Jazz Tele - CC Rider or '57 Classic?

neilshane · #1 10-21-2010, 12:29 PM

I'm planning to install a new pickup in my 1999 Fender American Standard Telecaster. I'm trying to decide between the CC-Rider Charlie Christian single coil from Vintage Vibe or a Gibson '57 Classic humbucker.

I'll be putting on flatwound strings and going for that nice mellow classic jazz tone.

I've narrowed my search to these two based on price and reviews.

Any feedback would be appreciated. Thanks!

BigDaddyLoveHandles · #2 10-21-2010, 12:42 PM

The '57 would be mellower or fatter because of the humbucking, but the CC sounds just gorgeous -- as Tim Lerch said on a youtube demo, you can hear the wrap on the strings.

Since I don't use the Tele bridge pup, I have this dream of having a Lollar CC in the neck position and a HB right next to it (or more in the middle, "Nashville", position). I don't know how the controls and wiring would go, but I'd mainly flip between pickups; I don't think I'd use a "both pickups" position.

mongrel · #3 10-21-2010, 01:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigDaddyLoveHandles

The '57 would be mellower or fatter because of the humbucking, but the CC sounds just gorgeous -- as Tim Lerch said on a youtube demo, you can hear the wrap on the strings.

Since I don't use the Tele bridge pup, I have this dream of having a Lollar CC in the neck position and a HB right next to it (or more in the middle, "Nashville", position). I don't know how the controls and wiring would go, but I'd mainly flip between pickups; I don't think I'd use a "both pickups" position.

I believe Lerch's tele has a Lollar Charlie Christian pickup. The Vintage Vibe pickup is a humbucker sized single coil bar design. I have one in a tele clone in the neck position and two in an Epi Joe Pass. They are nice pickups but do not, in my opinion, come as close as I'd like to the Lollar Tele type which is wound with the heavy .38 gauge wire like the 1930's original.

BigDaddyLoveHandles · #4 10-21-2010, 01:22 PM

Good catch. When I see "CC" I assume we are talking about the Lollar.

mongrel · #5 10-21-2010, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigDaddyLoveHandles

Good catch. When I see "CC" I assume we are talking about the Lollar.

Pete at VVG makes a tele type CC also but since the choice is Gibson '57 or CC, I assumed it was the VV HCC pickup.

neilshane · #6 10-21-2010, 08:47 PM

I'm referring to the Vintage Vibe Tele style neck pickup, not the humbucker size.

It's the "Charlie Christian" style single coil pickup listed fourth from the bottom here: Vintage Vibe Guitars: Single Coil Pickups

SwingSwangSwung · #7 10-22-2010, 06:06 AM

I'd check out the Charlie Christian pup from Lollar. Its a GREAT jazz pup.

Meggy · #8 10-22-2010, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigDaddyLoveHandles

The '57 would be mellower or fatter because of the humbucking, but the CC sounds just gorgeous -- as Tim Lerch said on a youtube demo, you can hear the wrap on the strings.

Since I don't use the Tele bridge pup, I have this dream of having a Lollar CC in the neck position and a HB right next to it (or more in the middle, "Nashville", position). I don't know how the controls and wiring would go, but I'd mainly flip between pickups; I don't think I'd use a "both pickups" position.

Thats an interesting idea though Big Daddy - and I think the both pickups position might be more use-able than you think too. On my Ibanez Joe Pass I have added a mini-humbucker (floating, Kent Armstrong) which sits next to the stock humbucker. The stock pickup is I suppose a typical fat humbucker sound - a bit on the "woofy" bass-heavy side for my taste, but still useful at times for a dark tone. The mini 'bucker is my main pickup, as it has more clarity and is better balanced overall IMO. But both together is really very nice also, and in some ways seems to give the best qualities of each of the pickups i.e. the fatness, and the clarity. Also, some of the harmonics ring better in this position.

mattymel · #9 10-22-2010, 05:05 PM

big +1 on the Lollar tele CC. warm, round, and can actually get a great overdrive sound too. at least on my marshall 1974x...

BigDaddyLoveHandles · #10 10-22-2010, 05:13 PM

One thing I'm wondering about...

I guess when it comes to controls on the guitar, I'm a Gibson guy. With two pickups it makes sense to me to have two volume and two tone pots. Especially in the hypothetic case of the CC pickup and the humbucker -- they're such difference pups having separate controls could be a really good idea. But that durn Tele control cavity! Tele players have a different mind set I guess: two knobs were good enough for Leo...

billkath · #11 10-22-2010, 06:16 PM

How about a push/pull volume control? You could then keep the bridge p/up and just instal your other neck one. Wire the neck p/pup to the normal place and the humbacker with the up position of push/pull pot so you select which neck one you want to use by just pulling the pot up or leaving it down. That way you can have CC. H/Bucker, Bridge and H/Bucker, Bridge and CC or just bridge. Tada!

Archie · #12 10-23-2010, 01:59 AM

I've got a brand new, never used Lollar P90 sitting in a drawer. I've been thinking of buying a Tele to put it in.

oldane · #13 10-23-2010, 09:06 AM

I have a Vintage Vibe HCC with Alnico 2 magnets in a Warmoth "project", I put together myself. Sounds wonderful, very full and yet clear, very balanced sound from bass to treble (with 12-52 chromes). Vintage Vibe pickups are delivered with two sets of magnets of your own choice (Alnico 2, 4, 5 and ceramic magnets are the options) so you can swap magnets yourself. I have no personal experience with the Lollar PUs but everyone rave about them.

amusiathread · #14 10-23-2010, 11:43 AM

every pickup in every one of my guitars is from Vintage Vibe, I think they're simply amazing. I have on of his CC-style pickups in a P90 which sounds pretty incredible.