Floating Pickup For Archtop

[Mich]

Hi,
I need some advice.
I looking for floating pickup for my archtop. (Washburn J600).
Looking for one to get as close as possible to have a "warm" "fat", "bold", "dark", "deep", "like Gipson L5 Wes Montgomery and others... ", sound..
If you have any ideas please share.
Thank you

[TedBPhx]

I have the Benedetto S6 on a Washburn J600k. It doesn’t sound like L-5 at all. But it is darker/warmer and clearer than the pickup that came with it. I like it.

[guido5]

I just discovered that the Lollar Gold Foil single coil is also made in floating mount.

Gold Foil Floating Mount: Lollar Pickups

[Mich]

I have the Benedetto S6 on a Washburn J600k. It doesn’t sound like L-5 at all. But it is darker/warmer and clearer than the pickup that came with it. I like it.

TedBPhx, did you replace the pickup by yourself? How did you detach the volume and tone knobs?
Thanks.

guido5, it's exactly what I got about 5 days ago - Lollar Johnny Smith floating pickup.

Thank you guys.

[Ejay]

I went for the Benedetto s6. Pretty happy with it. High e on the loud side though.

[h1pst3r88]

I started buying these on ebay whenever they came up for sale on Ebay, which wasn't very often. I have three of them, one of which is mounted on my Matsumoku ("Crestwood" branded) Howard Roberts copy. It mates with the HR beautifully.

They are wonderful pickups. Adjustable pole pieces and a very broad range of tones.

I also have a handmade Kent Armstrong PAF0 on my L-7C, which in all honesty I do not love. I leave it on there because it was beautifully mounted to the original pickguard, but I have never loved the tone I get from it and it doesn't sound particularly PAF, really, in anyway (and I a tone pot is also installed)

I have often considered replacing the KA with a Super 70 on the L-7C, but I am either too lazy or not willing to mess with the beautiful job the luthier did in mounting the KA.

-Chris

[swingtoneman]

I'm a rhythm player. I play in a sort in a 'crossover' Freddie Green / Gypsy style- 4 in the bar. I want to put a floating pick on an archtop. Which of these 2 floaters would you use to get the best chordal sound?

a) Kent Armstrong Adjustable Floating PAF (12 Pole) or:
b) Bernedetto Floating Pickup

Any other floaters come into the mix for rhythm style playing?

[rio]

I usually recommend the 12 pole floating PAF. It is an excellent pickup and the best floater I’ve ever used (and I’ve been through many). It has a sound closer to a full size pickup than most floaters. In your case though you might want the Benedetto. It retains a more acoustic sound so if that is appealing for your rhythm playing then consider that.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[Gitfiddler]

Another KA-12 Pole floater fan here. Also, I'd recommend contacting Kent and discuss your specific needs. He can custom wind to your specs/preferences.

Kent Armstrong Pickups

[coolvinny]

The KA smoothtop (no adjustable pole pieces) HB is also very good.

[Cunamara]

Are you using bronzewound strings?

[D.G.]

Neither. I'd opt for the Kent Armstrong single coil. Or the re-issue guild dearmonds. You want a nice crisp tone for good swing rhythm guitar.

Guild DeArmond Rhythm Chief 1100 Pickup - Gold | Guild Guitars
Kent Armstrong Floating Single Coil (Handmade) - DjangoBooks.com

[deacon Mark]

I have a KA made by Kent himself it is a single coil email if interested. I never have used it he made it as the answer to a dearmond has options for 7 or 11 output.

[WillMbCdn5]

I like the Shadow AZ48 Attila Zoller neck mounted

Will

[ThatRhythmMan]

The Dearmond 1100 is my hands down favorite to electrify most acoustic archtops.

This TK Smith pickup I put on my previously abused ‘46 Blackstone is awfully good though. IMO, single coils usually have far more clarity.

[WillMbCdn5]

Another option for a straight acoustic is a Dearmond FHC i have one on my Gibson super 300 and it is fabulous

[christianm77]

I'm a rhythm player. I play in a sort in a 'crossover' Freddie Green / Gypsy style- 4 in the bar. I want to put a floating pick on an archtop. Which of these 2 floaters would you use to get the best chordal sound?

a) Kent Armstrong Adjustable Floating PAF (12 Pole) or:
b) Bernedetto Floating Pickup

Any other floaters come into the mix for rhythm style playing?

