Lollar Charlie Christian Pickup for Humbucker (Routed)

[NSJ]

I'm thinking of swapping out the '57 Classic neck pickup on my ES-339 and getting a Lollar CC for Humbucker route. This one:

Charlie Christian for Humbucker Route

I absolutely love the Lollar CC pickups!

Anybody try to put 'em on the neck of a semi-hollow? Regrets? How did the sound and tone change?

Thanks in advance for any input you may have

[Steve Z]

Sounds like it would be very cool. Definitely let us know what you think if you decide to make the swap.

[Drifter]

I love the idea of installing a Lollar CC in an archtop or semi-hollow but I'm not sure if I would give up a Classic 57 for it. Anyway, if you ever do, please let us know how it worked out.

[Jumpturn]

I installed one in the neck position of an Epiphone dot studio with lovely results. Gritty, bluesy, and dry, it really does a fantastic job of capturing the essence of great jazz comping/rhythm and plays beautiful solos. It really depends on what you're looking for. Those Lollar 57 humbuckers are also outstanding pups--in fact, I use the imperial bridge with the CC for humbucker. Great combination of tones. While my dot doesn't quite capture the "Christian" tone, it really isn't meant to. For that, you'd need a full hollow, no blocks. What it did do is take a $200 guitar and make it sound like $1200 guitar.

I find the CC/humbucker route has slightly less gain, which I like. If I want to drive an amp a little harder, I go to an axe w/Lollar standard p90s. The Lollar pickups have a clear, luminous quality that I simply cannot find anywhere else. I just cannot get away from them.

[Franz 1997]

I have used the Lollar HB mount CC pickup in a 175, and it sounds just like his full sized CCs. It's a great sound, and although I marginally prefer older gibson HBs for their all-around flexibility and characteristic ''instant jazz'' sound, the HB CC is very, very good. He winds them with fat wire, like the original 1939 version, to about 3k impedance; I don't think the various other CC pickups wound with ''normal'' 42 awg quite get the same sound.

[NSJ]

I did wind up doing it.

Negative: does not match the bridge pup, but WHO in the right mind seriously CARES?
Negative: not noiseless, but acceptable.

Positives: unreal string clarity, it really eradicates any semblance of muddiness. Amazing clarity, balance and richness as far as the constituent strings. Did not matter at all that there were no pole pieces.

The tech who did it was amazed at the sound. He clearly was not used to that sound and pickup. Even the most critical of critical persons and the absolutely most qualified person I know, my teacher, was complimentary about the sound, even inquiring about who made it.

yeah, no regrets. Whatsoever.

There's a reason the Charlie Christians join the DeArmond Rhythm Chiefs as the holy grail of jazz pickups.

[Double 07]

I'm gonna have to check out these Lollar Pup's, he's a local company to me.

[SamBooka]

Lollar has two things going for them:

1. Amazing product. I have never been disappointed with anything I have purchased (I am up to 5 PUs now).

2. Amazing customer service. Maybe I love their pickups so much because between Jason and Greg, they take the time to ask ME the right questions to help find the pickup I am looking for. They havent been wrong yet.

[rexi]

Thanks for sharing your experience with the cc pickup, i´ve been considering the same for a 335 style guitar. How much would you say the noise is compared to strat single coils for example?

Any chance of a sound clip?

[NSJ]

Originally Posted by rexi

Thanks for sharing your experience with the cc pickup, i´ve been considering the same for a 335 style guitar. How much would you say the noise is compared to strat single coils for example?

Any chance of a sound clip?

I just signed up with Soundcloud, so maybe I'll be able to figure out how to use it and post something.

[NSJ]

OK, very hastily made 1 minute sample, first 30 seconds or so with a pick, last 30 seconds fingers.

339 Sample by NSingh on SoundCloud - Create, record and share your sounds for free

[Al_F]

Originally Posted by NSJ

OK, very hastily made 1 minute sample, first 30 seconds or so with a pick, last 30 seconds fingers.

339 Sample by NSingh on SoundCloud - Create, record and share your sounds for free

Thanks! Very nice, I have a 335, & often think about putting in a Lollar CC. It sounds great.