Silvertone 1440 Universal Guitar Pickup

[inventacom]

So the adjustable length pointy pins go into the end of the fingerboard and the rear section with the knobs pushed up against the bridge under the strings. The pickup itself can slide back and forth along the metal tray with the two ridges. Pretty clever design if it works. I wouldn't think that extra mass pressing against the bridge would help the tone of the guitar at all at least acoustically.

Ok. So I had a buddy try and install this thing the way you explained here and either I am not reading your instructions correctly, or I'm just dumber than I originally thought I was. lol, or maybe there's another way, because he could not install it so I don't know. I'm not saying this way is incorrect as I have no other kind of installation instructions. I do greatly appreciate the time you have put in to help me. Thanks again.

[inventacom]

the pickup itself is possibly a Stratotone pickup and they are VERY popular in the West Coast Blues world. Made popular by Junior Watson and Rick Holmstrom. Junior made the Harmony H44 Stratotone guitar prices shoot up ridiculously for a cheesy cheap guitar that they were. the pickup basically is a wide flat, long alnico magnet on a ferrous baseplate. Your unit is very cool if its actually DeArmond manufacture, I've seen some Kent guitar versions that were Japanese and really crappy.....

Thank you for your interesting information. By chance you wouldn't have any websites or pictures you can show me on the net so that I may see that it's an exact match to mine? I would like to see that someone else has one. They could tell me all about it probably. I certainly don't mind doing the research on it. I did the searches for Stratotone pickups, Silvertone, DeArmond and many others and and saw litterally thousands of images to match one to mine. Sadly, I had NO luck. I was going to just box and store this thing but the lack of information about this thing has now driven my curiosity about it. I have been at this for many days now. I just want to see 1 pic and info about this exact thing. The lack of info about this also draws my curiosity about it history and current value. Anyone have any idea about what it's value may be. Or ball park? Its lack of available internet search results demonstrate to me how rare it may be. I say possibly rare because I have literally used hundreds of different search terms which included all these different manufacture and brand names. I have seen thousands of images of possible indivdual parts that may or may not be the exact parts of mine. But, I haven't came even close to seeing these parts as a whole unit like mine with the sliding bar with the two pointy prongs on it. At this point, according to its single information sheet I showed everyone, its illustration and details give me no other option at this point but to assume it was sold as seen in image as a single, complete unit. For many years, I thought, If you can't find it on Google then it doesn't exsist. lol. That thought/theory has now been changed because I obviously have a physical product that hasn't been found in Google. I am totally open to any ideas, new search terms and opinions. Anything is better than I currently have. I have been in many forums and inquired about this and many have ideas, suggestions and ideas but no one has ever seen one or have any ideas of how to find an exact match to mine. I have also decided to do an indepth patent search through the USPTO. With it's uniqueness, It's sure to have one to several patents both in utility and design. I believe I may run into problems there as well as my search terms for this item may be wrong. We will see. I may find with the correct search terms on this thing, that there are thousands just like it. IDK.

Finally, I want to send out my greatest appreciation to all that have taken the time to share and help me.

[inventacom]

dearmond made many variations on the gold foil pickup, the pickup you have looks exactly like one of the variations, they used many different pierced patterns on the covers and occasionally used solid covers- look up dearmond gold foil on here and youll find threads about it but probably nothing on the mounting arrangement you have- never seen that!

I just completed a search of DeArmond's collection and saw nothing like the one i have. I noticed DeArmond had their name enscribed on alot of their base plates. Mine has Silvertone enscribed into the base plate. One other thing. I noticed in your reply that mine looks EXACTLY like one of DeArmond's variations. Can you direct me to where you saw the one that looks exactly like mine?

Again, Thank you for your help.

[inventacom]

OK. This is some great information I just found. Thanks to everyone who suggested this could've been made by DeArmond. Congrats! You were correct. I stated I did a search for DeArmonds pickups earlier and found nothing close to mine. But when I did a search for Rowe/DeArmond pickups for use on acoustic archtops. I found a website that had 1 almost exact to mine. Different but the same. I am attaching an image to show you how close they are in appearence. I think the difference between mine and this new image is the one in this image appears to be maybe a two pickup version. Not sure. What do you think?




Possum: was also correct by mentioned "the Harmony H44". Although, I still haven't found the EXACT match to mine. but I'm happy to know I'm very close or atleast getting closer thanks to all you guys. You guys are awesome. Thanks.

[Goochster12]

My Father-in-Law picked up something similar to what's posted here, but just a little different. There is no paper/manual with it, no other marks (That he said he could see) other that SILVERTONE as shown in the pics. At least I have a little more references to check...any ideas what these may be worth???

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OK I just saw the other posts and was able to find the site INVENTACOM was talking about:

http://www.thegearpage.net/board/sho....php?t=1135204

Awesome and thank you!! (This looks to be the EXACT same one we have!)