect for rockabilly, classic rock, surf rock, or blues, these Fender Custom '54 pickups are an easy first choice for anyone who wants the vintage sound.

Best Single Coil Pickups Buyer's Guide

What are the most important aspects of your pickups? This buyer's guide will list the top things to look out for on your search for the perfect single coils.

Tonal Characteristics

Since creating the tone is the number one job of the pickups, it makes sense that when searching for the right pickups, tonal characteristics are the first thing that comes to mind.

Some pickups create warm tones, thick tones, or bright tones, while others have a shimmering high end or bustling low end.

It all comes down to how the pickups convert vibrations from your strings into an electrical signal. Certain tonal characteristics are captured more than others, depending on the pickup's construction.

The best way to find out if you like the tone that a set of pickups creates is to try them out for yourself or watch a video of someone demoing them.

Output

Another key characteristic of your pickups is how much output they create. Higher output means a stronger signal but also potentially more feedback.

High-output pickups are ideal for aggressive styles of music, such as metal and rock, which use a lot of distortion.

Lower output pickups are better suited for softer genres like jazz or blues. They tend to highlight more dynamics and nuances that come from the strings themselves rather than the effects that are applied.

Build Quality

Build quality is definitely something to take into consideration. A poorly constructed pickup will have a shorter lifespan and perform less robustly.

Fortunately, all the pickups on this list, even the cheapest ones, have good build quality and should last you years and years of playing.

Noise Reduction

Noise reduction is not something that single coil pickups are known for. That said, you can still find single coils that are fairly effective at reducing unwanted feedback. The Fender Ultra
Noiseless and the EMG pickup sets are the best at noise reduction on this list.

Noise reduction is generally more important if you plan to play with high gain or apply effects like distortion or overdrive. However, some guitarists use feedback creatively to help add character and impact to their playing. It all comes down to preference and artistic intent.

Gear Compatibility

Make sure the pickups you choose are compatible with your guitar. If you have a Strat, for example, you'll need a 3-piece single coil set.

Other types of guitars, like Les Pauls, can still have single coil pickups, so long as they are designed to fit. The Seymour Duncan Phat Cat Soapbar pickup set will work since they are shaped like humbucking pickups.

If you have doubts about whether your preferred pickups are compatible with your guitar, you can always consult a guitar technician at your local music shop.

Reviews & Ratings

When in doubt, user reviews are usually a dependable way to evaluate the quality of a piece of gear. Look for pickups that have a high number of positive reviews, and you should be good to go!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Why do single coil pickups hum?

Single coil pickups are susceptible to magnetic interference, which can sometimes happen when other electronic devices are nearby. At high-gain settings, feedback can also occur.

Humbuckers are designed to cut down on this hum by having two coils wound in opposite directions, canceling out the unwanted noise.

What is the "quacky" sound I sometimes hear associated with single coil pickups?

This refers to a boost in the high mids of the guitar's tone. It's a twangy sound that single coil pickups produce, especially in certain pickup selection settings.

Many players like this sound, as it can help a guitar cut through the mix. It generally comes with a strong attack, helping to pronounce the notes that are being played.

Can I get a high-gain sound with single coil pickups?

While humbuckers are typically preferred for high-gain sounds, single coil pickups can work for this sound as well. The Fender Ultra Hot Noiseless pickup set and the EMG SA Active pickup set are two great options for single coils that work well with high-gain settings.

What is the main difference between vintage-style and modern-style pickups?

Vintage-stye pickups aim to replicate the iconic sound of the 1950s and 60s. They tend to have fairly low output.

Modern pickups, on the other hand, are usually higher output. This makes them suitable for metal and hard rock music because they can handle more distortion without losing note clarity.

What genres are single coil pickups best for?

Single coil pickups are known to be quite versatile. They work well for a wide range of genres, most namely rock, blues, country, jazz, and funk.

In Conclusion

Congratulations, you've made it to the finish line! Now that you're an expert on single coil pickups, time to grab your Strat and get shredding.

Even if your pickups need replacing, you can't go wrong with the Fender Deluxe Drive Stratocaster Single Coil 3-piece Pickup Set. They're surprisingly affordable and deliver an impressive tone every time.

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