NAMM 2023: No-one has as many signature guitar products as Joe Bonamassa, and now the blues guitar titan can add another one to that fierce list: the ‘63 Cradle Rock Strat signature electric guitar pickup set, designed in collaboration with Seymour Duncan.
Inspired by the sound of JoBo’s prized 1963 Fender Stratocaster – which was affectionately named Cradle Rock, after the Rory Gallagher tune found on his Bonamassa’s debut album – the single coils were engineered in the Seymour Duncan custom shop in an effort to harness this same tone, featuring period-correct wind and aged magnets.
The ‘63 Cradle Rock Strat pickup set will be limited to just 1,000 units, with each featuring Alnico 5 magnets for a “distinctive powerful sound”.
According to Seymour Duncan, the single coils were tested and retested until Bonamassa deemed them to be “spot on” recreations of the ones that can be found in the Cradle Rock Strat – a guitar JoBo first laid eyes on back in 1994.
As an added bonus, each single coil will come printed with Bonamassa’s signature.
The ‘63 Cradle Rock Strat pickups are available exclusively as a set, and are available now for $375.
Head over to Seymour Duncan to find out more.
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It’s been a busy NAMM season so far for Seymour Duncan, who recently unveiled signature pickup sets for Lari Basilio, in the form of and ultra-versatile HSS set, and Josh Smith, who was bestowed with the Flat V1 T-style single-coil combo.
Stretching back further, Seymour Duncan has been busy releasing Cory Wong’s Clean Machine set, Mark Holcomb’s Scarlet and Scourge humbuckers and a Tele-sized Pearly Gates humbucker.
In other Bonamassa news, his long-awaited Fender signature amp – the Fender ‘48 Dual Professional JB Edition – finally arrived today.