Single Coil Size Humbucker for Bridge Pickup

[Dutchman]

Thinking about dropping in a Humbucker in my Melancon Bridge position. Hoping to get a really good humbucker tone for leads etc! I have Mojotone hot 58's in it now. I play the same ride on my Suhr ALT T It's giving me what I want to hear. But I want to keep it at 2 guitars on stage. The other is tuned to open E for slide.

So I would appreciate any ideas you guys have tried and worked for you!

Thank You!

Edited July 17, 2025 by Dutchman

[RobB]

Any of the Duncan single HBs are a good start, depending on how much gain you want. Dimarzio makes some good ones, too. I put a Super Distortion rail in a Strat and that guitar became a dragon slayer.

[Jimbilly]

I seem to like most of the one's I've had: DiMarzio has the stacked HS2 and HS3, I've got the hs2 in my old 'strat'. The side-by side duncans sound good to me too, I just sold a mim strat that has the mini '59 I think, that went well with the stock singles. I had a t-51 with a screamin demon, great guitar but the deal breaker was the weight on that one.

[Saul Goodman]

The JB mini is a nice bridge single coil size. Pair that up with single stacks and you're ready to go. 

[Travis]

I’ve used the Hot Rails in the bridge and neck of a couple of guitars, as well as a Cool Rails and Little 59 (supposedly the same pickup with different aesthetics) in the neck position of a couple different guitars. All three of them can do the big humbucker sound thing. And with the right EQ, you’ll get as close to a full sized humbucker as you can get without routing the guitar. Not exactly the same, but the audience at a club would never be able to tell the difference. 

[Dave Scepter]

1 hour ago, RobB said:

Any of the Duncan single HBs are a good start, depending on how much gain you want. Dimarzio makes some good ones, too. I put a Super Distortion rail in a Strat and that guitar became a dragon slayer.

Hey Rob, I may have to try one of those Super Distortions... Do they sound similar to the original ones?

[bruce919]

The Chopper™ | DiMarzio

The Dimarzio Chopper get my vote. I like them over the Duncan rail pickups. not as harsh sounding, lighter on the treble side. 

[RobB]

1 hour ago, Dave Scepter said:

Hey Rob, I may have to try one of those Super Distortions... Do they sound similar to the original ones?

Loud and crunchy. I think I still have it somewhere. I’ll look. 

[RobB]

1 hour ago, RobB said:

Loud and crunchy. I think I still have it somewhere. I’ll look. 

Missing from the Island of Misfit Pickups. Sorry!

[Dave Scepter]

3 minutes ago, RobB said:

Missing from the Island of Misfit Pickups. Sorry!

Oh, you didn't keep it?.. was it too manly or powerful for you or did it just clash with your purse?.. jk 🤣

I'm going to have to go try one out

[RobB]

3 minutes ago, Dave Scepter said:

Oh, you didn't keep it?.. was it too manly or powerful for you or did it just clash with your purse?.. jk 🤣

I guess it was too manly? It overpowered the middle/neck of my (since sold) Malmsteen. I think it would pair better with more powerful S/Cs.

[Brooks]

19 hours ago, RobB said:

Super Distortion rail in a Strat and that guitar became a dragon slayer.

 

This. Super Distortion-S is my fave of these type pups. Also like Duncan Lil 59, and even GFS Lil Killer. Didn't like Duncan Hot rails.

Edited July 18, 2025 by Brooks

[velorush]

Unless you just have to have humbucking, the Duncan SSL-5 (bridge pickup out of the Gilmour set) is fantastic in the bridge of a 25.5"-scale guitar. It's thick without being dark, but definitely less bright and more powerful than the stock Strat bridge. 

Further, it's not so overpowering that you end up with the typical HSS issue of the bridge overpowering the singles.