Guitars with humbuckers are a popular choice among musicians who want a warm, thick, and powerful sound that cuts through the mix.
Whether you’re playing heavy rock, blues, or jazz, the humbucking pickup design can help you achieve a tone that is rich in harmonics and sustain.
In this guide, we’ll explore some of the best guitars with humbuckers that are worth your attention, providing you with the insight you need to make an informed purchase decision.
Best Guitars With Humbuckers (Top Picks)
Fender Player Telecaster HH
This Fender Telecaster features a maple wood neck and an alder body. The guitar has a flawless gloss finish that gives it a desirable look. The guitar neck is a C-shape design. In addition, the C-shape neck design has comfortable contours that keep the guitarist comfortable when playing any song.
The alder wood used to make the guitar body gives it a bright, resonant, and balanced tone. This guitar also has a pronounced upper midrange. It delivers a sharp attack and great sustain, also thanks to the alder body.
This guitar has a series of humbucking pickups that deliver an articulate fat sound and an authentic fender tone. The guitar has 22 medium-jumbo frets with a 9.5’’ radius which gives guitarists a good time expressing themselves musically.
Pros
- Comfortable to play
- Sounds incredible
- Great action
- Flawless finishing
- Amazing humbucking pickups
Cons
- No gig bag
Jackson 6 String JS Series Dinky Arch
The Jackson 6 String JS series guitar is a heavy-duty solid guitar. It features the best wood materials, including a maple neck, rosewood fretboard, and a poplar wood body. This guitar is designed with a single cutaway body.
It has a U-shape neck design that gives players the needed comfort to explore different styles of playing. If you are looking for a classic Jackson tone on a budget, this guitar is a perfect option for you.
This guitar has upgraded features compared to other models. This includes graphite-reinforced maple necks, ceramic magnetic pickups, arched tops, and bound fingerboards and headstocks. The ceramic-magnetic humbucking pickups are exceptional when playing this guitar.
At an affordable price, this guitar offers impressive tune stability, reliable pickups, and an awesome design. It is a guitar worth investing in for all levels of guitarists.
Pros
- It is affordable
- Features ceramic magnetic pickups
- Great tune stability
- Perfect beginner guitar
Cons
- The screws for the saddles are long
Squier by Fender Affinity Series Stratocaster HH
This Fender guitar features a Charcoal Frost Metallic color. It is made of a poplar wood body and a maple neck. The poplar wood gives this guitar lightweight, hence suitable for playing while standing or playing for a long.
The guitar has awesome humbucking pickups. These pickups deliver a rich, fat tone for every style of playing. This guitar features a two-point tremolo bridge, giving it smooth and superior tremolo action.
This guitar has a sealed tuning machine that facilitates smooth action for accurate tuning. In addition, the split shafts give an easy time when changing the strings. This guitar also has the best smooth fretboard.
If you are looking for a guitar that will take you to any stage for an affordable price, this guitar is a good one. The craftsmanship is great, the humbucking pickups sound great, it has smooth nobs, and the nuts are cut well.
Pros
- Has a unique color
- Great quality craftsmanship
- Smooth action
- Easy time restringing
- It is affordable
- It is light
Cons
- No gig bag
Fender Player Stratocaster HSH
If you want a strat with humbuckers, the Fender Player Stratocaster HSH electric guitar is a good option. This guitar has an alder body and a maple neck. It features an awesome tobacco sunburst color.
The alder wood used to make the guitar body delivers a bright, resonant, and balanced tone with a pronounced upper midrange. The alder wood also gives the guitar great sustenance and a sharp attack.
Another commendable feature of this guitar is the high-quality saddles. The pickups are lovely and deliver a fat tone. Also, this guitar stays in tune regardless of how much it is used.
If you are a beginner looking for an affordable guitar with humbuckers, this guitar is a good pick.
Pros
- It is affordable
- Stays in tune
- High-quality saddles
- Balanced tone
Cons
- Rose setup is a little tricky the first time
Buyer’s Guide from Best Guitar With Humbuckers
Pickups
The guitar you are looking for in this case should have humbucking pickups. The other type of pickup is single coil pickup. Pickups that are originally made by the guitar manufacturers usually are of high quality, and this is what you should aim on getting.
Guitar Body and Neck
What you should consider on the neck and body of your humbucker guitar is the wood used. If you want a light guitar, go for body woods such as alder. The neck wood of the guitar must be strong. The best neck wood is mahogany or rosewood.
Budget
We have guitars for all budgets. The review above has affordable guitars for beginners and medium-end guitars for pro or intermediate guitar players. What you should not compromise on are the features you get for the number of dollars spent on a guitar.
FAQs
Are Humbucker Guitars Worth It?
If you want to suppress external noise, then a humbucker guitar is worth it. Humbucker guitars are also great for a loud, big, warm sound as opposed to single coil guitars with bright and snappy sounds.
What Is the Disadvantage Of a Humbucker Guitar?
While humbucker guitars are great at keeping unwanted sound away, this gets in the way of clarity delivered by the guitar. Humbucker guitars are not great with clarity compared to single coil guitars.
Why Are Humbuckers Good for Jazz?
Humbuckers are good at chord voicing definition, which delivers clarity in the mix. Humbuckers also have an awesome saturated sound, perfect for jazz.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best guitar with humbucker pickups?
In the realm of musical instruments, the subjective nature of the question at hand allows room for differing opinions. However, many seasoned musicians and beginners alike often lean towards the Gibson Les Paul for its crystal-clear tonal qualities and classic design fitted with distinct humbucker pickups. Not only does this guitar offer top-notch sound, but it also has a solid body structure that stands the test of time. These humbuckers give the instrument a smooth, balanced tone that works brilliantly in a diverse range of genres – from rock to blues to jazz. This is why the Gibson Les Paul is hailed by many as the best guitar equipped with humbucker pickups.
Which are the best humbuckers?
Choosing the best humbuckers again leans heavily towards personal preference and the kind of music one aims to create. However, an enduring favorite amongst many guitar enthusiasts is the Seymour Duncan SH-4 JB. This humbucker stays true to the vintage sound that has mesmerized artists for decades but goes a step further to accommodate the edgier and modern musical tones we hear today. It’s pretty much like capturing the best of both worlds in a single, sleek design.
What is the most versatile humbucker?
A humbucker that can handle an array of musical genres with ease is what many guitarists regard as a versatile pick. The Seymour Duncan SH-4 JB does just that and more. It is essentially a hot rodded humbucker that packs the perfect balance of a vintage and modern sound. This makes it a favorite amongst many musicians, both old and young, as it allows them to experiment with a range of tones, securing its spot as the most versatile humbucker.
What is the most versatile guitar ever?
Many an intense debate has taken place over which guitar claims the title of being the most versatile. The one instrument that often surfaces and even clinches the nomination, time and time again, is the storied Gibson Les Paul. The guitar’s neutral body design paired with a sound that is conducive to practically any musical genre makes it a popular choice amongst musicians worldwide. The Gibson Les Paul’s inherent adaptability to both vintage and modern tones is why it is considered by many as the most versatile electric guitar in history.