DeArmond DeArmitron

Pickup features: Passive Humbucker
Impedence or other specs: 7.8 bridge, 8.6 neck

Model of guitar or bass: Oscar Schmidt Delta King 0E-30 (budget semi-hollow body, bolt-on neck)
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: Washburn 400 series
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: Me
You musical style(s): Indie Rock
Reason for pickup change: Stock Washburns were fairly hot and servicable but had no definition, especially in a semi-hollow body guitar.

Perceived output level: I bought a pair of DeArmitrons that were scavenged from a M-65, I think. Good, true PAF type output. Not too hot. Definitely not weak. Very clean sounding humbucker.
Tone: Balanced with accentuated high-mids. Fairly transparent.
Sonic evaluation: My setup is as follows: Ibanez TS-10 (for light, high end overdrive), Ibanez TS-7 (for more midrange specific overdrive, a very affordable and under-rated pedal), Ibanez AD-9 (beautiful) into either a Boogie .50 Caliber Head (EL84 based) with a 2x12 Vintage 30's loaded cabinet, or a Crate VC 5310 (EL84 based with 3x10's).
The OS guitar was a bargain and plays very nicely but the stock pickups were typical of an Asian import: hot and flat. I have two DeArmond guitars, an M-75T with the 2K single coils and an M-72 with Goldtones. I absolutely love the Goldtones and will buy them anywhere I find them, but I could not find them apart from a guitar so I lucked up on the DeArmitrons, which are found on the mid-priced, bolt-neck DeArmonds. I'm glad I took the chance on them. Think of a good P90 with expanded range: bites, good low end, great high-mids, very workable, NO HUM, cleans up nicely.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play rock: from good Kinks to Built to Spill, indie rock mainly, whatever that means these days. These pickups are perfect for what I do. I use a little overdrive most of the time and get balls-out only once in a while. The DeArmitrons have nice definition and can get nasty when called upon.

Comments: These pickups are great because they have great clarity and definition, even under heavy distortion, and have the most bell-like tone I have heard in a humbucker, besides the USA made DeArmond Goldtones. For imports they are very well made: clean production finish, wax-potted, super quiet even in a semi-hollow body. They added tremendous clarity to my po' man OS. Gibson gets $2000 for a ES-335 now. I paid $150 for the guitar (new MF), $50 to put a decent nut on it (the stock one looked like it was cut by a lumberjack) and a little fretwork, $60 for an Epiphone hardshell case, and $40 for the pair of DeArmitrons. My investment is $300 and it sounds and plays like God made it for himself. My Gibson-playing associates are amazed by the tone and playability of this guitar. And I've got $1700 to spend on more DeArmond pickups, or whatever. I'll buy more anywhere I find them, if I can find them; especially the Goldtones, but the DeArmitrons should not be passed by if available.

Pickup features: passive humbucker
Impedence or other specs: NA

Model of guitar or bass: M-66 DeArmond
Position: all positions
Pickup being replaced: NA
Other pickups on guitar: NA
Artists using this pickup: I don't know if any pros use these?
You musical style(s): Blues, Rock, Jazz, Folk Rock, Alt Country
Reason for pickup change: The DeArmitrons came on the guitar as is.

Perceived output level: Medium to Medium High (hotter than the schallers on my Heritage guitar)
Tone: Very trebly for humbuckers
Sonic evaluation: Through my Trace Elliot Tramp Twin these sound pierceingly bright. Like a Vox AC-30 with a RIC or Gretsch but perhaps a bit more harsh sounding. Through my little Fender Squire 15 practice amp they are still bright but perhaps not as harsh.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play Beatlesque stuff and they work well for that. I also play blues. The neck pickup works best for blues and the bridge cops the old Beatles sound.

Comments: Since I only payed $100 for the whole DeArmond M-66 electric which came with the DeArmitron pickups as stock I could not possibly replace them for what I got them for (new off the net). They are probably not as good as real Gretsch pickups or TV Jones pickups (which cost over $100 for each individual pickup) but they do a pretty good job of getting those old Beatles sounds or even Petty type sounds. The brightest humbuckers I've ever heard. My amps are both solid state so I'm sure these pickups would sound better through real tube amps that would compress the signal and prevent the harsh brightness of solid state.