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Description
The Sustainiac Neck Pickup is a game-changer for guitarists seeking to expand their sonic palette. Known for its ability to create infinite sustain, this innovative pickup opens up a realm of creative possibilities. By replacing your standard neck pickup with the Sustainiac, you gain access to features that enable mesmerizing, violin-like bowing effects and controlled feedback, all while maintaining the natural tone of your instrument.
The Sustainiac system integrates seamlessly into your guitar, offering an intuitive setup that requires minimal modification to your instrument. This pickup is especially popular among progressive rock and experimental musicians who crave the ability to sustain notes indefinitely without losing tonal quality.
With its user-friendly controls, the Sustainiac allows for quick transitions between standard pickup tones and endless sustain. The compact design ensures that it fits comfortably into most guitar models, making it an ideal choice for players who want to enhance their instrument without a complete overhaul.
Key Features:
- Generates infinite sustain for notes and chords
- Allows for violin-like bowing effects and controlled feedback
- Maintains the natural tone of your guitar
- Easy installation with minimal modification required
- User-friendly controls for seamless sound transitions
- Compatible with most guitar models
- Popular among progressive rock and experimental musicians
Videos
Ola Englund
WHY SUSTAINIAC RULES
Reviews
Owner Insights
We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Sustainiac Stealth Pro Kit.
Features and functionality
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The Sustainiac has three modes: fundamental note sustain, emphasized thirds and fifths, and emphasis on 7ths and 9ths.
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The system automatically switches to the bridge pickup when activated, regardless of the pickup selector setting.
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The Sustainiac neck pickup functions as a single coil and directs the signal to the bridge pickup when engaged, which is ideal for creating layered, sustained harmonies.
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Modern Sustainiacs offer tonal customization: grounding one wire darkens the sound, another provides a 6dB boost, allowing for a single coil or humbucker-like operation.
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Setup and maintenance
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Battery life decreases significantly with frequent use, lasting 8-10 hours. Turning off the switch when not in use is crucial to preserve battery.
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Proper tuning and intonation are crucial for optimal performance, especially in fixed bridge guitars. Precision enhances harmonic richness.
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Use cases and applications
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Ideal for creating controllable feedback and harmonic overtones, suitable for genres ranging from death metal to jazz.
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Sustainiac is favored for creating orchestral-like layers in recordings, particularly by layering sustained harmony tracks.
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Playing on a clean channel with the Sustainiac can produce haunting, violin-like tones, offering unique soundscapes for ambient and experimental genres.
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User experience
Mods and upgrades
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Users can modify the Sustainiac's voicing by grounding two wires for a humbucker sound, or cutting them for a single coil sound, making it switchable with a connected switch.
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5.0 out of 5
Based on 2 Reviews and 14 Ratings
1312
Perfect
The ease of use for those infinite sustain leads is incredible. Adding the feedback feature makes it indispensable for achieving those tones at regular volumes while saving your hearing. :)
A Must have
As far as im aware, they are only available from Susainiac themselves at https://www.sustainiac.com/ the website is a bit outdated and i think you have to email them to order. also i think you also need to purchase a control circuit board to work with it
Artist usage
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This pickup can be seen in the neck of his new guitars, to replace the Fernandes Sustainer
A staple of syn's arsenal since Self-Titled Era. It is responsible for the endless feedback and note sustain that can be heard both live, and on record. His signature models (Synyster Gates Custom-S models) come with a sustainiac built into the guitar. It can be seen in the neck position. Syn Gates has a sustainiac model for nearly all of his guitars.
"Common features on his signature guitars include Kahler Tremolo systems (same model as Jeff), EMG pickups (typically his signature set of KFK 81/85), a PA2 gain boost circuit, and occasionally a Sustainiac – he used to use a Fernandez Sustainer but his new Dean V features a Sustainiac."
in this photo, one of zacky’s personal guitars, specifically the Schecter ZV Blade. As you can see the guitar on the left side of the photo, it has been modified with a sustainiac system for unknown reason.
Adrian uses Sustainiac neck pickups, according to Guitar Geek's rig diagram.
Steve Stevens uses the Sustainiac Neck Pickup in his Knaggs Steve Stevens Severn XF guitar, which was designed to mimic the look of one of his old guitars, as revealed in a "Rig Rundown" by John Bohlinger on Premier Guitar.
Kenny Hickey uses the Sustainiac Stealth Pro Kit in his signature Schecter C-1 EX S guitar. This is confirmed by the specifications listed on the Schecter website and visually verified in a YouTube video by Jessup Amps, where the Sustainiac pickup is clearly visible at the 0:10 mark.
Throughout this video, Dweezil Zappa can be seen playing a Cherry Finish Gibson Frank Zappa "Roxy" SG, equipped with a Sustainiac sustainer system in the Neck position, and a Maestro Vibrola bridge.
"Sermon’s BiLT Relevator is finished in shoreline gold and features both an MXR Carbon Copy and BiLT’s own fuzz circuit built into the body along with a Sustainiac in the neck position. Sermon can control the parameters of the effects via a wealth of buttons, switches, and controls that are accessible on the front of the guitar. There’s a Pedaltrain Volto on his strap that supplies power to the pedals via the stereo cable. He keeps this guitar tuned a half-step down from standard."
-Premier Guitar; Rig Rundown with Imagine Dragons
DJ's Schecter signature model comes equipped with an EMG 81 bridge pickup and a Sustainiac in the neck position.
Installed in Moctar's American Professional Stratocaster, as stated by producer Mikey Coltun in this May 28, 2024 Guitar World interview. It can be seen in an included image of Moctar with the guitar at Coachella 2024, taken by Frazer Harrison.
What can you tell us about the guitars Mdou used on Funeral For Justice?
“Mdou used his American Professional series left-handed white Strat. We got this in 2018. It’s a newer American-made Strat with Lollar pickups and a Sustainiac pickup at the neck. He uses D’Addario NYXL 10s and doesn’t like the sound of new strings. I think the ones that were on the guitar for Funeral For Justice were two years old.”
Album Usage
The Sustainiac Stealth Pro Kit has been featured on the following albums:
Funeral for Justice (Injustice Version)
Mdou Moctar (2025)
Funeral for Justice
Mdou Moctar (2024)
So True
Silvertomb (2021)
Edge of Existence
Silvertomb (2019)
Right of Passage / Crossing Over
Silvertomb (2019)
Waiting
Silvertomb (2019)
Love You Without No Lies
Silvertomb (2019)
Insomnia
Silvertomb (2018)
Behind the Blackest Tears
Kingdom of Sorrow (2010)
Heaven Is Gone
Seventh Void (2009)
Kingdom of Sorrow
Kingdom of Sorrow (2008)
Genre Usage
Based on how artists on Equipboard use this gear, it is most commonly found in the following genres.
Used With
Based on how musicians on Equipboard use Sustainiac Stealth Pro Kit, it is most commonly used with the following gear.
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