The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #26

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    This thread is right in my wheel house because I'm considering replacing the pickup in my new AR403.

    I've been considering a Seymour Duncan Seth Lover or a Gibson Classic 57.

    The stock pickup in both the AR371 and AR403 is a Kent Armstrong licensed, Chinese made HPAN-1 I believe. Or HPAG-1 for the gold one.
    Last edited by monkmiles; 11-14-2012 at 11:17 PM.

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  3. #27

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    Is there something wrong with the Kent Armstrong pickup that came with your guitar? I have a couple of Eastmans that came with what I consider to be very good pickups.

    Come to think of it, my Heritage guitars also came with very good pickups. The only guitars I own where I sould want to swap out the pickups are my Hofners. While they come with good pickups, I think I would prefer regular sized humbuckers to the mini humbuckers that come standard. Unfortunately, the Hofner pickup mounting system makes swapping pickups difficult.

  4. #28

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    Quote Originally Posted by Klatu
    Is there something wrong with the Kent Armstrong pickup that came with your guitar? I have a couple of Eastmans that came with what I consider to be very good pickups.
    I'm not sure if you're asking me or the OP, but I've seen input from many that seem to prefer other pickups over the stock Kent Armstrong licensed pickups in Eastmans (not to be confused with the Kent Armstrong made pickups). So for me, trying one most seem to like for jazz (like the Classic 57 or Seth Lover) is appealing.
    Last edited by monkmiles; 11-14-2012 at 01:57 PM.

  5. #29

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    Don't forget that the placebo effect is strong when it comes to pickups. There are many who claim to hear big differences between pickups, but often times what happens is that they have paid big bucks to "upgrade" their instruments, so it would make them look foolish if they didn't notice significant improvements in sound.

    Another issue I have with pickup swapping is that unless there is really a big difference in pickup type or output, the differences can usually be made up with a slight twist of the tone knob of an amp. Of course, this wouldn't apply if someone were to have installed active EMG Zack Wylde pickups in your L5.

  6. #30

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    Yea, I hear that. In fact, I've never made a pickup change on any of my guitars ever for that sort of reasoning. So if I do this one, it'll be my first.

    Back to the OP, I have heard the Seymour Duncan Jazz is a poorly named pickup as others have mentioned. I would be more apt to try the Armstrong made pickup you mentioned. Or the Seymour Duncan Seth Lover or Gibson Classic 57.

  7. #31

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    The KA pickup that came with my 371 had a very acoustic sound to it. Clean and clear. There is nothing wrong with that. However, I wanted a slightly heavier sound, closer to Kenny Burrel or Grant Green. I agree that you could get the sound from adjusting your tone knob or adjusting your amp settings. But, you can also get a different tone by changing the pickups. When these types of threads come up, it always seem to be half the people saying the pickups make a big difference and half saying that it's all in your head. I personally believe that both sides are a little bit right. And, at the end of the day, If a new pickup makes you happy, go for it.

  8. #32

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    Quote Originally Posted by Klatu
    Another issue I have with pickup swapping is that unless there is really a big difference in pickup type or output, the differences can usually be made up with a slight twist of the tone knob of an amp. Of course, this wouldn't apply if someone were to have installed active EMG Zack Wylde pickups in your L5.
    +1 to that.

    Many guitarists have a default guitar volume and tone setting of all the way up. On my Eastman (I don't even know what kind of pickups I have, they're stock), I usually have the tone and volume around 6 or 7 which darkens them up a bit. I control performance volume with a volume pedal.

    The other thing I've noticed is on some of my guitars I have to turn the tone way down to have much of a perceived effect. On my Strat, I sometimes play the front pickup with the tone set at 2 or 3, on that guitar the perceived tone doesn't change much until I get to about 3 on the dial. Experiment with the full range of tone and volume settings.

  9. #33

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    Another vote for the Duncan '59. That's the pup that was in my Super Kenny Burrell. Perfect jazz pup for my tastes.

    Although, imo, the '371 itself is bright sounding as are most Eastman archtops, so I'd not anticipate gaining darker warmth from them via a pup change. The guitar is what it is.

