DeArmond FHC Guitar Mike just arrived

[radiofm74]

Since first getting my FHC I've been fiddling quite a bit to get the best out of it. I want to offer my experiences and compare notes with anyone who might be interested.

One problem I had was string balance (B very loud, high E very weak, using .13 Martin Tony Rice strings). I tried to further knock down the gauge of the B without appreciable results. Then, out of my stratocaster experiences, I’ve experimented with SLANTING your pickup: higher on the treble, lower on the bass side. I’ve yet to find the perfect slant, and maybe I’ll bump the high E up to .14, but already now the top two strings are way way more balanced, and having the low strings a bit quieter is actually a good thing (less feedback).

One more thing I’ve discovered is that the FHC does not love my (otherwise gloriously sounding) Blackface Tremolux, and vice versa. It sounds a lot sweeter through a “tweed” model on my super champ x2. Through that, it actually sounds everything I hoped it would.

I was about to sell the SCX2, but at least until I scratch my itch for a “real" tweed (or Gibson octal amp) I think it will stay with me. Of course, if anyone has suggestions for a good FHC+Blackface setting, I’m all ears...

[lawson-stone]

I'm going to try your suggestions with my L50+DeArmond FHC+SuperChampX2. Thanks!

[omphalopsychos]

The FHC is a relatively lo-fi pickup. So I don't think it will really sound extremely interesting or complex through a black face amp. Having said that, I do like mine through my modded Princeton. But tweed or octal is where it's at for this pickup. I like it best through my Harvard clone and my Vintage 47. I don't think there's anything wrong with that. There are some pickups that don't like blackface amps. I have some guitars I'd never plug into my tweed amp.

[radiofm74]

Lo-fi is a very good description. I've fully appreciated that since discovering the great Junior Barnard (what a picker!)

[Burrellesque]

I slant my DeArmond Rhythm Chief 1000 too.
I use a felt pad to raise the treble side of the pickup and get a fairly even response across all strings.
Great sounding pickup.

[nopedals]

I tried a set of Tony Rice strings on an electric (P90) guitar and had significant string balance issues. Campus5 has made an FHC work with monels, but I wonder if a set of nickel strings would give you better results.

[campusfive]

DeArmond Guitar Mic/Guitar Mike/FHCs where made for something like 20-30 years (40's-60's, or 70's?), so they're not all the same. And, I've come to believe, based on owning a couple, info from friends who've owned a couple, and from reading through everything written about them on places like this, that the string calibration/balance changed over the years. When they were introduced, there weren't really differentiated "electric" strings, but that changed over time, and so it appears the compensation of the pickups did too. Honestly, it just boils down to trial and error with any specific FHC and specific guitar placement to get it dialed in.

But string choice aside, I've found that placement, especially string alignment is CRUCIAL on the models with the black plastic slots. It's pretty to have the pickup appear to be in the right place, but have one of the strings miss the field, especially if your pickguard is in the way. It may be a total fluke that my FHC happens to align perfectly on my '32 L-5 with out having to cut into the pickguard.

[radiofm74]

DeArmond Guitar Mic/Guitar Mike/FHCs where made for something like 20-30 years (40's-60's, or 70's?), so they're not all the same. And, I've come to believe, based on owning a couple, info from friends who've owned a couple, and from reading through everything written about them on places like this, that the string calibration/balance changed over the years. When they were introduced, there weren't really differentiated "electric" strings, but that changed over time, and so it appears the compensation of the pickups did too. Honestly, it just boils down to trial and error with any specific FHC and specific guitar placement to get it dialed in.

But string choice aside, I've found that placement, especially string alignment is CRUCIAL on the models with the black plastic slots. It's pretty to have the pickup appear to be in the right place, but have one of the strings miss the field, especially if your pickguard is in the way. It may be a total fluke that my FHC happens to align perfectly on my '32 L-5 with out having to cut into the pickguard.

Thanks Jon! I have made quite a few attempt with horizontal alignment, and while some positions were clearly off, I never could get to have satisfactory balance. I probably have a bit more experimenting to do. More generally, trial and error really seems to be the only way to go, and in my case more is certainly in order (including trying out different strings).

[Chazmo]

I recently got a DeArmond Guitar Mike too and immediately put it on my 1951 Epiphone Zenith. When I put the mic on, the guitar just happened to be strung with D'Addario nickel bronze acoustic strings--which sound pretty good on this guitar, by the way. The string balance was better than expected, but the volume or gain was a little low compared to my electric guitars. My strings and slots line up pretty well.

I put a set of D'Addario nickel wrapped jazz strings on (EJ 21), the same as I use for my electric guitars, and the volume increased, but the balance is not as good. So, I'm still searching too. I'll be following this thread...

[omphalopsychos]

My FHC is from 1960, so it may have been wound expecting nickel strings. I like the sound with flatwounds, but most recently I've put on a set of Newtone Archtop 14's. The acoustic sound is a bit thin, but I find the balance and electric tone satisfactory. I have been meaning to try it with Monels, but I won't do it for a while. The Newtones were expensive so I'll be keeping them on until they wear out.

