Archtop Pickup Options

[morg21279]

I have a Golden Eagle (Heritage NAMM guitar in 2005) with a #3 floating pickup, with volume and tone controls on a custom ebony pickguard.  I use it mostly around the house (and not much at that), and like DR Zebras for the extra acoustic sound out of the Bronze part of the Zebra. 

 

The #3 pickup is not a great match for the Zebras, so I'm thinking about changing it for a Kent Armstrong floater from Archtop.com, sending it back for a HRW 4-point swap (still a bit hesitant about cutting a hole in the top of the GE), or trading/selling for a Sweet 16 with a routed pickup. 

 

Anybody here have experience with the Armstrong/Zebra combo, or opinions on the KA vs 4-point floater option? 

 

http://i654.photobucket.com/albums/uu269/dmorganl5/SL371250.jpg[/img] 

 

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And a tease ... look in the For Sale section ---  Bernie Rico custom

 

http://i654.photobucket.com/albums/uu269/dmorganl5/SL371254.jpg[/img]

 

 

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[Jazzpunk]

That is one good lookin' eagle!

[Gitfiddler]

Hey Morg~ I pulled the original Heritage floater from my G.Eagle and installed one of Archtop.com's K.Armstrong PAFs.  It's hand wired by Kent and sounds fantastic.  I use flatwounds or half-rounds (D'Addario, or Tomastik Enfeld George Benson Jazz) on it for a fat, thick jazz tone.  Have considered bronze wounds, but wanted to get other's opinions on them beforehand.  How do you like your bronze amplified tone?  Feedback an issue?

 

The only caveat I'd mention about KA paf's is to request that he winds your p'up with low output.  The reason for that is due to the elevated location of the pickup.  It is very close to the strings and cannot be lowered.  On a big bodied Golden Eagle, that results in even more feedback at any increased volume.

 

You've got a gorgeous Golden Eagle, by the way!  8)

[morg21279]

Thanks for the info and the compliment on the Eagle.  At various points in my life I've owned an L5, L5s, L7 and Super 400, and I've settle down to this as my only archtop.

 

I tried full bronze on this and the amplification was awful.  The Zebras are alternating wraps of nickel and bronze, so it amplifies well (or as well as it can wth a #3) and keeps a much better acoustic quality.  And they're about half the price of Thomastics.  That said, I will use Thomastic be-bops on occasion. 

 

Did you get yours from Kent directly, or through Archtop.  If direct, do you have his contact info? 

 

Thanks

[morg21279]

Sorry - missed the reference to getting it from Archtop.com.  BTW - no feedback issues with the Zebras.

[Gitfiddler]

Sorry, I've long since lost Armstrong's email address, but I'm sure you should have no difficulty getting his contact info from either Archtop.com or WD Parts.  (WD typically uses Armstrong's lesser quality Korean made licensed p'ups, so caveat emptor) 

 

When you reach Kent, be sure to give him as much info about your guitar (measurements, body style, string distance from pickup, etc.) and what you are looking for tone-wise, as possible.

 

Good luck! 

[Spectrum13]

morg, that eagle is super nice.

On my spruce top 905 I was using the zebras but went to Archtop.com and got the handwound Kent's and like fiddlers says, they are the S*%&.

 

  I have the George Benson tomaskits on there now and have no plans to go back to zebras. My box is not very loud without the amp so I tried the hybrid strings but it did not change much. 

[Bluzman54]

I have a KA floater on my Eagle and I love it.  Unfortunately, I only have volume control so my adjustments to tone are done to the amp.

 

Jim C

[ingeneri]

All respect to HRWs, which I haven't used, but Kent Armstrong is to humbuckers on jazz guitars what Jason Lollar is to P-90s.  I have a hand wound Kent Armstrong Johnny Smith floating humbucker from archtop.com and it's great.  I also recently got to try the KA floating single coil on an Eastman 810 and it was great.

 

I have the KA 12-pole mounted humbucker from arcthop.com.  I'm planning to install in my Super Eagle one of these days when I can emotionally part with that guitar long enough to send it to the shop. 

[morg21279]

Well, it looks like the Kent Armstrong is the big winner.  Thanks for the input.