DeArmond RCH-B
Submitted at: 11:21, 1/30/2004
Product Info
Pickup features: Passive soundhole mounted singlecoil with built in volume control
Impedence or other specs: Don't know
Price Paid: US $25 used
Purchased from: Dave sheppard's Music, Greensboro, NC (now closed, boo!)
Instrument
Model of guitar or bass: Yamaha FG-410
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: Dean Markley Promag
Other pickups on guitar: None
Artists using this pickup: Anyone who wanted to electrify an acoustic guitar in the 60s.
You musical style(s): Rhythm guitar in the mold of Pete Townsend and Tom Fogarty
Reason for pickup change: I tried a Dean Markley acoustic pickup but it wasn't bright enough.
Sound
Perceived output level: High and very clean. I usually roll back the volume on the pickup about 1/4 so it doesn't get too shrill.
Tone: Well balanced. The volume also affects the tone, if you roll it back too much it cuts out the highs. i'm not sure if that's intentional or not.
Sonic evaluation: The pickup has a strat-like single coil mounted in an oval metal housing with a built-in roller volume control. Just find an old picture of Bob Dylan or someone else from the 60s and you'll see what I mean. I found this thing in the scrap parts box at the store when I was looking for something else. I asked the salesman what it sounded like and he said "bad" so I knew I had to get it. The store (which was great, it's a shame it's closed) carried only acoustic guitars and catered mostly to the folk/bluegrass crowd, which means they used piezo pickups and internal/external microphones to amplify mostly solid wood guitars. i play a plywood guitar with a completely different approach, no fingerpicking, so i figured was wasn't good for them would be perfect for me. I've never liked the sound of piezo pickups, too thin and plastic-like (I think the "Kiss unplugged" CD has the worst piezo sound I've ever heard). My idea of a good acoustic sound is probably more like an archtop with a pickup, only brighter. This thing does the job. Through a guitar amp it sounds more or less like a really clean electric guitar only with a lot more "woodiness" and body to the tone. If you run it into a PA you can cut the mids and it sounds a lot more "acoustic. " I've got it permanently mounted in the guitar with an endpin jack.
For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play rhythm in a style similar to CCR's Tom Fogarty but I move a lot of notes within the chords and use pedal tones (think Pete Townsend in "Pinball Wizard" or "substitute"). I don't play lead or fingerpick, though i play arpeggios with a regular pick. I used this pickup and guitar to accompany a female singer playing originals and it always sounded good. I'm not a particularly good guitarist so I just try to support the singer and provide a bit of harmonic movement so it doesn't get dull.
Overall Rating
Comments: This pickup sounds good for what I do. A lot of people who are looking for a more "acoustic" sound probably wouldn't like it. You can't use it to get that "authentic" folk/bluegrass tone, but to get that 60s psuedo-acoustic sound or a more "woodier" electric sound it can't be beat. If it was stolen I'd try to find another one. They're starting to show up on ebay for $75-100, but it would be worth it for what I do.
On a scale of 1 to 10, I give this pickup a: 10 Fantastic value
Submitted by: Dan Bayer