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  #1  
Old 04-29-2021, 07:10 PM
fpuhan fpuhan is offline
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Default Kent Armstrong or Bare Knuckles?

I'm having an archtop custom made and while I have specified that I mostly play unplugged, it's going to have a single pickup for those times I need to change the pace a bit. My luthier has suggested either a Kent Armstrong resin PAF-style 12 pole humbucker or a Bare Knuckles PAF. His comments suggest the KA is a pretty straight-laced jazz pickup, flat and neutral, and that the BA has more "character" to it. I am not familiar with either, and I'm leaning toward the Bare Knuckles, but I'd like to hear from anyone who has experience with one or both.

Thanks!
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Old 04-29-2021, 10:58 PM
guitarwebguy guitarwebguy is offline
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Something I want to look into and was mentioned in the Ken Parker video, is Dunelandlabs Bronzeville pickup designed to be used with bronze strings on an archtop - https://www.dunelandlabs.com. Something els you might think about is James May’s Ultratonic for Archtop (sound transducer) so you get a more acoustic sound, or if you already have a magnetic pickup you can get a version that allows you to blend the magnetic and sound transducer pickups … http://jamesmayengineering.com/products/
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Old 04-30-2021, 01:11 AM
Ray175 Ray175 is offline
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Bare Knuckles targets rockers and KA targets jazzers. Need I say more?
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Old 05-01-2021, 07:53 AM
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Al Acuff Al Acuff is offline
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I bought a pickup directly from Kent for my L4C. It's perfect for the guitar. He's one of the good guys and I'm pretty sure he'll custom wind whatever you desire. This is his website.
http://kentarmstrong.com
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Old 05-04-2021, 05:00 PM
pattste pattste is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ray175 View Post
Bare Knuckles targets rockers and KA targets jazzers. Need I say more?
Bare Knuckles makes a wide range of pickups. There's a pretty big difference between Bare Knuckle Nailbomb and Stormy Monday humbuckers. If the builder recommends Bare Knuckles, I wouldn't discount his opinion outright.

I have a guitar with Bare Knuckle Stormy Monday humbuckers and they sound fantastic. Very clear and dynamic, they're very versatile pickups. If your archtop is a laminate with set pickups, I think they'd be an excellent choice.

I also have a jazz archtop with a Kent Armstrong Handwound PAF Style 12 Pole humbucker pickup which attaches to the pickguard and is great for a carved top guitar.

Speak to you luthier again.
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Old 05-05-2021, 08:58 AM
Glennwillow Glennwillow is offline
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I have a Kent Armstrong pickup on my archtop and I absolutely love the sound! To me it's the perfect jazz guitar sound.

- Glenn
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