Eastman AR610 - Pickup Options

[AllanAllen]

The Gretsch Corvette is gone, now I have an Eastman AR610(picture below). I like the guitar itself, it has a k&k archtop pickup which I'm not super fond of. I was thinking about getting a dearmond, but then I'll have to drill into the neck, and with no pick guard I think I'll still have no controls. It's quite a commitment to see if I'll like it.

I've been playing my tele at quartet gigs and the eastman for big band gigs where I can lean over and boost the amp for solos. I'd prefer to play an archtop all the time.

[lammie200]

You could try other transducer pickups like ones from Fishman. Other than transducers I don't know what you could do besides drilling somewhere. Maybe multiple somewheres.

[andrew]

TK Smith makes a “floating” pickup that sticks to the top with some putty. That could be a good way to go. It sounds great (like everything he makes).

[deacon Mark]

I would sell it and buy a cutaway with floating pickup.

[pcjazz]

The biggest difference is the Krivo is humbucking and the DeArmond single coil.

Krivo makes some excellent thinline single coil pickups. But a repro DeArmond would likely sound great on that guitar, into an acoustic amp or small pa, for swing. If the guitar already has a tailpiece jack you could plug in a Schatten volume control. They make one in stereo so you could keep the piezo as well.

[AllanAllen]

I would sell it and buy a cutaway with floating pickup.

I like the non cutaway. I appreciate the limitation.

[omphalopsychos]

Epiphone triumph and a Dearmond rhythm chief

[AllanAllen]

Epiphone triumph and a Dearmond rhythm chief

I think it’s stressful owning a vintage guitar. I’d be devastated if a guitar survived 70 years and I knocked it over and broke it. It’s why I sold the Gretsch Corvette.

[GuyBoden]

The inexpensive option.

Blu-tack a thinner floating pickup to the top for gigs, you can always take it off at home.

What is the gap between the top and bottom of the strings at the end of the fingerboard?

A P90 without the plastic case might fit or even with the plastic case (Dogear). (16.2mm thick, when the Pole screws are cut short.) (See pic)





An inline volume control, similar to some headphones, can be converted to mono 1/4 inch jacks.

[Woody Sound]

Schatten has a bunch of cool options for non-invasive controls and jacks.

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

I love Lace pickups. They make an ultra slim humbucker that you can Blutack to the top at the end of the fingerboard. I’ve heard them on archtops and resonators, and they sound mighty fine to me. I use an old Morley optical volume pedal for guitars without pots. I don’t miss EQ - the amp handles that fine for me.

[Woody Sound]

I love Lace pickups. They make an ultra slim humbucker that you can Blutack to the top at the end of the fingerboard. I’ve heard them on archtops and resonators, and they sound mighty fine to me.

Two questions:

Does it sound any more “acousticy” than a normal humbucker?

Does it balance bronze strings well?

[Sigmund451]

I have been enjoying my eastman. Its setup for electric so far fewer installation hassles.

I use the Armstrong single coil floater with adjustable poles. Its tapped so it supposed to sound a lot like the Dearmonds or a P90. The tapped Dearmond setting is really acoustic and trasnparent. I like it a lot. The P90 is really rich and gives a more electric sound than the Dearmond setting...but still different than a humbucker. Of course that pickup requires a pickguard unless he will make you one to mount like a Johnny Smith...then of course you would need a pickguard and such for electronics.

If I didnt want to do all that Id vote for the Dearmond 1100. I really like havings adjustable pole pieces. I sure understand your not wanting to drill just to try something out.

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

Two questions:

Does it sound any more “acousticy” than a normal humbucker?

Does it balance bronze strings well?

It’s designed for acoustic guitars, and I think it’s much better at that than a normal ‘bucker. It’s technically a dual coil pickup, but Lace pickups do not resemble traditional HBs in any way except that they’re quiet.

Here’s an interesting presentation of one of these in a flat top. I think it sounds right:

I can’t speak to string balance with bronze because I never tried them with a Lace. The Krivo is “designed for all acoustic strings including phosphor bronze”, per their website, and the ones I’ve heard sound great. So that’s a similar option. But I’ve had nothing but excellent experience and service from lace. I’d call them directly and ask.

