You might not realize it from his music, but Yngwie Malmsteen is a vintage Strat(r) collector, and he swears by his 50s and 60s axes. He also swears by DiMarzio's HS-3(tm), and he's always wanted a vintage magnet-stagger version to go with his best guitars. While there is still a strong resemblance to the HS-3, the YJM(tm) has more presence and brilliance, particularly on the high strings, and still no 60-cycle hum. Yngwie uses it in the neck position of his main guitars, and it's also the standard neck pickup on his signature model Strat.

Recommended For: All positions.

Tech Talk: Works well in all 3 positions for slightly warmer than usual Strat sound. The vintage 50's magnet stagger is a subtle change from the standard HS-3. It alters the overall tonal balance so there's a little more clarity and string definition, and highs cut through, particularly higher up the neck. Most recently, Yngwie has been using the YJM in the middle and neck position, with the HS-3 in the bridge position.