The Dark Matter 2™ represents a change in direction for Steve Vai towards a more organic, smoother sound with softer highs and less raw power. The sound of the Neck Model is very balanced, with a modern voice that works equally well with a clean amp or heavy overdrive. High output pickups can sometimes have anomalies in the high register, meaning they have some sharp edges. While they’re definitely high output like Steve’s other pickups, the new Dark Matter 2™ pickups are engineered with a slight softness on the top end. Dark Matter 2™ pickups come standard in the new Ibanez JEM Woody guitar, and are available in F-spacing only.