5th avenue players club

[jazztele]

yes, I know there's a Godin owners club, but i figured there were enough of us around to start one just for the fifth avenue and it's sisters the kingpin and kingpin CW...

my wife snapped this pic of me enjoying mine the other day, and I thought i'd kick this post off with a good 'ol photo...



I like everything about this guitar--looks, sounds and plays great.

[androo]

I'm in!

For the record, mine is a modified 5th Avenue...I decided to get the acoustic version and install a pickup on my own. It's a Kent Armstrong floating single coil, and I used a set of the Schatten Stealth thumbwheels to mount under the guard. I love this guitar and am proud to be a member of the club ;)

[jazztele]

very cool!

c'mon y'all, i know there's more of us!

[androo]

A party for two? Naw! Come on ya'll....join the club!

So, I've been very much enjoying gigging this guitar once I added that pickup. Nice! Upright bass, this guitar, and vocals. Nice little jazz/funk/folk/R&B duo. It fits in really nicely in this setting, IMO.

What would you do with the input jack? Can you see where I've got it mounted...there on the edge of the pickguard? It's zip tied on to the pickguard mounting bracket (which is pretty solid) Is that any hinky-er than an unsupported hole in the bout?

I got that idea from some picture of an old Epiphone, it had the jack mounted there...I am guessing so the owner didn't have to drill a hole in the lower bout, or ream out the endpin.

Hmmmmm?
droo

[BigDaddyLH]

(Sorry, not a 5th Ave owener, but...)

Adroo,

How do you like the sound of your Kent Armstrong Single Coil floating pickup? Is it the model on this page?

http://archtop.com/ac_access.html#anchor46177042

What about the coil tap switch? As far as shielding goes, how noisy is it?

I had been thinking about mounting that pickup on my archtop (a L5-P), although the clearance is not quite enough (by 1/16" -- should that stop me, hmmm...).

I currently have a floating mini-humbucker and everything used to be attached to the finger rest: the pickup, volume and tone pots as well as the jack. I came to regret having the jack there: even if you are careful, you end up tugging on the finger rest, and my finger rest became wonky. So when my luthier was doing a bunch of other things (new nut, etc...) I asked him to install a tailpiece strap button that has the jack running through it. (I think he said it was a Fishman.) It's the best solution: that is the most secure place to put the jack, as I think there is a block of wood there in the body of all archtops.

[androo]

Hey there BigDaddy!
Yup, that's the one...the handmade floating single. I love it. Love it. To me, it sounds very P-90~ish in an archtop. It is the jazz tone for me....I always think it's very Grant Green sounding. Does that makes sense?

Very, very clear and articulate, no mud anywhere.

Shielding wise...it is a single coil, a big ole' single....so there is of course some 60 cycle hum. But it's certainly acceptable (I gig it in quiet venues without trouble). And I did ground the input jack to the tailpiece, so when I'm actually playing, it's dead quiet. Once I take hands off the strings, I get some buzz. But again...it's a P-90. For comparison, I also have a set of Vintage Vibe P-90's in an ES175 knock off, which are well shielded too. They are both fine for live playing, or for just woodshedding alone. No problems with the noise.

Your clearance seems pretty darn close, it could work. I've got mine right up close to the strings. So close, in fact...that last night I noticed that I cannot fret the highest strings on the high E...they hit the pickup! But it's a non-cutaway guitar and I can't fret those intentionally anyway! But I do like 'em close. That might be a bit too close ;)

Thank you so much for the insight on your pickguard assembly. You confirmed my fear...that the pickguard could get wonky, no matter how careful I am, which I am. I don't want to screw up a nice instrument! there is a block of wood on mine too, and an endpin button. I suppose I'll ream it out.

droo

[androo]

Oh...the coil tap. I don't use it. I have it on the 7K and that's that. I didn't want to mess with mini switches. Maybe one day?

[jazztele]

Originally Posted by androo

the pickguard could get wonky, no matter how careful I am, which I am. I don't want to screw up a nice instrument! there is a block of wood on mine too, and an endpin button. I suppose I'll ream it out.

droo

yeah, that seems like the best solution...you see it quite a bit.

[BigDaddyLH]

I don't think the original pickup mounting was the best work. Now, there's a block of ebony under the finger rest; it's not going anywhere.

[androo]

Cool video I found...in French!http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8g...-avec-sy_music

[xjazzy]

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8g...music?from=rss

[androo]

Hey! Thanks for that one xjazzy :)

I gigged mine the other night, it was most excellent and comfortable. Really made the night fun and satisfying.

I posted this on another thread, but since this is the "fan club" (with a whopping 3 members ;), I thought I'd share this again...

...if anyone is having fun playing with string types with this guitar, D'dadarrio makes a "flat top" pack that is fitting in just GREAT with this guitar, IMO. They are round wound strings, but ground smooth. Not as smooth as flatwound, but similar in feel. Kinda retains the snap and acoustic vibe, but feels much more like slipping around on flatwounds. I like them very much :)

droo

[BigDaddyLH]

You mean the 1/2 rounds? When they first came out I tried them. I liked the 10 gauge, but on my archtop the 13-56 gauge were more like 3/4 rounds

[androo]

Yo big Daddy ;)

I'm talking about these guys...

[BigDaddyLH]

Oh! I was thinking electric guitar strings. I'm not familiar with acoustic strings.

[androo]

Yup, they are acoustic strings. I like 'em on this guitar. It is, after all....an acoustic! I might try electric strings one day, like I've got on an ES-175 clone (flatwound), but I really like the amplified acoustic sounds I get with this box.