Once upon a time, guitar players had to choose between tone and noise. Moreover, that choice could even take them as far as abandoning their favorite guitar shape just to be able to put enough distortion to the signal.
Well, those were the old days, now we have a solution for the 60-cycle hum that allows you to play your Strat however you want it to and have that edgy tone ready to cut through the fabric of time every time you pick up your instrument.
Top 3 - Noiseless Strat Pickups
We all know that the Stratocaster has one of the most recognizable sounds in music, and a large part of that sound comes from the humble single-coil pickup. However, a harsh truth about single-coil pickups is that they are noisy and don’t cancel the dreaded 60-cycle hum.
Luckily for us, noiseless strat pickups are the perfect substitute to reduce unwanted hum while maintaining the classic Strat sound. I went out to try them all and came back with five winners that will make you love your old Strat even more.
Welcome to the future, everything sounds amazing here.
5 Best Noiseless Pickups for Stratocaster Guitars
1. Fender Gen 4 Noiseless
The Fender Gen 4 Noiseless pickups are touted as the closest to being completely 'noiseless' single coils ever made. While they do come fairly close, I don’t think they are as close as Fender would make them out to be.
At least that was my experience comparing them side by side with some truly premium Fender Strats like the American Ultra series. Think of it like this, these pickups get it 98% right, but for the remaining 2%, trained ears would definitely prefer the premium Strats.
Fender Gen4 Noiseless Pickups
On clean, with the neck pickup selected, I noticed a bit more bottom end on the Gen 4's compared to the Alnico V single coils that come stock on my Fender Player II series Strat. That extra bottom end did fade as I switched to the middle pickup and disappeared almost completely on the bridge pickup.
I also noticed that the Gen 4's are slightly less bright than my stock single coils. The Gen 4’s are a bit crisper sounding, with none of the slight dullness that I sometimes used to get while playing lead with the Player-series pickups.
I also loved the midrange on the Gen 4. It was punchy, to say the least! And midrange is definitely one area I've seen many (and I literally mean it because I tested way too many over the years!) budget pickups totally ignore the entire frequency range.
Moving over to overdrive and distortion, I actually noticed less of a difference between these pickups and the stock ones. The Player pickups are slightly brighter than the Gen 4’s. I feel, though, that the Gen 4’s do have a little bit more twang on the bridge pickup. Other than that, they are almost identical.
The situation is similar with distortion. The two sets of pickups are very close tonally, although I think the Gen 4’s have a bit more bite. Believe me, I could get some fairly believable Jimi and Eddie with overdrive and distortion respectively. Moreover, they got me playing for a while moving from creamy Gilmour thickness to Frusciante-like rhythmic playing with lots of spanking and midrange.
The only issue I really have with the Gen 4’s is that the sound does get a bit dirty when pushing the gain too high. Other than that, I think Fender has done an incredible job designing a noiseless pickup set that sounds so close to true single coils.
They do also come in a vintage variant if you’re looking for that old-school Fender sound.
2. MojoTone ’58 Quiet Coil
The Mojo Tone ’58 Quiet Coil is a fantastic replacement kit for any Stratocaster, and comes in both SSS and HSS configurations. It’s super easy to install and sounds great.
If you're not familiar with 'MojoTone' as a brand, it's actually the pickup brand of choice of guitar legends like Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Eric Johnson.
MojoTone ’58 Quiet Coil Strat Pickups (HSS)
The best way I can describe the sound on these pickups is ‘lively and bright’. On clean, the pickups have a nice and smooth tone. It has a bit of warmth that I really like, while still having a vibrant brightness.
If I had to describe the feeling it would be as if the guitar would come alive. It’s like going from SD to HD or from HD to 4K. It breathes new life on your instrument with a high midrange that’s both musical and vibrant.
Even when I switched to overdrive, the pickups kept their liveliness and brightness without becoming harsh like some other pickups tend to do.
The bridge humbucker sets the ’58 apart from other single coil pickup sets where you don't get HSS even as an option. I mean, if you think of modern versatility for a timeless classic, a Stratocaster with an HSS silent combination is as close to the goal as you can get.
This is a change that I like a lot since it lets you play a wider variety of genres doing as little as switching to another pickup..
I play a bunch of different genres, and this kit lets me quickly jump between styles and sounds on the same guitar.
Not to mention beginners wanting to get started with their first Strat-style guitar. I always recommend going with an HSS config, irrespective of the brand of the guitar. Yes, obviously for the versatility. For more details on this, you can check out this article that I wrote comparing the 3 different pickup configurations (SSS, HSS, and the less common HSH) and what's good for whom.
