The Joe Bonamassa Collection

Custom-Shop Pickups Based on Joe’s Legendary Guitars.

 

Bolin Burst  |  Greenburst  |  Broadcaster®  |  The Blonde Dot®  |  The Bludgeon  |  Cradle Rock

Joe Bonamassa, a blues-rock guitar legend, owns one of the world’s most remarkable collections of vintage guitars and amplifiers, housed at his personal museum, “Nerdville.” His passion for music history and tone shines through in every instrument, each representing a rare piece of rock history. Through his collaboration with the Seymour Duncan Custom Shop, Joe has faithfully recreated the unmistakable tones of his most iconic guitars, offering musicians the chance to capture the legendary sounds that have shaped his career.

The Joe Bonamassa Collection features expertly crafted, limited-edition pickups, including the ’63 Cradle Rock Strat® Set, “The Bludgeon” 1951 Nocaster® Set, “The Blonde Dot®” 1960 Humbucker Set, and the 1950 Broadcaster® Set. These hand-built pickups authentically reproduce the distinct, powerful tones of Joe’s prized guitars, giving players and collectors a rare opportunity to experience the unparalleled sound and precision that define his storied collection.

Seymour Duncan Artist Joe Bonamassa
Seymour Duncan Humbucker The Joe Bonamassa Bolin Burst Set

The Joe Bonamassa “Bolin Burst” Humbucker Set

Joe is a longtime admirer of the late Tommy Bolin’s work with Deep Purple, James Gang, and as a solo artist, spent 10 years searching for Tommy’s legendary 1960 Gibson Les Paul known as the “Bolin Burst.” Originally owned by Tommy’s guitar tech David Brown, this one-of-a-kind instrument features a hand-painted American flag pickguard and a Fender-style Bigsby vibrato, but its true magic lies in its original P.A.F. humbuckers. After acquiring the guitar, Joe partnered with Seymour Duncan to meticulously analyze and recreate these iconic pickups. The result is the Joe Bonamassa “Bolin Burst” Humbucker set, utilizing Alnico 2 magnets to deliver the original’s sweet vintage tonality—a dynamic, barky bridge pickup and a warm, singing neck pickup that excels through overdriven amps. The first 500 sets, aged to match the originals and featuring bottom plates signed by Joe and Seymour W. Duncan, come in limited edition numbered packaging. A portion of proceeds from each set benefits the Tommy Bolin Endowment and Memorial Fund, ensuring Tommy’s legacy continues to inspire future generations of guitarists.
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The Joe Bonamassa Greenburst Stratocaster® Pickup Set from Seymour Duncan

The Joe Bonamassa Greenburst Stratocaster® Pickup Set

Few guitars capture the imagination like a pre-CBS Fender Stratocaster®, and by early 1964, Fender had transitioned to gray-bottom pickups, known for their punchy tone and higher output. One such guitar—a refinished “Greenburst” 1964 Strat®—found its way into Joe Bonamassa’s hands, instantly captivating him with its unique look, powerful pickups, and exceptional playability. Now, in collaboration with the Seymour Duncan Custom Shop, Joe is bringing that magic to players everywhere with the Joe Bonamassa “Greenburst” Stratocaster® Set. Featuring period-correct gray-bottom flatwork, staggered Alnico 5 magnets, and vintage-style wiring, each set is pad-printed with Joe’s signature, with the first 500 including limited edition packaging and a certificate of authenticity signed by Joe and Seymour W. Duncan. Fans have seen the Greenburst Strat® light up the stage—now its unmistakable sound can be yours.
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Seymour Duncan The Joe Bonamassa 1950 Broadcaster® Pickups

The Joe Bonamassa 1950 Broadcaster® Pickups

In the history of electric guitars, few are as iconic as the Fender Broadcaster®. As few as 250 of these instruments are believed to have been built from the fall of 1950 to the spring of 1951, before Fender transitioned the model to what we all know as the Telecaster® at the end of 1951. To say Broadcasters® are incredibly rare is an understatement, and to find one in pristine condition is an even greater challenge. Lucky for all of us, our friend and vintage guitar authority Joe Bonamassa had a very special one in his collection with a tone so remarkable that he wanted to share it with the world. Carefully testing and documenting the original guitar’s pickups, the Seymour Duncan team was able to faithfully recreate the sound and look of Joe’s coveted 1950 Fender Broadcaster®.

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Joe Bonamassa’s “The Blonde Dot” 1960 P.A.F. Humbucker Set

Joe Bonamassa’s “The Blonde Dot®” 1960 P.A.F. Humbucker Set

Joe Bonamassa’s collection of vintage guitars is full of treasures from the golden era of electric guitar manufacture. This means Joe knows a thing or two about Gibson’s® P.A.F. humbuckers – the earliest versions of Seth Lover’s milestone innovation in pickup design. Vintage Gibson ES-335s® are known to be some of the finest semi-hollow instruments ever built—and the P.A.F. humbuckers they were originally equipped with are the vessel for the powerful sound and sustain that these guitars are known for.

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Joe Bonamassa's "The Bludgeon" 1951 Nocaster®

Joe Bonamassa’s “The Bludgeon” 1951 Nocaster®

Anyone who knows Joe Bonamassa knows that his guitar collection contains some of the most sought after and incredible sounding instruments ever produced. So when he says that one instrument is “the best guitar he’s ever owned”, it must be a truly special piece. “The Bludgeon” is Joe’s 1951 Fender Nocaster®, and it came into his life in 2014. He has played it in almost every show he has performed since.

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Joe Bonamassa's '63 Cradle Rock Strat Set

Joe Bonamassa’s ’63 Cradle Rock Strat® Set

Joe Bonamassa first laid eyes on the “Cradle Rock” Strat® as a teenager at the Philadelphia Guitar Show in 1994. He purchased the then-pristine 1963 Sunburst Fender Stratocaster®, and it became one of the most sentimental pieces in his collection. Named after the Rory Gallagher tune Joe recorded on his debut album, the pickups in this Strat® had a distinctive powerful sound that he wanted to share with guitarists chasing this seminal tone. The Seymour Duncan Custom Shop engineered the period-correct wind, aged the magnets, and color-matched the covers until Joe deemed these pickups a “spot on” recreation. Crafted in the Custom Shop, the Cradle Rock Strat® Set is limited to 1000 units, with Joe’s printed signature on each pickup.

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Dot®, and ES-335® are registered trademarks of Gibson.

Strat®, Stratocaster®, Nocaster®, Telecaster® are registered trademarks of Fender Musical Instruments Corporation.

Broadkaster® is a registered trademark of Fred W. Gretsch Enterprises, LTD.

Seymour Duncan’s pickups are in no way authorized, sponsored by, or affiliated with Gibson, Fender Music Instruments Corporation, or Gretsch.

Please check your items carefully and confirm they are correct for color, position, etc. We are not able to accommodate order changes or cancellations once you have completed the check out process.

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