Seymour Duncan Custom Shop - Limited Edition Joe Bonamassa Signature "Pawn Shop Special" P-90 Set - PRE-ORDER
Please use the tabs below to read through the information about this product.
About Seymour Duncan Custom Shop
Seymour Duncan have long cemented themselves as the leading aftermarket pickup brand in the world, offering a staggering selection of models, and doing so affordably too. Throughout their range they have created iconic models that stand the test of time, popular for a variety of guitars and music styles. The Custom Shop is their most exclusive offerings and a separate entity to the main SD co. Developed and made by a very small team, the key three being Maricela Juarez, Derek Duncan or Seymour W. Duncan of whom you will more than likely see the initials of on most Custom Shop made pickups. These three people having personally made pickups for the likes of Slash, Billy Gibbons, Mark Knopfler, David Gilmour, Steve Harris, Eddie Van Halen, Jimmy Page, Steve Miller, Albert Collins, Eric Johnson, Joe Walsh, Yngwie Malmsteen, John Fogerty, Stevie Ray Vaughan and so many more.
About the JB "Pawn Shop Special" P-90 Set
I realise the ever growing lines of Joe Bonamassa signature guitar products is a somewhat polarising subject within the guitar world, but I personally feel items like these are less about Joe, and more about the vintage guitar they're based upon. So whether you are a die hard JB fan, or simply another deeply passionate vintage guitar fan, these pickups have their place for sure.
We all know of Joe's vast knowledge, even vaster collection and experience of handling/playing vintage instruments, so when he covets a specific instrument, it surely must be a particularly special one. This one has a special place in JB's collection, as it is #001 in his cataloged collection!
What SD say:
"Most guitar players have had the experience of walking into a pawn shop, hoping to strike gold, only to find a limited selection of instruments that are far from inspiring. But sometimes with the right combination of luck, a great guitar can be found hanging on the wall of your local pawnbroker. Joe Bonamassa found one such gem, a 1961 Gibson® SG™ Special, at a pawn shop while on tour in 2010. Not only was it a pristine example of a first-year SG Special, but it also had a set of pickups that marked the beginning of Joe’s love affair with P90s. After many years of recreating pickups from some of Joe’s favourite instruments, Seymour Duncan and Bonamassa have teamed up to replicate the soapbar P90 pickups from this very special guitar as the Joe Bonamassa “Pawn Shop Special” 1961 P90 Set – the Custom Shop’s first P90 collaboration with Joe.
Sonically, these vintage P90s sit somewhere between a single coil and a humbucker: articulate and responsive, but with plenty of bark, especially when overdriven. The pickups in this guitar exemplified the tone of his heroes who played these pickups in the ‘60s. Players like Pete Townshend, Carlos Santana, and Leslie West. When he heard the pickups in the Pawn Shop Special, he knew he had to share this exceptional sound, thus leading to the latest collaboration between Joe and the Seymour Duncan Custom Shop.
The “Pawn Shop Special” 1961 P90 Set is built with Alnico 4 magnets and a custom wind to duplicate the airy top end and sizzle that make the pickups in Joe’s guitar so captivating. Seymour Duncan created a historically accurate dimpled P90 bottom plate specially for this project, taking care to replicate the covers and other intricacies of pickups from this era. These P90s are wax potted per Joe’s preferences and are ready for any live performance (no matter how many Overdrive Specials™ and Silver Jubilees™ are turned up behind you).
The Pawn Shop Special occupies a unique place in Joe’s extensive guitar collection. As he began to log and inventory his instruments, this guitar was the very first instrument to be catalogued, thus garnering an inventory tag as item #001. To celebrate this, the first 610 sets will come with a Nerdville #001 inventory tag, similar to the ones Joe uses to catalogue his own instruments. Other features exclusive to the first 610 sets include a certificate of authenticity signed by Joe and Seymour W. Duncan, as well as limited edition packaging."
Nerdy specs
Magnet - Alnico 4
Type - Passive
Wire type - 2 conductor
DCR neck - 8.66k
DCR bridge - 8.13k
Recommended wiring - Ultimately, this pickup model was closely designed to match an original set of 1961 P90 pickups in the original 'SG Special'.
Traditionally this era SGs are seen wired with 500k pots and 0.022uF caps. So if you're looking to capture the same wiring specs as Joe's #001 1961 SG Special, then these are the component specs to recreate that and recommended for this pickup set.
