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Hey!
As a byproduct of avoiding a neck reset for my ole Levin guitar, I may be facing clearance issues for potential pickups. Before buying something that doesn't fit, I thought I'd check in here and see if anyone has any tips.
Fretted at the 17th fret, low E clearance from about 2cm from the fretboard about 12.5mm, high e around 11mm. There is more clearance at closer proximity to the fretboard.
A couple of searches on the forum suggest the total height of a (reproduction?) RC 1100, base to pole pieces of 11mm. I'm guessing this won't work if this is the case. Is there a general rule of thumb regarding clearance for pickups? Perhaps the RC1000 would work?
Last edited by littleknicky; 07-17-2023 at 09:16 AM.
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07-17-2023 08:04 AM
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Check out Jason Krivo's and Dommenget Jazzbucker, both will work.
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That guitar appears to have had one installed. I can't say if it had sufficient clearance. It looks like there should be enough, but I won't bet serious money on it.
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You should get the neck reset.
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My first thought, but know that it will change the breakover angle of the bridge, change the feel, volume, projection and very likely the attack of the note.
Originally Posted by omphalopsychos
This was the change that was made on all violins when orchestras became larger. All baroque violins had a shallower neck set, a more intimate sound and a softer acoustic envelope. With the onset of the classical to romantic orchestration, all violins including Stradvarius, Amati and Guanaris underwent this geometry reset enabling orchestras to become louder, string sections to sound equally along side the larger brass sections. A greater neck angle raises the bridge and exerts a greater down pressure at that point. This translates to more energy into the top and the rest follows...
I had an old 1938 L-10 that I did a neck reset on. It changed the sound from a softer balanced voice to a crisp attack on a louder overall volume for a given amount of strum. It was different. I happened to like it, but be aware.
Judging by the holes in your photos, I'd guess that even if you COULD fit a D'Armond, it'd be really close to the strings, possibly even precluding the use of the higher frets. Either way, pickup proximity to the strings effects your sound and a pickup that close to the strings can pick up every little movement of the pick and hands on the string, and give a harsh treble heavy amplified signal.
I know Bill Lawrence once made a thin pickup that worked with low angle set necks but I think it may not have been that thin. One of the few options.
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Thanks for the input and recommendations!
Yes, a neck reset would probably be the best bet in many ways. However, considering the cost I would probably be better off selling the guitar and looking for one that has already been brought back to life (and has a pickup). This one does have a lovely acoustic sound, perhaps it will turn into the go-to couch guitar.
I did have a pickguard made for it, so at least it will look nice on the wall!
Last edited by littleknicky; 07-24-2023 at 08:55 AM.
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Nice to see an update on this instrument.
Not enough of an expert to say regarding the height - but may I ask whatever happened to that wingtone from the previous thread?
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Woah, missed this one.
The wingtone pickup is still not installed and needs to be rewound. Not sure I want to fix it up, but the next owner might.
It's still in the case which I've opened about as many times as I've checked these posts!
An addition to the family has made extra time fairly sparse...
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How about a Kjell? They need a outboard preamp for modern gain but have a nice single coil tone, are skinny and period correct.
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You give fretting at the 17th fret as a reference; do you ever play higher than that? If not there's an obvious solution...
And evidently if your main goal is to be able to play amplified there are other options too that may even preserve more of the acoustic sound.
True but it was a little bit more than a neck reset. They got completely new necks of a different design that also allowed more easy access to the higher regions of the new, longer and more radiussed fingerboard. And they were modified internally also: a thicker soundpost and especially a heavier bass bar. Those changes probably had a bigger effect on the change in sound character. Originally Posted by Jimmy blue note
(There's nothing really intimate to a properly set up good violin, baroque or not, though "everything is relative" as a former colleague used to say with his thick Russian accent
)
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I thought of that option but thought I'd be ridiculed for mentioning it. Good idea though!! Originally Posted by RJVB
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Krivo Micro Stealth PAF Style Humbucker Pickup (Black) - For Archtops - Promenade Music - 6mm.
There's one in the Gardiner Houlgate (UK) auction tomorrow Page 12 of Sale Catalogue. The Guitar Auction - Day Three - Guitar Effects, Spares & Studio. Auction held on 5th September 2024 (guitar-auctions.co.uk) Lot 1406
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Personally, I don't think a neck reset of this guitar would be that difficult. The neck over the body looks pretty straightforward. Not a huge amount of neck extension. Old guitar like this heat the joint I am sure it is hide glue but not positive, pop it off and raise. One thing about an archtop they are usually way easier to set a neck than a flattop guitar and dealing with the fingerboard. Also, you can check your clearance as it goes and put back on. I wish I owned this guitar personally I would love to do the reset.
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I've noticed many of the older Swedish guitars were made with that angle to start with. If it has a nice acoustic sound, I'd be thinking about K&Ks. 2 inside the top, one under each bridge foot area.
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I have a slightly later Levin, but it has a bolt on neck; the bolt isn't visible externally, but is accessible via hole under the tailpiece. Yours may be attached in the same way, I understand many Levins were constructed in this way.
My luthier reset the neck and by his accounts it was a fairly easy job.
I have a 1100 on mine and it fits nicely and sounds great.
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My 1937 L-7 has a very similar low clearance. It doesn’t need a neck reset—it’s just the way L-7s were carved for the first few years after introducing 17” lower bouts with X-bracing.
I installed a reissue DeArmond RC1100 on it. As I recall it had thick cork pads on the back that would have positioned it too close to the strings. Replacing the cork with thin felt pads solved the problem.
It’s important to center the strings over the pole pieces. A very slight offset of the initial installation resulted in a very weak signal from the first string. After a slight adjustment to correct that, I’m very happy with it.
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That's important to know...! Originally Posted by KirkP
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Thanks for the comments all. I think the situation is a combination of what has been mentioned here:
- This Levin doesn't have a bolt on neck. However, I don't believe a neck reset would be that bad on this guitar.
- I also don't believe the neck angles were very steep on these guitars in the first place. I've played a few similar models and they had similar measurements.
- After today, I believe a 1100 would work. But I'll hold off for now.
As luck turns out, a Kent "monkey on a stick" pickup popped up locally at a very reasonable price. Just popped it on and the sound ain't too bad through an AER. I haven't heard of this pickup before but the price was right and thought I'd give it a chance. Glad I took the leap.
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Looks like a clone of the DeArmond, is it a single-coil too? Certainly looks interesting as an alternative to keeping a floating PU on a guitar that's played mostly acoustically! Originally Posted by littleknicky
A priori you should be able to adjust the position of the PU along the stick to get a bit more or less of "bridge sound". Have you tried that?
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