Floating pickup with solid top

sparkhall · #1 05-04-2011, 10:16 AM

I have been considering trading up and I am tempted by the whole 17" solid top floater deal. Eastman, Peerless type of thing. I have played the Peerless Monarch in store, which I did like.

My question for those of you with more experience is, does this configuration necessarily compromise your amplified tone (which is my main priority). I like the idea of a better acoustic sound for quiet sitting room practice, but amplified I do like a warm fat tone. Would I be better off with a routed humbucker. Also I worry that I am getting seduced out of my cash by solid top envy! How much influence does solid vs laminate have on amplified tone?

I know before someone says it, that the best way is to go and play a few guitars, but I would nonetheless be interested in the views and experience of others.

jzucker · #2 05-04-2011, 10:20 AM

listen to my recent clips where I demo heritage floating pickup and routed pickup guitars. YouTube - Kanaal van sheetsofsound

oldane · #3 05-04-2011, 10:49 AM

For 15 years I have owned a Benedetto Fratello with a floating PU (Benedetto S6 made by Kent Armstrong). I have never been able to get on good terms with the amplified tone of it and now use it solely acoustically. I like it a little better if I just blend it with the acoustic tone to boost the volume ever so slightly. But purely amplified - no. Too many uncontrollable over- and undertones.

I much prefer the amplified sound of my Gibson 175 and my Warmoth solid body "Frankenguitar" - in fact I like the latter the best for sound. So I have ended up with acoustic guitars for acoustic playing and electric guitars for amplified playing.

Now, I only have this one guitar with a floating PU, and I don't have wast experience with floating PUs, so please don't take my opinion for more than it's worth.

kris · #4 05-04-2011, 11:45 AM

I use laminated top D'Aquisto copy with K. Armstrong floating humbucer.I like amplified sound/I use AER compact XL/.
Acoustic sound is ok for practising without amp.
Solid top- you must be carefull about temperature...I think.

cmajor9 · #5 05-04-2011, 11:54 AM

I don't think a solid top with a floating pickup "necessarily" compromises the amplified tone - but the raison d'etre of this configuration is to optimize the acoustic sound. If you like the sound of the pickup and the guitar, that's what you'll get... if you don't, there may not be too much room for changing it.

I have a Hofner with a carved spruce top and a floater (see my avatar). I like the amplified sound, its very "clear" without being overly bright. But its not the sound of a rolled back PAF.

kamlapati · #6 05-05-2011, 07:41 AM

Just my opinions / experiences...

I was always searching for the right tone until I found my first solid wood / carved top archtop. There is no other way to get that acoustic tone.

The downside of this kind of guitar is volume before feedback. It will never be as feedback resistant as lam guitars, and that's why Gibson made the switch to laminated models simultaneously with the invention of the pickup and the amp.

I like the sound of my '77 L-5 with the Johnny Smith PU because it captures some of the acoustic sound. But I play in pretty low volume "nearly acoustic" groups. And not everyone wants the same "near acoustic" tone that I like. If you're planning on rolling off the treble and going for a mid heavy tone, then IMO you can do just as well with a 175, and that's certainly the choice of a lot of jazz guitarists.

How much do you want that archtop acoustic tone?