Kent Armstrong Soapbars

[benebass]

Hi - I've been looking for a pair of passive closed-cover pickups for a build project & the Kent Armstrong soapbars sold by WD Music caught my eye - the [url="http://www.wdmusic.co.uk/product/SOAPBAR_BASS_PU_4_STRING_NECK_HB4E3N"]neck[/url] and [url="http://www.wdmusic.co.uk/product/SOAPBAR_BASS_PU_4_STRING_BRIDGE_HB4E3B"]bridge[/url] soapbars come in at £45 each, which seems like a great price. I know these are mass produced & totally different to the custom winds, but there seems to be very little online in terms of reviews etc., so I was wondering if anyone on here is using them & could tell me a bit more about them please?

My plan is for a passive set up with a couple of pickups. I tend to string my basses with flats & I suppose soundwise I'd like to have the option of deep neck pickup boom & tight Andy Fraser-esque honk from the bridge.

Cheers,

B.

[Delberthot]

I got a Wilkinson one which looks identical from Ebay for £17 delivered

Still to install it.

Funnily enough it also looks identical to the EMG 35HZ that its going to be going with in my Thunderbird

[benebass]

[quote name='Delberthot' post='1032081' date='Nov 21 2010, 11:26 PM']I got a Wilkinson one which looks identical from Ebay for £17 delivered

Still to install it.

Funnily enough it also looks identical to the EMG 35HZ that its going to be going with in my Thunderbird[/quote]

Hi Delberthot - think they're all a standard size, but very different on the inside...

Cheers,

B.

[benebass]

Mmmm - guess these pickups aren't as common / popular as I thought!?!

Cheers,

B.

[mcnach]

[quote name='Delberthot' post='1032081' date='Nov 21 2010, 11:26 PM']I got a Wilkinson one which looks identical from Ebay for £17 delivered

Still to install it.

Funnily enough it also looks identical to the EMG 35HZ that its going to be going with in my Thunderbird[/quote]


looking identical means nothing when it comes to the way they sound, unfortunately...

[BassBod]

I've used Kent Armstrongs in a few basses, but the handmade versions. Very good pickups, and I remember Kent saying that the WD Korean versions weren't very different. Have a look at Carl Thompson basses and you'll normally see them (Korean imports from WD, not made by Kent). Its worth trying them out in both series and parallel wiring, as they sound quite different.

[benebass]

[quote name='BassBod' post='1037791' date='Nov 26 2010, 02:04 PM']I've used Kent Armstrongs in a few basses, but the handmade versions. Very good pickups, and I remember Kent saying that the WD Korean versions weren't very different. Have a look at Carl Thompson basses and you'll normally see them (Korean imports from WD, not made by Kent). Its worth trying them out in both series and parallel wiring, as they sound quite different.[/quote]

Hi BassBod - thanks for the info. Did you buy a custom wind made to your spec, or a more 'stock' wind? Thing is, I'm really struggling to find a description of how the KAs shape the sound - how did you find them?

I've heard wiring them with a series/parallel switch really opens the tone up - defnitely one to consider...

Cheers,

B.

[BassBod]

The pair in my five string were made by Kent, probably 12 years ago now, before he moved back to the States. I just had a chat with him on the phone, and he sent me something to do the job. I wasn't a fussy customer! Sound wise, the nearest description I can give is a "Ken Smith" type sound....clear, with strong mids. Not as honky as a Music Man. In series they are very dark and powerful (a bit Wal?), in parallel they have a lot more top end but less power. My bass is passive...but I should just wire them to parallel only and put in something like the Aguilar circuit to give the low end some extra weight.

Back in the early 80s Kent's handmade pickups looked identical to Ken Smith's humbuckers, with allen key poles...so I'd guess they are a related design.

I'm sure Kent will tell you all if you send him an email? His son Aaron is still making pickups in the UK, but he didn't have a web site last time I looked.

[benebass]

[quote name='BassBod' post='1040226' date='Nov 28 2010, 06:23 PM']The pair in my five string were made by Kent, probably 12 years ago now, before he moved back to the States. I just had a chat with him on the phone, and he sent me something to do the job. I wasn't a fussy customer! Sound wise, the nearest description I can give is a "Ken Smith" type sound....clear, with strong mids. Not as honky as a Music Man. In series they are very dark and powerful (a bit Wal?), in parallel they have a lot more top end but less power. My bass is passive...but I should just wire them to parallel only and put in something like the Aguilar circuit to give the low end some extra weight.

Back in the early 80s Kent's handmade pickups looked identical to Ken Smith's humbuckers, with allen key poles...so I'd guess they are a related design.

I'm sure Kent will tell you all if you send him an email? His son Aaron is still making pickups in the UK, but he didn't have a web site last time I looked.[/quote]

Thanks BassBod - I'm wanting to keep a passive set up so that's really useful. There's so little out there on his non-custome pickups that it is probably worth firing off a mail to him.

Cheers,

B.