How do I get that clean jazz sound

[shortcircuit]

Been looking at the Kent Armstrong mini pickup. That's about as close as one can get to "it will bolt right up"
I was thinking about trimming the end of the fretboad anyway. So I think the mini is the way to go.

[shortcircuit]

Thanks for the input. Didn't think about using some delay. Will have to try that.

[Dfyngravity]

the Kent Armstrong minis are great. Steve Holst had one custom made for my mando he just built me.

[shortcircuit]

It's the Kent Armstrong pickup I'm going to put on it. Everybody seems to rave about the pickups.

[Ted Eschliman]

Add me to the list of Kent Armstrong p/u fans.

[mandroid]

Yea probably best to get the pickup, then it will tell you how much wood has to go to get it to fit.
to make it look like it was always sposda be a 4 stringer
you can add a layer of veneer to the front and back of the peg head face to cover up plugging
4 surplus tuner holes rather than 8 that there are now.

[shortcircuit]

Well I was sold before you chimed in. Now I'm opening my wallet. If it makes me sound like you I"ll buy all they have in stock. What a deal..

[shortcircuit]

Have a fancy inlay peg head veneer that I got off of egay. If it works out that will happen along with some new tuners.

[shortcircuit]

Ted do you know if the pickup come with a warranty to make me sound like you? What marketing for a pickup. One won't be found for the next twenty years with everybody wanting to sound like you.

[rico mando]

i may be wrong but i think they do custom orders so you will have a pick up that is meant for mando size. might have to wait and pay more for that

[shortcircuit]

I will look into that on Monday. thanks

[rico mando]

i like helping others spend their money,gives my wallet a break
man i am jonesing for a boss rc-50 so bad

[shortcircuit]

rico- you and me both!!! I see the rc-20 on craigslist every couple weeks or so for about $100. But I also want the rc-50. Just might happen. My wife introduced me the the looper. She wanted one for her electric violin. She was showing me a few guys using it with the violin. Since then I have seen guitar and mandolin players using it. I think we all need one.

[rico mando]

i am sure those guys selling their rc-20 have already upgraded to the 50

[shortcircuit]

I'm going to hold off until a RC-50 shows up. I'm not quite ready for it yet, but will be soon.

[Tom Wright]

I find the Boss GE-7 EQ essential, even for my solid-body. It has a twangy setup naturally, with single-coil pickups, but a sharp rolloff after 1.6K, mainly dropping the 3.2K band, makes for a fat, dark, tone. Not possible to get that different tone response with only the amp tone controls. Even the different pickup won;t automatically give you the tone you want.

[shortcircuit]

Tom- thanks for the input and also which EQ that you are using. Gives me something to play with at the store. At least I can go direct to the Boss and play with it first and not waste too much time on the lesser channel EQ's I" check it out.

[Tom Wright]

I think you'll find that the range between 2K and 4K is what to cut. On the Boss it's 3.2K. Cut it all the way to start. I like a bit of boost below it, pushing the 1.6K up somewhat, and adding in a bit of the next two down, 800 and 400, makes it rather humbuckerish.

[shortcircuit]

Tom- found a EQ-7 on craigslist for $25 this morning. Of course I picked it up for $20. Now playing with it. I think you are right. This just may fix my problem. So far I like the sound that I can get from this. May not install my Kent Armstrong pickup for awhile. Or may use it for another project down the road. thanks for the input. It seems to work. Still need to play with it a little more to get the hang of it.

[Verne Andru]

You're on the right track playing with a separate EQ.

I use a Tech21 SansAmp Para Driver DI and can tailor the sound to just about anything I need. I mounted a piezo mic under the soundboard of my POS F-style and run it through the SansAmp, into a delay then out an old, 1960's Takt tube amp. Sounds great and I always get a ton of compliments.

The parametric EQ on the mids is particularly important to get rid of the piezo squawk and dial-out any feedback issues. A lot of acoustic guitar players swear by the L.R. Baggs Para DI and Radial makes a PZ Pre that John Jorgenson uses in his gypsy jazz rig. Piezos can sound great, but they need some outobard help.

[shortcircuit]

I pretty much have the sound I want now by installing the flatwound strings that I purchased from Ted and using the Boss EQ-7. thanks for everyones help.

[hotclub]

Here is a Goldtone with the Kent Armstrong installed in the routed out end of the fretboard. It also has a stereo output jack for both the mag and piezo signals.

[Verne Andru]

^^ That's pretty sweet. Which Kent Armstrong pickup?

[hotclub]

I can't remember if it has a name or number, but here's a better photo of one I put on a fender earlier. I like the individual adjustable posts, only way I've found to get all string volumes the same. E posts are high, A posts are low, and D and G posts are flush. Both mandos are with only four strings.

[Verne Andru]

That looks like one of Kent's personal custom wounds. He's made me a 6 and a 7 string floating humbuckers and that looks like the same build. I will have to give him a call.