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How much to sell a DeArmond pickup for

Discussion in 'Amps, Mics & Pickups [DB]' started by Sean Riddle, Jun 10, 2019.

  1. Jun 10, 2019 #1
    Sean Riddle

    Sean Riddle

    Aug 11, 2013
    Goleta, California
    So I’ve been going through a lot of my gear recently and selling stuff I no longer use and need. One thing I came across that I have is an old DeArmond pickup that I was given a few years back by someone I did a few gigs with. I really have no use for it and doubt I will ever use it, so I want to sell it. Before I make a post on the classifieds here and elsewhere on the internet, I want to know what would be a fair asking price for it? Personally I don’t know if it even still works as I’ve never used it, so I might want to figure that out first.
     
  2. Jun 10, 2019 #2
    HateyMcAmp

    HateyMcAmp Supporting Member

    Apr 13, 2006
    Queen City of the Plains
    Krivo Pickups
    These are more a historical curiosity than a functional pickup. I'd price it as a novelty. That said, I currently see one on eBay for $115.
     
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  3. Jun 10, 2019 #3
    Don Kasper

    Don Kasper Gold Supporting Member

    Dec 30, 2012
    Los Angeles/Burbank, CA
    Give the guy $25 to take it off of your hands?
    IMO.
    Thanks!
     
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  4. Jun 10, 2019 #4
    Sean Riddle

    Sean Riddle

    Aug 11, 2013
    Goleta, California
    I'm gonna give it a shot on good old craigslist and reverb just to see if there's some vintage nerd who will take it off my hands. I wound up taking my post in the classifieds on here down cause I don't think anybody here has a need for it. I may be totally wrong though.
     
    Don Kasper likes this.
  5. Jun 11, 2019 #5
    salcott

    salcott Supporting Member

    Aug 22, 2007
    NYC, Inwood.
    Find a Polytone pickup, put both in a little display case, and be glad you'll never have to depend on either one.
     
    Ric Vice, Fredrik E. Nilsen, Sean Riddle and 2 others like this.
  6. Jun 11, 2019 #6
    Sean Riddle

    Sean Riddle

    Aug 11, 2013
    Goleta, California
    Someone gave me this pickup after I did a gig with them a few years back, but I was too polite to turn it down and it just wound up in my drawer. All I can say is that I feel lucky to have been born into the era of the Realist.
     
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  7. Jun 11, 2019 #7
    rickwolff

    rickwolff ‘Leave the clams in, let ’em know we're human,' Supporting Member

    Dec 24, 2012
    Apex NC (outside of Raleigh)
    I'd give someone $25 to get in their time machine and go back to when I (tried to) use one and have them take it OFF MY BASS and off my hands.

    God, that makes me feel even older than I am.

    And here is a picture of me using it:

    Dearmond Bass Pickup.jpg
     
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  8. Jun 11, 2019 #8
    KUNGfuSHERIFF

    KUNGfuSHERIFF

    Feb 8, 2002
    Upstate NY
    I’m your Huckleberry. Got a Polytone right here.
     
    Ric Vice likes this.
  9. Jun 11, 2019 #9
    lurk

    lurk Supporting Member

    Dec 2, 2009
    NYC
    The polytone actually worked and despite it's shortcomings a lot of people used it. The d'Armond on the other hand was awful. Until the polytone and the first Barcus Berry - very expensive - it was built into a bridge which a luthier had to fit to your bass - the best solution was to wrap a mic in a towel stuff it behind the tailpiece and plug it into your B15. The d'Armond that worked was their magnetic guitar pickup which you could rig at the end of the board.
     
  10. Jun 11, 2019 #10
    Roger Davis

    Roger Davis

    May 24, 2006
    England
    When the d’Armond first appeared over here I thought there’s got to be a better way, so I used a Reslo ribbon mic on a stand in front of the bass. It was surprisingly feedback free up to a reasonable volume but we all played a lot quieter back then.
     
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  11. Jun 11, 2019 #11
    james condino

    james condino Spruce dork Supporting Member Commercial User

    Sep 30, 2007
    asheville, nc
    That's the funny thing- D'Armond guitar pickups are very much in demand and tend to go for close to $200 with the vintage geeks, but they missed the mark on the bass...
     
    Ric Vice likes this.
  12. Oct 6, 2019 #12
    Sean Riddle

    Sean Riddle

    Aug 11, 2013
    Goleta, California
    So by some amazing fluke I sold it! A guy touring down California from Argentina, who seems to be a pretty big vintage enthusiast, saw my post for it and was super excited to find one and made a stop in Ventura to buy it off me on his way to LA. Once he's back in Argentina he's gonna slap it on a bass he has. Long story short I'm free of this pickup, got a little under my asking price, and made a vintage enthusiast from Argentinas day.
     
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  13. Oct 6, 2019 #13
    Ric Vice

    Ric Vice Supporting Member

    Jul 2, 2005
    Olivette, Missouri
    Well, “worked” would be a very generous description IME. If your bridge was smaller than a 3/4, then the screw tip couldn’t open far enough to embed the pickup into the wood. You had to be very careful tightening it or the white ceramic that housed pickup, cracked under pressure. It often just dropped out of position. The De Armond was terrible, so was the Barcus Berry bridge and the Barcus Berry Bar, so you’re right that within that group of terrible pickups the Polytone was better than the others.
    Just my take.:)
     
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