Is there anybody here that has some experience with Kent Armstrong Pickups?

[Tony_H]

Re: Is there anybody here that has some experience with Kent Armstrong Pickups?

Perhaps it's worth noting that there are two lines of KA pickups: one is made in the UK and in Slovakia, and they're considered the 'real' KA pickups, and then there is another line made in Korea by Sky Pickups - they use the 'Kent Armstrong' name but not the logo. I believe it's a similar story as with the real Seymour Duncan pups and the Duncan Designed line --- but I may be wrong, so don't stone me please

I have a set of the Sky P-90s (as they call them, a S-90 and a S-90HR or so - the bridge pup is reverse polarity and wound a little hotter). All I can say about them is that they are WAY better than a set of P-90's that came stock with an Epi LP Special Double Cut that I once had. I also tried them in my testbed Strat-style guitar and they sounded fine.

[Zerberus]

Re: Is there anybody here that has some experience with Kent Armstrong Pickups?

Well, I can tell you that the Armstrongs are coming OUT of My Jackson AT-1 and Duncans are going in (as soon an Finances allow) .

And BTW, I see it Identically to Artie, Thatīs one of the reasons the (stock) Armstrongs are coming out, Tone the other. And itīs the reason I refuse to use anything from Dimarzio, Ruby Tubes/ Magic Parts, and anything by anyone affiliated with WD Music Products (Tonepros).

[ranalli]

Re: Is there anybody here that has some experience with Kent Armstrong Pickups?

Well I'm going to go against the grain here since I've tried a Kent Armstrong and say that the PAF version they have (M213 I think) is great in the neck. I got them stock in a guitar and yanked it out since I thought SD's would obviously be better...I ordered a '59 neck instead. Boy was I wrong....the '59 sounded like boomy muddy ass to me...well not that bad but completely overated and too warm for the neck IMO...not a big fan of that pickup. However, I put the Kent Armstrong PAF back in and it really sang....sweeter mids...better upper end clarity and the bass was rolled back some....MUCH better IMO than the '59 I had in there.

I was never a fan of stock cheaper pickups and still am not for the most part but I'm keeping this one...

[ArtieToo]

Re: Is there anybody here that has some experience with Kent Armstrong Pickups?

Hey Evan; Perhaps this will be some consolation. I believe that a guitar pickup should be evaluated on the basis of its "sound." When a company like KA or DMZ limits their competition by "technicalities", such as the double-creme issue, I for one, take that as the most sincere statement by that company, of their inability to compete on the basis of "tone."

They've just "told" me what they can't do. I believe them. So, I won't waste time with their products.

[Evan Skopp]

Re: Is there anybody here that has some experience with Kent Armstrong Pickups?

I've tried their so called JB version

That was another encounter with their lawyer. I had to inform them that "JB Version" is not a proper name for a Kent Armstrong pickup. They eventually changed the name.

They've also used the names "Hot Rails" and "Cool Rails" with their products.

Come to think of it, I've had a lot of interactions with their lawyer. But getting the trademark on the age-old Lipstick Tube Pickup design just burns me.

[Thames]

Re: Is there anybody here that has some experience with Kent Armstrong Pickups?

Rudy, they really worth the investment. I've tried their so called JB version and PAF a long time ago.... nothing else than cheap korean pickups. No resale value.

[Evan Skopp]

Re: Is there anybody here that has some experience with Kent Armstrong Pickups?

Hey rudygeorge:

My only experience is with their lawyer.

They got a trademark on the Lipstick Tube pickup by claiming five years continuous use in commerce (1995-2000 -- nevermind that Lipsticks were also being sold by Danelectro, Charvel, Ibanez, Chandler, Jerry Jones, us and others during that period). Then, they gave us a cease and desist.

Same lawyer represents the good folks over there in Double Cream-land.

That's my experience.

[rudygeorge]

Is their anybody here that has some experience with Kent Armstrong pickups?

Rudy D.