Product: Kent Armstrong Texas Vintage Bridge TVS4B
Price Paid: GBP 15 USED
Submitted
05/19/2009
at
05:17am
by
Ewan Wallace
Features
:
Single coil bridge replacement pickup for Strat.
Instrument
:
I put this in a Mexican Standard Strat, as a replacement for other pickups I've tried. The stock Strat bridge pickup was rubbish, but since then I've been through Lace Sensors (Blue and Red), a Seymour Duncan Twang Banger, Fender Texas Specials and Seymour Duncan Alnico Pro II. I've now found a balance I'm happy with: the Kent in the bridge, with Silver and Gold Lace Sensors in the middle and neck. I did try the Kent Armstrongs in the neck and middle, but whilst they were very good they sounded too 'vintage' for me - I like the more modern and strident tone of the Lace Sensors for these positions, though that's just my personal preference.
Sound
:
10
Sweet J***s!
It's perfect. Good, balanced tone but with a sweetness and musicality I've never heard from a Strat brdge pickup before. If you're the sort of player who finds the standard Strat bridge sound too shrill and 'stingy' then this is for you. It sings more like a Telecaster bridge pickup, and with a bit of overdrive it's just monstrous. I can even use it totally clean which is a first for me. It has a beautifully balanced, woody tone. I've always listened to Strat players who use the bridge pickup a lot like, say, Jimi Hendrix, and wondered why my guitar doesn't sound that good (I'm talking tone, not playing ability of course...). Well, when it comes to tone, problem solved!
I use this mainly with a Vox AC30 and a Hot Cake distortion pedal, sometimes with a THD hotplate attenuator if I'm after a more dirty sound. Also sometimes with a Fender twin reverb. Sounds brilliant regardless.
Overall Rating
:
10
I've been playing 25 years. Had all sorts of gear, including vastly more expensive Strats. I've had some which have better neck and middle position sounds (don't ever use the in between positions so can't comment), but for the bridge position this will be a standard upgrade for me from now on on Strats, regardless of the quality of the guitar. And I bought it second hand for about ??15! Unbelievable. I simply can't recommend this pickup enough.
