DiMarzio HS-3 Stacked Hum-Cancelling Stratocaster Pickup – Aged White, Black, White

DiMarzio HS-3 Stacked Hum-Cancelling Stratocaster Pickup – Aged White, Black, White

Experience smooth overdrive, expressive sustain and vintage-inspired Stratocaster tone with the DiMarzio DP117 HS-3 Stacked Hum-Cancelling Pickup. First introduced in 1980, the HS-3 has become a popular choice among guitarists seeking warm, articulate lead tones and reduced electrical hum without sacrificing the familiar appearance of a traditional Stratocaster pickup.

Developed for players who want a smooth and controlled response, the HS-3 uses a stacked hum-cancelling design that fits into a conventional Stratocaster-style single-coil pickup position. Its construction helps eliminate the unwanted noise commonly associated with traditional single-coil pickups, making it especially suitable for live performances, recording sessions and high-gain amplifier setups.

Unlike many pickups designed for heavy rock and metal, the HS-3 is not an extremely high-output model. Instead, its 93mV output focuses on clarity, warmth and dynamic control. This allows guitarists to achieve singing overdriven leads without excessive harshness, muddiness or uncontrolled high frequencies.

Equipped with Alnico 5 magnets, the pickup provides a warm, full-bodied tonal response with strong bass presence, expressive midrange and smooth treble. Its balanced sound complements overdrive pedals and tube-style amplifiers, allowing players to achieve rich distortion while maintaining clear note definition.

The HS-3 is particularly well suited to classic rock, neoclassical metal, blues-rock and melodic lead guitar performances. Its smooth response helps maintain articulation during fast passages, sustained bends and expressive vibrato, while its low-noise construction makes it a practical choice for demanding performance environments.

Designed for all three Stratocaster pickup positions, the HS-3 offers flexibility for custom pickup configurations. Using HS-3 pickups throughout a Stratocaster creates a warmer overall sound than many traditional single-coil setups.

It also pairs effectively with other DiMarzio pickups. For example, the HS-3 can be installed in the bridge position alongside an HS-4 Neck and HS-2 Middle pickup. In neck and middle positions, it works well with selected full-size humbuckers such as the PAF Pro, PAF, Air Classic and Norton.

Featuring four-conductor wiring, the pickup supports installation with compatible guitar electronics, while its passive design requires no battery.

Available in Aged White (DP117AW), Black (DP117BK) and White (DP117W), all three versions share identical electrical specifications and tonal characteristics.

Whether you’re upgrading your Stratocaster for smoother lead tones or building a versatile, low-noise electric guitar setup, the DiMarzio HS-3 delivers classic warmth, controlled overdrive and expressive playing dynamics.

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