Description
The Illuminator Neck pickup is the result of John Petrucci pushing DiMarzio for a humbucker that could keep up with everything he throws at it on a Music Man JP13. Originally developed for that signature guitar, it’s built around one core demand: versatility without compromise. Petrucci wanted a pickup that could deliver massive, tightly controlled overdrive for rhythmic, aggressive riffing, then flip instantly into something more expressive and dynamic — what he describes as a “liquid” quality — the moment he steps into a solo.
That range comes through in the pickup’s voicing. There’s real clarity and presence on tap, giving notes an assertive edge rather than a soft, rolled-off neck-position sound. It’s a pickup designed to cut through a dense mix while still responding to touch dynamics, so single-note lines stay articulate and full-bodied instead of muddy or thin.
Petrucci relied on the Illuminator and its 7-string sibling, the Illuminator 7, while tracking Dream Theater’s self-titled album, released September 24, 2013 on Roadrunner Records — a solid reference point for the kind of high-gain, high-clarity territory this pickup was built to handle.
- DiMarzio Illuminator Neck Pickup
- Nickel cover finish
- Designed with John Petrucci for the Music Man JP13
- Voiced for both aggressive rhythm tones and expressive, dynamic lead work
If your neck pickup needs to handle everything from tight metal rhythm to fluid, singing solos without losing definition, the Illuminator is worth a serious look.
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