Kent Armstrong Slimbucker pickup?

**Meggy** · 10-01-2009, 04:46 PM

Has anyone got any opinions on the Kent Armstrong Slimbucker pickups - small floating style humbuckers designed to fit into small gaps under the strings when space is tight. I don't mean the more expensive hand-made ones, but the cheaper ones you can get. I think WD music sell them, and probably a few others. I am reconsidering a possible guitar mod, and have figured out this is just about the only jazz pickup that would fit into the space for the possible mod on my Ibanez Joe Pass.

**BigDaddyLoveHandles** · 10-01-2009, 05:02 PM

This doesn't answer your question, but...

I was on archtop.com, eyeing the "real" Kent Armstrong floating pickups, and considering the single coil one. Then I measured my clearance and saw there wasn't enough! By a 1/16". Durn, that leaves the Micro-Humbucker. Then it hit me: If that 1/16" is really significant, I'd rather position the single coil pup closer to the bridge than to compromise and settle for a humbucker. In the end, I decided to keep what I've got :-|

**rabbit** · 10-01-2009, 10:18 PM

I tried one on a Fender 'Acoustisonic Strat."
Wanted to adapt it for jazz; this axe has a carbon fibre
top, originally piezo equipped. The result with the Kent A.
Slimbucker was ultimately still too bright for me but a buddy of
mine loves it with the warmer TI Rope Cores I used to help
tame it. This guy can play a washpail & get a beautiful tone.

So now you are more confused than before right?
Don't choose it for an inherently bright set up.
Good luck.

**Meggy** · 10-02-2009, 07:08 AM

Food for thought there chaps, and thanks for the responses!

**Meggy** · 10-02-2009, 09:37 AM

Originally Posted by ingeneri

I had a WD Kent Armstrong floating humbucker on my old Emperor Regent and it was a vast improvement. I put the archtop.com hand made Kent Armstrong on my D'angelico to replace the stock WD model. It was more nuanced (and less output) but not as big a difference.

I got to try the KA single coil out when sitting in with someone's modded Eastman. I really liked it, but needed more time to really check it out and decide whether it was worth swapping for the Johnny Smith. In particular, I was playing with a loud band in a crowded club, so I have no idea how bad the single coil hum is. Though, it's supposed to be better shielded.

So, you want a floating pickup in addition to the mounted HB'ers on the Joe Pass?

Well, the Ibanez JP only has one HB pup, which is mounted an unusually large distance from the end of the fingerboard (30 mm to the edge of the pickup mounting ring). This I believe was at Joe's own request, perhaps to give a bit more of an acoustic "edge" to the sound. But there are those who feel this is a flaw in the design. Actually, it still sounds pretty good to me with the right amp settings etc. - a subtle difference maybe. And it's a bloody nice guitar apart from this.

BUT... I still toy with the idea of adding a floating humbucker in the 30mm space at the end of the fingerboard. It would be an easy, and completely reversable modification - I would use a side-mount Slimbucker, which would fit neatly according to the published specs (maybe supported on a couple of self-adhesive foam pads or similar), and could make a replacement pickguard, so no need to cut the original. Some change to the wiring of course to add a small 3-way selector (mounted at the end of new pickguard) and then I could use either pickup, or both in parallel which I think might sound good too. No drilling, cutting or anything required so I could put the guitar back to original condition easily.

Thanks for your impressions on the KA floating pickups though - I believe the Slimbucker will probably sound fairly similar to the standard floating humbuckers that they do.

**dh82c** · 10-02-2009, 10:27 AM

Originally Posted by ingeneri

I had a WD Kent Armstrong floating humbucker on my old Emperor Regent and it was a vast improvement. I put the archtop.com hand made Kent Armstrong on my D'angelico to replace the stock WD model. It was more nuanced (and less output) but not as big a difference.

You make me feel better about the WD model I bought. I didnt know about the the ones from Archtop.com until after I had ordered it. It is for my EmpRegent which will soon have a p90/jazzmaster pickup in it but want to try the WDKA anyway. Life is a big taste test

**Meggy** · 10-02-2009, 12:23 PM

Originally Posted by dh82c

You make me feel better about the WD model I bought. I didnt know about the the ones from Archtop.com until after I had ordered it. It is for my EmpRegent which will soon have a p90/jazzmaster pickup in it but want to try the WDKA anyway. Life is a big taste test

Indeed it is! Please would you be kind enough to give your impressions of the WD Kent Armstrong when you've had a chance to try it?

**dh82c** · 10-02-2009, 01:09 PM

Will do. I have been playing the Epi for months now without any pickup. I have some other parts on order so when they get here next week I will compare the stock pickup to the WDs and let you know.

