Talk me down!

Brian Krashpad

Brian Krashpad

T1N2bM0
Be still my heart. This is listed for $380 USD, w/ohsc (DeArmond-branded). It's a good drive away from me, but in the small town my inlaws live in.
These DeArmonds are GREAT guitars. The 2K single coils look like old DeArmond pickups but are actually voiced like P-90s.

I've owned several DeArmonds, but they all had their Goldtone humbuckers (which are also great) rather than these singles. DeArmonds rarely come up for sale, they're long out of production, and most who have 'em are keeping hold of what they've got.

Since I just bought an unplanned Squier Paranormal Cabronita Tele Thinline, I would need to sell some stuff to do this, but I am SRSLY considering it.

NOM.

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Years and years ago I had one of those with the Dearmond 2K pickups and I wasn’t that hot on it. It was hard to dial in a sound that wasn’t too spiky or too blah. It sounded amazing every third time I plugged it in. I’d likely not sell anything or do too much work to get into this vs just finding something I already had to drop a more standard sized take on a Dearmond into.

www.geminipickups.com

Dynacaster

GEMINI PICKUPS
www.geminipickups.com
 
Peen Simmons said:
Years and years ago I had one of those with the Dearmond 2K pickups and I wasn’t that hot on it. It was hard to dial in a sound that wasn’t too spiky or too blah. It sounded amazing every third time I plugged it in. I’d likely not sell anything or do too much work to get into this vs just finding something I already had to drop a more standard sized take on a Dearmond into.

www.geminipickups.com

Dynacaster

GEMINI PICKUPS
www.geminipickups.com
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Interesting. You're literally the only person I've ever seen say this about 2Ks.

As for the second idea, no for multiple reasons.

First, I'm not a modder. Second, I like what's in my other guitars. Third, other takes on DeArmonds won't be like a 2K, because they were deliberately voiced like P-90s. Other DeArmonds are not. I have DeArmond 2000s in a Gretsch and they sound nothing like a P-90.

Joan Jet Special Jet floor closeup.jpg


Fourth, I like the Aristocrat body. I previously owned an M-72 and it would be good to have that guitar shape again.

De Armond M-72 DeArmond.jpg
 
Brian Krashpad said:
Interesting. You're literally the only person I've ever seen say this about 2Ks.

As for the second idea, no for multiple reasons.

First, I'm not a modder. Second, I like what's in my other guitars. Third, other takes on DeArmonds won't be like a 2K, because they were deliberately voiced like P-90s. Other DeArmonds are not. I have DeArmond 2000s in a Gretsch and they sound nothing like a P-90.

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Fourth, I like the Aristocrat body. I previously owned an M-72 and it would be good to have that guitar shape again.

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Counselor, did you or did you not ask this esteemed body to talk you out of this guitar?

Permission to treat the guitar addict as hostile, your honor.

I know P90s. I like P90s. Sir, these were no P90s—at least they were no P90s I was into.

Bailiff, escort this rascal out of the courtroom.

Edit: it’s not just me! Other creeps on the internet are ambivalent on these pickups. Save your dough and buy your special lady something nice instead!



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Peen Simmons said:
Counselor, did you or did you not ask this esteemed body to talk you out of this guitar?

Permission to treat the guitar addict as hostile, your honor.

I know P90s. I like P90s. Sir, these were no P90s—at least they were no P90s I was into.

Bailiff, escort this rascal out of the courtroom.

Edit: it’s not just me! Other creeps on the internet are ambivalent on these pickups. Save your dough and buy your special lady something nice instead!



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Interesting. After reading the edit graphic my first thought was "those look like gear page frou-frou responses." Not sayin' they didn't hear what they said they did, nor you. But my ears may not be as good as y'all's. My recollection was more from the Harmony-Central hoi polloi, and was of overwhelmingly positive responses. Of course that was quite a while ago, so it's also possible my recollection is faulty.

Asking AI to give a consensus of what's out there mentions more mids comparative to historic DeArmonds, but just as a function of their P-90ish design, not as being problematic:

"They look like classic DeArmond/Dynasonic units, but inside they’re a completely different design—a hotter, simpler single‑coil more akin to a P‑90.

⭐ What players consistently say​

  • Punchy, mid‑forward, and hotter than vintage DeArmonds They have more output and a thicker midrange than the classic low‑output DeArmond sound described in modern analyses.
  • Bright but not harsh Similar to the Gold Tone pickups described in Jazz Guitar Online discussions—clear, bright, and smoothing out overly sharp guitars.
  • Good for rock, punk, garage, and roots styles They cut well and drive amps nicely.
  • Not “true Dynasonics” Vintage DeArmond 2000/Dynasonic units are lower‑output, wide‑aperture, and chimey. The 2K is a different beast entirely, and players who want the real DeArmond sound usually seek the reissue 1000/1100 models instead.
  • Well‑liked in DeArmond M‑series and S‑series guitars Many owners keep them stock because they suit the guitars’ vibe.

How they differ from real DeArmond/Dynasonics​

Vintage DeArmonds (and modern boutique recreations) are known for:
  • low output
  • crystalline highs
  • wide magnetic aperture
  • very dynamic response
The 2K, by contrast, is:
  • hotter
  • more mid‑focused
  • more compressed
  • closer to a P‑90 than a Dynasonic
This difference is why some players love the 2K for its punch, while others replace it when chasing the classic Gretsch‑style sparkle."

It's probably a moot issue anyhow, as will only check out if I can piggyback it with a fam visit. Then again, it's posted in a small town with few buyers, and my guess is that DeArmonds aren't well-known outside hardcore geargeeks. So it could sit for quite a while due to the same distance issue, which could help whittle down the price a smidge, say to $350.
 
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