Designed for John Petrucci’s Music Man JP13™ guitar, the new Illuminator 7™ Neck and Bridge Models are the next generation in John’s signature pickups with DiMarzio. John says he looks for versatility in his pickups so that he’s able to span a multitude of different sounds within one guitar, going from massive overdrive, very tight, rhythmical and aggressive to “more expressive, dynamic and very liquid” when he plays solos. They’re a bit bold — possessing the clarity and presence that a 7-string pickup needs, balancing vintage and modern qualities without sacrificing the best of either. John used the new Illuminator™ and Illuminator 7™ pickups during the recording of Dream Theater’s upcoming self-titled album. The album will be available September 24, 2013 on Roadrunner Records.

          In keeping with John's desire to increase the difference between neck and bridge pickup sounds, the Illuminator 7™ Bridge Model does three things: it opens up the mids, bumps the highs up a notch, and tightens the lows. The open midrange allows overdriven sounds to be powerful without harshness, while the tighter bass response avoids muddy lows.