Pickups for a 1936 Gibson Black Special #4

**omphalopsychos** · 11-17-2018, 01:12 PM

Allow me to cast another vote for the CC pickup. I had this done last month and it was absolutely worth it. It's a 1940 L-50, so it has bigger f-holes, a different tailpiece, and a rosewood bridge. Jonathan Stout and one our local friends recommended the idea to me and a guy in SF that can do the mod. One of the best decisions I ever made. If I had the option to do this on a special black L-50, that would be my dream guitar. Unfortunately, the only black L-50 I was able to find was at Rudy's and they wanted something like $3k for it.

I guess I never posted a NGD about it, so, um, NGD!

**icr** · 11-17-2018, 04:54 PM

Wow, that 1940 L50 looks nice!

**Woody Sound** · 11-17-2018, 06:07 PM

The old Barcus Berry Hi Tek is very very thin and sounds wonderful, but they are expensive if you can find one.

**archtopeddy** · 11-17-2018, 06:24 PM

Originally Posted by Woody Sound

The old Barcus Berry Hi Tek is very very thin and sounds wonderful, but they are expensive if you can find one.

Wow Woody. I never heard of one before now. I guess you get the trophy for finding the thinnest pickup because the Hi Tek is only 5.5 mm thick -- less than a 1/4 inch! I woudn't have thought it was possible to make a pickup that thin. As for how it sounds, I guess I might never know. At around $500 a pop used, I won't be buying one anytime too soon.

**Woody Sound** · 11-17-2018, 08:23 PM

Originally Posted by archtopeddy

Wow Woody. I never heard of one before now. I guess you get the trophy for finding the thinnest pickup because the Hi Tek is only 5.5 mm thick -- less than a 1/4 inch! I woudn't have thought it was possible to make a pickup that thin. As for how it sounds, I guess I might never know. At around $500 a pop used, I won't be buying one anytime too soon.

I see there’s one on Reverb for $300. Still pretty stiff!

**312_JS** · 11-19-2018, 05:31 AM

The Barkus is the only pickup Gwyn Ashton uses on his Nationals.

In a perfect world, my Black Special (that was $1600) would have had the CC installed already, but I don't think I'm allowed to do this to a guitar like that, at least in my eyes.

**sgosnell** · 11-19-2018, 11:25 AM

If someone else should have done it, why can't you do it?

**312_JS** · 11-19-2018, 11:28 AM

Because I can't justify irreversibly modding an 82 years old guitar.

**sgosnell** · 11-19-2018, 12:00 PM

But you wish someone else had done it?

**312_JS** · 11-19-2018, 12:15 PM

I think you are mistaken. I never said anything like that.

**sgosnell** · 11-19-2018, 01:02 PM

Originally Posted by 312_JS

In a perfect world, my Black Special (that was $1600) would have had the CC installed already, but I don't think I'm allowed to do this to a guitar like that, at least in my eyes.

It's your guitar, and I don't care what you do with it, but I fail to understand the dissonance between believing that in a perfect world someone else had done something that you think you aren't allowed to do.

**312_JS** · 11-19-2018, 01:10 PM

I thought it's pretty obvious that buying one already modified is better than converting a stock one. There's already enough converted guitars, no need to route another one of the remaining original guitars. Not that many have been made.
AND my luthier friend said he'd kill me.

**omphalopsychos** · 11-19-2018, 01:21 PM

Originally Posted by 312_JS

I thought it's pretty obvious that buying one already modified is better than converting a stock one. There's already enough converted guitars, no need to route another one of the remaining original guitars. Not that many have been made.
AND my luthier friend said he'd kill me.

If you put something like a p90 or a humbucker, you'd be devaluing the guitar. However, installing a CC pickup will not detract from the value, and in fact, it is likely to increase the value. This has been shown by the premium price charged by Daniel Slaman for that mod and also by the L-50 conversion that recently sold on archtop.com at, again, a premium price. You may have your own opinion regarding the relative merits, but there's significant empirical support that the market value of a CC conversion will be positive relative to your capital investment.

More importantly, who gives a damn about the market value - do what you like with the guitar. If you like it enough acoustically, leave it as is. But it looks like you want a pickup. If that's the case, don't compromise. I know I wouldn't settle for a super thin floating pickup, or a DeArmond set halfway bw the bridge and neck, if that means compromising on the sound. Retrofitting a CC was the only option for me. As for the acoustic sound, it's still an L-50 after all. If I wanted a black Gibson from the 30s with a top-shelf acoustic voice, I'd get a nice L10. And if you still want to amplify it, you can properly fit a DeArmond on that one.

There's no need to compromise. Identify what would make you happiest, and do it. Don't worry about the market or the opinions of enthusiasts. If by personalizing the guitar with conviction you are able to achieve your vision for the instrument, you'll never have to worry about resale.