Resigned to Electrifying my '52 L-7 Acoustic - P/U suggestions, pls.

[Dennis D]

Pretty much ruling out a clip-on mic...I bought one and the mic's fine but the attachment seems to be the headache with those things...

So I'm seriously considering a p/u. I have a good luthier to do the install, so that's handled.

I remember most owners here advising against ever cutting guitar tops so, ok, I can go with a floater.
But - - I like to pick as close to the end of the fingerboard as I can get, and always have. So anything that'd give me an inch of two -at that spot - would be fine.
( Would a p/u install at that location look bad ?? hope not ). I have long arms and that's always been the most comfortable position for me. I'm guessing that location rules out a D'Armond, which is ok.

I don't need state of the art sound reproduction, it'd just be for home playing.

Thanks in advance.

[wintermoon]

Pretty much ruling out a clip-on mic...I bought one and the mic's fine but the attachment seems to be the headache with those things...

So I'm seriously considering a p/u. I have a good luthier to do the install, so that's handled.



I remember most owners here advising against ever cutting guitar tops so, ok, I can go with a floater.
But - - I like to pick as close to the end of the fingerboard as I can get, and always have. So anything that'd give me an inch of two -at that spot - would be fine.
( Would a p/u install at that location look bad ?? hope not ). I have long arms and that's always been the most comfortable position for me. I'm guessing that location rules out a D'Armond, which is ok.

I don't need state of the art sound reproduction, it'd just be for home playing.

Thanks in advance.

You should be able to get a p.u. right up to the end of the board as that yr/model guitar should accommodate it fine.
I'd start w a Dearmond, maybe a less expensive Guild reissue

[Dennis D]

You should be able to get a p.u. right up to the end of the board as that yr/model guitar should accommodate it fine.
I'd start w a Dearmond, maybe a less expensive Guild reissue

Thx WM as always...Just not sure I've ever liked the D'A look,.....

[wintermoon]

Just to make sure, measure the distance between the top and the strings @ the end of the board and compare it to the thickness of a Dearmond, but as that guitar has a raised board it should fit just fine.
I really like the DA look for what it's worth

[Dennis D]

Just to make sure, measure the distance between the top and the strings @ the end of the board and compare it to the thickness of a Dearmond, but as that guitar has a raised board it should fit just fine.
I really like the DA look for what it's worth

I went looking for a 'slimbucker ' ( ? ) the other day. Not even sure I had the name right - I'd recalled seeing one on a friend's archtop at a gig. Couldn't find that specific one but figured I'd ask here anyway !

Thx again !

[Jabberwocky]

The Slimbucker you are looking for is a Kent Armstrong Handmade. Call Kent Armstrong in Vermont.

Guitar pickups - Handmade pickups by Kent Armstrong

[rabbit]

Correct me but i get the impression that you want a couple of inches of open space for picking
BETWEEN the end of the fretboard & the pickup.

So, pickguard mounted pickup, right? Or, am I wrong again?

By the way, thank you for not cutting up a classic guitar.

[Doug B]

Dennis-have a look at Django Books, they have a large selection of jazz type pickups:

Pickups - DjangoBooks.com

[Greentone]

I would use either a DeArmond Rhythm Chief or a Zoller AZ48 floating pickup.

Both have exceptional tone. Neither requires cutting the top.

[skykomishone]

I'm very happy with the Jason Lollar Gold Foil single coil floater on my '44 L7. It sounds fabulous.

[Dennis D]

Correct me but i get the impression that you want a couple of inches of open space for picking
BETWEEN the end of the fretboard & the pickup.

So, pickguard mounted pickup, right? Or, am I wrong again?

By the way, thank you for not cutting up a classic guitar.

Yes - -just an inch or so open space from the end of the fretboard to the p/u. My WesMo has about 1/2 in. and even that works.

I would think the p/g mtd. p/u's would sit higher - closer to the strings, right ?

Thanks again.

[ThatRhythmMan]

What about a McCarty? It won’t give you extra space, but sits pretty low. This one is available by the way.

[rabbit]

Yes - -just an inch or so open space from the end of the fretboard to the p/u. My WesMo has about 1/2 in. and even that works.

I would think the p/g mtd. p/u's would sit higher - closer to the strings, right ?

Thanks again.

Wiser heads can correct me but i think that further back toward the bridge affords more daylight between the strings & p/up
and you can rest the p/up, attached to the pick guard, on the top insulated by a bit of felt. Or, more than a bit as necessary.
By which I mean you& your tech will have room to decide & adjust. Probably don't want to use the original guard for this.