[campusfive]

Oh, and the compression of different amps react differently to the imbalance.
Old octal tube amps seem to add enough compression through breakup to keep the louder strings from being quite as loud.
Playing a cleaner amp tends to make it more noticeable.

[radiofm74]

I recently got a DeArmond Guitar Mike too and immediately put it on my 1951 Epiphone Zenith. When I put the mic on, the guitar just happened to be strung with D'Addario nickel bronze acoustic strings--which sound pretty good on this guitar, by the way. The string balance was better than expected, but the volume or gain was a little low compared to my electric guitars. My strings and slots line up pretty well.

I put a set of D'Addario nickel wrapped jazz strings on (EJ 21), the same as I use for my electric guitars, and the volume increased, but the balance is not as good. So, I'm still searching too. I'll be following this thread...

Nickel bronze are on my try list, but monel is what DeA recommended back in the day “for optimum string balance” , and it seems like a good solution for both the acoustic and electric tone (both equally important to me).

I’ll keep looking and improving but frankly, with the slant thing and the discovery of the tweed channel on my super champ I am quite happy where I am already. I was a bit frustrated that the FHC did not sound as I hoped through my beloved tremolux, but I am really realizing that some pickups are right for some amps and vice versa... the FHC actually sounds better through a hot rod deluxe than through my trem, and I usually dislike HRDs.

[radiofm74]

I'm going to try your suggestions with my L50+DeArmond FHC+SuperChampX2. Thanks!

Hey Lawson how did the experience go? Don’t forget to crank the mids through Fuse (9 or 10) and give it some gain (4-ish)! From there, I play with the volume control of the FHC.

[lawson-stone]

Hey Lawson how did the experience go? Don’t forget to crank the mids through Fuse (9 or 10) and give it some gain (4-ish)! From there, I play with the volume control of the FHC.

Actually I don't know much about using Fuse, but I did try Voice 2 and played a Jimmy Raney solo (Bb bop style blues) for a quick take today. I actually don't know what I'm trying to find, but it's still fun hunting!

[radiofm74]

Actually I don't know much about using Fuse, but I did try Voice 2 and played a Jimmy Raney solo (Bb bop style blues) for a quick take today. I actually don't know what I'm trying to find, but it's still fun hunting!

Nice sound!

[radiofm74]

Thought I'd post some pics of the slant

[Burrellesque]

Wow... thats a lot of slant. I would say I have my Rhythm Chief 1000 slanted about a third of that amount with TI JS13's to get even balance.

[radiofm74]

It's a lot more than I thought I'd do initially but it works well!

[radiofm74]

Oh, and the compression of different amps react differently to the imbalance.
Old octal tube amps seem to add enough compression through breakup to keep the louder strings from being quite as loud.
Playing a cleaner amp tends to make it more noticeable.

I've experienced first hand how true this is. I got me a 5F1 amp and I played my Loar+FHC through it first time this week. String balance suddenly happened. I think I could de-slant a lot without unbalance reappearing. I also had to bring the pickup a lot closer to the string to raise volume and reduce hum. Now it's likely where it is supposed to be. It looks like it's just a better match. So a relevant question on all those "monel string" threads is: what amp are you using?

Off topic: the tone is great, volume very comfortably sufficient when playing with a double bass and trombone, and the rig is as nice and portable as can be. I got me a nice mic (Sennheiser e609) to place in front of my midget amp for recording or reinforcement when needed.

Have I stopped lusting after a bigger tweed and a Gibson-style octal amp? No. But I'm really happy about my swing rig now …

[omphalopsychos]

I'm curious if my dearmond FHC would fit on a certain guitar (I don't have it yet). The seller informed me that it has 12/32" clearance from the soundboard to the end of the fingerboard extensions. 12/32" is about exactly the thickness of my dearmond. With the felt pads it might be a tad higher. I'm worried about running the risk of my dearmond being too thick for this guitar. My concerns are:
- Pickup might get in the way of pick (although I rarely pick quite that close to the fretboard).
- Pickup might touch the strings when fretting above 12th fret (probably not unless the pickup is very, very high).
- Tone might be boomy or harsh if the pickup is too close to the strings.

I'm not really sure what I'm looking for with this thread exactly other than someone to convince me to try it out.


This is not the guitar in question, but it's a visual to get the idea across. That pickup looks to be right at the heigh of the fingerboard extension. I remember playing that guitar at retrofret in 2018, but I didn't plug in, so I didn't notice any issues.

[Greentone]

Hi,

I used a Guitar Mic for years and years. It's really quite thin. In practice, I don't think you should have any problems.

[jasonc]

Hey Juan,

If it’s 3/8” from the top to the fingerboard surface it’s probably fine. Remember you still have the height of the frets. Plus realistically how much will you really need to access the very highest frets? On my 20’s L-5 style guitar if you’re fretting the 17th fret (probably the highest note I ever really play) then you have about a 1/32” clearance from the top of the last fret to the string. In other words when you’re playing the 17th fret you have roughly 3/32” from the string to the fretboard surface at the very edge of the fingerboard. Worst case, you’d have to move the pickup back towards the bridge a little bit. I say try it.

[omphalopsychos]

You guys sold me. But then I just found out the guitar has a 0.96" deep neck at 1st fret. That's a lot for me