The Kent Armstrong name has long been associated with premium-quality pickups. After working with his father, the legendary Dan Armstrong, on his range of London guitars, Kent set up his own business in Brighton, UK in 1978. On top of fixing and rewinding pickups, he would design and build his own pickup range, and here the Kent Armstrong brand was born.
Kent has continued to hand build pickups for guitar and bass manufactureres to this day. The tradition is further carried forward by his son, Aaron Armstrong here in the UK. Between them, the Armstrong family has created a vast range of pickups for players worldwide — from jazz purists to metalheads, guitarists and bassists and everything inbetween.
At Armstrong Music, we’re proud to offer pickups made by both Kent and Aaron, along with the off-the-shelf Korean-made versions — all under one roof.
USA-Made Pickups by Kent Armstrong
Kent Armstrong has been based in Vermont, USA since 1998 and continues to develop and produce pickups in the USA. A lot of these models focus on epoxy resin cast pickups — a construction not commonly used with standard off-the-shelf pickups. Soapbar bass pickups, Aria Pro replacements, Dan Armstrong Plexiglass replacements, and jazz guitar pickups all use this epoxy resin construction.
What are the benefits of epoxy resin construction?
- Designed and built by Kent Armstrong himself
- Hand-wound coils for natural, dynamic tone
- Often found in high-end archtop and jazz guitars
- Individually assembled and tested
- Custom builds available on request
Pickups cast in epoxy resin using custom rubber moulds, handcrafted by Kent Armstrong
UK-Made Pickups – Handcrafted by Aaron Armstrong
These pickups are handmade in the UK by Aaron Armstrong, using the same time-honoured techniques passed down from his father. Built in small batches, they’re a favourite among players who want that boutique, handcrafted feel.
- Hand-wound coils for natural, dynamic tone
- Individually assembled and tested
- Wax potted to reduce microphonic feedback
- Vintage-correct materials available for some models
- Custom builds available on request
Core components: copper coils before epoxy casting and final assembly
Korean-Made Kent Armstrong Pickups – Quality & Value
Manufactured to Kent Armstrong’s specifications since 1994, these pickups offer excellent tone at a more affordable price point. After their initial meeting, Kent flew to South Korea to discuss pickup design with the factory — and the same facility continues to produce Kent’s budget-conscious range today.
- Consistent quality control
- Excellent value for money
- Wide range of models: humbuckers, single coils, P90s, bass pickups
Best For:
- Budget-conscious upgrades
- Modding projects
- OEM builders looking for solid tone on a budget
Armstrong Music is proud to carry on the legacy of the Armstrong name with an unmatched range of pickups and guitar parts. With close ties to Kent and Aaron Armstrong and decades of experience in the industry, we offer something truly unique to players and builders in the UK and beyond.
Read More About The History Of Armstrong Pickups