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****Limited - Only 75 Sets of each style ****

Starting in 2022, we have reached an agreement to make Virgil Arlo "Black Label" Pickups. Sets go on sale Feb. 21, 2022. The first 15 orders of each style, will ship within 2 weeks. All other orders will take about 3 months to complete.

We were able to clone identical parts of the material he used in his builds.  We also employ the same techniques he used in his builds. It's a costly and time consuming process, but it's worth every penny and every moment waiting, if you are serious about achieving optimal tone.

Mr. Arlo was extremely particular about the materials used, he was also very meticulous in the processes he employed, to create what many serious pro guitarists regard as the best pickups ever made. We've spared no expense or detail in recreating these amazing pickups.

We've performed many A/B tests with these reissues, comparing them directly to his original pickups. They sound exactly the same, the response is exactly the same, they interact with your amplifier in exactly the same way.

During our beta testing, none of our testers reported any difference in the reissues vs. the originals. It was a result that put our nerves at ease. In hindsight, it shouldn't have been that much of a surprise, considering we are using materials that were engineered to be identical to the original materials used, along with fact we used the same processes, in the various phases of building these incredible pickups.

If you've always wanted that original Virgil Arlo tone in your guitar but couldn't afford those astronomical prices for the originals, then these reissues are exactly the solution you've been looking for.

We have secured the rights to make these pickups in 2022 and 2023. This commitment will be stretching our limited manpower resources. We are excited and very proud to make these pickups, but our long-term goals are more focused on our proprietary Tone Specific designs. For this reason, we have limited production of these Arlo reissues to 75 of each style.

If you are serious about acquiring the Virgil Arlo tone, then you won't want to procrastinate any longer, as these are sure to sell out quickly.

Virgil Arlo Black Label One-Offs

Over the years Virgil Arlo offered one-off service to select pro players. Most times the player was trying to replace a lost guitar from the past or replicate the tone of one of his preferred vintage guitars in a more modern guitar for touring purposes.

This was always a team effort between the musician and the staff. The musician provided the inspiration and Virgil Arlo wound the pickups.

We are proud to offer a few of these exclusive designs to the general public.

Tele: 1951, 1956, 1958, 1959, 1961, 1964, 1969, 50/60

Strat: 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1961, 1964, 1969, 50/60

PAF:  1956, 1958, 1961, 1964, 1969, 50/60

More Information about Virgil Arlo

There has been a lot of interest in the man behind the Virgil Arlo persona. Virgil picked up the nickname, "Arlo" in his younger years, due to his resemblance to a famous musician. When it came time to write his name on the back of pickups, his full name wouldn't fit so he just wrote "Virgil Arlo". He never wanted to be famous, so working under a pseudonym made a lot of sense to him.

Much of the success of Virgil Arlo, is due to word of mouth in the session player communities of Nashville and Los Angeles. No serious musician wants to lose a gig due to inferior gear. As a result, the Arlo's became a staple of the session player scene. 

When the legendary pickup winder known as "Virgil Arlo" retired from winding pickups, it left a huge void in the industry. Prices for used sets of those amazing pickups quickly skyrocketed to $2,000 - $3,000 per set.

Virgil Arlo Pickups are at the core of many pro guitarists signature tone. They are used by household names, as well as behind the scenes session players. Anytime one of these guys would add a new or vintage guitar to the stable, the first thing they'd do is drop in a set of the Arlo's. 

In early 2021, an agreement was reached for us to build Virgil Arlo reissues using the remaining supply of parts from the shop of Mr. Arlo. Those sets were called the "Tan Label Reissues" and they sold out very quickly. We were proud to make those pickups and humbled by the incredible feedback we received from our customers.

The demand for the Virgil Arlo designs continues. The limited supply of used sets, along with the demand created by pros needing a set for each guitar, has launched the prices to levels beyond the reach of most casual guitarists. We are proud to offer these exact reissues at a more affordable price.