Help Me Mellow My Guitar

[kris]

Would a full size floating humbucker need to be inset, or can you get them floating?

KENT ARMSTRONG
HANDMADE ADJUSTABLE PAF
Attachment 7824

This is fantastic floating PAF.
I have it at my D'Aspiranta jazz box.

[oldane]

Would a full size floating humbucker need to be inset, or can you get them floating?

Kent Armstrong makes a floating full size humbucker which is highly regarded by jazz guitarists. It is no taller than the ordinary floating mini humbuckers. Check it out here (you can likely also order it directly from Armstrong): ac accessories

Wheter it will fit your guitar depends on the string clearance of the strings over the top. Really old Gibson archtops has the fretboard glued directly on the top without a fretboard extension, so they are hard (or impossible) to mount a floating pickup on. The original ES150 of the 1930s had the top of the CC pickup mounted almost flush with the spruce top. But most modern archtops has a more generous clearance between the top and the strings which should leave room for a floating pickup.

Edit: While I wrote, Kris beat it to me - sorry for the repeat.

[Rob MacKillop]

I'm wondering if the American-made KA 12-hole PAF is the same as made by his son in the UK (which would be cheaper for me). They look the same...

[jazzbow]

Hey Rob, did you get this guitar from a guy in Castle Douglas?

If you did I've been playing that for some time. Seen the price drop on that one over the last 18 months.

Nice guitar tho' and easy to play. I'm thinking flatwounds first then some of those under pick-guard thin pots and finally cap swops until you find 'the tone'

This maybe closer to a vintage johnny smith pickup if you want to change

CurtisNovak.com - Pickups and Guitars | Johnny Smith Mini Humbucker Pickup

[Rob MacKillop]

No, I didn't. Bought it in Dundee.

And thanks for the link :-)

[DRS]

I don't mean to state the obvious but - turn down the treble on the amp. Or turn down the volume a bit on the guitar and turn up the volume on the amp to compensate. Most guitars lose a lot of treble when you roll of the volume a bit.

Get some Daddario Chrome flats. These have way less treble than Thomastik Infeld flat Swings. I personally don't like them because I like a certain amount of treble.

Next I'd try a pick-up change. But most jazz specific pickups I've tried have a fairly neutral response to amplify the true nature of the guitar.

Last resort would be the bridge. This would be a minimal change in tone.

[goshawk]

If you're going to try different strings and prefer roundwounds, I'd suggest giving the Newtone Archtop strings a try... they might mellow out the sound for you. Foulds carry them on their website:

Jazz Guitars, Amps & Accessories - Newtone Archtop strings (12's)

[Rob MacKillop]

DRS - forgive me, but it is, as you say, obvious. But thanks anyway.

goshawk - that's an idea. Thanks.

[jazzbow]

No, I didn't. Bought it in Dundee.

And thanks for the link :-)

That's interesting, seems there are dealer reductions across the boards!

Time for a bargain methinks

[larry graves]

If you upgrade everything on the guitar and the sound is still trebly what then? your stuck with a over priced instrument you cant sell.. Go the string route! If it's round wound you've settled on try Newtone Archtop and Gibson L5s .I think Be-Bops are to expensive, and the plane third string may not help your tone. In time the guitar should become mellow. It's always a good idea to change the pickup on a cheaper guitar, you can always change it back if you have to sell the guitar...But I'm sure you'll sort tone out the tone problem before then ....L..

[jnbrown]

I play an Epiphone Joe Pass which also a very bright sounding guitar.
I have tried various picks and pro plec does indeed give a warmer mellower tone but found it awkward to use because of the large rounded tip and flabby feel, also some of the definition of the note is lost. Right now I am using a dunlop 208 which feels a bit large in my fingers but still prefer it over the smaller 205. Maybe i will try the Planet Waves Black Ice as it seems a better shape than the pro plec. I have tried turning down the tone control and lowering the treble on the amp EQ which helps some but too much and it just muffles the treble making it sound worse, it doesn't really achieve the warm mellow sound that most jazz players want. I am sure not if changing pickups would help, there are so many to choose from it would be hard to decide on one and wouldn't want to spend more than $100. Seymour Duncan and Stewmac have some in that price range.

[larry graves]

New kid on the block....Chicken Picks Jazz........