New offerings include signature sets from Jim Root, Robert Trujillo, and an update on their 57/66 set.
Santa Rosa, CA (January 18, 2020) -- EMG Pickups announces the highly anticipated Signature Set of Slipknot guitarist and longtime EMG Artist, Jim Root. The Jim Root Daemonum Signature Set will be released at NAMM 2020 and available for pre-order starting Friday January 10th through the EMG Pickups website.
Root, a long time user of the EMG 81/60 combo, began the process of developing a signature set well over three years ago. After trying various prototypes, Root was inspired by a set of modified Retro Active pickups to tailor his tone. He settled on a set that gave him everything he loved about the 81/60 with the added benefits and versatility of the Retro Active design.
Unlike traditional open coil pickups, both the bridge and neck pickups utilize stud poles in both coils. The fingerboard pickup uses ceramic studs giving it a clean high-end tone and percussive response. The bridge pickup has black steel poles and features a ceramic magnet, similar to the EMG 81. Both pickups feature custom Retro Active preamps exclusive to the Root set.
The Jim Root ‘Daemonum’ Set features EMG solderless wiring that is manufactured in California and will be available in both Zebra & Black. The Zebra ‘Daemonum’ set will also be featured in Root’s 2020 Fender Signature Jazzmaster.
MSRP: $319.99 MAP: $229.00
Watch the Jim Root Signature ‘Daemonum’ Pickup Set video demo:
EMG Pickups announces the Robert Trujillo Signature ‘Rip Tide’ Set. For the first time in pickup history, EMG and Robert Trujillo are bringing stainless steel, black chrome caps to the world of the jazz bass.
Trujillo has been using the EMG J Set since before his days in Metallica. Now he is truly metal, trusting his original tone combined with a modern, new look. Because of the custom stainless steel caps, these pickups maintain their original sound that’s been used in the industry for decades.
The pickups are designed for traditional 4 string jazz bass spacing but are suitable for narrow 5 string instruments as well, due to the utilization of bar magnets instead of pole pieces. They come with EMG’s solderless wiring harness for a standard volume/volume/tone setup. Pre-Order yours Friday, January 10 th at www.emgpickups.com.
MSRP: $309.99 MAP: $219.00
Watch the Robert Trujillo ‘Rip Tide’ Signature Pickup video demo:
In 2010 EMG Pickups introduced the 57/66 Set. Now, 10 years later, they are releasing the dual mode versions of one of their most popular sets. These pickups feature selectable single and dual coil sounds using EMG’s proprietary three coil design.
The 66TW neck pickup features its popular humbucker design, while the single coil selection gives the player brilliant fluidness. The 66TW is a true hybrid in design using both ceramic and alnico magnets. By utilizing both magnet types, the tone from the single coil position is clear and powerful.
The 57TW bridge pickup uses a combination of alnico and steel making it a true rocker in both single and dual coil positions. The single coil selection is smooth and seamless and the high resonance of the pickup carries the tone with unequivocal clarity.
This being the extension of the popular 57/66 Set, EMG has taken this set to a whole new level. The 57/66 TW Set includes EMG’s solderless wiring harness with a push pull potentiometer for each pickup along with two standard tone controls to fit any configuration. Available for Pre-Order Friday, January 10 th and available in Black, Chrome, Black Chrome, Brushed Chrome or Brushed Black Chrome.
Starting at MSRP: $359.99 MAP: $269.00
Watch the 57/66-TW Dual Mode Set video demo:
For more information:
EMG Pickups
PRS Guitars celebrates 40 years with the limited edition McCarty SC56. Featuring vintage-inspired design and modern innovations, this single-cutaway guitar pays tribute to Ted McCarty and his impact on the industry. With only 400 pieces available, this instrument is a must-have for collectors and performers alike.
PRS Guitars today announced the 40th Anniversary McCarty SC56 Limited Edition. With a classic PRS single-cutaway body shape and carefully chosen specifications, the McCarty SC56 is both a tribute to tradition and a reliable tool for the modern performer. Only 400 pieces will be made.
