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After a long bout of pick-up blues with the stock KA on my EXL-1, I decided to order a Pete Biltoft JS CC floater. I’m gonna try Blu-tack and the stock pots for now and may upgrade later to Schattens if there’s any oddness that crops up. Has anyone used one of the VV CC housed in the JS style from Biltoft? I haven’t been able to find anything but the man himself recommended this configuration based on this guitar. Who am I to disagree with such a suggestion?
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01-04-2021 01:08 AM
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Yep here. I have a CC floater on my 1953 L5C. Great mic'.
Best.
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Originally Posted by Fred Archtop
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How much Blu-tack should I use to get the height right? Wanna be close enough to the strings to ensure the Pu is operating accurately. Never used the stuff before.
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I had Peter Biltoft of Vintage Vibe Pickups build me a CC Rider floater humbucker to replace my Kent Armstrong 12 Pole peice PAF floater. Wonderful pickup but same can be said of the K.A. As well.
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These are great pickups. I've got two of them - I've just ordered another for a newly acquired instrument, this time with adjustable poles as I intend to use it with bronze and monel strings.
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Pete’s CC showed up today. Can’t wait to install this lil beauty. Having to work the next eight days in a row is bumming me out, since I’ll have to wait to get this guy connected. Here’s a sneak with it perched
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Man, that pickup looks great -- better on the guitar than just by itself in the first picture. Congrats!
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Originally Posted by archtopeddy
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I have my Blu-Tack at the ready. Gonna mount it like that for the initial ride then test out the results.
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Start with a small amount, about half the size of a pea on either end of the pickup. Aim to have the pickup just high enough that it is about 3/16 of an inch away from the strings. The bond sets up really quite strongly, so when you go to remove it- if you decide to mount it to the pick guard, for example- remove with gentle persistent pressure rather than yanking on it.
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Would you recommend using the blu-tack to adhere the mounting tab to the underside of the pick guard in addition to mounting the pu to the body?
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I’m leaving the stock pots that are mounted to the pickguard and already removed the KA that came with the guitar. Where should the new ground go? The KA had the hot lead soldered to the far right lug and the ground soldered to the back of the vol pot. However, the VV has instructions that SEEM to indicate that the braided SS wire needs to be grounded, too. Here’s the KA:
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Finally found time this morning to install the Biltoft CC. It was a little tricky dealing with the smaller pots but it didn’t take too long to get it buttoned up. I think it looks great and the sound is so much sweeter, smoother and bell-like than the Jazzy Joe that came stock. So far, it feels balanced and articulate. I have it attached with Blu Tack to the Pg and top right now. I’m aware that there is a screw missing where the pickup tab is meant to be mounted but I didn’t tap the tab on the CC so I’ll leave it as is for a bit while I see how the Blu Tack holds up. I’ve only played it for half an hour through my Katana 100 so I’m still very much in the honeymoon phase. All in all, I really like it so far. The Biltoft pickup is beautifully made and Pete was excellent to work with!
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Man, I’m loving this pickup. It really changed the character of the D’A. Such an improvement in tone over the KA. Where the KA was a bit boomy but brassy up top and lacked volume, the Biltoft is flatter, more dynamic and SEEMS to be louder. Could be a difference in frequency distribution maybe. Also, the new pickup is now in contact(sort of) with the top of the guitar, now. I’m really glad I didn’t pursue my original idea of routing the top to mount a set-in HB. Installing a new floater was waaaay easier.
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Originally Posted by Esport
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Originally Posted by ruger9
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Beautiful guitar, great addition.
A comment and a question: those D’Angelicos are just beautiful. It seems that D’A has taken over the archtop mantle from Gibson. Yes they’re not carved top, made in America. And yes the electronics may not be up to Gibson standards. But you can’t say you can’t get a beautiful archtop at a great price these days. Under the definition of jazz guitar in Websters, you could put the picture of the EXL-1. In fact, I think Mel Bay did that.
Per my recent discussion re’ the Grateful Dead, I am kind of jonesing for their GD SS with the American Beauty rose. I will resist the urge though.
The question is—does anyone have an opinion about a floating pickup on a laminate guitar? I put one on my Godin 5th Avenue—a GFS cheapie—and find the results to be quite acceptable. But my dumb brain seems to equate floater with carved top, set in with laminate top. Any thoughts?
Oh one more comment...I didn’t know they made a CC floater. With all the talk of CC’s on this website, I am sorely tempted to put one in one of my guitars. That seems like an interesting product. I don’t see it on their website. Do you mind sharing how much one of those costs? Looks like their set-in CC’s go for about $120.
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Originally Posted by Doctor Jeff
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Looks fab. What will you use to fill that hole in the guard?
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Originally Posted by Woody Sound
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Originally Posted by Esport
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Originally Posted by ruger9
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Originally Posted by Esport
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Originally Posted by ruger9
The Summer of Rhythm Guitar 2024
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