[GuyBoden]

I have been enjoying my eastman. Its setup for electric so far fewer installation hassles.

I use the Armstrong single coil floater with adjustable poles. Its tapped so it supposed to sound a lot like the Dearmonds or a P90. The tapped Dearmond setting is really acoustic and trasnparent. I like it a lot. The P90 is really rich and gives a more electric sound than the Dearmond setting...but still different than a humbucker. Of course that pickup requires a pickguard unless he will make you one to mount like a Johnny Smith...then of course you would need a pickguard and such for electronics.

If I didnt want to do all that Id vote for the Dearmond 1100. I really like havings adjustable pole pieces. I sure understand your not wanting to drill just to try something out.

I've never had a DeArmond Rhythm Chief, but I have the KA P90 pickup on my green "D'Aquisto Centura Copy", it's the best floating acoustic sounding pickup I've heard, but it needs a pickguard because the electrical connections are on end of the tab. (A normal P90 doesn't need a pickguard.)

Below is a picture of my green "D'Aquisto Centura Copy" with KA P90 pickup.



See connectors on Kent Armstrong P90 below:




Edit: Lots of good DeArmond Rhythm Chief reissue info here:
DeArmond Rhythm Chief 1000 + 1100 sound comparison

[BBGuitar]

I have that same guitar. I use a clip-on condenser microphone with a gooseneck clipped to the tailpiece, microphone aimed at the top just behind the bridge.

[AllanAllen]

Thanks everyone. I have a lot more choices than I thought. I might try the blue-tack and a DeArmond. If it works for me I’ll have no problem installing the pickup after testing.

But if I’m going to drill into it, a pick guard with a floater might be better. Then it’ll cover the wire.

[Woody Sound]

I’ve been using the blu-tack method for a while now. Much easier than attaching to the neck or pickguard, especially if you’re experimenting with different pu’s.

[deacon Mark]

Thanks everyone. I have a lot more choices than I thought. I might try the blue-tack and a DeArmond. If it works for me I’ll have no problem installing the pickup after testing.

But if I’m going to drill into it, a pick guard with a floater might be better. Then it’ll cover the wire.

I have a super think Krivo Pickup brand new never used if interested PM. They are getting expensive compared to some.

[AllanAllen]

What is the gap between the top and bottom of the strings at the end of the fingerboard?

looks to be around 5/8” or 15-16mm.

[GuyBoden]

looks to be around 5/8” or 15-16mm.

So, you will need to know if a DeArmond Rhythm Chief (Or the pickup of your choice.) will fit.
DeArmond Rhythm Chief Mounting Hardware – Nickel

Someone on the forum with a DeArmond Rhythm Chief will know the actual gap needed.

15-16mm is a small gap, if the strings are not fretted at the last fret..

I have a super think Krivo Pickup brand new never used if interested PM. They are getting expensive compared to some.

The Krivo is only 6.5mm thick, so should easily fit.
Micro-Stealth PAF-Style Pickup for Archtop Jazz Guitar

[AllanAllen]

I wonder if I measured it wrong.

[BBGuitar]

I found a picture of what I use.

[AllanAllen]

I found a picture of what I use.

Looks similar to what Jonathan Stout uses. Do you play in a quartet with this? How is the drop from comping to single note?

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

I have a super think Krivo Pickup brand new never used if interested PM. They are getting expensive compared to some.

You get what you pay for. The Krivo is a fantastic pickup. I’d grab it if I had a guitar that needs it.

I wanted one for years for my National Tricone. But I discovered that the lavalier mics in my wireless mic kit fit and remain secure in the holes over the resonator with the little foam pop shields on them. So I hang the transmitter(s) from the end pin. The tone is very different from different locations in the top. One mic is fine for gigging.

For recording, I put one mic in a hole over the bass side of the lower bout and a second over the treble side above the bridge. The stereo effect is big.