Tony Iommi Signature Humbucker

Gibson Strings & Accessories unveils
the new Tony Iommi Signature Humbucker!

Gibson Strings & Accessories, based in Elgin, IL (a division of Gibson Musical Instruments), announces a new collaboration with Tony Iommi, lead guitarist of Black Sabbath, one of Heavy Metal’s reigning pioneers. The result is the new Gibson “Tony Iommi Signature” humbucking pickup. Tony has always been closely identified with the Gibson SG guitar, and for many years has played a custom version made in England. Those pickups were specially wound for him by John Birch to provide him with a very powerful, punchy sound. At the 1996 International Music Fair (called the Musik Messe) in Frankfurt Germany, Tony approached us at Gibson looking to see if we could duplicate his pickups, because he wasn’t satisfied with what other companies had come up with. J.T. Riboloff, Gibson’s head of R&D Department successfully duplicated the complex combination of tones that make Tony’s guitar sound so instantly recognizable, and viola! – a new star is born in the pickup world! Fact is, Tony actually says he likes the sound of these pickups better than his originals. He has been using a custom made Gibson SG loaded with these pickups along with his main SG style guitar during the 1997 Ozzfest Re-union.

The “Tony Iommi Signature” pickup is significant for many reasons, among them the fact that it is yet another Gibson pickup which will carry our famous “Patent Applied For” decal, indicating Gibson’s intention of protecting its unique construction. Also, this becomes the very first Gibson Signature Pickup ever offered to the guitar playing public. Both points make this an important addition to Gibson’s continually growing lineup of after-market guitar pickups. The pickup will retail for $145.95 in the U.S. and is available now in Authorized Gibson Dealers world wide.

As with all Gibson Pickups, the new “Tony Iommi Signature” pickup is fully wax potted against feedback and has a four-conductor lead for all wiring variations. The closed chrome cover adds a clean, distinctive look. And of course, they carry Gibson’s Limited Lifetime Warranty (check your Gibson Distributor).