The Guitar Gallery Forums - The Guitar Legacy of Matsumoku

Picked this VS600R up on Kijiji recently. Fitted with DeArmond Goldtones. Original MMK 45’s were provided, and still debating whether to reinstall them. Coil split switch and wiring has been removed. Original tuners were replaced with gold finish Grovers. Also had to fabricate new neck backplate, need to reduce size a little. Quite a few nicks and dings, but sounds pretty good. In process of reinstalling the coil split wiring and toggle switch.

Oh that's a beauty!
And the gold foils are a huge bonus! AND you still have the 45's?! Outstanding.

I'm not sure the D'Armonds are the right sound for this guitar, but it all comes down to your tone preference. Personally, I'd reinstall the 45's and use the golds on something like a more mellow vintage style guitar.

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That is beautiful! I dig it!!

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Quality service since 3:00 last Tuesday

Yes, Barry, I would tend to agree. The DeArmonds do sound a bit thin to me. They certainly do not have the fat humbucker sound I would have expected. When I reinstate the coil split, I think I will drop in the 45’s. There seems to be a market out there for the DeArmonds.
Hopefully my toggle switch arrives tomorrow. Will let you know.

Yup, gold foils are "in" these days, and D'Armond is one of the leading brands.
You could easily sell 'em and reclaim some of your purchase cost, or hang to them for a future project.

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Aren't those VS rainbow series just yummy?!

Nice one, bro!

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FWIW, an after market esoteric nut is a solution to a problem that doesn't exist, and a great way to convert your money into someone else’s.

Aren't the DeArmond's similar to TV Jones or Gretsch?
I might be interested in them. . .

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Quality service since 3:00 last Tuesday

Chris, most "Gold Foils" are a different sound, and are loosely based on the pups found in many of the "el cheapo" Japanese and American guitars of the 60's. A lot of folks think they were rubbish but many were not, and they do give a warm and fuzzy blues tone usually with a decent output.

Gretsch pups have a distinctive sound that is uniquely their own: "That Gretsch sound" is really like no other. They do make a variety of pickups but the TV Jones models are quite different from the more common Filtertrons or Dynatrons, and they have a more aggressive tone. Really not the same as a Gold Foil at all.

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Hi Barry. Took the DeArmonds out, and dropped the MMK 45’s in today, with the coil split switch. As you suggested, huge difference. Very different sound now. Much more “Grunt”. Should be even better after I tweak the heights. I will probably keep the DeArmonds for another project. I have an Ibanez AS73 semi hollow. May try them in that. What do you think?

Chris, following up from Barry’s comments re.Gretsch etc. I have a Gretsch hollow body, and went from Gretschbuckers to TV Jones Classics. Neither sounded like the DeArmonds, which in hindsight sound closer to single coils than regular Humbuckers.

I have a Gibson ES-330 and an Aria Pro II TA-60 (MIK) which are similar to your Ibanez.
The Gibson has P90's and I put P90's in the APII, so you can see where my preference is there!

The Golds might be OK in the Ibanez but I think they'll sound much better in a lightweight solid or semi-solid body guitar. They would be outstanding in a Danelectro style construction for example (Not an actual Dano though. You don't want to replace those lipsticks!)

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