“The SC56, signifying Singlecut and 1956, model is our most recent tribute to my late mentor Ted McCarty and his impact on the guitar industry. We started with our take on a classic late ‘50s singlecut body. 1956 marks the year that Ted first had guitars made with his newly coined 'humbucker' pickups. It also happens to be the year I was born. Bringing vintage design into the modern era, we loaded this model with our McCarty III pickups, meticulously designed to deliver warm, clear, vintage tone with exceptional note separation and dynamics,” said PRS Guitars Founder & Managing General Partner, Paul Reed Smith.
Anchored by a maple top and mahogany back, the 24.594” scale length and 22-fret Pattern Vintage neck work with Phase III non-locking tuners and PRS two-piece bridge to promote its musical sustain. The PRS McCarty III pickups are controlled by a simple layout — two volume controls, two tone controls, and a three-way toggle on the upper bout.
Single-cutaway guitars are known to be heavier than their double-cutaway counterparts. The McCarty SC56 Limited Edition design incorporates weight-relief, decreasing the weight of the guitar by about 2/3 of a pound, while maintaining several points of attachment between the guitar top and back to eliminate the “hollow” sound of the cavities and promote tone transfer.
With appointments like binding on the fretboard, classic bird inlays, and a vintage-inspired nitrocellulose finish, the 40th Anniversary McCarty SC56 Limited Edition blends heritage and innovation into a timeless instrument.
PRS Guitars continues its schedule of launching new products each month in 2025.
For more information, please visit prsguitars.com.
40th Anniversary McCarty SC56 Limited Edition | Demo | PRS Guitars - YouTube
His credits include Miles Davis’ Jack Johnson and Herbie Mann—next to whom he performed in Questlove’s 2021 documentary, Summer of Soul—and his tunes have been covered by Santana and the Messthetics. But it’s as a bandleader and collaborator where Sharrock cut his wildest recordings. As groundbreaking as Sharrock’s music could be, his distorted tone and melodic tunes helped bring rock listeners into the jazz tent. Our callers let us know how much Sharrock meant to them and why he’s one of the “top guys of all time.”
Belltone Guitars has partnered Brickhouse Toneworks to create a one-of-a-kind, truly noiseless Strat/Tele-tone pickup in a standard Filter’Tron size format: the Single-Bell pickup.
The Single-Bell by Brickhouse Toneworks delivers bonafide single-coil Strat and Tele tones with the power of a P-90 and no 60-cycle hum. Unlike typical stacked hum-cancelling designs, Brickhouse Toneworks uses a proprietary ‘sidewind’ approach that cancels the 60-cycle hum without sacrificing any of the dynamics or top-end sparkle of a Fender-style single coil.
Get the best of both worlds with clear bell-like tones on the neck pickup, signature quack when combining the neck and bridge pickups, and pristine twang in the bridge position backed with the fullness and power of a P-90. Push these into overdrive and experience the hallmark blues tone with plenty of grit and harmonic sustain — all with completely noiseless performance.
Key Features of the Single-Bell:
- Cast Alnico 5 Magnet, designed to be used with 500k pots
- Voiced to capture that signature Fender-style single coil tone without the 60-cycle hum
- Lightly potted to minimize squeal
- Made in the USA with premium quality materials
The retail price for a Bridge and Neck matching set is $340.00 and they’re available directly and exclusively through Belltone® Guitars / Brickhouse Toneworks at belltoneguitars.com.
Designed for players who demand flexibility without sacrificing tone, the Aquanaut fuses the rich warmth of classic analog delay with the extended range and clarity of modern digital designs. Featuring up to 600 milliseconds of delay time, the Aquanaut easily covers everything from tight slapback echoes to lush, ambient textures and rhythmic soundscapes – all with a simple, intuitive control layout.
Unlike many digital delays that can sound sterile and detached, the Aquanaut retains an organic, analog-inspired voice. Repeats are smooth and musical, gently fading into the mix to create depth and dimension without overwhelming your dry signal. Whether you’re chasing vintage tape echo, adding subtle space to your solos, or building massive atmospheric layers, the Aquanaut keeps your tone clear, present, and inspiring.
Berserker Electronics Aquanaut Delay/Echo
Key features include:
- Up to 600ms of delay time for expanded creative possibilities
- Analog-voiced digital architecture for warm, natural-sounding repeats
- Ambient-style echo that enhances, not distracts from, your core tone
- Simple, intuitive controls for delay time, feedback, and blend
The Aquanaut is available direct at www.berserkerpedals.com and Reverb at a $149 street price.