Armstrong Handmade Floating Single Coil - Any experience?

[DMgolf66]

This pickup was recommended to me by another member in my thread about my newly acquired Eastman 805.
I was fortunate enough to find one on Reverb and was waiting to have it installed as you can choose to have it
wired to 13k or 8k Ohms. I was told i could have a toggle switch added, but I'm not interested in adding to cost at this point.

Anyway, does anyone have any experience with this pickup? If so, can you share some of your experience with it?

Thanks in advance, folks!

[Franz 1997]

Yes, I had one on a Guild AA many years ago. It sounded very similar to the DeArmond 1100 that replaced it, (mainly for cosmetic reasons) on the 12K setting. I didn't bother with a toggle switch either.

If you're not familiar with the sound of the DA 1100 pickup, it manages to be bright and fat, at the same time. Goes very well with a wooden bridge.

[Cunamara]

Many people on the forum have praised that pickup. Switched to one value, it sounds a lot like the DeArmond 1100 and switched to the other it sounds more like a P90. Adding the switch should only cost a few dollars and increase the versatility quite a bit. There are a number of examples on YouTube of that pickup.

[Hammertone]

I have a couple of these - one on a Campellone and one on a Heritage. I think it's a fantastic pickup, and strongly recommend having the switch installed - the full output mode is very much like a Dearmond, and the tapped position is very much like a P-90. These two sounds are quite different and both sound great.The adjustable pole pieces are a great feature as well.

[DMgolf66]

Many people on the forum have praised that pickup. Switched to one value, it sounds a lot like the DeArmond 1100 and switched to the other it sounds more like a P90. Adding the switch should only cost a few dollars and increase the versatility quite a bit. There are a number of examples on YouTube of that pickup.

Thank you! Very helpful about the "dearmond vs P-90" depending on setting.

[DMgolf66]

I have a couple of these - one on a Campellone and one on a Heritage. I think it's a fantastic pickup, and strongly recommend having the switch installed - the full output mode is very much like a Dearmond, and the tapped position is very much like a P-90. These two sounds are quite different and both sound great.The adjustable pole pieces are a great feature as well.

Sold!

[GuyBoden]

I usually prefer a humbucker tone, but I have the Kent Armstrong Handmade UK P-90 on my latest guitar acquisition and quite like the tone. It's definitely nosier and has obviously has lower volume than my usual humbuckers.


https://www.armstrongmusic.co.uk/products/handwound-p-90-resin-cast-6-pole-black?pr_prod_strat=e5_desc&pr_rec_id=2b4854985&pr _rec_pid=8877629997338&pr_ref_pid=8807225590042&pr _seq=uniform

[Sigmund451]

Im just kicking this old thread in case someone is doing any research.

I have one of these and I had it installed in a lower cost archtop. I didnt install the switch as I didnt want to drill...plus I was lazy.
I think the P-90 sound is fat and fantastic.

Fast forward to yesterday. I installed it in a Eastmen 810CE with all under the pickguard controls. It replaces an older Kent Armstrong Korean humbucker that was ok but not inspiring. I mounted the switch under it also.

The imitation Dearmond vibe is new for me on a guitar. I cant say how close it is to a real Dearmond but Im very happy I went to the added work of putting the switch in. Im enjoying the more amplified acoustic property of this setting. Its intersting how it highlights attacks differently and the note separation is really obvious. Ive had fun today messing with amp settings (and tweaking the guitar). I dont know which setting I will use more but its really nice to not have to decide....I can have both.

[Rickco]

I have one he put in my Golden Eagle, no tone control just the switch better than a tone control. I have the same experience P90 in the lower Imp Dearmond in the higher with a little more gain. My GE sings acoustically and loud and played mostly that way but with the pickup it truly goes toe to toe with any amplified archtop Ive heard (including a rare 60's Gib JS) Its not a humbucker so definitely not going to get you the "Wes" sound but it surprisingly resembles the 2 single coils recognizably.

[Sigmund451]

Ive been having a great time with the faux dearmond setting on this pickup. As described by a lot of players, it is very transparent, a bit brighter than the p90 setting. After playing with amp setups Im enjoying it more on the tapped setting than the normal P90ish one...at least lately. Its much less electric sounding. The string sounds of the roundwounds are really nice (not the squeaks, just the tone).

That said, Im not sure of the sound Im chasing but its not the fat humbucker tone. I like the humbucker vibe with other players but Im really enjoy the separation of tones as well as just a touch of added "electric" color added. Day to day I still fiddle with the guitar volume and tone adjustments to find just the right amount of brightness/fatness combination. If its set too high it tends to get a just tad twangy on the high end.