If you're looking for a quality SG harness, then I also make those in house with my quality 'Signature Series' and 'Bumblebee Series' pre-wired kits. You can find those for SG models here -
Signature Series kits for Les Paul
Bumblebee Series kits
What's included?
Inside the box you'll find the signed neck and bridge pickups, along with your mounting screws and springs for each, and a wiring guide which covers traditional wiring install.
Demos
Hear the original guitar this pickup set is based on! -
Installation
These pickups are a direct replacement in terms of sizing and spec for a traditional soapbar P90. They are 1 conductor braided wired as standard. If by chance you aren't comfortable installing these pickups yourself, and are local to the Home of Tone, then I offer professional in-house installation. If you are installing them yourself, then I am of course here for any installation advise too.
Do you have them in stock?
Stock is secured, but not with me quite yet. If you place a pre-order, a set will be secured to your name and dispatched as soon as they arrive with me. Stock expected week beginning 14th September.
Why buy Seymour Duncan pickups from the Home of Tone?
The Home of Tone are an authorised main dealer for Seymour Duncan. What that means is stock is carried here on site for prompt service and dispatch as well as assurance you are ordering your new pickups for an official, authorised dealer. Having long been specialising in guitar electronics, I can offer you installation advise, as well as installation services on site along with any support required. As well as offering friendly, knowledgable advise prior to ordering too. I offer a broad range of quality hand made pre-wired kits, which may also help with your project. You'll also be supporting a small, independant business in the process too which is always hugely appreciated! Thank you for considering your new Seymour Duncan pickup set from the Home of Tone.
Ordering/shipping
Local pickup - If you are local and wish to collect any items or order in advance for collection on a specific day, then you can still place an order online and select local pickup at the checkout. Or drop me a message and I'll reserve the items ready for your visit.
For online ordering and dispatch - In stock, non made to order items are processed and dispatched 4 days a week; Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday.
For orders that are placed on a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday I have an order cut off time of 14:00GMT (with Royal Mail shipping services only) to allow me chance to process, pack and dispatch your order same day.
For non dispatch days (Saturday, Sunday, & Thursday) there is no order cut-off time, and these will be processed, packed and shipped on the closest following dispatch day.
I will always endeavor to fulfill orders as quickly as I can and if you have specific requirements for a delivery date please do let me know and hopefully I can help.
If you have more queries regarding order placing, processing, fulfillment or general shipping then please see the FAQ page HERE
Please use the tabs below to read through the information about this product.
About Seymour Duncan Custom Shop
Seymour Duncan have long cemented themselves as the leading aftermarket pickup brand in the world, offering a staggering selection of models, and doing so affordably too. Throughout their range they have created iconic models that stand the test of time, popular for a variety of guitars and music styles. The Custom Shop is their most exclusive offerings and a separate entity to the main SD co. Developed and made by a very small team, the key three being Maricela Juarez, Derek Duncan or Seymour W. Duncan of whom you will more than likely see the initials of on most Custom Shop made pickups. These three people having personally made pickups for the likes of Slash, Billy Gibbons, Mark Knopfler, David Gilmour, Steve Harris, Eddie Van Halen, Jimmy Page, Steve Miller, Albert Collins, Eric Johnson, Joe Walsh, Yngwie Malmsteen, John Fogerty, Stevie Ray Vaughan and so many more.
About the JB "Pawn Shop Special" P-90 Set
I realise the ever growing lines of Joe Bonamassa signature guitar products is a somewhat polarising subject within the guitar world, but I personally feel items like these are less about Joe, and more about the vintage guitar they're based upon. So whether you are a die hard JB fan, or simply another deeply passionate vintage guitar fan, these pickups have their place for sure.
We all know of Joe's vast knowledge, even vaster collection and experience of handling/playing vintage instruments, so when he covets a specific instrument, it surely must be a particularly special one. This one has a special place in JB's collection, as it is #001 in his cataloged collection!
What SD say:
"Most guitar players have had the experience of walking into a pawn shop, hoping to strike gold, only to find a limited selection of instruments that are far from inspiring. But sometimes with the right combination of luck, a great guitar can be found hanging on the wall of your local pawnbroker. Joe Bonamassa found one such gem, a 1961 Gibson® SG™ Special, at a pawn shop while on tour in 2010. Not only was it a pristine example of a first-year SG Special, but it also had a set of pickups that marked the beginning of Joe’s love affair with P90s. After many years of recreating pickups from some of Joe’s favourite instruments, Seymour Duncan and Bonamassa have teamed up to replicate the soapbar P90 pickups from this very special guitar as the Joe Bonamassa “Pawn Shop Special” 1961 P90 Set – the Custom Shop’s first P90 collaboration with Joe.
