Applause for Kent Armstrong pickups!

[stflbn]

I've been planning a gutting of my Schecter Studio 5 for some time. Love how it plays... hated the sound. I'd gone back and forth for months between Basslines, Bartolini's etc to replace it's stock EMG 40hz's.

After talking with Brian Barret at LowEnd Bass here in Tennessee and explaining what I wanted he recommended Kent Armstrongs. They make pickups for the lowend jazz bass and he found out that Kent was able to custom make 2 for me that would fit the EMG 40hz route.

So here's what we ended up doing:

2 Kent Armstrong pickups to replace my EMG 40hz's
Aguilar OBP-3
Wired V/V/B/M/T Each Volume has push/pull for Series/Parallel
Active/Passive Switch
SIT Power Steel strings on it

End result...
Very transparent sounding, but adaptive and a beautiful array of sound options.


Now I feel the mahogony neckthrough finally really speaks and has found it's full unique voice.

[rumblethump]

+1
While I don't have your pickup model. The Kent Armstrong MM bass pu and the lipstick tube pickups that I modded my strat with are flat out some of the best pickups I've experienced. They definately translate the personality of the instruments extremely well.

[Surprise Panda!]

I'm totally considering them for a bass project that I shall be doing.

[atrapp]

The made in the UK Armstrong pups are awesome! My Benavente Vintage Vortex V has a pair of Benavente/Armstrong Wides that absolutely are the best sounding pups i have had in any bass! I have a custom wound replacement pup from Aaron Armstrong in my Aria Pro II SB60 - tone monster, lastly the Benavente/Armstrong narrows in my Low End Jazz 4 are tight and focused for that modern Jazz on steroids tone!




with the plastic shield still on

[rumblethump]

Just finished my project bass with Kent Armstrong MM pickup

[62bass]

Originally Posted by rumblethump

Just finished my project bass with Kent Armstrong MM pickup

That's nice. How's the sound? Is that a UK made pickup?

[stflbn]

When I picked up the bass, Brian told me he was sorry. me: sorry? him: yea sorry... you may not be playing your MM copy you love much anymore.

And I think he's right. Unless I need a real MM vide I'll probably be using the Studio 5 now. I'm changing the hardware out to black on it. Once I get the bridge in and on I'll post bass porn of it.

[GlennW]

Originally Posted by rumblethump

Just finished my project bass with Kent Armstrong MM pickup

I like that...looks like a mutated '51.

[Britbonic]

Any thoughts about one of these pickups in a Peavey Patriot? I've taken my old one (actually my wife's) out of storage and started messing with it some. Great neck on these guitars and the stock pickup is very cool but now that I have a P Bass, would like something a little different.

Would I need to add some type of preamp as well? Suggestions? Would be way cool to end up with a poor man's stingray for a $100 or so investment.

[rumblethump]

Not sure if it is UK made. I've never seen anything to indicate the country of origin. I did install a 3 way HB/sc/series switch which gives it 3 very usable tones. The Single Coil mode is what I have been gravitating towards mostly when I play. Classic 50s P bass tone. The humbucking mode is thick and wooly and series is somewhere in between. I actually have been playing this bass for about 3 years and just put the pickguard on to add the finishing touch. This is my first swamp ash bass (super light body) and it cuts through the band mix like a hot knife in butter. At 13.5 k ohms this pickup really doesn't need a preamp.

[atrapp]

The UK made pups are vastly superior to the non UK, not even the same ball park.

[emjazz]

Originally Posted by atrapp

The UK made pups are vastly superior to the non UK, not even the same ball park.

How do you figure????

The UK pickups are made by Kent's son Aaron.......They both make wonderful pickups. Kent has made some of my favorite pickups ever...Smith, Celinder....

[Britbonic]

Originally Posted by atrapp

The UK made pups are vastly superior to the non UK, not even the same ball park.

So how do you know if you are getting the UK made ones? I was only able to find them on WD parts site. MM version was only $67. Is that UK made or otherwise?

[jeff_bass28]

It's my understanding that the off-the-shelf K.A. models are US made by Kent.
Kent also handles custom jobs in North America, while Aaron handles the European jobs.

I've dealt with Kent and Aaron on tweaking the pickups in a Chris Larkin bass. They're both extremely great people to deal with.

[atrapp]

I was referring to the non US or UK.

[62bass]

Originally Posted by jeff_bass28

It's my understanding that the off-the-shelf K.A. models are US made by Kent.
Kent also handles custom jobs in North America, while Aaron handles the European jobs.

I've dealt with Kent and Aaron on tweaking the pickups in a Chris Larkin bass. They're both extremely great people to deal with.

I had heard (I think from somebody here) that the off the shelf models that WD sells were made in the Orient and that to get a Kent Armstrong built pickup made by him you had to order from him.

Does anybody know for sure?

[rumblethump]

OK, I had a chance to dig out the box my pickup came in and it is made in Korea. It STILL is one of the best sounding pickups I've ever used, but you have peeked my interest now to hear an American or UK assembled model.

[jeff_bass28]

Kent & his son make a lot of "house brand" pickups for a lot of builders. Chris Larkin being one of them...

http://www.chrislarkinguitars.com

Kent also makes the pickups for the Ampeg Dan Armstrong plexi basses (the Dan Armstrong model also having been designed by Kent's father)...

http://www.ampeg.com/products/daplexi/ada4/index.html

I believe the lipstick pickups on Lakland's Jerry Scheff sig bass are also Kent's.

[62bass]

Originally Posted by rumblethump

OK, I had a chance to dig out the box my pickup came in and it is made in Korea. It STILL is one of the best sounding pickups I've ever used, but you have peeked my interest now to hear an American or UK assembled model.

Great. Now you've peaked my interest in trying the off the shelf Korean made model.

[Mofo-Kang]

Unless I'm mistaken, Kent Armstrongs are the ones Carl Thompson uses unless the client really wants something else. That's quite an endorsement right there...