DiMarzio Bluesbucker Humbucker

The DiMarzio Bluesbucker humbucker pickup is one of those sneaky little tone machines that flies under too many players’ radar. It’s marketed as a hum-cancelling P-90 style pickup, and yeah… I totally get why people tag it as a P-90 alternative. But let’s be real: the Bluesbucker is so much more than just a P-90 clone in humbucker clothing. Before I ever dropped one into a guitar, I had to wrap my head around what DiMarzio was aiming for here. And trust me, I’m glad I took the plunge. Because once you plug in and unleash it, this pickup delivers a unique blend of clarity, bite, and vintage soul that cuts through a mix.

Installation

For this round of testing and review, I threw the DiMarzio Bluesbucker into one of my double-humbucker superstrats. In the bridge sat a DiMarzio PAF Pro, and in the neck went the Bluesbucker. Both pickups were wired up with their own push-pull pots to handle series and parallel switching. Because hey… versatility is king. As expected from DiMarzio, installation was a breeze. Solder, screw it down, string it up, and you’re off to the races in no time.

One cool tip straight from DiMarzio themselves is to experiment with which direction you orient the screw coil. For this install, I wanted to push the tonal limits in the neck position. So I went with the traditional setup: screw coils facing the neck. And let me tell you, the vibe was killer. Imagine a neck pickup with low end that rumbles deep enough to shake the pillars of heaven, but without turning into a mushy flab-fest. Now pair that with highs that pack a rich, punchy bite while still delivering enough cut to slice right through any mix. That’s what the Bluesbucker is serving up.

Evaluation

The DiMarzio Bluesbucker sits in DiMarzio’s “vintage output” category, but don’t let that fool you. This pickup is no shrinking violet. It easily holds its own against the PAF Pro in the bridge, even though the PAF Pro clocks in at roughly 30% more output on paper. Once again, we see that a pickup’s voice can transcend the cold hard numbers. Switching back and forth between these two pickups feels seamless, with no awkward dips or jumps in volume.

What DiMarzio does with the Bluesbucker is pretty clever. Most of the tonal heavy lifting comes from the screw coil, while the slug coil mainly handles hum-cancelling duties. It’s a design approach similar to what you find in many noiseless single coils on the market. The screw coil measures in at about 6.606K, while the slug coil sits at roughly 3.446K. I’ve always been a fan of asymmetrical coil designs because they can really open up a pickup’s voice and make it sing with a unique clarity.

Push the Bluesbucker hard and it takes it all in stride. Dig in and it’ll snap back with a funky punch that’s perfect for blues, rock, or fusion. And yeah… specs show a ceramic magnet, which might throw off some purists, but there’s plenty of drive here to carry lead work with sustain for days. Flip over to a clean amp setting in full series mode and you get a rich, full-bodied tone. Switch to parallel mode and the Bluesbucker turns into a completely different beast – light, airy, with the chime and sparkle that single coil fans crave.

Specs

Demo

Sorry. There is no official Bluesbucker demo from DiMarzio. C’mon Larry, get on the stick will ya? LOL! However, there is a Soundcloud playlist from Premier Guitar that I can throw at you.

Conclusion

The DiMarzio Bluesbucker is one of those pickups that just gets it done. Whether you’re tearing through blues rock, ripping into hard rock, or chugging some tight metal riffs, this pickup keeps up without breaking a sweat. It thrives in alternative, grunge, and progressive rock settings. Sings in country and funk. Shines in indie, blues, jazz, and classic rock. Honestly, there aren’t many styles where the Bluesbucker doesn’t feel right at home.

If you’re after a hum-cancelling pickup that delivers vintage grit with modern clarity, the Bluesbucker needs to be on your shortlist. It’s not just another P-90 clone stuffed into a humbucker shell – it’s a unique tone machine that brings its own snarling personality to the party. Drop one into your guitar, roll up the volume, and see how this thing makes your riffs roar and your solos sing. You might just find yourself wondering why you didn’t add a Bluesbucker to your arsenal sooner.

This pickup doesn’t break a sweat jumping from pop rock to hair metal to heavy blues rock to classic rock. Honestly, I’d trust the Bluesbucker to handle just about any style you throw at it without even blinking.

For reference, this DiMarzio Bluesbucker humbucker pickup evaluation was conducted with the following: Fractal Axe-Fx II XL+ featuring Celestion Impluse Responses and Fractal MFC-101 MIDI Foot Controller. ADA MP-1 Tube Pre-Amp loaded with Tube Amp Doctor ECC83 Premium Selected tubes, using the ADA MC-1 MIDI Controller. Fryette LX II Stereo Tube Power Amplifier. Physical cabs use are Marshall 1960B, Mojotone British, and Peavey 6505 cabs loaded with Celestion Classic Series Vintage 30s and Classic Series G12M Greenbacks.

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