That 1941 electric sound

ViejoVato · January 2005

hello ...
Anyone tried to make a pickup similiar to the Stimer St-48 that Jacque carries at GypsyGuitars. I'd like to attempt something (the $275 price tag is a bit daunting at the monent) in that mode.
From what i can guess the originals are probably similiar to other early electric pickups in that they are single coil and probably wound by hand instead of the current machine method.

I had been working on and restoring old tube amps before I took up GJ playing so i have amps that probably closely match whatever Django played. I am trying to find a suitable, cheap single-coil pickup that i can bastardize into the requisite height restrictions and put a volumn pot on it.

Before i get too carried away I thought I'd post and see what someone else might be doing ...

c'est chaud
ViejoVato... aka milzzzzzzzzzz

djangology · January 2005

here is a photo of the inside of a Stimer... hope it helps

langleydjango · January 2005

I have an ST-48 that I got used for a relatively good price (relative only to the $275 price not any common sense type price:) It's a great sound.

But a couple thoughts/ideas-

1- Stimers were/are cheap ol' single coil pickups. Some might even categorize them as cheap crap. Nothing magical about them EXCEPT they work and fit well with Selmer type guitars.

2-Look for old Harmony rocket pick-ups like the first one pictured here:http://www.broadwaymusicco.com/Harmony24.htm

They were made by DeArmond/Rowe Industries and are a a perfect substitute for a Stimer if you are willing and able to do some soldering.
You will need to attach either a jack or a cord to the pickup. Use some tacky stuff to keep it on the guitar. They are about the same size and thickness as an ST-48 without the volume control portion.

I did all this and it worked and sounded great, no different from my stimer. Until I got over zealous in my retrofit and destroyed the whole thing! I then found the ST-48 I now own and said screw it, I'd rather spend my time playing than soldering.

If you can find a source for these pickups at a good price go for it. I paid $50US for mine and felt ripped off even at that price (hell, I WAS ripped off. But look how much Stimers cost!)

I hope this points you in the right direction.

troy

Scotsman · January 2005

I found this interesting vintage pickup on :
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 73386&rd=1

ViejoVato · January 2005

Whoa ... !!1
what a great group ... list a question one day .. get onto several trails the next ...

special thanks to:
Djangology 4 the picture of the Stimer 'guts' .. i kinda thought that they were single wound around one magnet and that pic confirms my hypothesis

langleydjango for the Harmony/DeArmond/Rowe Industries leads ... i've scrapped my other plan which was to seek out a 80's vintage Ibanez hollow body .. thay have become too pricy.. i'll look for a Harmony Meteor ... maybe even find a real junker with the pickups in tact ...

the scotsman who actually found an interesting item on ebay ... i had looked there but missed this gem ... thanks...

One or some of these pickups will find its' way into my humble shop to be sacrificed on the alter of 'tone quest' .. i'll post my results and maybe even get some sounds up on a local GJ group's site ...
If you haven't heard them please go have a listen to Hot Club of tucson ....

www.hotcluboftucson.com

thanks to Allin Kibben - rhythm guitarist for HC de T and Web page builder/creator ....

Ciao ...
milzzzzzzzzzz aka ViejoVato

musicofanatic · February 2005

I have some pickups from Harmony gtrs, pre-1957 version. They are among the most crude, Flinstonian units I've seen (looking anatomically similar to the Stimer pictured), and sound GREAT on both solidbodies and archtops I have them on. I imagine the clearance under the strings is the major issue here. These pickups measure 0.300" thick. Would such a unit fit under the strings on a "petite bouche" type of gtr. (mine is on order, and, consequently I do not have a gtr of this type in hand for evaluation)? I presume that string clearance increases as you get closer to the bridge. Perhaps an installation just south of the sound hole, toward the bridge might be advisable. Interestingly I had a '42 Gibson ES-300 with a large single coil p.u. mounted close to the bridge (unlike most single p.u. hollowbodies with the p.u. near the neck), and it (through an old tube amp) came the closest to capturing the electric Django sound of any gtr I've played. I will be sure to report on my experiences with such an installation when accomplished.

mrkerb · April 2005

Though it is a good idea to consider different single coil pickups when searching for "the sound" I have only gotten close when using old (or old style) amps. Early tube amps were just simple audio/public adress amps. They tended to distort easily and have a thick midrange that might sound muddy or "wooly" with an early Gibson electric like an ES-150 but can pick up the bright, metallic highs of a long scale guitar with light strings.
Try an old tube amp like an EH Gibson, Valco or Oahu (both probably originally intended to be lap steel amps) and see what you think?