New Floater on Heritage

[PaulK]

(I apologize for multiple posts: I'm trying to figure out this technology) I've had a heritage Johnny Smith guitar for 13 years, and always wanted to change the floating pickup.

I finally did it (well, had it done) and so I want to pass on the info to those who might wonder about this.

I'll mention that Keith Murch gave the the info I needed to go ahead.

 

As you know there are several problems

1. the heritage pickups are just dont sound that good.I had their "jazz I" replaced by their "Jazz III" but it still was thin and weak sounding.

2. They are mounded in a wierd way (they slide in holes in a block glued to the bottom of the pickguard)

3. They are over sized, and the pickguard is cut appropriately so that most floaters available (eg the benedetto)

would require a new pickguard too, or would look wierd with the new pickup.

 

It turns out the Kent Armstrong floating PAF (available at archtop.com, for example) is the right size. Although the clearance they say you need on their website is a bit less than the Heritage has (I think this is true for all their models) it fits fine.

 

I had a good luthier do it (volbrecht.com) , basically you remove the block heritage glued to the bottom of the pickguard, and then glue the floater in its place. You do have to use some shims to get it to be perfectly horizontal, and I  wasn't comfortable doing this myself, but I'm a klutz.

 

Anyway: you can hear it on my youtube and soundclick pages, and compare to how it used to sound (to the extent that the quality of these sites permit)

 

http://www.youtube.com/TopologyPaul

 

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cf...p;content=music

 

 

I'll attach a picture  If I figure out how.

 

Paul

[Bluzman54]

Nice tone....enjoyed listening to your playing.

 

What amp are you using?

 

Jim C

[PaulK]

Thanks for listening. No amp on these clips, just a zoom G2 pedal into the USB into the computer.  On the "live" clips I play either through a clarus I/RE combo (Using the zoom pedal for EQ and reverb) or sometimes through a cheapo Vox 15watt amp with a spring reverb when I dont feel like luggin a heavy amp around.

 

I can't figure out how to post the picture, but you can see a small one at the soundclick site, and of course, I'm playing it on youtube

[brentrocks]

great playing Paul!

 

thanks for sharing

[Gitfiddler]

Paul, nice licks and great guitar you've got there.

 

I had the same thing done to my old Golden Eagle.  The only downside was a very tiny stress crack in the maple pickguard from the trauma of removing the old block set up.  The K.A. PAF sounds wonderful compared to the original Jazz p'ups from Heritage.  The only problem is the increased feedback from the pickup's close location to the strings.  No way to lower a floater of this type. 

[unikh550]

Really nice playin'! Actually, I prefer the sound of the Heritage P.U.- sounds less full and more biting. I play a H-550 with a Charlie Christian pickup. Not exactly apples to apples, thus my bias. You have a lot of Wes, Hall, and Bickert in your playing, besides your own style.- Charles

[PaulK]

Paul, nice licks and great guitar you've got there.

 

I had the same thing done to my old Golden Eagle.  The only downside was a very tiny stress crack in the maple pickguard from the trauma of removing the old block set up.  The K.A. PAF sounds wonderful compared to the original Jazz p'ups from Heritage.  The only problem is the increased feedback from the pickup's close location to the strings.  No way to lower a floater of this type. 

 

I haven't done any loud gigs with the new set up, just do and trio drummerless things, so I'll have to see whether feedback is a big problem when I play with a louder group. 

[PaulK]

Really nice playin'! Actually, I prefer the sound of the Heritage P.U.- sounds less full and more biting. I play a H-550 with a Charlie Christian pickup. Not exactly apples to apples, thus my bias. You have a lot of Wes, Hall, and Bickert in your playing, besides your own style.- Charles

 

I suppose we all hear things differently!  Wow, you really nailed it.  Toss in Martino and you've got my 4 major influences.