DiMarzio DP163 Bluesbucker BK

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Bluesbucker Pickup

Designed like a standard humbucker
Sounds like a P90 but without connection problems
Colour: Black

30-Day Money-Back Guarantee

3-Year Thomann Warranty

Available since March 2005

Item number 179345

Sales Unit 1 piece(s)

Active No

Wiring 4-Conductor

Output Medium

Cap No

Colour Black

Position Bridge, Neck

£92

Including VAT; Excluding £10 shipping

Delivery approx. between Tuesday, 26.11. and Wednesday, 27.11.

294

Sales Rank

in Humbucker Pickups

Vintage sound in a modern package

Sonically, the DiMarzio Bluesbucker follows in the footsteps of the legendary P-90 single coil, a pickup that is known for its characteristic fat sound and has shaped the sound of various Les Paul and SG models throughout the years. The Bluesbucker allows guitarists to enjoy the P-90 sound with all of the inherent tonal characteristics but without any of the hum or unwanted interference that plagued the original design. As a result, this pickup offers the best of both worlds: A retro sound (despite the use of ceramic magnets) together with a modern level of performance. And because it has the standard humbucker format, it can be installed without needing any modifications to the guitar.

Dynamic humbucker

Unlike an actual P-90 single coil, the DiMarzio DP163 Bluesbucker looks like an ordinary humbucker. However, only the coil with the polepiece screws is "active", while the second coil serves to eliminate unwanted noise. As a result, the pickup precisely captures the dynamics of your playing, emphasising the midrange with a subtle bass presence and a treble response that delivers plenty of detail without sounding too harsh. The Bluesbucker features four-conductor wiring, and its medium output level makes it suitable for many different styles of music - from Blues and Country to Rock and Hard Rock - and it can be used in either the bridge or neck position. The sound can be further modified by flipping the pickup around and thus changing the position of the active coil – though this of course places the screws on the opposite side of the pickup.

For fans of sonic versatility

The DiMarzio DP163 Bluesbucker is ideal for guitarists who find regular single coil pickups too thin and brittle-sounding and perhaps also find conventional humbuckers to be lacking in brightness. Thanks to its design, this pickup is the perfect solution for achieving the legendary P-90 sound on a guitar with humbucker routing without having to compromise in terms of looks. And players who want to get the sound of a typical single coil out of this pickup can split it without losing too much volume, as the second coil does not contribute much to the pickup's output. Those who prefer a more open sound can also install two of these pickups so that they are connected in parallel when the pickup switch is in the middle position.

About DiMarzio

In 1972, Larry DiMarzio created the first ever interchangeable pickup system for electric guitars. He went on to found the company and gave it its name. The New York-based manufacturer has long since become one of the largest suppliers in the field and provides guitarists and bassists with a comprehensive selection of pickups and other accessories. DiMarzio also works intensively with renowned artists such as Steve Vai, John Petrucci, Steve Lukather, Paul Gilbert, Steve Morse and Billy Sheehan, as well as renowned manufacturers such as Ibanez and Music Man.

Perfect for retro mods

Players of Les Paul-style guitars who are looking for a vintage sound without the noise problems associated with the classic P-90 design will find an affordable solution in the DiMarzio DP163 Bluesbucker. Blues guitarists who play clean or slightly crunchy sounds will benefit from the increased dynamic range that this pickup delivers compared to humbucking designs, and Country players who favour humbucker-equipped Telecaster-style guitars can drop in a Bluesbucker in order to achieve a less bassy sound. The Bluesbucker is also a great choice for modding inexpensive Rock guitars, as it allows the player to shape both the tonal quality and the timbre.

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4.8 / 5

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19 Reviews

Humbucker with sinclecoil qualities for dynamic playing

julius__ 20.04.2020

I bought this pickup for my old Tom Delonge Squier Strat that came with an SD Invader in bridge postion (and only that). In the last 16 years the music I play changed profoundly and the high gain pickup didn't do it anymore, instead I needed something that support a more dynamic playing, something with more brilliance and where you can always hear the single strings. So the idea was basically to create a Strat Junior, similar to what you get in SG or LP format.
Since I don't own a guitar with a P90, I can't tell how well the Bluesbucker imitates one but I can state that my guitar feels so much more alive with it. Warm sounding when played softly but cutting through when I put some effort in it. It never get muddy, even when the amp starts to distort you still can hear single notes.
I can recommend this pickup for everyone who feels their humbuckers are too flat or they need something more in the direction of a singlecoil.

The pickup comes with screws, springs and instructions, the wiring is excellent, as is the waxing.

Packaging arrived in a timely fashion, even in these challenging times, thanks to the Thomann team!

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Great pickup exactly what I was looking for.

Brucie 20.07.2019

I was looking to replace a humbucker in my neck position as I don't like the sound. I wanted a single coil, p90 vibe. I would say this is a little hotter than those, but it has a great warm tone. Very happy

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Blues

Sev-Roc 13.09.2021

J'ai monté ce micro sur plusieurs guitares et je l'ai finalement laissé sur une Telecaster Harley Benton TE-20MN CA, en position manche. J'ai ajouté un cache en métal pour le look et le son est toujours aussi bon avec le cache. Il remplace sans regret un Custom Shop 'Twisted' Tele que j'avais monté auparavant...
Je ne comprends pas que ce micro ne soit pas plus prisé. Pour le blues/rock le son est juste fabuleux.
Pour ce qui est du son qui serait proche d'un P90, je n'ai pas du tout ce ressenti, j'ai d'autres telecaster avec des P90, ça ne sonne pas pareil.
J'ai ajouté un split et je suis surpris, c’est la première fois que j'y trouve un intérêt, le son en single coil perd un peu de volume, pas trop. Cela apporte vraiment de la polyvalence. Le son dans les 2 positions est juste super satisfaisant.
Pour moi, c’est un must have.

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Best for a well-defined sound in the neck position

Anonymous 01.10.2015

This pickups works very well for a well-defined and clear sound in the neck position. PAF-type neck humbuckers often have muddy bass, lacking mids and highs that are hard to balance. This pickup fixes those issues. Bass is tight, mids are present and highs are bright, which makes the sound from your neck pickup actually useable aften setting your amp for the bridge pickup. Some say this is voiced like a P90. I don?t really agree, but it does sound great. I have this pickup in a Gibson SG and love it! As with all Dimarzio products the construction is excellent and the price is affordable.

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DiMarzio DP163 Bluesbucker BK

Bluesbucker Pickup