In fourteen seconds someone will advise that moving the p/up slightly toward the bridge will sound "horrible, just horrible."
Laugh at this.

Good luck!

[KirkP]

I put a reissue DeArmond RC1100 on my ‘37 L7 a couple of years ago. I love it for playing solo or small ensembles. I have mine butted up to the end of the neck, but the rod is long enough to mount it with 1.5” space. My pick guard is routed for it, so I can’t move mine. I could have avoided the routing to make it movable by relocating the pick guard, but I’m happy with mine where it is. It protrudes no higher than the frets and it’s not very microphonic if I do happen to contact it, so picking over it is no problem.

[Cavalier]

I'd say move the pickups under the bridge! K&K Big Twins, on the underside of the top, one under each bridge foot area mounted with superglue gel. Acoustic sound with a output about like a single coil Tele or Strat pickup with waaay more dynamics. I mean, this is a acoustic guitar right? The output, strap jack is a great upgrade, strong, holds the guitar strap very securely, setup to handle stereo inputs if you ever do mount that floater......

Disregard this post if you are searching for a magnetic pickup tone.

[Dennis D]

What about a McCarty? It won’t give you extra space, but sits pretty low. This one is available by the way.

Would you believe - -it had a single p/u McCarty on it when I got it and I removed it. Just couldn't get used to it.

[Cunamara]

I pick over the last couple of frets of the fingerboard, most of the time, and sometimes over the pickup which is right up against the end of the neck. This has never interfered with picking for me, so I have never understood that concern. Perhaps it is a difference in picking technique, as I use just the tip of the plectrum.

[skykomishone]

Me too! Just like Keith's GJS.
Works like a charm. If Johnny Smith liked it there, it's good enough for me! The Lollar still has my vote! Clean and plenty of room on the old L7.

[Dennis D]

Just to make sure, measure the distance between the top and the strings @ the end of the board and compare it to the thickness of a Dearmond, but as that guitar has a raised board it should fit just fine.
I really like the DA look for what it's worth

I measured both my L-7 and WesMO - - - -and they each have 5/8 in. clearance from strings to guitar top - -at the end of each fretboard.........
The WesMo gives me about a 1/2 in. clear area from fingerboard end to front of P.U. That is enough room for me.

So with the slimbucker being 3/8 in. high, I'd have 1/4 in.+/- clear space above top of the p/g to the strings.....

I can see where a side mount - p/g attached p/u would probably give me that free area the easiest, right ?. Thx.

[2bornot2bop]

I'm very happy with the Jason Lollar Gold Foil single coil floater on my '44 L7. It sounds fabulous.

That folks is the finest L7 anyone here would love to own...if they heard it.

[Dennis D]

By the way, thank you for not cutting up a classic guitar.

I can see your point, about not cutting the top of a classic, but it could be getting close to me doing that. The market for my 52 * Blonde * Cutaway* L-7 * clean * as an acoustic, is about what ES 150's with P-90's are selling for......I know we can both go to Reverb right now and see these blonde cutaway L-7's listed for $5995., - and more - but trust me, I have never been offered half that on a trade. And that was from 2 different dealers - -and one was Dave's.

So rather than go through that ' endless ' guitar search mission, maybe I pay my luthier to do this right and figure all in, it won't be half the price of a replacement electric guitar - ES150, ES 300. I wouldn't be destroying any value to this L-7 because right now it doesn't have much....And if even after I'd do this new p/u work, the value is still the same - so be it - at least it'd be electric now.

Not sure, but just my thoughts so far.....

Ideas / suggestions welcome....

[ThatRhythmMan]

I’m not sure if you looked into this pickup by TK Smith. I think I recommended it on the previous thread. I’m going to plug it here. It’s excellent.

[KirkP]

I can see your point, about not cutting the top of a classic, but it could be getting close to me doing that. ...

I hate the idea of making such drastic mod to a lovely carved top instrument. Why not try a floater first? You could mount one temporarily with doubleback or sticky putty to see how you like it before committing to the full installation. That’s what I did before I had my RC1100 installed. The installation only involved two small screws on the side of the neck, a notch in the pick guard, and an endpen jack.

The ‘37 top carve is raised near the neck join so I was limited to thin pickups. I think later years have a different carve, so you might have a wider variety of floaters to choose from than I did.

[wintermoon]

don't do it. exhaust every other avenue first.

[pcjazz]

Krivo. Putty mount until you are happy with the location then mount it on the pickguard if you prefer.