Heya I don’t think a floater of that type would give you what you want.

I’d recommend trying a Krivo pickup such as the Djangobucker which attaches to the top of the guitar with acoustic putty and has a much more acoustic sound as a result.

[christianm77]

If you have a pick guard you might need one of the other models

[ptchristopher3]

And another vote for the KA 12-pole. But it will not have the raspy edge that some of the single coils recommended here have - if that is part of your manouche sound.

I suggest avoiding the Benedetto. The design has remarakably weak response to the B string, presumably for better balance with bronze-wound strings. But with Nickel or steel wound stings this imbalance is troublesome in my opinion.

[christianm77]

OTOH if you play an acoustic archtop you might want hang onto your acoustic strings - the weak B string on the Benadetto is a feature for me!

Nickles never quite have the same punch, and flatwounds radically change the sound.
For a truly authentic sound I use Monels, which are similar to Bronze.

The Krivo pickups are also balanced this way, but I think the fella can make you whatever you want. Same with Kent actually. The guy is surprisingly approachable. Lollar too.

It’s all about knowing what you want to go for. And since you mention Freddie Green and Gypsy Jazz I’m thinking acoustic archtop, not Wes or Jim Hall flatwound Gibson tones which are what most people here are shooting for with their gear.

I play a lot of this stuff professionally BTW and have been experimenting with gear for around 7 years. (With modern it’s easy. Buy 175, buy Princeton. Plug a into b.)

However you can adjust some of the KA’s pole pieces so you can try out different set ups.

An important point - how much clearance do you have?

I’ll try and do a quick demo so you can hear the Krivo

[Doublea A]

I'm a rhythm player. I play in a sort in a 'crossover' Freddie Green / Gypsy style- 4 in the bar. I want to put a floating pick on an archtop. Which of these 2 floaters would you use to get the best chordal sound?

a) Kent Armstrong Adjustable Floating PAF (12 Pole) or:
b) Bernedetto Floating Pickup

Any other floaters come into the mix for rhythm style playing?

I have a D’Angelico Excel and I replaced the original KA with a Benedetto pick up and I love it. I use Benedetto 12 strings. IMO it sounds like a cross between Frank Vignola and Bucky Pizzarelli


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[ptchristopher3]

I definitely understand people loving the Benedetto S6. I put one on a build 6 years ago and thought it sounded great +++, except for the alarmingly weak B (using TI Swings).

I called SD about it and some really helpful guy explained the deep cut on the blades under the B. I liked the general sound so much that I was thinking to cut into the casting and add steel under the B. (Figuring I had nothing to lose at that point on the S6 PU)

But then I tried the KA 12 pole, and would likely never use anything else unless I was going for a raspy rhythm sound.

Even with bronze strings I could just adjust the KA for balance.

But yeah, great basic sound from the Benedetto S6, but in my opinion unfortunate balance for steel or nickel wound.

I suppose the only downside to the PG mount KA 12 pole is the seemingly too small mounting tab. Yet I have yet to have one fail, so apparently it seems small, but does the job. On my own guitar, I even used Gorilla (so slightly flexible) CA to attach it, since any failure would not leave some other player in trouble. 6 years later it is a solid as ever.

[campusfive]

I'm a rhythm player. I play in a sort in a 'crossover' Freddie Green / Gypsy style- 4 in the bar. I want to put a floating pick on an archtop.

Neither of those options would be good at all IMO. Humbuckers are the worst for playing swing rhythm guitar - the extra bass creates way too much sustain. The timbre and decay of an acoustic guitar a pretty essential to proper rhythm guitar time-feel, and humbuckers do the most to mess that up. If you HAVE to go electric, go with single coils, such as a DeArmond FHC.

But, you know, what kind of guitar are you playing? What kind of strings? What kind of amp?

[archtopeddy]

Kinda pulling up this older thread ... but some of you suggested getting KA-12 pole floater. What is the difference/advantages of 12 adjustable poles to 6 poles? Thanks!

[PB+J]

As long as an old thread has been revived, I have a KA handmade single coil floater on my Guild Artist Award. It's a terrific pickup. Like a P90 but less noisy and raw, with a coil tap so it has two distinct "voices"