About Virgil Arlo Pickups
Virgil Arlo Pickups became a quiet legend long before most players ever heard the name. Built entirely by hand, made by touch and feel rather than formulas, these pickups earned their reputation in studios, on tours, and in the hands of pros who lived by tone.
By 2019, the workload had taken its toll. Virgil’s shoulder issues made long days of hand winding impossible. With no announcement and no fanfare, he stepped away. That moment marked the end of an era, but not the end of the sound that made his work famous.
Below you'll find information on the three distinct lines of Virgil Arlo pickups, each tied to a specific period and each respected for different reasons. All three are authentic. All three come from the same lineage. The only difference is the year they were made and who performed the labor, as the techniques are the same & parts were sourced from some magnet. wire and alloy producers.
White Label Series ($2,000-$3,000)
Made by Virgil Arlo until 2019
The White Label pickups are the originals. Virgil Arlo wound these by hand, one at a time, before he retired in 2019. Players almost never sell them, and honestly, once you hear a set you understand why. They have that subtle magic everyone talks about, the feel that made pros chase down Virgil in the first place.
Every now and then a set pops up on Reverb or eBay, and it is gone almost instantly. Prices usually land between $2,000 and $3000, and buyers still call it a deal. That tells you everything you need to know.
Once in a while, usually around the holidays or tax season, you might see one dip under $2000. If you catch that, you got yourself a steal.
If you own a White Label set, you already have something players hunt for. And if you are trying to find one, just know this. The supply is gone. The players are holding tight. The odds of seeing more hit the market are not getting better.
Links to Virgil Arlo Tan Label Pickups for Sale:
$3100 - Virgil Arlo 1959 PAF Humbuckers - Reverb.com
$2500 - Virgil Arlo 1954 Strat Pickups - Reverb.com
Tan Label Series ($3,000+)
Made by the ToneSpec team in 2021
These are the rarest of the Virgil Arlo pickups. When Virgil stepped away in 2019, the remaining parts and tooling from his shop were handed to the ToneSpec team. Those parts became the Tan Label Series, and they were only built for a short stretch in 2021. That tiny production window is why collectors chase them. They are the rarest of the Virgil Arlo pickups.
Every set was built using Virgil’s remaining inventory of parts along with his winding style, and the same testing standards applied to the White Label Series. Many players believe the Tan Label sets are even more consistent than the originals due to the pro level production discipline and the younger eyes and healthier shoulders of the ToneSpec crew.
The supply has been gone for years. That is why prices on the used market sometimes pass $3,000. When something that rare performs exactly like the originals, the market responds.
If you own a Tan Label set, you are holding one of the scarcest pieces of the entire Virgil Arlo story. And if you are hoping to find one, understand that the few that exist almost never leave the hands of the players who know exactly what they have.
Links to Virgil Arlo Tan Label Pickups for Sale:
$3450 - Virgil Arlo 1954 Strat Pickups - Reverb.com
$2950 - 1959 Virgil Arlo PAF Humbuckers - Reverb.com
Black Label Series ($1000 range)
Made by the ToneSpec team in 2022 and 2023
The Black Label pickups were built after the Tan Label run, using parts sourced from the same suppliers Virgil relied on. The same alloys. The same magnets. The same wire. The same winding approach. The same ToneSpec team behind the Tan Label builds. That is why they sound identical. The feel, the bloom, the touch, all of it is the same.
Because these were made more recently, real players do not have to compete with collectors or flippers the way they do with the White and Tan Label sets. That has kept the prices lower and the availability a little better. But make no mistake, this window will not last forever.
Everyone has seen what happens with scarce gear that performs at the highest level. It is the same story behind Dumble amps and original Klon pedals. Once the supply tightens and collectors move back in, the price curve shifts fast. It would not surprise anyone to see Black Label sets push toward $2,000 once they become harder to find.
Serious players know this. That is why they grab any Black Label set they can find under $1000. It is the same performance as the White and Tan Labels, just without the collector tax. For now at least.
Links to Virgil Arlo Black Label Pickups for Sale:
Virgil Arlo Pickups at Reverb.com
Virgil Arlo Pickups on eBay.com