The Prismatone is Back!

Orders now open for the first limited edition run of 100 Prismatone™ Classic Pickups. Inspired by the original. Better than ever.
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Prismatone™ BLOG

The Color of Sound
The Color of Sound
  What does the Prismatone Classic sound like?While every Prismatone...
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Dallas international Guitar Fest 2024
Dallas international Guitar Fest 2024
We had so much fun hanging out with everyone that...
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Happy 91st Birthday Willie Nelson
Happy 91st Birthday Willie Nelson
Willie Nelson has been the biggest proponent for Prismatone Pickups...
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The Mel McCullough Clawmaster
The Mel McCullough Clawmaster
If you were lucky enough to be at Inn Cahoots...
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Kirk Sand, A True Innovator
Kirk Sand, A True Innovator
Photo courtesy of Kirk Sand State Journal-Register   The entire...
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What is a prismatone pickup?
What is a prismatone pickup?
The Prismatone is too good to be left in the...
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Shaping Bridges for Chris Stapleton
Shaping Bridges for Chris Stapleton
Chris Stapleton reached out through his and Willie’s people to...
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NAMM Show 2024
NAMM Show 2024
The NAMM show is over and our Prismatone booth—which played...
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Introducing the all-new Prismatone Bridge Pickup for Les Paul guitars.
Introducing the all-new Prismatone Bridge Pickup for Les Paul guitars.
Yep.  That’s why you’ve been seeing so many videos of this...
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The Prismatone Preamp "FrankenBox"
The Prismatone Preamp "FrankenBox"
Meet our preamp "Frankenbox."  When we set out to reinvent...
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Pseudo Lutherie Jiujitsu
Pseudo Lutherie Jiujitsu
  A 60s classical guitar strapped in to the custom...
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Bridging the gap between your guitar and the Prismatone Classic Pickup
Bridging the gap between your guitar and the Prismatone Classic Pickup
We’ve shaped enough rosewood bridges by hand to know better...
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Experience Prismatone
Experience Prismatone
Check out this Prismatone Classic Pickup teaser video and hear...
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Jerry Reed Legacy
Jerry Reed Legacy
The profound impact of Jerry Reed's innovative guitar craftsmanship and...
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Prismatone Orders are Officially Open!
Prismatone Orders are Officially Open!
You wont believe your ears but the Prismatone is back! 
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Three classic electric guitar models with one cool new feature in common — a Prismatone bridge pickup. An evolutionary third pickup utilizing Prismatone’s patented piezo technology to enhance the existing magnetic pickup sounds on your favorite Gibson Les Paul, Fender P-Bass and Hofner bass models, for starters.   A whole new dimension in sound for your favorite solidbody electric guitars.  Available soon. #playprismatone #piezoelectric #prismatonepickups #basspickups #lespaul #hoffnerbass #pbass #electricbass
What does the Prismatone Classic sound like? While every Prismatone has an immediately recognizable tone, our piezo-electric guitar pickups are capable of producing a wide range of tonal variations. Passive and Active Preamp configurations as well as your choice of stock and special order bridges complete the tonal package for your desired look, functionality and sound. A Prismatone pickup cuts through any mix—whether you're performing on stage, recording in the studio or just playing guitar at home. Why is Prismatone different? Unmatched Clarity: Experience every note, every harmonic, with pristine accuracy. No Compromise on Tone: Your perfect tone, from deep lows to sparkling highs. Versatile & Reliable: Perfect for any performance setting, from solo gigs to full band arrangements. Control Your Output: Add custom volume and tone controls right at your fingertips. Custom Design: Select from a variety of bridge shapes that blend perfectly with your guitar’s aesthetic. Crafted with vintage precision and modern reliability, the Prismatone Pickup is more than just a component—it's the heart of your amplified guitar sound. Whether you rely on a sparkly treble, a more naturally balanced sound, a booming bass or any tonal variety in between... Prismatone has you colored!
