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At the start of December I bought a Loar LH700 (NGD Loar LH 700 VS). The plan was always to put a DeArmond on in order to have my swing guitar – I just love that sound (and more broadly ‘50s single coil) above all other jazz guitar sounds.
I found a DeArmond FHC in Italy that looked good and was at a decent price (… not low, but decent). After getting in touch with the seller, who seemed to be a nice chap, I took the plunge. It arrived yesterday in my mail. I mounted it, tested it, then made a bit more of set-up today. It sounds (and looks) great on my Loar… There are wonderful sounds to be had in there!
I still have much to learn about it though. It’s really hot – much hotter than I thought. I had to set it way lower than the suggested 1/16’’ – more like 3-4/16’' – and unless I go for a Charlie Christian-style saturated sound, I have to plug it the “low” input of my BF Tremolux (… which is a very clean amp and just won’t break up at 10 with Fender-style single-coils).
The pickup, together with the Loar, has a great swing guitar voice along all the spectrum of gain, from very clean to saturated. I can easily pay visits to Charlie, Remo and Barney… With monel .13s, no issue of string balance so far.
I’ve tried different placements between end-of-fretboard and 24th harmonic, and so far the one I like best seems to be right up at the end of the fretboard.
I’ll have to put a pickguard on the guitar, mainly to avoid the pickup from “falling off” slightly from the right alignment when I play. For now, painter tape at the butt-end of the fretboard, without even touching the top, seems to do the trick.
I’ve also done some detective work as to exact model and dating. It has the two black slots/insets, so I am guessing that it should be a FHC-B model (?).
As to dating, the little tab on the side shows “3” as the second digit, but the first digit is alas unreadable. From the little I could learn about DeA pickups, the stamping and the “clear ice-cube knob” should place it in the 50s or at the latest in the early ‘60s… so perhaps a ’53 or at the latest a ’63 (but other DeA pickups such as Rhythm Chief and 1100 already had different knobs by then from what I can see…). I’ve written to musicpickups.com to see if they have any indications…
None of this is really important. I like the pickup+guitar combination very much now, and I’m sure that I can still make huge improvements on the way I use it. It looks like my “swing guitar+floater” quest is over for now – I just have to play! Tomorrow evening I’ll test it at a Trad Jazz / Swing jam (… a bit of a bold move but who cares).
If any of you has any suggestions on the use of those little tone-machines, I’m all ears of course!
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12-12-2017 06:24 PM
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Outstanding! You don't waste time! How's it sound with the GM?
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Ha! I don’t! It was all carefully planned (BOUHAHAHAHAHA…).
Originally Posted by 2bornot2bop
It took me a moment to figure out GM= GuitarMike. It sounds great. After some set-up work, I had almost used all my guitar time, but I manage to have fun on “I have a new baby” and the feeling of producing that sound was great and very, very inspirational … I guess that’s what good gear is about: inspiring and enabling you!
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I am officially very jealous!!! Bet it sounds great I am looking for one for my 51' Gibson Super 300 acoustic archtop
Will
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Radiofm74, I compared yours to mine. Mine says Mod FHC-C
Dearmond
U.S. Pat 2,455,046
H.N.Rowe & Co.inc
Toledo,O U.S.A.
My knob is clear also but with a smaller top. Wires seem to be the same. I would take it that mine is a newer model with the Pat #. I didn't take off the tab cover. Good luck with her. I'd love to hear her when you get a chance.
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Nice looking rig! Congratulations, and play it in good health!
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FYI: I have a Loar LH700 with a vintage Rhythm Chief 1000 and a '35 Gibson L-7 with a '44 FHC GM. In both cases, the setting are about the same as yours -- 3-4 16th on an inch between strings and the top of the pickup. The setting with the '44 FHC GM is actually a tad lower than with the RC1000. Either way, they sound great.
