Yet another John Petrucci signature pickup announced

[BartOfDarkness]

JP seems to be addicted to releasing signature gear more than ever. Honestly, I don't see the point, but then again I was skeptical about the illuminator too and it's currently my favorite pickup.

(Taken from DiMarzio's website)
Designed for renowned Dream Theater guitarist John Petrucci’s Music Man JP16, the key features of the Sonic Ecstasy™ models are power, depth, and warmth. They have a broad voicing that emphasizes mids and lows. Petrucci says, ”My new Sonic Ecstasy™ pickups deliver a massive tone that's incredibly rich, clear, and expressive. ”The bridge pickup brings out the guitar's punch and girth while maintaining a top end that's musical and smooth as well as a tighter and more articulate low end. ”The neck pickup has all the same qualities but adds just the right amount of air and liquid feel that accentuates and tracks my picking attack at any speed. ”Really, the name says it all … Sonic Ecstasy!!“ The Sonic Ecstasy™ Neck and Bridge models are available in F-spacing only.

 

[Johnny the Kid]

Re: Yet another John Petrucci signature pickup announced

From what I understand, they started with the Illuminators and then tweaked the EQ'ing a bit to make up for the inherent brightness in the JP16's between the Floyd, maple neck, and ebony board.

 

[Masta' C]

Re: Yet another John Petrucci signature pickup announced

I hate basing anything on manufacturer EQ diagrams, but the overall EQ and description for the Gravity Storm (aka: Dark Matter 1) is nearly identical to the Sonic Ecstasy. Obviously, there's a large difference in output between the two, but it's rather interesting. Kind of seems the Sonic Ecstasy takes the Gravity Storm, subs in a Ceramic mag and then overwinds slightly to pull things back in order. I wonder how they compare in real life?

 

[darthphineas]

Re: Yet another John Petrucci signature pickup announced

the CL/LF combo never really appealed to me on a personal level. more girth in mids/lows and too smooth in the highs. the Illuminator set really turned me around on the JP sound. but at first look, the SE set looks like it's going back toward the CL/LF and adding the doo-widdly-dee etched covers. from what I've been learning from the DiMarzio EQ charts, I bet they'd work great in a really bright guitar.

 

[TVFV]

Re: Yet another John Petrucci signature pickup announced

Still waiting on JP shampoo and conditioner

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

 

[MkIII Renegade]

Re: Yet another John Petrucci signature pickup announced

Still waiting on JP shampoo and conditioner

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

But what about nail care? Don't want to scratch those pretty ebony fretboards. :18:

John is as bad as Vai when it comes to constantly releasing gear, but just think how much John's tone has improved over the years. This is in part due to better album production and development as a player, but regardless, his constant tone journey has resulted in good things for all.

In the early days, his 7-string low B often sounded like a soggy bowl of jelly, instead of a WWII Panzer charging over broken concrete, which is what I like to hear. Especially by the time of Black Clouds.... he truly nailed the 7-string crunch tone. I was impressed. I've always loved his neck lead tone especially as well. Can't leave out his brawny stage evolved EBMM guitars and signature Twin-Graphic Mesa amp, either.

I think it's a bit of overkill honestly, but then again, he's played umpteen million concerts in small to large venues, and has a BIT more perspective on what works live and in the studio than the average Joe. So carry on!

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: Yet another John Petrucci signature pickup announced

Guitar-oriented company: "Hey dude, we'll develop a guitar/pickup/pedal/amp/pick/whatever that's exactly what you want and then pay you."

Dudes on forums: "No, thanks. Seems pointless."

 

[dave74]

Re: Yet another John Petrucci signature pickup announced

This might just be a good one for my Carvin st300fr full-maple w/ebony/stainless.
Surely they'll also be available in standard black won't they?

 

[darthphineas]

Re: Yet another John Petrucci signature pickup announced

Guitar-oriented company: "Hey dude, we'll develop a guitar/pickup/pedal/amp/pick/whatever that's exactly what you want and then pay you."

Dudes on forums: "No, thanks. Seems pointless."

Hahaha!

Considering most "artists" started out playing stock gear or the same stuff available to us common salt of the earth type of folk, it's amazing how we all get caught up in certain tone quests.

 

[dave74]

Re: Yet another John Petrucci signature pickup announced

Dimarzio is slip'n again.
They have the same dp272f model number for both the SE and the Imperium right next to it on their high-output humbuckers page. lols
output 420 huhuh

 

[esandes]

Re: Yet another John Petrucci signature pickup announced

Hahaha!