  10. #34

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    I just installed a Duncan '59 on my D'Angelico Excel NY SS. It sounds super awesome.

  11. #35

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    Quote Originally Posted by Klatu
    Is there something wrong with the Kent Armstrong pickup that came with your guitar? I have a couple of Eastmans that came with what I consider to be very good pickups.

    Come to think of it, my Heritage guitars also came with very good pickups. The only guitars I own where I sould want to swap out the pickups are my Hofners. While they come with good pickups, I think I would prefer regular sized humbuckers to the mini humbuckers that come standard. Unfortunately, the Hofner pickup mounting system makes swapping pickups difficult.
    I honestly haven't even tried it. I bought the guitar with the SD Jazz already installed by the previous owner. Since I don't love the sound I'm just thinking that someone else has had the same experience I've had and had some positive results.

  12. #36

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    Quote: Originally Posted by miken
    The KA pickup that came with my 371 had a very acoustic sound to it. Clean and clear.

    Quote Originally Posted by hallpass
    That's how I would describe them too so far to my ear.
    My impression exactly. So clean and clear that I was initially wondering if the store's demo amp was set 'oddly'. But no. During my store demos I came to really enjoy the tonality and feel of the guitar. A lot. (Actually, I'd like to get one as soon as they manage to get one in that doesn't have a subtle greenish cast to the yellow of the burst, found on both examples coming thru my local store so far.)

    Anyway, I actually liked that clear and clear tone a lot. In my own usage, I probably wouldn't be thinking about replacing the stock pickup unless I was just curious to indulge in a GAS-related mod.

  13. #37

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    Quote Originally Posted by miken
    The KA pickup that came with my 371 had a very acoustic sound to it. Clean and clear. There is nothing wrong with that. However, I wanted a slightly heavier sound, closer to Kenny Burrel or Grant Green...
    I've never had the opportunity to play an older '50s ES-175, with the reportedly thinner plate construction, so I'm wondering if the sound of these AR-371s is somehow going for that earlier feel and tonality. So, is Eastman going for more of a visual ES-175 cloning with the 371, a tonal similarity, or (I would assume) both?

  14. #38

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    Does anybody know exactly what that stock AR371 pickup is? Specs at Eastman's website simply refers to it as a 'single mounted humbucker', and I'd think that Eastman would be touting the KA name even if it was 'merely' designed by KA. And isn't the 403 the same pickup? (It has the same description online.)

    BTW, it's the same 'anonymous' naming designation for the 500-level models; the KA name isn't mentioned until you get to the 600-level models. No big deal, just curious; I really like the sound of the AR-371 as is.

  15. #39

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    I've changed the pickup in my Eastman 803 for a Seymour Duncan '59, sounded good, lots of bass and highs as well. Changed it recently for a Shadow Attila Zoller AZ-49 I had lying around, I like it alot. Less boomy with flatwounds and great definition. But I would like to get some of that warmth of a PAF(to contrast the brightness of the Guitar), so maybe a Seth Lover will be next(I believe it's less hot than the '59).

  16. #40

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    It's a Kent Armstrong licensed HPAN-1 (the gold one is a HPAG-1, same pickup different color, G for gold N for nickle, etc). Retroman mentioned it in another thread and I think I mentioned it somewhere in this thread.
    Last edited by Dirk; 04-30-2020 at 09:32 AM.

  17. #41

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    I just got an AR371—it's awesome as you know. The stock pickup sounded dull. My favorite pickup on an archtop is the Kent Armstrong "PAF 0" floater: the back one with no poles. I asked for that in a full-size shell and Kent sent me his normal PAF. It was way too beefy for my taste. I tried a Surf 90 and it was pretty close but could get a little strident. These were all with roundwounds.

    Then i stumbled upon one of Jim Soloway's for sale threads which had one of his outstanding clips with the Dimarzio 36th Anniversary PAF (DP103). I just got one and it was exactly the sound i was looking for: articulate, very little compression, with a little bit of "burn" on each sustained note. It was a huge change from stock.