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It does sound great, if that sound is what you’re after. There seem to be quite a few on the market 200-400$. I’m sure your Gibson deserves one! Originally Posted by WillMbCdn5
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Hi, thanks! From what I’ve seen, those markings and the ‘tapered’ clear knob would indicate a mid ‘60s pickup. But I am no reliable expert. You may take the little black tab cover off and check… it’s no big deal. I’d be curious to know actually! Originally Posted by Archtop Guy
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Will do my best, thanks Originally Posted by citizenk74
Nice looking rig! Congratulations, and play it in good health!
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That’s very useful. I will certainly experiment a bit more – different felt tabs, and perhaps I’ll take the action from 2.75 to 3 mm (when I strum hard, strings slap a bit). Originally Posted by archtopeddy
Best!
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PS: of course I meant with string depressed at the last fret. I guess same for you? Originally Posted by archtopeddy
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I have the Rhythm Chief 1000 on my 1961 L-7C..... love the thing!
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I bought a brand new, NOS DeArmond FHC in box in 1975. It was made in the 60s. It remains one of the best pickups I ever used. Period.
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YES, truly a dream machine! Now you need to sell the Tremolux and cab and get you one of these:
Elektra Amplifiers Europe Main Page on Strikingly
...or maybe one of these:
VA-185G
Well, of course you don't "need" to, but just sayin'...
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I doubt I’ll ever want to part with my Trem, and if I do it would probably be for another Backface… BUT I’ve had my eyes on those for quite a while (and on small tweeds). So I guess my only strategy is to stay put with the guitars I have (I’m happy right now), stop buying guitar courses compulsively, and save up for a couple MORE amps Originally Posted by Mike Anderson
YES, truly a dream machine! Now you need to sell the Tremolux and cab and get you one of these:
Elektra Amplifiers Europe Main Page on Strikingly
...or maybe one of these:
VA-185G
Well, of course you don't "need" to, but just sayin'...
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Always good to have a plan. I diverge from my need to save bigger chunks of cash by buying courses and accessories myself, a habit I've gotta get under control. Originally Posted by radiofm74
I doubt I’ll ever want to part with my Trem, and if I do it would probably be for another Backface… BUT I’ve had my eyes on those for quite a while (and on small tweeds). So I guess my only strategy is to stay put with the guitars I have (I’m happy right now), stop buying guitar courses compulsively, and save up for a couple MORE amps
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The trick I have with myself has been to say: you can’t buy a new course until you’ve exhausted the possibilities of those (books and Truefire) you have alrready bought. If I stick to this rule, I might never buy another course again Originally Posted by Mike Anderson
Always good to have a plan. I diverge from my need to save bigger chunks of cash by buying courses and accessories myself, a habit I've gotta get under control.
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We most definitely are on the same page. Enjoy the hell out of that gorgeous guitar and DeArmond!
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IIRC, those bigger pickups have more bass response than the smaller ones. Yes?
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Yes, the FHC is more mid and bass heavy than the Rhythm Chief, which is more neutral and acoustic sounding. The FHC was too muddy on one of my guitars but just perfect on my '46 Epiphone Triumph. Originally Posted by Woody Sound
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Wow congrats on the guitar coming together, and that rig is outstanding. Tweed and BF Tremoluxes, though incredibly different in sound, are both very underrated Fender amps. I have one myself though, so I might be a little biased (tube pun dad joke not intended)......
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Much appreciated nonetheless Originally Posted by Paulie2
And yes, I really love my Tremolux, and the fact that it’s a head (and sounds good no matter what you put it through) makes the whole guitar+amp thing a lot more practical for me. I usually take it along for practice.
PS: thanks for the kind words on the rig!
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Good to know. I think I got what I would have wanted – I am after that fat, round, at times raw (and at times very clean) single coil sound from the ‘30s-‘50s greats... Originally Posted by omphalopsychos
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I've got the same Dearmond Guitar Mike you bought. I've never tried it on my D'A, but after trying the Guild Repro of the RC-1100, and being disappointed that it wasn't the same as the original, maybe I'll try using the Guitar Mike.I've always wondered which Dearmond pickup Johnny Smith used on his D'A...
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