Feeling Triggered? This isn’t Willie’s guitar, but it sure sounds like it. After a quick binding repair and tuner peg replacement this Trigger replica Martin N20 from the early ‘70’s (painstakingly modified to look like a ‘69 N20 by its owner) got one of our custom Skinny Willie rosewood bridges installed on it with the Prismatone Classic pickup and is now fully legit. We take pride in our custom guitar modifications, service and repairs here at Prismatone HQ in downtown Austin, Texas. Contact us via PrismatonePickups.com today to get your own Prismatone Pickup installed. Get Triggered! #playprismatone #prismatonepickups #guitarrepairshop #martinn20 #guitarpickup #guitarbridge #acousticelectric #piezopickup #lutherie
Thanks to all at the 2024 CAAS Convention in Nashville, TN for making us feel so welcome in our first year. And a special thank you to all of the pickers who stopped by our booth! Here’s to 100 more years of Chet 🎉 Keep picking, friends! See you next year. #CAAS2024 #prismatonepickups #playprismatone #chetatkins #chetakinssociety
Prismatone is celebrating 100 years of Chet Atkins! Join us at CAAS 2024 with Mel McCullough, @godspeedwarrior and @strungupsisters. Stop by our booth to play a Prismatone, talk gear and jam with these amazing pickers! Thanks to Mark Prichard and crew for having us.
Did anybody else notice Lukas Nelson playing a Prismatone at Outlaw Music Fest? This could answer the age old question. “Will a Prismatone make me sound like Willie?” Ask Lukas Nelson.
The secret’s out! Prismatone Pickups are back, and we hope to see you in Nashville at the annual Chet Atkins Appreciation Society this July. It’s Chet’s 100th birthday anniversary! We’ll be demo’ing vintage and modern Prismatone preamps, pickups and guitars. Our good buddies Phil Hunt, Will Worden and Strung Up Sisters will be in tow to talk shop, answer questions and play along with you. Happy 100th, Chet! You’re the real legend! #playprismatone #CAAS2024 #prismatonepickups #pickers #piezoelectric
We had so much fun hanging out with everyone that stopped by at the Dallas International Guitar Festival! Thank you to @the_waylanders_music, @thejohncarroll and @strungupsisters for showing us what a Prismatone can do. Thanks to @theguitarsanctuary and A Little Guitar for being fun neighbors! Thanks to @mcculloughguitars for making the Clawmaster that everyone loves! And thanks to @jimdunlopusa for taking care of everyone’s last minute guitar repair needs! We had a great show and we can’t wait for next year!
Willie Nelson has been the biggest proponent for Prismatone Pickups since he started using them in the late 60’s. He’s used them almost exclusively since then. In celebration of your 91st birthday, the crew here at Prismatone Pickups present Serial #91 to you Willie! You’ve carried the Prismatone torch for a long time. We’d like to help @willienelsonofficial introduce it to a new generation!
Summer in Texas is coming on fast, and we can’t wait to get on the road again! Come see us at the Dallas International Guitar Festival from May 3rd to May 5th at Dallas Market Hall. Wanna get your hands on a Prismatone? Now’s your chance! Bring your best gear and let’s Buy/Sell/Trade! @dallasguitarfestival #prismatone #playprismatone #piezoelectric #ontheroadagain
The entire team at Prismatone Pickups would like to take a second to honor this master luthier. Kirk Sand was loved by all that came into contact with him, and worked with many great guitar players from Lenny Breau, Chet Atkins, Richie Sambora, Jerry Reed, Tommy Emmanuel, Kevin Eubanks, and Richard Smith. His nylon string guitars are known to be some of the best available. Kirk was not only a great craftsman, but a true innovator, debuting a seven string nylon guitar at the 1983 NAMM Show along with many other contributions to acoustic guitar design and amplification. Kirk was a major ally of Prismatone, and we are regretful that we won’t be able to collaborate in the future. As with all great masters, this legend will live on through the body of his work and the music he helped create with his guitars. Kirk Sand, rest in power. Photo courtesy of Kirk Sand State Journal-Register #kirksand #theguitarshoppe #luthier
If you were lucky enough to be at Inn Cahoots in Austin,TX when Will Worden and Phil Hollie played, you would have witnessed Will putting a notorious guitar through its paces. Will is a big fan of Jerry Reed’s specific style of playing, and Jerry Reed was a big fan of his own Baldwin 801CP with a cutaway. Guitar builder Mel McCullough drew the inspiration for his Clawmaster from Jerry Reed’s cutaway Baldwin guitars, and we are lucky enough to have one that he made for Prismatone. It has been a favorite in the Prismatone collection with every guitar player that has played it. Check out this clip of Will Worden making this hot rod guitar do its thing. #guitarpickups #piezoelectric #prismatone #playprismatone