    For $65 i got exactly the tone i was hearing in my head and it was a perfect match for this guitar. I highly recommend checking them out if you like lower output, vintage-y pickups that give you the clarity of the guitar without being too bright.


    (I know this thread is old but just did some pickup swapping and thought it could be relevant.)

  18. #42

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    You really should spend considerable time adjusting the height of the pup that's in there already. Lowering the pup height is often ​the solution.

  19. #43

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    I recently purchased an AR371 as well. I'm loving the sound of the pickup. I intended on putting flatwound strings on it but I'm really liking the D'Addario's that come on it. I've changed pickups on other guitars only to regret it later. Lesson learned.

  20. #44

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    Well...I get to join this club! Just now came home with a AR371. It's quite a nice guitar! Strange how the sunbursts seem to differ. Mine is not a greenish hue like I've read about, but a gray-ish hue. Actually, I like it very much. It's just a little subtle color change that sets it off from all the other standard bursts.

    Regarding the stock pickup, I like it. I wouldn't change it for another PAF style because I think it does a nice job. It isn't muddy, rings nice and clear, and is balanced.

    But what I am going to do is have Pete Biltoft send me another one of his P90's for sure. Then I'd have the best of all worlds: a decent PAF, and a P-90 with choices of AlNico II and AlNico III (orIV?)

    I've had one of these in another hollow body, and I can attest to the fact that he makes a fantastic pickup.

  21. #45

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    I continued to struggle with mid and low-end mud on this guitar on chords. I went through 7 pickups to find one i liked: KA PAF, DiMarzio 36th, Surf 90, Arcane Gold Coil, DiMarzio EJ Custom, SD Jazz, and EMG H1N. The EMG H1N was the real surprise, and for this AR371, it was the clear (both obvious and auditory) standout. The low output and string definition are a huge asset here. The EMG is pretty low output so there isn't much compression, so the strings sound open and alive. I'm guessing this is the "classic PAF" quality i read about.

    For anyone who has a big-bodied laminate that wants a nice clear sound, with lots of string overtones retained, i can't rep the EMG enough. It actually almost has a Gretsch-like clarity to it: that mix of woody and metallic, but just soft and warm enough that strumming and playing hard don't sound abrasive. While it doesn't sound quite like a DeArmond, it has the same qualities i like about those pickups, but it is dead quiet. Worth a gamble at $35-45 on eBay (or $70-ish new).

    Eastman AR371CE Arrived - Quite Impressive-img_20130902_093124-jpg
    Last edited by spiral; 09-02-2013 at 11:01 AM.

  22. #46

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    Having coveted it for a while I am thinking of pushing the button on an acquisition of an Eastman AR371. I have played it, but I would be interested in the views of others in relation to the following questions.

    Is there anything else I should consider at the price (sub £1000)?

    I am a bit confused about finishes, in store I have played a 'vintage sunburst' and seen a 'natural' too. Is their a 'sunburst' which is a different more orange burst or is this just different saturations in photos on the web?

    I have always played flats, but I notice they always come with roundwounds on. Have owners out there stuck with rounds or switched to flat?

    What are your thoughts on the standard pup? Their is a supplier here in the UK who offers upgrade to bareknuckle mule/manhattan for about £100. I put a bareknuckle pup in my Epi JP which transformed it so I'm tempted!

    Finally for owners out there what was the factory set up like?

    I'd be very grateful for any views.

  23. #47

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    Having just picked one up (used) a few days ago, here are my impressions: fabulous guitar! Light as a feather (5 pounds), construction on mine is flawless, "classic" look and shape which I absolutely love. The neck is on the shallow side, and wide (1.75 in) which you need to find out if it works for you. It fits me like a glove, which I am surprised about because I thought I preferred clubbier necks. Finish is lovely; I think it's nitro but in any case it is quite thin, so none of that "dipped-in-plasic" feel which you get from, e.g., Ibanez Artcores. Mine has a bit of that greenish/grayish tint, but nothing that would upset the eye. It came strung with .012 Chromes, and playability/setup is A+ (perhaps the previous owner already had it setup by a pro, I don't know if they come from the factory that well set up).