Perhaps the real selling point of the ’58 Quiet Coil, for me, is that the bottom tone knob acts as a blender. This means it blends the tones of different pickups depending on the selector switch’s position.
For example, position one blends the neck pickup in with the bridge. For those of us who love Telecasters, getting that neck-and-bridge sound puts a smile on our faces instantly. Also, position four blends the bridge in with the middle and neck. It’s like going full-on Fripp style with the triple-pickup thing and going crazy over some cool Crimson tunes.
This is different from your standard pickup selection that we're used to seeing on Strats. For example, position 2 gets you that rough, warm, and somewhat dark tone of the neck and the middle pickup, but you can’t control exactly how much influence of each pickup you actually get.
I have never really been a fan of these pre-wired pickups and pickguard kits. They usually aren’t as easy to install as they claim and need a bit of tinkering to make fit on a guitar.
The ’58 Quiet Coil did surprise me in this regard, however, and was actually a fairly simple installation. My only complaint would be that it wasn’t entirely solderless like MojoTone claims. The input jack did still need to be soldered.
Other than that, this is a perfect choice for those in the search of a wider palette of Strat-like colors to paint with.
3. Fishman Fluence Stratocaster Loaded
I have become increasingly fond of Fishman Fluence pickups over the last couple of years. I think they just have this full, rich, and clean tone that is unlike any other pickup out there. These Strat-style single coils are no different.
Fishman Fluence Strat Pickups
My first impression when testing these pickups was just how well-balanced Fishman has made them with regards to frequency response. I feel it helps capture that special something that makes the vintage Strat tone so sought-after.
This balance means that you’re getting a very full tone that combines that vintage, ‘50s twang of a classic Strat with smooth, ‘60s mids and a very nice, and round, modern bottom end.
But that’s not all, this fullness is underpinned by a clear and open top end.
Are you wondering how I can be so sure about the vintage vibe of noiseless pickups? Well, I did what you’d do too, I played some SRV with a Tube Screamer into my Deluxe Reverb. Believe me, that dirty blues mojo with the best of each era is all right there.
If the vintage Strat tone wasn’t enough to get me to like these pickups, they also have a second voice, called Hot Texas. The Hot Texas is the second voice, accessible through a push/pull knob. It immediately beefs up the mids and increases the output. It all adds some real toughness, a bassy, round, and powerful toughness.
Like I mentioned above, powerful mids are something that budget pickups, in my experience, simply can't deliver. I like that even with the beefed-up mids, the pickups maintain their clarity and brightness.
These are active pickups, and I don’t usually like active pickups. Most of them just feel stale. They’re mostly dead-sounding pickups to my ears; as if they had no soul. By soul, I mean that sweet midrange high-end pickups deliver. They also sometimes feel like they lose a bit of character at the cost of higher output.
But I didn’t really notice these Fluence single-coil pickups feeling flat or cold compared to passive pickups. There is also an optional battery pack available for the kit that should get you through many more gigs than a standard 9V battery.
I recommend getting the battery pack.
As for installing the kit, it is definitely among the easier ones to install, but there is some assembly required.
It only took me about 15 minutes from start to finish to get the kit installed and set up on my guitar. Hey, I don’t mean to brag here and claim I’m a full-fledged guitar tech, but it might take a bit longer if you’ve never installed a pickup kit before.
4. Fender Ultra Noiseless Hot
Fender is the mecca for all things Stratocaster, there’s no doubt about it. But the company with the big F is trying to capture new players and stay relevant to today’s musicians.
These pickups fill the gap between the timeless classics and the future. They offer Strat-approved tones with a little more punch and a virtually noiseless operation.
Before saying anything further about them, let me tell you that these pickups require a deeper cavity to fit them on a regular guitar. I had to carve some wood out to put them on my Mexican Strat. You might want to pass these on right now if it’s a change you envision performing on a vintage or too valuable guitar.
Fender Ultra Noiseless Hot Strat Pickups
As another spoiler, I also have to say that it was entirely worth it.
But let’s go back to the beginning. I plugged the guitar in and didn’t get the result I was expecting. These aren’t the hottest pickups around, there wasn’t a huge bump in power and volume. On the contrary, these pickups feel and sound just a little hotter than most single-coils in the market.
But that’s not entirely a bad thing. These Ultra Hot pickups have the lovely powerful mids you can expect from a brand like Fender but also have round lows and ultra-crisp high-end. This combination of moderated output and powerful tone was great for those overdriven Fender sounds that are so easily recognizable. I mean, razor-sharp mids with crystal clear highs describe positions 1 and 2 (bridge and bridge+neck) perfectly.
I played “Scar Tissue” and “Sultans of Swing” and both sounded amazing. Furthermore, the midrange was just exquisite.
