When I first saw this picture of Vernon relishing his signature model Tagima Guitar from Brazil, I asked him, “Are those Blackouts?” He explained, “No actually the pickups are the pickups I wound with MJ [Custom Shop Manager Maricela Juarez] at the factory. They are an SSL-2 in the neck and, of course, the SH-4 JB in the bridge. I just love the look of the plain cover. There is no notable difference to my ear in the response of the pickup with the cover. They are very clear and clean when I need them that way. The neck is smooth when overdriven and the JB is nasty and aggressive when overdriven with lots of natural harmonics. I am hoping to start a trend here for people who like the look but don’t want active pickups. I have had several people send me e-mails asking me about what model they are, I just tell them, ‘Write Seymour Duncan and say you want some pickups like Vernon Neilly because I don’t know what to call them’.”

Evan Skopp, Head of Artist Relations