Kent Armstrong Pickup Output

[bratfink]

I have recently got a Kent Armstrong OTT Humbucker for a reasonable price off ebag.

Problem is I don't know what sort of output it has and hence can't decide on putting it in the neck or the bridge poistion.

Any of you guys know?

Also assuming it has a resistance in the 15 kohms region (pure guess) and therefore making suitable for a bridge position, what sort of resistance pickup would work best in the neck position?

[DonP]

I have recently got a Kent Armstrong OTT Humbucker for a reasonable price off ebag.

Problem is I don't know what sort of output it has and hence can't decide on putting it in the neck or the bridge poistion.

Any of you guys know?

No. Why buy a pickup you know nothing about?

Also assuming it has a resistance in the 15 kohms region (pure guess) and therefore making suitable for a bridge position, what sort of resistance pickup would work best in the neck position?

Assuming your pure guess assumption is correct, I would assume something less than 15K would work best.

[bratfink]

No. Why buy a pickup you know nothing about?

Because:
a) It was cheap.
b) Anything is going to be better than the knackered pickup its to replace.
c) In general I know this series of pickup is higher output than you would normally expect, I didn't however know exactly what the output of this model was.

Assuming your pure guess assumption is correct, I would assume something less than 15K would work best.

Now you're taking the piss. I know this, however if I have a pickup with 21 kohms in the bridge a neck pickup of 8.5 kohms isn't going to sound right. I need something a little closer.

So I ask again, anyone know the output of this particular model?

If we could refrain from Newb bashing and stupid answers that would be appreciated.

[Erez]

Do not think that a pickup with 8.5 doesnt work well combined with a 21.. the trick is, to set it with the right amount of space near the strings and with the right angels.. it can sound exactly as the 21 output pickup, but again.. it must be set professionally, because if you dont know the exact spacing and angels, you will ruin your tone and the guitar will sound _really really_ bad.

[DonP]

If we could refrain from Newb bashing and stupid answers that would be appreciated.

You're taking away all of my fun LOL!

Gibson uses the 496R neck (8.5K) with a 500T bridge (15K), so I guess the outputs match. We've seen the Jazz (very clean low output) matched to a JB (16K?). Some people swear by a JB in the neck. I've heard good things about the Full Shred neck as well.

The Distortion Mayhem set has a 12K neck (the Seymourizer) with a Duncan Distortion bridge.

From the DiMarzio camp, the old favorite was a PAF Pro (8.5K?) with a Super Distortion.

As you can see, neck pickups can be all over the road. Do you want the neck to be clean for clean parts, or heavy for smokin' solo leads?

And don't be afraid to stick a bridge pickup in the neck. When humbuckers were first created in 1956/7, there was no "Neck" or "Bridge" model - just "pickups". "Neck" and "Bridge" models were designed because the strings have more power (movement) over the neck pickup location, so people wanted a lower output neck (to match the volume of the bridge). I've heard a Seymour Duncan 59B(ridge) matches well in the neck to a JB in the bridge.

Volume matching IS important if you play clean. If you have the volume set right on your amp for the bridge, and then switch to the neck, you don't want your ears blown out (I'm thinking of a non-master volume Marshall here with the volume high but clean).

Getting back to this statement,

I know this, however if I have a pickup with 21 kohms in the bridge a neck pickup of 8.5 kohms isn't going to sound right. I need something a little closer.

I don't agree. The DC resistance of pickups doesn't always equate to the output of the pickup. Put a powerful ceramic magnet in the 8.5K pickup, and a weak Alnico II magenet in the 21K pickup, and the 21K might have less output than the 8.5K pickup. What makes voltage is the number of windings a pickup has. It could be that the 8.5K pickup has 10,000 winds of big 42g wire, and the 21K pickup could have 10,000 winds of thin 44g wire. The thinner wire makes the DC Resistance higher, but the output will be the same or less (because the high DC resistance will impede the upper frequencies = less output on the high end). I have some PAF style pickups made from High Order pickups (42g wire), and they have lot's of output for only being 8.5K (and 9.7K for an overwound PAF style).

So, in summary, use whatever you like. If you don't know what you like, either trial and error, or research what someone else who you like has done. I like Iron Maiden neck leads, so I look for a PAF Pro in the neck. I like the lead tone on Fade to Black, so I'd like an EMG60 in the neck.

[toejam]

Who's bashing newbies? Get an ohm meter and check for yourself then.

[toejam]

I like the lead tone on Fade to Black, so I'd like an EMG60 in the neck.

James uses a 60 in the neck. I believe Kirk plays the lead in that song with his Les Paul with dual 81s. And his Rhoads has an H in the neck. I've never known him to use a 60.

[fett]

If we could refrain from Newb bashing and stupid answers that would be appreciated.

:ROTF: :ROTF: Good luck. One way to look at this place is as a big frat house. You have to be hazed and say: "Thank you, sir. May I have another?"

[bratfink]

That's better, thanks guys

DonP, good info there, I got something good to go on now, cheers.

Wasn't having a go Toejam, it just grates on me a bit when someone asks a question on a forum only to get either dumb answers or the piss taken. I saw DonP's first post and thought I'd jump in before anyone else jumped on the bandwagon.

We are all Jackson fans and we can all learn from each other, there is no need for school ground immaturity. That doesn't mean you can't have a joke, but it's best not to gang up on new people, hardly makes them feel welcome, does it. (this is in reference to other posts I have read on this board also).

[toejam]

Well, to me, it didn't seem like he was bashing on you. Just asking a question. It's all good, though.

[bratfink]

:ROTF: :ROTF: Good luck. One way to look at this place is as a big frat house. You have to be hazed and say: "Thank you, sir. May I have another?"

I have been hazed and done my share of it in the past, but this isn't British Army Officer training nor some preppy frat house. It's a forum that people from around the world come on to share ideas with other Jackson fans.

Anyway, we are off topic a bit.

[DonP]

James uses a 60 in the neck. I believe Kirk plays the lead in that song with his Les Paul with dual 81s. And his Rhoads has an H in the neck. I've never known him to use a 60.

Thanks - I didn't know that. BTW what is an H in the neck of Kirk's Rhoads?

[DonP]

I have been hazed and done my share of it in the past, but this isn't British Army Officer training nor some preppy frat house. It's a forum that people from around the world come on to share ideas with other Jackson fans.

Anyway, we are off topic a bit.

I'm afraid fett might be correct. We do bust chops around here, all in good fun LOL! But in the end, you'll know you came to the right place.

[toejam]

Thanks - I didn't know that. BTW what is an H in the neck of Kirk's Rhoads?

The H is actually a single coil in a humbucker housing.

http://www.emginc.com/displayproduct...=6&catalogid=8

[DonP]

The H is actually a single coil in a humbucker housing.

http://www.emginc.com/displayproduct...=6&catalogid=8

"I see" said the blind man. I guess my Charvel Fusion Deluxe (with a Jackson Pro Fusion neck) with an EMG-S and EMG81 should work for older Metallica tunes - I'll need to give it a whirl.

(any idea of) What they used on Kill 'em All? I'm using (don't laugh) my 1963 SG Special with P90's. They have a great percusiveness(sp?) to them, nails the tone on Seek and Destroy.