The mythical DeArmond 1100 (pic + clip)

[Patrick2]

Originally Posted by fws6

Love the looks, sound, and the nice way you installed it !

a very different (but excellent dearmond 1100 sound in the first post of the other thread http://www.jazzguitar.be/forum/guita...od-sounds.html

I have a DA 1100 on my Daquisto, and two spare ones still lying around in the parts box ;-)

Besides the Finnish copy, there's also a dutch builder making a DeArmond 1100 reissue, but with a modern tab to attach underneath the pickguard. Very pricey though. See Welcome to Jazz-Guitar.com then click "Statler Pickups'

I listen to that version of "My One and Only Love", as performed by Mitsukuni Tenabe on that beautiful Super 4 when ever I'm in the need for a "fix" of tonal bliss. Beautifully performed, great intro and outro as well. The tone is like . . . from heaven. But, note worthy to point out . . rpguitar's recording was an impromptu setting done more for our benefit than anything else. I'm sure that Super 4 was EQ'd for stage presence and recorded in a much better setting. Also, as for the difference as you pointed out . . . 17" L5 vs 18" Super 4. But, I agree both have that very desirable and oh so elusive jazz box tone that we each seek.

I very rarely plug in to an amp, as I've mentioned before. But, now when I do . . . I'm going to be frustrating the hell out of my self trying to replicate the tone . . or even get close to the tone of either of those two guitars.

[rpguitar]

Originally Posted by Patrick2

...impromptu setting done more for our benefit than anything else.

Yes, I'll take any excuse I can get. It was just a "I must record this NOW" type of recording. I barely get through the arrangement of Miss Jones (which is my own BTW, and will sound pretty good when I finally have it totally under my fingers, I swear!).

The Super 400 on that video sounds ridiculously good, as does (obviously) the player.

BTW, I did email with the Statler pickup guy - very nice - but his pickup is 1mm thicker than the 1100, and I couldn't use it.

[Patrick2]

Originally Posted by rpguitar

Yes, I'll take any excuse I can get. It was just a "I must record this NOW" type of recording. I barely get through the arrangement of Miss Jones (which is my own BTW, and will sound pretty good when I finally have it totally under my fingers, I swear!).

The Super 400 on that video sounds ridiculously good, as does (obviously) the player.

BTW, I did email with the Statler pickup guy - very nice - but his pickup is 1mm thicker than the 1100, and I couldn't use it.

rp. . . not making excuses for you at all. You have nothing to apologize for. You're a player. I was just pointing out that we were listing to two very different settings. Your L5 in the same setting as that Super 4 . . same amp, EQ'd to your guitar's nuances . . . that L5 would have sounded even better than it did on your home recording. Keep in mind, Mitsukuni has had a long time with that guitar and that amp. How many different settings did he have to go through before he found that "to die for" tone?

By contrast, you have not yet even begun to uncover the secrets that guitar with a DA 1100 has to tell you. I'd love to hear another recording in about two months from now, after you have had a chance to discover what the guitar now has to say as it speaks through that pup, when you get it dialed in just right.

I'm currently looking at each of my X braced arch tops with a floater . . . to see which I might want to convert to a DA 1100. Deciding which to do it with will probably be easier than finding an 1100 though.

[NSJ]

So, what is an "authentic" RC by DeArmond? Does it have to have that stick hanging out on the side? What does it--that stick sticking out on the side--actually do? Did DeArmond make "Johnny Smith" type of floaters?

[cjm]

Originally Posted by NSJ

So, what is an "authentic" RC by DeArmond? Does it have to have that stick hanging out on the side? What does it--that stick sticking out on the side--actually do? Did DeArmond make "Johnny Smith" type of floaters?

DeArmond made a lot of different pickups over the decades, but the "Guitar Mic" and "Rhythm Chief" models are what we're talking about here. What people call a "Johnny Smith" is a humbucker, and these particular DeArmonds are single coils.

The "stick" supports the pickup. One version is a long metal rod with a bend in it to clear the bridge and that is attached by way of a flat clamp to the strings between the bridge and the tail piece. This arrangement can mute the guitar to some degree, but has the benefit of grounding the strings through its clamp.

The other version of the "stick" is shorter, and is mounted by screws to the bass side of the neck, extending back to the pickup suspended just past the end of the fretboard.

DeArmond single coil Guitar Mic and Rhythm Chief pickups were however the inspiration for Johnny Smith's floating humbucker when he cut his deal with Gibson.

[Patrick2]

Originally Posted by hot ford coupe

Thanks for the info Bigsby.
The monkey stick is installed on my 39 D'A which has the 38 New Yorker tailpiece which is as heavy as the stairstep tailpiece. I took the pickup off the guitar today and practiced with it strictly acoustically. Since it's a 16 inch wide axe, it doesn't have the depth that the big Emperor has but it still has that traditional archtop sound. I'm going to continue using the stick because I just don't want to drill any holes into the neck.

HFC . . . you might have seen this . . . you might not have. But, this link is for you man!!!


Keith Murch and Andy Klaehn - Spiderman - YouTube

[NSJ]

Originally Posted by cjm

DeArmond made a lot of different pickups over the decades, but the "Guitar Mic" and "Rhythm Chief" models are what we're talking about here. What people call a "Johnny Smith" is a humbucker, and these particular DeArmonds are single coils.

The "stick" supports the pickup. One version is a long metal rod with a bend in it to clear the bridge and that is attached by way of a flat clamp to the strings between the bridge and the tail piece. This arrangement can mute the guitar to some degree, but has the benefit of grounding the strings through its clamp.

The other version of the "stick" is shorter, and is mounted by screws to the bass side of the neck, extending back to the pickup suspended just past the end of the fretboard.

DeArmond single coil Guitar Mic and Rhythm Chief pickups were however the inspiration for Johnny Smith's floating humbucker when he cut his deal with Gibson.

Thanks for the clarification!

[rpguitar]

Yes, good info for sure. One interesting and annoying thing about the two basic DA shapes is this: You have to notch your pickguard for the Rhythm Chief, but not for the cheaper FHC/Guitar Mike. It's a bummer, because the monkey stick is, to me, a clumsy contraption that detracts from the beauty of the guitar. With the cheaper FHC, it makes sense to use the clamp, because it can be freely taken on and off. But for the better RC, it means cutting the pickguard, which I would only do for a permanent installation. And the monkey rod is not a permanent installation to me.

Oh, the tragedy of it all. Such challenges we guitarists face.

The problem is that the short neck rods are really hard to find, as they were typically only found on guitars that had DA pickups installed at the factory. I don't believe they were sold separately. So they are rare on the vintage market.

[fws6]

just to be nitpicking, we are not talking the Rhythm Chief (model 1000) at all; but the Super Chief (model 1100- adjustable version of the Rhythm Chief)

;-)

[Philco]

Just a beautiful sound!!

If and when you do a "real" recording you might want to find the cause of the reverb blooming on the left of the stereo field. Unless you wanted it that way.

[rpguitar]

Super Chief. Check. But really, I meant the shape - which is common to both.

Reverb is from GarageBand and is probably set awkwardly. Once I get the piece worked out, I'll probably post a video for the music's sake and will use a blend of line out and live mic.