**Meggy** · 10-02-2009, 02:05 PM

Originally Posted by dh82c

Will do. I have been playing the Epi for months now without any pickup. I have some other parts on order so when they get here next week I will compare the stock pickup to the WDs and let you know.

Cheers dh! I'll wait with interest. I'm thinking it would be very easy for me to buy the pickup and mount it on the guitar temporarily and just wire it to one end of a guitar lead to see what it sounds like in place. Then if as a result I think it's going to do something useful I can go ahead with the mod, and if not then I can sell it on ebay and hopefully not be too far down money-wise!

**dh82c** · 10-02-2009, 09:06 PM

Either I do EVERYTHING half a**ed or NOTHING half a*sed. I am putting the pickups back in my Epi Emp Reg. I have the pots, a good stash of various Sprague Black Cats, a drill (lol) but still waiting for the shielded wire to come.

The WD a) doesnt have ANY lead wire, which doesnt bother me but I want decent shielded wire and b) is has mounting brackets about 1/4" wider than the stock Epi floater (The WD is designed to be mounted on a neck that wasnt designed for a floater. The Epi has 1/8" recesses on each side of the end of the neck under the fingerboard to fit a pickup)

I hope to have the orginal pickup installed this week so I have the new one installed by the weekend. I will be able to give a comparison then.

**Meggy** · 10-03-2009, 09:28 AM

Originally Posted by dh82c

Either I do EVERYTHING half a**ed or NOTHING half a*sed. I am putting the pickups back in my Epi Emp Reg. I have the pots, a good stash of various Sprague Black Cats, a drill (lol) but still waiting for the shielded wire to come.

The WD a) doesnt have ANY lead wire, which doesnt bother me but I want decent shielded wire and b) is has mounting brackets about 1/4" wider than the stock Epi floater (The WD is designed to be mounted on a neck that wasnt designed for a floater. The Epi has 1/8" recesses on each side of the end of the neck under the fingerboard to fit a pickup)

I hope to have the orginal pickup installed this week so I have the new one installed by the weekend. I will be able to give a comparison then.

I noticed that about the mounting brackets too. And the Ibanez JP has the recesses like your Epi, so I would have a similar issue. But I've decided I'm better off going for the side-mount version and attaching it to the pickguard, plus maybe some support underneath with a couple of self-adhesive pads or whatever. Plus the available space on the JP is so tight that the slight extra thickness from the neck mounting brackets where they fix onto the pickup might actually be enough to prevent it going in easily. Looking forward to your comparison results!

**dh82c** · 10-03-2009, 10:10 AM

I was just going to shim them. if I stick with my P90 I would want to do something about the empty space where the old brackets went anyways.
Probably inlay a piece of ebony or rosewood since I doubt I could get a finish to match the rest of the neck

**Meggy** · 10-03-2009, 10:23 AM

Using shims seems a perfectly good solution to me dh - should work well! As I say, it's just that there's not very much room on the Ibanez due to the existing pickup. Plus I suppose the guitar is starting to get a bit into the collectable (if not exactly vintage) bracket, so it would be nice not to have to drill any holes in it.

**Meggy** · 10-09-2009, 11:39 AM

Originally Posted by Meggy

Well, the Ibanez JP only has one HB pup, which is mounted an unusually large distance from the end of the fingerboard (30 mm to the edge of the pickup mounting ring). This I believe was at Joe's own request, perhaps to give a bit more of an acoustic "edge" to the sound. But there are those who feel this is a flaw in the design. Actually, it still sounds pretty good to me with the right amp settings etc. - a subtle difference maybe. And it's a bloody nice guitar apart from this.

BUT... I still toy with the idea of adding a floating humbucker in the 30mm space at the end of the fingerboard. It would be an easy, and completely reversable modification - I would use a side-mount Slimbucker, which would fit neatly according to the published specs (maybe supported on a couple of self-adhesive foam pads or similar), and could make a replacement pickguard, so no need to cut the original. Some change to the wiring of course to add a small 3-way selector (mounted at the end of new pickguard) and then I could use either pickup, or both in parallel which I think might sound good too. No drilling, cutting or anything required so I could put the guitar back to original condition easily.

Thanks for your impressions on the KA floating pickups though - I believe the Slimbucker will probably sound fairly similar to the standard floating humbuckers that they do.

I have just had a small windfall (and I mean small) but I think the mod I describe above is now going to go ahead in the not too distant future! It will keep me occupied for a while anyway - I go slowly and carefully with these things... Have you had a chance to test the pickup yet dh?

