Because a conventional humbucker senses the string at two different places, it cancels some frequencies along with the hum. What if there was a humbucker that cancelled fewer frequencies? It would be brighter and cleaner: almost glassy-sounding. In other words, it would sound a lot like a Strat pickup, but with about the same power as a PAF. We created The Humbucker From Hell primarily as a neck pickup. You won't believe how much it will open up the sound in the neck position of a Les Paul, and it has an almost acoustic quality in the neck spot of a bolt-on guitar. Why is it called The Humbucker From Hell? Try it in the bridge position with a bright amp-but put in your earplugs first, and don't say you weren't warned.

Recommended For: Neck position in solid body guitars.

Tech Talk: Okay, we admit it - it's a strange name for a pickup that's not a megavoltage monster, but try it in the bridge position with a really bright amp and you'll get it. What DiMarzio really wanted was a super-clean neck pickup, because they had heard years of complaints about muddy-sounding humbuckers. This pickup is the cure. With some guitar/amp combinations, it can sound almost acoustic. With others, it's real Strat-like. Aside from canceling 60-cycle hum, it bears very little resemblance to a standard humbucking sound.

Specifications:

Wiring 4 conductor
Magnet Alnico 5
Output 226mV
DC Resistance 5.82K
Year of introduction 1992
Patent # 4501185