Eastm t165 need jazzier pickups

[uriahsmusic]

I have an Eastman T165. It is a really gorgeous thin line semi hollow picture


Any suggestions on jazzier pickups I can use. The Kent Armstrong pickups are not jazzy at all. They are very powerful with a really present almost bright sound. thax

[jzucker]

i have those pickups in my 165 and my El Rey and they sound great for jazz Imo

[uriahsmusic]

Originally Posted by jzucker

i have those pickups in my 165 and my El Rey and they sound great for jazz Imo

What type of strings do you use? Flat...round wound....

[jzucker]

Originally Posted by uriahsmusic

What type of strings do you use? Flat...round wound....

I've got thomastik 11 rounds on there.

[uriahsmusic]

I called the pickup maker and they suggested that I not use flats with their pickup....I had flats but it sounded od...almost like a piezio pickup....I want that flat wound sound. I have 11 flats on my J6 and it sounds great, but it has standard humbuckers

[Klatu]

I've got those pickups in my El Rey, and they sound nothing like you describe. It might be that the difference is that between the El Rey and the 165, but I don't find the pickups to be brighter than the humbuckers in my Heritage 575, for example.

[uriahsmusic]

Maybe I will try the flats again!

[GodinFan]

What about the amp and its settings? That could be the problem.

[Klatu]

Originally Posted by uriahsmusic

Maybe I will try the flats again!

That might do the trick. It may also be that your particular guitar doesn't couple well with the Armstrong pickups. Individual instruments do produce slight variations in sound. Perhaps your 165 is significantly brighter than my El Rey to begin with.

[jzucker]

I have Kent Armstrong pickups in my El Rey and it sounds fantastic with Thomastik Flatwounds.

[jzucker]

my 165 is not brighter than my el rey. Mahogany back, sides and neck make for a darker tone IMO

[whiskey02]

Have you adjusted the pup height? This can make a huge difference in tone. Sounds like they are way too close to the strings.