Floating pickup

**Bruce Clausen** · Mar-25-2007, 1:11pm

As a jazz guitarist, I have had a series of arch-top guitars that use a floating magnetic pickup attached to the fingerrest-- the "Johnny Smith" idea. I don't see anyone using this system for mandolin. I own an old DeArmond mandolin pickup, the kind that slides along a rod attached behind the bridge, and I'm thinking of having this built into a new fingerrest for my A-5 type instrument-- volume pot and jack would both be on the fingerrest, so the mandolin would need no modification. But it's a single coil chrome pickup, and I'd rather use a two coil gold or black PU if I can find one. Is anyone manfacturing a floating pickup (has to have very little depth) for mandolin? Thanks for any info.

--BC

**Soupy1957** · Mar-25-2007, 2:59pm

Well, Toyota for one....
-Soupy1957

**swinginmandolins** · Mar-25-2007, 3:21pm

The Phoenix Jazz has a Kent Armstrong mounted on the pickguard. Phoenix Jazz, Jazzmando review Ted also had one put on his solo comp Solocomp JM, 4 string mandola

Kent Armstrong

**Bruce Clausen** · Mar-26-2007, 1:33pm

Amazing, Soupy. And thanks, Terry. From their site, looks like the Kent Armstrong mandolin version will be a special order; I'll check that out with them. Has anyone here used this pickup? I'm wondering how it sounds, and how they've managed with the problem of balancing signals from plain vs. wound strings, and bronze vs. steel. Any other makers out there? Again, thanks for any help.

BC

**Ted Eschliman** · Mar-26-2007, 4:57pm

Bruce I have one K.A. on each of three different mandolins. They sound like a million bucks; I'm thrilled with them all. Email me if you want more details.

**EdSherry** · Mar-26-2007, 6:18pm

Bartolini used to make a floating jazz guitar P/U. #I don't know how well it would work for mandolin.

Update -- I went on the Bartolini website and was unable to find it. Maybe they don't make it any more.

Benedetto makes a lovely one for jazz guitar.

**Bruce Clausen** · Mar-27-2007, 12:20pm

Ed: I have a Bartolini floating pickp on my jazz guitar (an old Epiphone) and it's terrific. As you say, it doesn't look like they make that sort of thing anymore. There were several other companies as well not too long ago. The DeArmond is a nice sounding pickup, by the way-- why doesn't anyone use them? Ted: Thanks, I'll be in touch.

BC

**thistle3585** · Mar-27-2007, 12:47pm

Bartolini doesn't list everything they make on their website. Allparts lists one as item# PU-1255-000, but there isn't a photo. They also have several mini-humbuckers that mount on a pickguard. Item# 6505-001, 6507-001