DiMarzio DP182 BK

This pickup is really great, it gives my Strat a full mid range and solid top end. The only thing that is a issue with the pickup is that the solid top end can sometimes feel dampened this can be fixed with a treble mod for pickups and you can find information about that online but for recording the treble mod is a great improvement. For live and rehearsals you can do just fine with the pickup and standard sodering. I do recommend this pickup because of the tight midend if you are in the studio and have a humbucker guitar with quite a loose midend this pickup in a guitar can add the tight midend.

This is a good pickup for getting a high gain sound for hard rock or metal.

Its not very subtle, so wouldn't suggest using it clean or nearly clean. But really this is the only disadvantage.

I don't feel like the humbucker tone is compromised by the single coil sized blade format.

I considerably preferred it to the DiMarzio DP218 Super Distortion S, which I think is meant for a similar high gain sound, but for me sounded a bit strange with too much bass.

If you want a high gain humbucker sound, similar to a Super Distortion, in a strat form factor - this is the one.