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Would like to buy an archtop with a Dearmond 1100 (or 1000). i'm not planing to custom order one. Unfortunately, I won't be able to try before...
I'm considering:
1- buying a vintage archtop already equiped with a dearmond 1100
2-buying a used archtop with a floating humbucker and replace it with a Kent Armstrong single coil (supposed to be a great alternative to the 1100) or a Swingmaster ( a 1000 repro from Finland).
What do you think?
Suggestions?
Preferences with a single coil:
24 3/4 or 25 1/2 scale?
Mahogany or maple?
Hope it's clear...sorry for my english
Thanks!
Éric
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07-23-2015 06:17 PM
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Just curious, you've tried the Guild reissue that is that Steve's on the wall way up high? I was there today and I didn't try it because, you know, Steve's.
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Did you consider the Guild A150 Savoy? Looks good to me!
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You're right!!! Steve's is ...well...Steve's!!!
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You know, I already have nice Eastman archtops so i'm I don't think that a Guild Reissue will fit what i'm looking for...but if I have the opportunity to try one, even at Steve's
Originally Posted by FrankLearns
, I'll do it.
Maybe the best solution for me would be to replace the pickup on my Eastman 810 with a KA single coil...
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I happened to try one of the Gretsch archtops with the 1000 reissue on it today. I wasn't blown away with the guitar itself but I was really checking out the pickup. It sounds really, really good. I have been thinking about putting one on my Loar LH300. I have a FHC style pick up on there now, which I love. But, the stick and the control knob sticking out kind of drive me nuts. I want to fix one on there semi-permanently. Now that I have tried one, I am going ahead with it. I don't know if that helps, but, I think it gives a great jazz tone.
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Ok.. yes Steves .. unfortunately they have the best price (and the only 360 looper in stock) but I will still probably not buy it there...but I digress.
More importantly (you are in Montreal right?) Check Diplomate on Beaubien. Havent been in a while but they did have some in stock around Christmas. I was at Archambault Berri yesterday and they had nothing left.
I get that you dont want a reissue but for the pickup it is better to try it out than buy something sight unseen (unheard)
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What's wrong with Steve's?
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Guild is marketing a replica DeArmond 1100 for a very nice price. Is supposed to sound very much like the original and much, much cheaper than an original or the Swingmaster. Just get one and put it on your guitar using the existing electronics.
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Jabberwocky bought an 1100 reissue recently I don't know if he has fitted it yet but you could try sending him a PM. I've tried the 1000 reissue and it is a very nice pickup, I owned a guitar many years ago with one fitted and the reissue compares very favourably IMO.
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Good timing - I just installed a Guild reissue 1100 on my '47 non-cut Super 400.
Yowzah! It's great.
And I have an original on my '47 L-5. I can't tell a meaningful sonic difference between them, except the reissue feels a bit less "hot" - I haven't measured with an ohmmeter yet. Sounds terrific, though, with great soft compression. The Super 400 wears 80/20 bronze strings.
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It sounds like you're choosing a pickup and wanting to attach it to any guitar. I would recommend first choosing the right guitar, and then focusing on the pickup. The Dearmonds are very nice pickups. I like them because they are natural and do a very good job of amplifying and recreating the acoustic tone of a guitar. I feel like they color the electric tone less than other magnetic pickups that I have used. That makes it all the more important to choose a guitar that speaks to you, in my opinion.
As mentioned above, the Rhythm Chief 1000 and 1100's are now being reissued/recreated by Guild. They are (finally!) inexpensive and attainable. Choose the right guitar for you, and then mount a reissue pickup.
By the way, I have a Swingmaster pickup on my acoustic archtop. I'm happy to tell you all about it if you'd like to hear more. I love everything about it. That being said, I bought it before Guild started reissuing the RC's. If I were buying another pickup now, I'd probably save some money and try the Guild reissues first (and get the adjustable poles of the 1100).
Good luck!Last edited by backdrifter; 07-24-2015 at 11:22 AM.
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Roger, your Super 400 is absolutely stunning, and my favorite of all of your guitars (but I'm biased towards big girls!). I'd love to see a photo of the new setup with the 1100! Originally Posted by rpguitar
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Thanks for the compliment on the guitar Originally Posted by backdrifter
This may be temporary, or it may last a while depending on my degree of commitment to mounting a new pickguard. The old one looks great, but has just started to invisibly deteriorate (it tarnishes the frets after a few weeks).
There's no controls yet, nor are they strictly necessary as the tone is "poifect" to me. If I do mount a guard, though, I'll probably add a volume control. I literally did this today, so I was anxious to hear it and just twisted wires together. I'll solder 'em shortly.
I used only one screw on the neck rod because there is no flat section adequate in length for both screw positions to mount flush. It's very tight and I'm not worried about it.
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Very nice, indeed. I think a correct pickguard replica would finish it off perfectly. Enjoy that beauty, I'm sure it sounds heavenly!
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The reissue 1100 sounds really awesome, you don't need to spend money on the originals. I put it on my old Guild acoustic, and turned it into a gigging jazz monster. Originally Posted by Cunamara
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are yous guys earthing the strings ?
does it matter ?
if you are , how are you achieving it ?
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I don't think I understand what are you talking about. Originally Posted by pingu
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There shouldn't be any need to earth the tailpiece I've never needed to with a floater.
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Ahhh you mean the ground wire? Yes it's there at the tailpiece, my tech told me he had to install it. I don't know how and why, but that's what he said. I have no clue about that electronic stuff and how it works.
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If one installs an endpin jack that tightens against a metal tailpiece bracket, then the strings are grounded that way.
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Grounding the strings is just a way to ground the player. When your body is grounded it acts as a shield and cuts down on the noise and hum. If your guitar is really well shielded then you probably don't need to ground your strings. I talked to Bob Benedetto about how he ground his strings with an ebony tailpiece. He says he doesn't normally, Unless the customer insists. At that point he'll run a little metal strip underneath the tailpiece up to the strings. But his pick up is so well shielded that he doesn't need to. I've never used his pick up so I will have to take his word for that part.
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