DiMarzio DP100 Super Distortion Humbucker Bridge or Neck Electric Guitar Pickup (Standard Spaced)

GEARANK

97 out of 100. Incorporating 650+ ratings and reviews.

Street Price: $99.00

Manufacturer: DiMarzio

Product Links:

DiMarzio DP100 Installation Guides

DiMarzio DP100 Wiring Diagrams

DiMarzio DP100 Warranty (5 years)

dimarzio-dp100-super-distortion-humbucker-bridge-or-neck-electric-guitar-pickup-standard-spaced

Gearank High Notes

2022.10: Highest Rated Bridge Humbucker Pickup
2017.11: Equal Highest Rated Bridge Humbucker Size Pickup
Tied With:DiMarzio DP100 (F-spaced)

Gearank Recommended

The DP100 (Standard Spaced) first appeared on our recommended list for Budget Guitar Pickups in our first edition from November 2017 until December 2019.

Then in October 2022 it had high enough ratings to go back on the list where it is today.

See our Current Recommendation

Cons

Not meant for cleans
Not gritty enough for blues

Pros

Tried and tested high-output bridge humbucker
Great for crunch and high-gain tones
Full-sounding lows with smooth highs
Boosted mids make it great for solos as well

Thanks to the success of the DP100, DiMarzio is credited as one of the pioneers of aftermarket guitar pickups. When it was released back in 1972, the DiMarzio Super Distortion was one of the first high-output non-OEM pickups. It quickly became one of the best guitar pickups for metal. Even today, people are still fond of this humbucker pickup’s signature sound.

The band KISS adopted the pickup and helped its reputation tremendously. Another noteworthy user of this pickup is Kurt Cobain, who used this on his modified Fender Jaguars in the later years of Nirvana.

Decades later, the DiMarzio DP100 Super Distortion is still the go-to pickup for heavy rock and metal. Its ceramic magnet design results in a combination of boosted midrange and smooth treble. This distinct response allows it to handle high gain levels without sounding thin. This makes it a crowd-favorite pickup for the bridge position. Bass response is robust without muddying up during palm mutes. That’s a common requirement for most modern metal guitarists.

Being a high-output pickup, the DP100 is not meant for clean sounds. So, if that’s what you’re after, this may not be for you. But this is easiy one of the best humbuckers for Les Paul Bridge, great for crunch and high gain.

This is a timeless classic that can get you started on great rock guitar tones. It’s still one of the best pick ups for metal, especially if you’re into classic metal sounds.