Chris Stapleton reached out through his and Willie’s people to get a new Prismatone Pickup installed on one of his Martins by our good pal Mark Erlewine. That was cool enough, but then we got asked to custom shape the bridge for him like the one we’d made for Willie’s backup guitar (yep, Willie has a backup guitar). So we selected two of our finest old growth brazilian rosewood bridge blanks cause it’s a worthy cause here in Prismatoneland to work with legendary musicians and here’s a timelapse video of how we shaped those Prismatone bridges for the great Chris Stapleton. #lutherie #prismatone #playprismatone #guitarbridges #piezoelectric #guitarpickups #brazilianrosewood #nylonstring #acousticguitar #countrymusic
The Prismatone is too good to be left in the history books! We’ve spared no expense to bring back a very limited release of these extraordinarily rare and unquestionably legendary guitar pickups, each laser-serialized and blessed by some of the coolest nylon-string guitar gods. Back in the 1960s a very small number of Prismatone pickups were produced before the universes misaligned for business reasons and production stopped, much to the chagrin of many great guitarists at the time (some of whom would later become legendary). The extremely limited production makes this an item that collectors and discerning performers search their whole lives for. Have you ever seen one?  Why is it so special? The Prismatone is a piezoelectric pickup made to amplify the tone of the nylon-stringed guitar, and cut through the mix without feedback. It has a natural sparkle and unique tone that avoids the pitfalls of other acoustic amplification systems. It’s a great way for your acoustic to come out of the background, and stand proudly front and center. The Prismatone guitar pickup is one of the most rare and sought-after nylon string guitar pickups in existence. The pickup is featured on many famous recordings, and used by many legendary performers.  Who uses them? Willie Nelson still uses a Prismatone in his famous Martin guitar named Trigger. Jerry Reed was known to play a “Clawmaster” with a Prismatone in it. Or Chet Atkins…Or Dolly Parton… Will you be the next legend to play a Prismatone? If you’ve heard one, and can’t live without it, now you can have one. Order yours today at PrismatonePickups.com
This is a question we get a lot. Does the Prismatone pickup work without a preamp? Yes, our piezoelectric pickup doesn't require a preamp to produce its signature sound. However, if you play on stage and use a guitar cable longer than 20 feet, give it a little boost. Lucky for you we offer three high-quality preamps for boosting your signal without discoloring that legendary sound we all love. Shop our preamps at PrismatonePickups.com #AcousticElectric #piezopickups #PlayPrismatone #preamps #guitarpreamp #prismatone
Introducing the all-new Prismatone Bridge Pickup for Les Paul guitars.   Yep.  That’s why you’ve been seeing so many videos of this tester goldtop LP with our new prototype piezo electric pickup getting rocked out at the @NAMMShow by a lot of badass professional guitarists who couldn’t get enough of its sounds. The new Prismatone Les Paul Bridge Pickup will open up new sound frontiers unheard of in the 70 year history of the Les Paul model. Pre-orders open soon at PrismatonePickups.com #LesPaulBridgePickup #PrismatoneLesPaul #ElectricGuitar #LesPaul #PiezoElectric #goldtop #guitarpickups #LesPaulPickup
The NAMM show is over and our Prismatone booth—which played host to all kinds of guitarists and musicians backed by our great house band and friends these last four days—is now dismantled and currently transiting the desert somewhere between Anaheim and Austin with our crew and a bunch of guitar stories. It was a fun show while it lasted. So with this, our first—er uh, cough cough—tradeshow, you could probably say we’ve now officially resurrected Prismatone, a brand that never really existed (other than having been a catchy product name of a transformative piezo-electric pickup for nylon string guitars produced in small numbers for a brief period in the 1960s before almost getting lost to the guitar bins of history) into a new company with a world of opportunities ahead focused on world-class amplification and quality gear solutions for stringed instruments and professional musicians. This year’s @NAMMShow was a fun start to the new adventure as we continue to recruit more and more great musicians to #PlayPrismatone and help us grow the Prismatone gear lineup and legacy from its early beginnings and brief but storied history as a beloved pickup for greats like Glen Campbell, Chet Atkins, Jerry Reed, Willie Nelson and others into a new brand that you can love and rely on for live shows and studio sessions or just at home playing with the puppy dogs. #NAMM2024 #PrismatoneUSA #guitarpickups #guitarpreamps #guitaramps #guitarpedals #guitars #PiezoElectric #amplification
Sunday recap! NAMM Show 2024 Live at The Prismatone Booth #nammshow2024 #sunday #guitarpickups #shredders #piezoelectric #livemusic #openjam #fingerstyle
Early morning shots of the Prismatone booth at NAMM. A great Saturday show ensued . . . #nammshow2024 #saturday #guitarpickups #shredders #piezoelectric #livemusic #openjam
Catch the action live right here at NAMM! We’re rockin’ through Sunday. All are welcome. #nammshow2024 #livemusic #piezopickup #prismatonepickup #playprismatone