Kent Armstrong Pickups

**Cunamara** · 02-01-2017, 09:07 PM

There are some YouTube videos to give you an idea. Other videos with that specific pickup weren't as specifically called out and I am lazy, so they're all the same guy.

Nice sounding pickup. Kent knows his stuff.

**ThatRhythmMan** · 02-02-2017, 01:13 AM

Thanks, Cunamara. Unfortunately, I think this pickup will be too thick for my intended guitar. It looks like it will have to be Kent's "2D" humbucker if I add a pickup to this one.

**oldane** · 02-02-2017, 08:40 AM

If the thickness of the pickup is an issue, you could contact Pete Biltoft of Vintage Vibe (for that matter, you could contact him also if it wasn't an issue). He is very accomodating and can make almost anything to your specs. He has been in business for many years and knows exactly what he's doing. I know he has made very slim floating pickups for guitars with the fretboard directly on the guitar top (no neck extention). His prices are lower than one might expect for a custom order. I have his pickups in a couple of my most played guitars and am happy with them as are many others in this forum. Now that I come to think about it, I can't remember to have ever read any negative comments at all about his offerings and customer service.

Vintage Vibe Guitar Pickups

**Woody Sound** · 02-02-2017, 10:01 AM

Originally Posted by ThatRhythmMan

Thanks, Cunamara. Unfortunately, I think this pickup will be too thick for my intended guitar. It looks like it will have to be Kent's "2D" humbucker if I add a pickup to this one.

The single coil is 7/16" thick (just under 1/2").

**ThatRhythmMan** · 02-02-2017, 10:18 AM

Originally Posted by Woody Sound

The single coil is 7/16" thick (just under 1/2").

7/16" is exactly how much space I have with a string pressed down at the last fret, so that takes that one out of the running.

**ThatRhythmMan** · 02-02-2017, 10:19 AM

Originally Posted by oldane

If the thickness of the pickup is an issue, you could contact Pete Biltoft of Vintage Vibe (for that matter, you could contact him also if it wasn't an issue). He is very accomodating and can make almost anything to your specs. He has been in business for many years and knows exactly what he's doing. I know he has made very slim floating pickups for guitars with the fretboard directly on the guitar top (no neck extention). His prices are lower than one might expect for a custom order. I have his pickups in a couple of my most played guitars and am happy with them as are many others in this forum. Now that I come to think about it, I can't remember to have ever read any negative comments at all about his offerings and customer service.

Vintage Vibe Guitar Pickups

Thanks for that tip. I had been meaning to check out Pete's stuff, but hadn't done so. Think a CC style is doable so thin?

**Jonah** · 02-02-2017, 10:36 AM

I had it installed on my acoustic Godin 5th Ave ... later I sold the guitar.

It's very good. Almost no noise. The sound is straight and plain and quite bright. I would say it reminds amplified acoustic sound.
Reminds me also a bit P- 90 but to my ear P-90 sounds warmer and bigger. At least those I tried... difficult to compare because I never really compared it at the same time, just my feeling.

Sometimes I heard it much like Tal Farlow's sound maybe...

Output switch is a nice thing but I can't say I used it a lot.

I enjoyed it but finally I came to he point that this sound is not quite what I wanted...

**PB+J** · 02-02-2017, 11:17 AM

Yes I have one. Its really an excellent pickup. It replaced an old Gibson Johnny Smith that was on my guild artist award. It has a really fat single coil tone like a P-90 with that direct quality that single coils have. it's not mushy like a humbucker can be.

It has a tap so you can use a mini switch to change from a brighter, somewhat thinner tone to a fatter, darker higher output tone

Here is a very hasty clip of the pickup--Guild artist award (with REALLY old strings, sorry) into an Ampeg GVt5 head, with reverb via a Catalinbread talisman pedal. The first time through is the brighter setting, second time through the tap is switched on

Armstrong handwound single coil

Since it's a single coil there is some hum, which you can hear in the clip

**Cunamara** · 02-02-2017, 03:33 PM

Originally Posted by ThatRhythmMan

Thanks for that tip. I had been meaning to check out Pete's stuff, but hadn't done so. Think a CC style is doable so thin?

Yeah. Pete made a floating CC for my archtop that was fairly thin. I have a smidge more space, but my conversations with Pete suggested he could accommodate even less space than my guitar. I can measure mine when I get home from work.

**ThatRhythmMan** · 02-02-2017, 10:16 PM

Originally Posted by Cunamara

Yeah. Pete made a floating CC for my archtop that was fairly thin. I have a smidge more space, but my conversations with Pete suggested he could accommodate even less space than my guitar. I can measure mine when I get home from work.

That sounds great. I'd like to know how thick it is. I'm going to try giving Pete a call, maybe tomorrow.

**Cunamara** · 02-02-2017, 10:29 PM

So, the pickup is 1/2" thick overall. But the coil itself is 1/4" thick; the top plate is 1/16" and the bottom plate is 3/16" so there may be room for it to be thinner. Definitely give Pete a call; he is very easy to deal with and good at solving problems. For that matter, if you called Kent Armstrong he could probably make you a thinner version of his single coil.

**2bornot2bop** · 02-04-2017, 10:24 PM

Pete Biltoft takes your space measurements and builds a pickup to fit, and or accommodate, your available measurements. In fact, if you send Pete your pickguard, that is, if you anticipate installing a PU to your pickguard, he'll install a CC of the proper depth that meets your measurements. I took the plunge on the Biltoft CC after hearing several demo's, namely forum member Fred Archtop, and I can honestly say I can't imagine ever owning another floater but the VV CC. It's just everything I've ever wanted in a floating pickup.

