Are you looking to upgrade your pickups on your 8 string guitar? There are a number of options out there but these best pickups for 8 string guitars are what I would recommend.
Quick Links To Our 8 String Guitar Pickup Recommendations
- Fishman Signature Javier Reyes
- Seymour Duncan Nazghul
- Seymour Duncan Black Winter
- Fishman Fluence 8-String Modern Humbucker Alnico & Ceramic Pickups Set
- Fishman Fluence Signature Series Tosin Abasi
- EMG- 81-8H
Contents
Our Top 8-String Guitar Pickups Reviews
Fishman Signature Javier Reyes
The Fishman Signature Javier Reyes pickups are a standard 8 string pickup set. The pickup itself is very dynamic, while it can be driven hard with a strong attack on the guitar.
These active pickups are able to produce a very clear and clean sound with a little bit of distortion. At high volume, you can bring out the natural resonance of the guitar. They offer three voices: A regular, crystal and a humbucking version.
You can use these pickups for a wide range of genres such as rock, blues, folk and heavy metal. As an active pickup set it offers versatility with a good price point.
The Fishman Javier Reyes Series are very popular among 8 string players because they’re able to produce a clear and powerful tone at an affordable price.
Seymour Duncan Nazghul
The Seymour Duncan Nazghul pickup has been around for some time, though 8 string guitarists have been slow to jump on the Nazgahul. There is a good reason as to why this pickup works so well: it has a large amount of bass that is clear at all levels, mids that are deep and round, and treble that rings out when it needs to, but doesn’t hurt the ears when played at low volumes.
It works especially well when played as an 8 string passive pickup with other passive pickups.
The large ceramic magnet and adjustable pole pieces provide the warmth and smoothness that any guitarist looking for an 8 string guitar pickup have come to expect from Seymour Duncan. It’s known for having great sustain on any instrument, so if you’re looking for a way to make your guitar stand out from the crowd with amazing sustain, look no further than the Nazgul.
Seymour Duncan Black Winter
The Seymour Duncan Black Winter pickup set is designed specifically for aggressive riffing and high-gain tones.
It was designed to produce a sound that will work great with fast riffing, palm muting and drop tunings. While it may lack in sustaining power, this pickup set has a wide range of tones in its own right. The clean tone sounds fantastic but it also has a very mean low-end growl. The Neck pickup has a very high output and a nice grind. With the bridge pickup, the tone gets rather bluesy and sultry.
The bridge pickup doesn’t necessarily feature a lot of gain but it does have some presence and has a nice medium-gain tone. It’s very well-rounded, making it suitable for a number of styles. The knobs on the Black Winter set work incredibly well, being quite responsive and precise as well as being quite simple to read.
Fishman Fluence 8-String Modern Humbucker Alnico & Ceramic Pickups Set
The Fishman Fluence 8-String Modern Humbucker Alnico & Ceramic Pickups Set is a fantastic choice for guitarists who prefer the warmth and fullness of traditional humbuckers on their 8-string guitar.
One pickup in the set is featuring a ceramic magnet, this pickup is clear and responsive; it’s great for rhythm playing, but also produces a warm, articulate tone when playing lead lines.
For extra versatility in your eight string setup, the Fluence Eight 8-String Humbucker pickups are also available in Alnico. The Fluence Eight Alnico humbucker is a unique pickup for 8-string guitar, it generates a more compressed tone compared to the ceramic; it’s great for rhythm playing, perfect for chugging and chords.
The Fluence Eight Alnico pickups are recommended if you want the gain and full harmonic complexity of your eight strings to cut through the mix in a live or studio environment.
Fishman Fluence Signature Series Tosin Abasi
The Fishman Fluence Signature Series Tosin Abasi set is designed for the highest level of solo playing. The set has the most output and responsiveness and the strongest overall tone when compared to other 8 string pickups.
The Fluence Signature Series has a smooth, dynamic response that shines when used with an amp’s natural overdrive. Its tight and loud low end will cut through any mix, with a bright and powerful high end that never gets harsh or muddy.
The Tosin Abasi set’s tone is especially well-suited to fast and complex modern 8 string playing.
The set includes a ceramic pickup for the bridge position and an alnico for the middle or neck position.
EMG- 81-8H
The EMG- 81-8H pickup is a hybrid design of EMG’s 81-8 and 81-X pickups. It was designed to keep the clean tones and responsiveness of the 8-string design, while improving the output of the dual coil 81-X by installing two single coil pickups with different windings in it.
The EMG-81-8H produces a clear tone with great sustain which can be heard even at lower volume levels and is very durable. The EMG- 81-8H works well with most amps of any brand. It is good for playing metal and is designed for a fast attack and heavy output.
Conclusion
Be sure to take a look at our other articles on 8 string guitar strings and choosing between a 7 or 8 string guitar.
It’s important to note that 8 string guitars have been around for a while, but there are very few manufacturers who offer pickups that can handle the full range of 8 string tone.
These pickups will not only help you to get the right sound for your style, but they’ll also make playing complete at an affordable price.
If you’re looking to replace your pickups or want a whole new set, we recommend checking these out!