TK Smith Floating Pickup - New clip

[omphalopsychos]

This isn't the first clip I shared of this guitar, but it is the first one I've made after getting my TK Smith Pickup mounted onto the pickguard. This has to be one of the best sounding pickups I've ever played. I'm using 80/20 bronze strings.

The song is a tune by Oscar Moore called Beautiful Moons ago.

[RomanS]

This isn't the first clip I shared of this guitar, but it is the first one I've made after getting my TK Smith Pickup mounted onto the pickguard. This has to be one of the best sounding pickups I've ever played. I'm using 80/20 bronze strings.

The song is a tune by Oscar Moore called Beautiful Moons ago.

Sounds great!
What kind of pickup is this exactly? I only know about TK Smith's Bigsby-style pickups, didn't know he made floaters, too...

[David B]

Sounding great Juan!
How you would you describe the sonic differences between this and another floating single coil we're both familiar with, the DeArmond FHC?

[omphalopsychos]

David, that's really hard to describe, especially since I've never played the two pickups on the same guitar. Maybe the thing I could say, which applies to all of TK's pickups is that it feels softer that most other pickups. Not quieter, but softer; slightly compressed but not as much as a humbucker. The tone is great, maybe if anything it feels like a cross between an FHC and a p90. I don't know anything about pickup building, so I'll refrain from making any claims.

I will say for sure that TK Smith pickups are my favorite current production pickups.

[deacon Mark]

Juan the clip sounds good the pickup to my ears sound pretty dry and straightforward. It has nice top end and the bass is clear although not as deep as some but avoids muddy. Would be interested in hearing it on the D'a. Right now my favorite floating PU is the Bartolini or possible the Gibson BJB that is on my L5 and Legrand. The Bartolini seems bit more focused but not quite as open as the BJB. It is weird thing because probably we are splitting hairs over some aspects of sound. I say though this is keeper.

[pcjazz]

Is TK Smith still making these? There are no floating pickups on his webpage at Pickups and Accessories | TK Smith

[omphalopsychos]

Yeah he still makes them. You have to custom order them.

[pcjazz]

Will do -- what does he call them?

[omphalopsychos]

He calls them tk smith floating pickup.

[pcjazz]

He calls them tk smith floating pickup.

[Woody Sound]

Great tone (and playing)! Sort of in between a CC an P90. Does it have single coil noise?

ps - An original non-cut Epi Deluxe is my dream big-band guitar. Lucky you.

[omphalopsychos]

It’s actually pretty quiet for a single coil. Definitely not as bad as a CC.

[foner]

It’s actually pretty quiet for a single coil. Definitely not as bad as a CC.

Juan, I’m loving the tone of this pickup, and of course your playing and repertoire!

Regarding noise, I’m hearing quite a bit of hum in this clip (listening with headphones)

Do you think most of this hum comes from the pickup, the amp or house wiring?

I’m having a 16” built soon and think this would be a great candidate (being a cc fan but wanted to go floating on this one, and quieter)

Off topic, wanted to thank you for your tweakings and findings on the bud eq, I’m using them on mine and they helped get rid of the boominess and excess bass I was getting with more ‘normal’ settings (playin an es125). Turning up the presence also gives a bit of an acoustic touch to the sound that I dig a lot.

thanks!
david

[omphalopsychos]

What you’re hearing is hiss from the all analog recording signal path, not so much the 60hz hum. There’s some hiss from the 60 year old fender Princeton also. The 80 year old ribbon mic might also contribute. For the most part it’s actually intentional analog tape hiss, since I tend to be nostalgic for recordings of earlier eras. I’ve come to dislike the sound of close micing, digitally constructed sound images, and the sterile sharpness of contemporary recording equipment. While a lot of manufacturers of pro audio (and video) continue to compete on sharpness and resolution, I think that aesthetic is itself becoming dated.

Here’s a pal of mine, great guitarist in NY Josh Dunn, who uses a similar recording setup.

Um sorry for the rant but tldr that sound isn’t coming from the pickup for the most part. It hums like any single coil but not more than say a p90.


Glad you’re appreciating the Bud eq tips. I know a lot of people like the more polytone sound. I like my amps scooped in the midrange like an old fender (even the tweeds are more scooped than the henriksen set to “neutral”).

[omphalopsychos]

Someone DMed me about mounting options. I had a luthier make me a custom bracket. We still use a tiny bit of putty on the bass side to hold the pickup down but this option is totally stable. Hasn’t moved one mm since getting it set up.

[foner]

What you’re hearing is hiss from the all analog recording signal path, not so much the 60hz hum. There’s some hiss from the 60 year old fender Princeton also. The 80 year old ribbon mic might also contribute. For the most part it’s actually intentional analog tape hiss, since I tend to be nostalgic for recordings of earlier eras. I’ve come to dislike the sound of close micing, digitally constructed sound images, and the sterile sharpness of contemporary recording equipment. While a lot of manufacturers of pro audio (and video) continue to compete on sharpness and resolution, I think that aesthetic is itself becoming dated.

Here’s a pal of mine, great guitarist in NY Josh Dunn, who uses a similar recording setup.

Um sorry for the rant but tldr that sound isn’t coming from the pickup for the most part. It hums like any single coil but not more than say a p90.


Glad you’re appreciating the Bud eq tips. I know a lot of people like the more polytone sound. I like my amps scooped in the midrange like an old fender (even the tweeds are more scooped than the henriksen set to “neutral”).

Thanks for clearifying! Great clip of your pal too!

[metis]

Resurrecting an old thread! Assuming you didn't cut the original Deluxe pickguard, do you have a source for a decent repro? 1929 wants a fortune for theirs, and it seems most other vendors don't have the template.