Considering most "artists" started out playing stock gear or the same stuff available to us common salt of the earth type of folk, it's amazing how we all get caught up in certain tone quests.

Yup. Tone is mostly from hands rather than trendy brands.

Btw I heard Dream Theatre for the first time recently and it sure isn't music you could mosh to.

 

[TVFV]

Re: Yet another John Petrucci signature pickup announced

But what about nail care? Don't want to scratch those pretty ebony fretboards. :18:

John is as bad as Vai when it comes to constantly releasing gear, but just think how much John's tone has improved over the years. This is in part due to better album production and development as a player, but regardless, his constant tone journey has resulted in good things for all.

In the early days, his 7-string low B often sounded like a soggy bowl of jelly, instead of a WWII Panzer charging over broken concrete, which is what I like to hear. Especially by the time of Black Clouds.... he truly nailed the 7-string crunch tone. I was impressed. I've always loved his neck lead tone especially as well. Can't leave out his brawny stage evolved EBMM guitars and signature Twin-Graphic Mesa amp, either.

I think it's a bit of overkill honestly, but then again, he's played umpteen million concerts in small to large venues, and has a BIT more perspective on what works live and in the studio than the average Joe. So carry on!

Hey that man has fantastic hair! And his name sounds like a boutique hair product.

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

 

[dave74]

Re: Yet another John Petrucci signature pickup announced

Yup. Tone is mostly from hands rather than trendy brands.

Btw I heard Dream Theatre for the first time recently and it sure isn't music you could mosh to.

There's actually some downright "breakdownish" riffs on Systematic Chaos.
I sort of missed the DT train,,,,,,,,,,,,being big into classic thrash/death/black at the time (90s) they just weren't a band I ever really cared to try-out.
Then in the mid-late 2000s I heard their SC album and was floored by some of the riffs and guitar-keyboard lead synchronizations.
All and all I just can't stand the vocals though, at least not too often for too long. lol

Back to the pickups; It's bridge DCR is quite high compared to his other models,,,,,hopefully it results in a hotter, thicker and more saturated tone than the crunchlab or the illuminator (which of course I've never tried). I found the crunchlab too stiff and dry for what I like.

 

[esandes]

Re: Yet another John Petrucci signature pickup announced

Tool is as prog as I prefer.

 

[chadd]

Re: Yet another John Petrucci signature pickup announced

Guitar-oriented company: "Hey dude, we'll develop a guitar/pickup/pedal/amp/pick/whatever that's exactly what you want and then pay you."

Dudes on forums: "No, thanks. Seems pointless."

The only people that complain about someone "selling out" are the ones that never had the opportunity to do so themselves

 

[BloodRose]

Re: Yet another John Petrucci signature pickup announced

John Petrucci Beard Balm. Designed to keep your beard from looking raggedy like guitar players that play bulls eye guitars...

I also agree on the singer. I appreciate John's skill and chops, but Pull Me Under is about the only song I can say I like. Periphery's singer drives me nuts too..

 

[darthphineas]

Re: Yet another John Petrucci signature pickup announced

John Petrucci Beard Balm. Designed to keep your beard from looking raggedy like guitar players that play bulls eye guitars...

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: Yet another John Petrucci signature pickup announced

The only people that complain about someone "selling out" are the ones that never had the opportunity to do so themselves

1000% agreed, except they do it every day when they go to work.

 

[Johnny the Kid]

Re: Yet another John Petrucci signature pickup announced

John Petrucci Beard Balm. Designed to keep your beard from looking raggedy like guitar players that play bulls eye guitars...

I also agree on the singer. I appreciate John's skill and chops, but Pull Me Under is about the only song I can say I like. Periphery's singer drives me nuts too..

Fun fact, Jake Bowen, one of the guitarists in Periphery, is John Petrucci's nephew (by marriage I believe). But I disagree about Spencer Sotelo's vocals. James Labrie's vocals are meh at best, but Spencer's have gotten better with every album in my opinion.

 

[mantis]

Re: Yet another John Petrucci signature pickup announced

If anyone knows anything about John Petrucci you would know he himself is a tone chaser. He is constantly looking for new tones and gear. It's what he does. He's no different then many of us. He just so happens to be in a Professional group and has companies wanting to do signature stuff with him.
He has a lot of signature gear which you know what? I wish I had signature gear.
Custom shop is as close to signature gear you and I will ever get to unless you make it like John did.

Anyone who complains about it is a clown.