The middle position goes straight into Mayer territory and with a little distortion I got some spanking yet creamy tones. Perfect for classics like “Gravity” or “Slow Dancing in a Burning Room”.
Finally, positions 4 and 5 gave me much more meat to play with. The bottom-end grew rounded and more generous and the pick attack turned into a thunder. I went for the bluesy Kenny Wayne Shepherd thing, and these sounded terrific with a mildly distorted tone.
Moving to the distorted realm, the bridge pickup does a great job taming the beast while delivering powerful tones with sharp edges. Yes, although they’re not utterly hot, these pickups do pack a serious punch. Your guitar tone grows and cuts at the same time.
If you’re after a very classic Fender Stratocaster tone but want a little more oomph and none of the noise, these are a must-try-before-you-buy specimen.
5. EMG SA Active
If you are like me, then you probably don’t really associate EMG pickups with a Fender Strat sound. But hey, legendary players like Gill, Urban, and Gilmour have shown that EMGs can capture the Strat Sound amazingly well.
Let me begin by saying that you have to be careful not to get burned. The EMG SA Actives are hot pickups, very hot. The output on these pickups is outrageous. But don’t panic, the folks at EMG thought about everything, and if you feel they are too hot, their height can easily be adjusted to cool them off a bit.
As for how they sound, these things rip, big time. I got very big, open, and airy highs with excellent presence while playing. I also really like the beefy mids and strong bottom end that the SA Actives provide.
I didn’t notice any frequency range being overpowering, and the pickups are really well-balanced. What I was especially impressed by was the balance going from string to string and note to note.
Both the pickups and the controls are very sensitive. I had precise control over the tone and volume while playing with the Actives. Very slight adjustments gave me noticeable changes to tone and volume.
Their sensitivity does mean that they pick up both the good and the bad. I think guitarists who have a dirtier playstyle should rather look at other options. Unless, of course, you want to take that step in your career and climb that steep learning curve until you become an active-pickup master. In that case, Godspeed, fellow player, you’ll perfect your craft a lot.
Believe me, they’re very transparent; too transparent. They push forward everything you do (the good, the bad, and the ugly) loud and clear.
The SA Actives are also not what I would call quiet, but silent. Most other models, even though they’re called noiseless pickups, still have a slight hum. These pickups, however, were virtually silent. I only noticed a slight hum when I got closer to my amp and really listened.
Even though the SA Actives are solderless, they do have a lot of parts. It took me some time to get them installed and I think a lot of guitarists will be put off by that.
It wasn’t difficult, the instructions are easy enough to follow and the quick connect cables are very convenient. I just felt it could have been a quicker installation process.
If you’re only looking to replace one of your pickups, the EMG SA pickups can also be bought individually.
For players in the search of a good single-coil set that can set their amp on fire while remaining crystal-clear, razor-sharp, and fat, trying these is a must. Beware though, there’s a learning curve associated with active pickups.
Are Noiseless Strat Pickups the Same Thing as Single Coil Sized Humbuckers?
The short answer is no, they aren’t the same. While both noiseless pickups and humbuckers are designed to cancel out 60 cycle hum, they are designed to sound differently.
The difference here is that, when playing with humbuckers, the sound you get is coming from both coils simultaneously. Thus, humbuckers have a much bigger, warmer, and more aggressive sound than single coils.
But hum canceling in humbuckers comes from coils canceling each other’s hum. So, what if you could leave one of the coils disconnected from the output but still use it to cancel the hum? That’s exactly what most passive noiseless Strat pickups do.
By doing that, they provide the hum cancellation of a humbucker while maintaining the sound of a Strat single coil.
Finally, single-coil sized humbuckers such as the DiMarzio Super Distortion S or the Seymour Duncan Little ‘59 work exactly as a regular humbucker would but with the coils (or rails) closer together to fit a single-coil slot.
Pickups vs. Pre-wired Pickguards
I would say that buying pickups versus buying a pre-wired kit is really up to what you’re looking for and your skillset.
Most single pickups require soldering, so if that is something you can’t or don’t want to do, I would suggest going with a pre-wired kit. They usually don’t require much or even any soldering and are fairly easy to install.
On the other hand, if you’re looking for specific pickups, they might not be available in pre-wired kits. So, you’ll have to pay extra to have the pickups installed if you can’t install them yourself.
Active vs. Passive Pickups – Which Offer Better Noise Cancelation?
Objectively speaking, active pickups are better at noise reduction than passive pickups. There are a few reasons for this.
Firstly, active pickups use less copper which means they are less susceptible to interference from lights and digital signals. This also allows them to handle distortion much better without clipping or the signal becoming dirty.