**dh82c** · 10-09-2009, 12:41 PM

I have everythign I need now. Pots/pickups/wire etc.
The only thing I dont have is time. Do you know where I can buy that?

**Meggy** · 10-09-2009, 01:06 PM

Originally Posted by dh82c

I have everythign I need now. Pots/pickups/wire etc.
The only thing I dont have is time. Do you know where I can buy that?

Sadly not dh, but no need to hurry with these things. A little bit of work whenever you can fit it in will get you there in the end I find. Well that's my theory...

**dh82c** · 10-13-2009, 10:14 PM

getting there.. I have the stock pickup in. Was really dissatisfied with it.
Replaced the pots and wiring at the same time. Had a .022 black beauty for the tone cap but it acted more like a volume control. Just.. ick. Tried a .01 bumblebee (OOS) and was much better. I will give the stock pickup a few days to put it through its paces and then try the KA.

**Meggy** · 10-14-2009, 08:18 AM

Waiting with eager antici............................................ .......pation dh!

**valriver40** · 10-14-2009, 09:47 AM

i too am waiting. i will be doing the same mod on my eppi emp. reg.

**dh82c** · 10-14-2009, 10:22 AM

Do you know what the stock cap value is on the Emp Reg?
I have it at home somewhere.. key work being somewhere.

**JArent** · 10-16-2009, 02:17 AM

I have a Kent Armstrong Slimbucker installed on my Kopp Betty Swing guitar. It is an amazing pickup, with a very puncy, dynamic tone. I also have a tapering DiMarzio tone pot on the guitar so I can really shape the tone, and have a wide array of bright and dark, thick tones. I definitely recommend it as a floating pickup for an archtop guitar.

**Meggy** · 10-16-2009, 02:11 PM

Originally Posted by JArent

I have a Kent Armstrong Slimbucker installed on my Kopp Betty Swing guitar. It is an amazing pickup, with a very puncy, dynamic tone. I also have a tapering DiMarzio tone pot on the guitar so I can really shape the tone, and have a wide array of bright and dark, thick tones. I definitely recommend it as a floating pickup for an archtop guitar.

That's some great feedback JArent, cheers! It sounds good - I don't wan't it to sound too similar to the humbucker already fitted to my Ibanez - which I would describe as warm and smooth, but not perhaps so punchy or dynamic. Although I do suspect the pickup on your guitar is the more expensive, hand-wound version, judging by the obvious quality of the Kopp Betty Swing (I remember the pictures you posted). Still, the cheaper version should still have a similar type of sound I think! My mod might be seen as somewhat odd as I will end up with a guitar fitted with one floating pickup and one body mounted, but I still think it could be good, and as I say, it's completely reversable anyway.

**dh82c** · 10-21-2009, 10:45 AM

I got the pickup in last night. I havent had too much time to play with it. My initial impressions are this. Much brighter and more articulate that the stock Epi. The original is much more muddy. I might have to try differnt pots and caps to get it right.

I will say this much tho, the quality of the construction leaves much to be desired. Flaked electroplating, weak braket welds. If you are installing on a guitar that doesnt have a recess for the brackets then you can use the machinehead mounting screws. Otherwise you will have to enlarge the holes (or if you dont mind adding a hole I would add a third hole on each leg of the bracket closer to the pickup body).

I will play with it more tonight and let you know. Honestly, I have a p90/jazzmaster pickup I will install in a couple of weeks so unless this blows me way I am going to pull it soon anyway.

**RAQ** · 10-21-2009, 03:49 PM

Originally Posted by dh82c

I got the pickup in last night. I havent had too much time to play with it. My initial impressions are this. Much brighter and more articulate that the stock Epi. The original is much more muddy. I might have to try differnt pots and caps to get it right.

I will say this much tho, the quality of the construction leaves much to be desired. Flaked electroplating, weak braket welds. If you are installing on a guitar that doesnt have a recess for the brackets then you can use the machinehead mounting screws. Otherwise you will have to enlarge the holes (or if you dont mind adding a hole I would add a third hole on each leg of the bracket closer to the pickup body).

I will play with it more tonight and let you know. Honestly, I have a p90/jazzmaster pickup I will install in a couple of weeks so unless this blows me way I am going to pull it soon anyway.

I can't quite remember how much detail we went into in 'that' Emperor thread, but in the end I just broke that bracket off the MIK KA I tried, and stuck it on with 'Blutack' (or you could use those sticky pads) while I carried out 'tests' - I didn't want to start making extra holes, which is tricky anway that close to the neck. I agee with your summary less muddy than the Epi original, and an improvement in that sense, but not really as satisfactory as the 57 Classic (obvious) that I fitted in the end. A relatively inexpensive improvement, but maybe not a final solution.