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A Modern Recreation of the Sound That Revolutionized Rock Guitar
Sheptone® announces the 7078, a brand-new humbucking pickup inspired by the legendary tones that redefined rock guitar in 1978. Considered an industry secret for the past 18 years, Sheptone has been the “go to” for professional guitarists wanting to achieve that 1950’s tone that initially revolutionized electric guitar. The 7078 is the next step in the evolution of the Sheptone product line.
The 7078 pays homage to the iconic rhythm tones captured on Van Halen’sgroundbreaking debut album. It was a sound that inspired generations of players and changed the way the world hears and plays the electric guitar. From the driving rhythms of You Really Got Me to the groove of Jamie’s Cryin’ and the raw fire of On Fire, the DNA of those unforgettable tracks lives on in the 7078.
At the core of that original tone was a stock 1975 Ibanez® Destroyer loaded with a Maxon® Super 70. The Sheptone 7078 recreates that magic with uncompromising authenticity, using the finest materials and painstaking craftsmanship. Each unit is hand-assembled by Sheptone owner and builder Josh Vittek, ensuring the detail and precision needed to deliver truly inspirational tone.
Using a rough cast, degaussed Alnico 8 magnet, the 7078 delivers articulate note definition and huge dynamics. The coils are computer wound with 42AWG plain enamel wire to Sheptone’s exacting specifications, ensuring consistent tone from pickup to pickup while staying true to vintage character. Sheptone’s proprietary double-black butyrate bobbins anchor the design, paired with German nickel silver baseplates that follow original-era specifications. Vintage braided hookup wire keeps period-correct authenticity, while the 49.2mm pole spacing and a resistance averaging around 7.7k complete the historically correct construction.
“This pickup is for a sure a future ‘secret sauce’ for many people’s rigs. It really does things right! Harmonics in a second, the perfect amount of push on an amp yet while retaining complete clarity for clean playing to the most percussive metal rhythms my caveman wrist can throw at it. There’s a certain sizzle near the mid highs that spikes your amp distortion in a way that I’ve not heard before. From the most basic of rock to the fastest, crustiest thrash, this pickup is quickly becoming my go-to,” said professional touring and studio guitarist, Charlie Bellmore of Jasta and Kings and Liars.
“The 7078 is more than a pickup. It’s a tribute to the sound that made so many of us pick up the guitar in the first place. Including me!” said Vittek. “I build each one by hand, with the same mindfulness and materials as I do all my other models. This may be the last pickup you’ll ever need… unless, of course, you own more than one guitar.”
The Sheptone 7078 is available now directly from Sheptone and through select dealers worldwide.
For more information, visit www.sheptone.com
Street: $409.00 USD
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