    Sound unamplified: obviously a laminate guitar, but every tone rings like a bell, subjectively the Eastman is 1.5 times louder than my Gibson laminate. Amplified: clear, acoustic, but not quite enough midrange for my taste. Overall score: 8.5/10. Astonishingly nice guitar (and not just for the price).

    OK, so what's not so good? A peek through the soundholes reveals that Eastman put mini-Alpha pots in there, and quite dodgy-looking wiring. So, I immediately ordered CTS pots, braided wiring, etc., got out the old solder iron and brought the wiring up to Gibson specs (which, by the way, required reaming the holes for pots as CTSs don't fit). Soundwise this made little or no difference, but now the pots feel a lot more confidence-inspiring. Have a look at the image for the original wiring harness.

    Next, the pickup. The neck PU is a KA-designed HPAN-1 pickup, which by itself is not bad (in fact, here in the UK, as an aftermarket part it costs about £60, so not particularly cheap). But as I said, the sound was a bit "flat" and too acoustic, with somewhat less output than the Gibson 57 classics in my other guitar. I happened to have a DiMarzio DP103 in my drawer which I hadn't used in a while, so I put that one in, and the electric sound is remarkably transformed, with more bass and mid-range, and higher output. Every note has a nice "snap" to it, even when played with the tone rolled off a bit. End-result: 9.5/10 - what a remarkable little guitar!

    However, I cannot for the life of me understand why Eastman would put such cheap wiring into a guitar which in most other aspects seems to be a serious competitor for a ES175 - for years we have been complaining that Gibson laminates were over-built and the early ones with presumably thinner plates were out of reach. Along comes the AR371 which is great, and the good people at Eastman try to save a few pennies by not putting professional grade wiring it in. I just don't get it. If you like tinkering (as I do) and don't mind working on the electronics a bit (due to it being a single-pickup guitar, this is really rather straightforward), it is easy to turn a good guitar into a great one with minimal effort. However, I can understand folks who want a guitar that is great without modification, and would be turned off by this.

    Hope this is helpful,

    N.



    Eastman AR371CE Arrived - Quite Impressive-eastman-jpg

  24. #48

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    Quote Originally Posted by neuroscan
    However, I cannot for the life of me understand why Eastman would put such cheap wiring into a guitar which in most other aspects seems to be a serious competitor for a ES175
    Because it costs only $700 and a new 175 is close to four grand?!

    This was a great review, BTW.

  25. #49

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    Quote Originally Posted by rpguitar
    Because it costs only $700 and a new 175 is close to four grand?!

    This was a great review, BTW.
    Yes, but I think Eastman could probably order a bucket of decent pots for peanuts, and save me the trouble of having to re-wire the guitar. I would have happily paid the additional £10, which is approximately what it cost me to order the parts!

    Despite my complaints about the cheap electronics etc., I think this is just an astonishingly nice guitar. I read with great interest the discussions on this forum about hand-carved tap-tuned tops sprinkled with vintage fairy dust etc. But really, isn't an instrument like the AR371 all that one needs? IMO, the youtube clip by soundpure reflects the tone of this guitar fairly accurately (even before modification). That's a pretty gorgeous jazz tone, no?

    By the way, one unexpected problem in rewiring the Eastman was that the ground cable to the tailpiece (the red cable in the image) was so short that I couldn't get the pots out of the guitar without loosening and puling out the cable on the tailpiece end, which required unscrewing the tailpiece itself. Apparently the folks at Eastman installed the pots with the wire attached to the volume pot and out the hole by the tailpiece, then pulled the wire out as much as possible and cut it off by the tailpiece, stripped the insulation, and then tightened the tailpiece. Not a big deal, but something to keep in mind when intending to swap PUPs with the original wiring.

    N.

  26. #50

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    Great review neuroscan. I had the exact same thoughts about the wiring on my AR 403. This should be an easy and cheap thing for Eastman to remedy. The cheap pots and wiring (and I'm not crazy over the pickups they use but I guess that's subjective) is not on par with the excellent overall quality of the rest of the guitar. Either way I don't think you can go wrong buying one of these.