Gearank

Gearank High Notes

• 2021.11: Equal Highest Rated Single Coil Size Bridge Pickup Under $100
  Tied With:
  Seymour Duncan SHR-1b
  

Gearank Recommendation

The DP184 appeared on our recommended list for Budget Guitar Pickups in 3 consecutive editions from December 2019 until October 2022 when it was removed due to us deciding to no longer include single coil sized humbuckers.

Overview

The Chopper pickup is a loud, punchy single coil sized humbucker from DiMarzio. It emphasizes the mid and low end spectrum while its high output makes it soar. Its dual blade design ensures it does well in all positions without pole alignment issues or string pull problems.

Although it will work in any position especially when paired with humbuckers, it was originally designed for the bridge position to compliment The Cruiser and Fast Track 1, and other dual blade magnet pickup offerings from DiMarzio.

The extra output and gain can be unwieldy for some, and its natural compression makes it harder to hide sloppy playing.

What makes it special though is how good it is at handling overdrive and distortion. It has a fuller sound with lots of sustain, more akin to a humbucker, while retaining some of the highs expected from a single-coil pickup. More importantly it does all this with minimal noise issues, given its dual blade design. You can even pair it with a split coil switch to for added versatility.

The DiMarzio DP184 is a great choice for those who want bridge humbucker tones on a standard SSS configuration guitar.

Specifications

• Position: Any (especially bridge)
• Magnet Material: Ceramic
• Dimensions: 3.26" x .72" x .710"
• String Spacing: Not Applicable
• Available Colors/Covers: 12 color variations

Demo