Sonically, these vintage P90s sit somewhere between a single coil and a humbucker: articulate and responsive, but with plenty of bark, especially when overdriven. The pickups in this guitar exemplified the tone of his heroes who played these pickups in the ‘60s. Players like Pete Townshend, Carlos Santana, and Leslie West. When he heard the pickups in the Pawn Shop Special, he knew he had to share this exceptional sound, thus leading to the latest collaboration between Joe and the Seymour Duncan Custom Shop.
The “Pawn Shop Special” 1961 P90 Set is built with Alnico 4 magnets and a custom wind to duplicate the airy top end and sizzle that make the pickups in Joe’s guitar so captivating. Seymour Duncan created a historically accurate dimpled P90 bottom plate specially for this project, taking care to replicate the covers and other intricacies of pickups from this era. These P90s are wax potted per Joe’s preferences and are ready for any live performance (no matter how many Overdrive Specials™ and Silver Jubilees™ are turned up behind you).
The Pawn Shop Special occupies a unique place in Joe’s extensive guitar collection. As he began to log and inventory his instruments, this guitar was the very first instrument to be catalogued, thus garnering an inventory tag as item #001. To celebrate this, the first 610 sets will come with a Nerdville #001 inventory tag, similar to the ones Joe uses to catalogue his own instruments. Other features exclusive to the first 610 sets include a certificate of authenticity signed by Joe and Seymour W. Duncan, as well as limited edition packaging."
Nerdy specs
Magnet - Alnico 4
Type - Passive
Wire type - 2 conductor
DCR neck - 8.66k
DCR bridge - 8.13k
Recommended wiring - Ultimately, this pickup model was closely designed to match an original set of 1961 P90 pickups in the original 'SG Special'.
Traditionally this era SGs are seen wired with 500k pots and 0.022uF caps. So if you're looking to capture the same wiring specs as Joe's #001 1961 SG Special, then these are the component specs to recreate that and recommended for this pickup set.
If you're looking for a quality SG harness, then I also make those in house with my quality 'Signature Series' and 'Bumblebee Series' pre-wired kits. You can find those for SG models here -
Signature Series kits for Les Paul
Bumblebee Series kits
What's included?
Inside the box you'll find the signed neck and bridge pickups, along with your mounting screws and springs for each, and a wiring guide which covers traditional wiring install.
Demos
Hear the original guitar this pickup set is based on! -
Installation
These pickups are a direct replacement in terms of sizing and spec for a traditional soapbar P90. They are 1 conductor braided wired as standard. If by chance you aren't comfortable installing these pickups yourself, and are local to the Home of Tone, then I offer professional in-house installation. If you are installing them yourself, then I am of course here for any installation advise too.
Do you have them in stock?
Stock is secured, but not with me quite yet. If you place a pre-order, a set will be secured to your name and dispatched as soon as they arrive with me. Stock expected week beginning 14th September.
Why buy Seymour Duncan pickups from the Home of Tone?
The Home of Tone are an authorised main dealer for Seymour Duncan. What that means is stock is carried here on site for prompt service and dispatch as well as assurance you are ordering your new pickups for an official, authorised dealer. Having long been specialising in guitar electronics, I can offer you installation advise, as well as installation services on site along with any support required. As well as offering friendly, knowledgable advise prior to ordering too. I offer a broad range of quality hand made pre-wired kits, which may also help with your project. You'll also be supporting a small, independant business in the process too which is always hugely appreciated! Thank you for considering your new Seymour Duncan pickup set from the Home of Tone.
Ordering/shipping
Local pickup - If you are local and wish to collect any items or order in advance for collection on a specific day, then you can still place an order online and select local pickup at the checkout. Or drop me a message and I'll reserve the items ready for your visit.
For online ordering and dispatch - In stock, non made to order items are processed and dispatched 4 days a week; Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday.
For orders that are placed on a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday I have an order cut off time of 14:00GMT (with Royal Mail shipping services only) to allow me chance to process, pack and dispatch your order same day.
For non dispatch days (Saturday, Sunday, & Thursday) there is no order cut-off time, and these will be processed, packed and shipped on the closest following dispatch day.
I will always endeavor to fulfill orders as quickly as I can and if you have specific requirements for a delivery date please do let me know and hopefully I can help.
If you have more queries regarding order placing, processing, fulfillment or general shipping then please see the FAQ page HERE