PlayJazzGuitar.com Forum

john_kidder · Joined: 25 Jan 2010 Posts: 3 Location: Vancouver

I'm a newbie here, been enjoying the conversation for a few days only. But I'm a long time regular on the Guild forum. Is anyone else from LTG on this board?

I am having a wonderful time with a 1969 Guild A150:

sorry about the photo - and it's much prettier now that I've cleaned and polished it.

It's really a lovely guitar, with a resonant carved top and a wonderful neck. The pickup has a white face, into which is engraved

Guild Award Model
by DeArmond

Does anyone know if this was in any way different from other Dearmonds?

It seems to me to be significantly louder in the bass. Can the polepieces be adjusted under the pickup cover? Alternatively, by slightly bending the pickup arm could I move the pickup relative to the strings to reduce the bass sensitivity?

I'm a folk and swing player, and I've played lots of fine acoustic guitars. I've never played jazz, or played an instrument that feels and sounds quite like this. Perhaps the big bass is because of the way I hit the strings in some sort of "non-jazz" manner- maybe I just need to modify my technique?

I look forward to learning a great deal from you all.

Thanks
John Kidder

rwmol · Joined: 11 Jun 2006 Posts: 68 Location: Washington, Utah

Hi John. Glad to have you on the forum. I'm the guy with the A500 on the Guild forum.

I really don't notice any difference in volumn in the strings. I'm using flat wounds. Perhaps if you are using round wounds this could be the issue.

Regarding any adjustment, perhaps Hans could answer that for you.

Dig your guitar. thanks for the pic.

Randy

dewey decibel · Joined: 15 Feb 2006 Posts: 1677

My guess is it's just a Rhythm Chief that was made for use with the Artist Award guitars. As for the rest of the questions I really don't know, I imagine you could simply bend the arm as you suggest. As far as I know you can't adjust the poles, but I've never seen one taken apart. If there's a coil with slugs then you can probably push them in or out (VERY CAREFULLY!).

If anyone does know the specifics of this pickup, it would be Hans. Great guitar btw...

john_kidder · Joined: 25 Jan 2010 Posts: 3 Location: Vancouver

Found a great deal of information at AMPAGE.

Summary: don't even dream of touching the inside works of that pickup, on pain of endless frustration and destruction of whatever's there now.

Time to settle down my thumping thumb.

Secret2goodtoneispractice · Posted: Fri Feb 12, 2010 12:22 pm Post subject:

Welcome, John.

http://www.archtop.com/ac_access.html

Scroll down to find some interesting info about DeArmonds. You could call them about specifics of your situation: Joe Vinikow, 206.325.3737.

They offer some nice, non-invasive Armstrong alternatives, as well. The Armstrong models they sell are handwound by Kent, offer good jazz tone, and flexibility of adjustable pole pieces.
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sunflower · Joined: 09 Mar 2007 Posts: 581

Get the Bass side a bit further away from the strings
than the treble side

That will reduce the vol of the bass strings

Maybe with a wedge shaped shim in the mounting

I needed to do this on my Ibanez