Secondly, active pickups have a lower noise floor than passive pickups. This helps them to reduce the unwanted hiss that can often cause problems on passives.
Active pickups are also much less prone to feedback than passive ones, giving you a much cleaner sound.
That doesn’t mean you should just go with active pickups. I think that passive pickups have gotten to a point where they handle noise much better and they will likely just continue to get better.
Should You Go for Less Known Brands?
I have often been surprised by the quality of smaller or less known brands. While established brands are established because of the high quality they offer, less known brands sometimes bring something unique that big brands don’t.
Some examples of non-mainstream / boutique pickup brands include (but aren’t limited to):
Lindy Fralin
Bill Lawrence (Wilde Pickups)
Kinman
Lollar
There are definitely risks when you go with a less known brand. I always recommend doing as much research as possible but don’t disregard a brand just because you haven’t heard of them.
After all, changing pickups is one of the most drastic yet affordable tone experiments you can go for.
Closing Thoughts
Strat players of the world, unite! We’re contemplating the future of single-coil guitars, and it looks bright and awesome.
I worked hard with the solder but also got to enjoy amazing tones from some of the best noiseless Strat pickups on the market today. I hope all that hard work (lol) wasn’t in vain and these picks of mine will help you retain the core of your Stratocaster sound and get rid of that annoying 60 cycle hum.
However, it's by no means a closed list. On the contrary, feel free to investigate further and tell me what I missed in the comments. We all want to hear about that awesome pearl you found deep at sea.
Like I mentioned earlier, I just tried to share my honest opinion with you about active and passive pickups that I've personally tried out in this article (either extensively on one of my own guitars, or tried it on a guitar I could get my hands on). Therefore, any of the five options above will be an outstanding choice to revamp that Strat of yours.
There’s a whole universe of amazing, noiseless Strat tones waiting for you out there. Take this bold step now and fall in love with your Stratocaster again.
Happy (hum-free) playing!
Good article. I have been wanting to try the Fender hot noiseless. I loved the EMG active SA’s. They are quiet and have all the quack, etc, on cleans , but we’re even better on distortion which is where I typically live most of the time. I like to ride the lightning . . I want it loud and proud and lots of gain. . So actives work great for the type of blues hard rock and 80s metal I have played and ck tinie to play mostly, along with some folk and clean stuff such as ballads, etc.
I am building a strat now with a Mexican body, new 6 point bridge with all steel saddles and trem block and a Warmoth neck with jumbo stainless frets with a 12 inch radius. Can’t wait to try it. I just haven’t decided what pickups to use, but I’m leaving towards and EMG 85 in the bridge because I’m usually at the bridge with a humbuckers and then just one neck single coil EMG SA for the coop bluesy stuff.
Great article .. Thanks for the info. I might try the Fender Got noiseless first to see if they will handle the hard rock I do, but also songs like Jimi Hendrix purple haze and lynard skyward etc. I play a lot of blues based stuff and need pickups that can go from clean to all out metal .
Thanks again. Great article .
Regards from South Central Indiana. USA.
Very well written article! Good information and carefully explained
I use DiMarzio HS-3s myself and find them very good for distorsion as they don’t get muddy when playing really fast.
Lindy Fralin Split Blade Vintage pickups sound fantastic. Full of tone and no noise. I have them in two guitars. I liked them so much.
I have a low tolerance for 60 cycle hum. I have a Jimmie Vaughan Stratocaster. The stock middle pickup bypasses the tone control. The hum often rendered this pickup almost useless. I had a set of Fender Hot Noiseless installed 15 years ago. They still do the job today. I am just a home noodler and don’t need to be overly nit-picky. If I had the extra cash, I would really like to try a Fishman Fluence set.
I own or have owned every set listed except the Fishman. IMHO, Fender actually don’t do much for me although I do think they’ve done a bit better with the Gen 4 series. The ones that are astonishingly left off of this list are the DiMarzio Area pickups. They would probably be tied for the number 1 spot along with the Mojotones on my list. Also Fralin’s would be pretty high up there. I’m not sure Fender would even make the list of a top 5. I do love my EMG’s but to me they are just a bit of a different animal.
Nice job. I have 2 SAs and a 81 EMG set in my Aria pro super strat and the guitar is quiet and well defined plus has huge output with or without the bridge 81. One thing to consider is if you use the 5 way EMG switch and the stereo output jack they use . It makes an easy swap. Everything is clearly marked on where the wires go and makes the install easy. Great article !
You missed a pickup that easily belongs with these pickups
Lindy Fralin Split Blade pickups
And Kinman noiseless, stacked humbucking coils, very good