**ThatRhythmMan** · 02-09-2017, 01:23 PM

Pete is going to make me a floating Charlie Christian that is 8 mm thick.

**Marty Grass** · 02-09-2017, 01:39 PM

The KA single coil is a lower output single coil pup. Patrick (RIP) thought it sounds like a RC 1100. There are two settings on the pup. A switch cuts down the coil raps by quite a bit. The underwound setting sounds a bit like the 1100.

I'd like to say it's my favorite single coil pup, but I also really like the P-90, P-92, and the 1100 also.

**guitarcarver** · 02-09-2017, 02:37 PM

Here are a few pics of a guard I made for MartyGrass with this pickup. The shot of the under side shows how we set up the switching for impedance selection. Both settings sound good, but I really like the higher output.

**2bornot2bop** · 02-09-2017, 05:38 PM

Originally Posted by ThatRhythmMan

Pete is going to make me a floating Charlie Christian that is 8 mm thick.

Good move! Can't wait to hear your impressions of it.

Originally Posted by guitarcarver

Here are a few pics of a guard I made for MartyGrass with this pickup. The shot of the under side shows how we set up the switching for impedance selection. Both settings sound good, but I really like the higher output.

Let me guess. For a Heritage Johnny Smith 18"

**rutledj** · 06-27-2018, 06:27 PM

I notice a lot of the imported guitars seem to use this brand of pu's. Is there a reason? Are they cheaper? Lesser quality?

Just curious on this. Also curious why so many imports put such a thick clear coat on. Stabilization for shipping maybe?

I've been eyeing the Comins GCS-1 lately and it seems to be a good all-rounder. Just wondered if I'd need to replace the pu's.

Thanks
Rut

**rlrhett** · 06-27-2018, 08:03 PM

Kent Armstrong is a pickup wizard who makes by hand really stellar pickups for arch top guitars. He has licensed his popular designs to be made in China. So, you get an inexpensive pickup made following a really good design. You can have him (or now his son) make you a great pickup by hand for about twice what the Chinese ones cost. Personally, I find getting the real thing worth the cost. Or get one from Lollar or Biltoff. Pickups are the hearts of electric guitars. A good neck and a great pickup, and the rest is just a slab of wood balancing everything out. But a Chinese KA is not a bad pickup.

EDIT: I meant Korea, not China. I don’t know what difference that would make for a pickup, but apparently it matters to some.

**sgosnell** · 06-27-2018, 10:00 PM

I have an Eastman with a Chinese KA pickup. When I got it, used, I thought the pickup sort of sucked. I tried various replacements, and they were better, but I kept looking. Eventually I went back to the KA, and a close examination showed that it had been wired incorrectly, using only one of the coils. After I rewired it to the correct configuration, I'm very happy with it.

**sgcim** · 06-28-2018, 05:08 PM

You can call Kent up, and tell him the exact sound you want to get out of his pick up and he'll make you one by hand. Worked for me!

**guido5** · 06-28-2018, 05:42 PM

I have gotten 3 guitars with different model asian Kent Armstrong pickup models on each (two different floating and one mounted HB) and have been quite unimpressed. But I just put the KA handwound single coil on my AR610CE and am entirely won over. Such a difference! From sonic mud to real clarity and note separation without sacrificing richness. Now I cant wait to put the PAF0 floater on my AR910CE...

**Gitfiddler** · 06-28-2018, 06:34 PM

Pickups are always a matter of personal taste. However, I found the KA pickups in the GCS-1 very PAF-ish, well balanced, and even cool with the coil-tap engaged. Overall they were a nice match for the guitar.

After reading the specifications on his website, I contacted Bill to confirm his pickup choice for his "Guitar Craft" series. According to Bill Comins, he had Kent Armstrong wind those to his specs for that guitar.

GCS-1 | Comins Guitars

Pickups and electronics: Custom wound Kent Armstrong humbucking pickups, 3 way toggle switch, (2) volume and (2) tone controls. One of the tone controls is a push/pull pot converting both pickups to single coil mode.

**Spook410** · 06-28-2018, 07:14 PM

It depends.

The handmade KA jazz pickups are among the best you can buy.

The standard KA production models are adequate.

The KA pickups on imports are licensed and sometimes they suck. Or they will use a model that doesn't suit the guitar. For instance the pickups on my Korean D'Angelico EX-SS were very hot pickups not at all consistent with this style guitar. I gifted them to the tech that swapped them out.

**John A.** · 06-28-2018, 07:25 PM

Originally Posted by rlrhett

Kent Armstrong is a pickup wizard who makes by hand really stellar pickups for arch top guitars. He has licensed his popular designs to be made in China. So, you get an inexpensive pickup made following a really good design. You can have him (or now his son) make you a great pickup by hand for about twice what the Chinese ones cost. Personally, I find getting the real thing worth the cost. Or get one from Lollar or Biltoff. Pickups are the hearts of electric guitars. A good neck and a great pickup, and the rest is just a slab of wood balancing everything out. But a Chinese KA is not a bad pickup.

My D'Angelico has KA pickups that are made in Korea, not China. The guitar sounds great to me.

John

**rpjazzguitar** · 06-28-2018, 07:46 PM

I have a 2009 or so DA EXDC and the Comins GCS-1. Both have KA pickups.

Both guitars sound what I'd call "dark".

That sound is the main reason I bought the Comins, but I have no idea if it's the pickup or something else about the guitar.

What may be more helpful is this ... I really like the coil split sound.