The Gretsch Pages: Discussions: Other Guitars: Modifying My Epiphone Emperor

Modifying My Epiphone Emperor

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- Rated: 48 ↑
May 18, 2008 11:36 p.m. dmanlow:

A long way indeed. It looks great and I hope it sounds as good as it looks too. Thanks for sharing with us. +1 up!
- Rated: 42 ↑
May 18, 2008 11:47 p.m. Dan:

Why thank you dmanlow... It does sound great...straight from the 1950s :-)

When I get time I'll relearn how to use my digital recorder (its been setting idle for a long spell) and post an old Eddy Arnold song.

Dan
- Rated: 28 ↑
May 18, 2008 11:47 p.m. 57 Chet :

Hey Dan,

THAT LOOKS GREAT!

I don't know about the problem with the "E" on the truss rod ... unless you want to make it into a "D" ... as in Daniphone ... and I don't know about the tuner issues either ... Stairsteps would be apropos ...

I can't wait to hear some sound samples ...

Thanks!

57 Chet
- Rated: 28 ↑
May 18, 2008 11:51 p.m. 57 Chet :

Oops, I should have re-read the thread before posting!

Ha !

Great job Dan!
- Rated: 42 ↑
May 18, 2008 11:54 p.m. Dan:

Hey Chet, Thanks... Lighter fluid takes off the "E" pretty quick (I never understood why Epiphone felt they needed their brand on 3 places on this guitar...) and I'm thinking about getting Charlie Christian or Hank Garland's name engraved on that part.

Maybe a trophy shop can do that I'm thinking.

Funny you mentioned the stairsteps...the tuners I've ordered are the Grover Imperials (stairsteps)

Dan
- Rated: 42 ↑
May 19, 2008 9:58 a.m. JC:

Looks great Dan,looking forward to hearing it
- Rated: 61 ↑
May 19, 2008 10:31 a.m. Bear:

Modern incarnations of the CC pickup have the overwound coil with the bigger wire gauge, but a more modern (alnico)magnet. I bet a good pickup builder like Lollar knows what he's doing, and that wire gauge and coil is responsible for more than half of the sound of a CC pickup. a larger coil with small wire results in a typical overwound, loud, overly midrangey pickup, and the highs dissappear as the coil gets larger, but the bigger gauge in CC pickups somehow makes for a loud pickup with a full-range sound, and the treble intact.

I'm not sure what the magnet material on the original (and Seymour replicas) was, but it was huge, and pre-alnico. (that's the big metal thing that the Lollars don't have).

There are some transitional Gibson pickups with the CC look and coil, but a different magnet. CC pickups really compare more to various pre-war lapsteel pickups than anything else. I've heard Bigsby pickups have the bigger wire/lower resistance too, but I've never even seen one up close.

The most accurate CC pickup I've found as far as original construction techniques and material used comes from a builder in the UK. The sound of this pickup is right on the money in my opinion. Here is the link: CC Pickup - UK
- Rated: 42 ↑
May 19, 2008 4:08 p.m. Dan:

Bear, have you tried this UK pup? Dan
- Rated: 61 ↑
May 19, 2008 4:55 p.m. Bear:

Bear, have you tried this UK pup? Dan

Yes Dan I have and it is spectacular. I happen to have a Gypsy jazz album by Colin Cosimini that was given to me as a gift. I had never heard of Colin and while Googling him, I discovered his website. Colin is the manufacturer of this CC pickup along with another gentleman by the name of Stuart I believe.

Anyway, I turned a friend onto Colin's website since I knew my friend was looking for the most original sounding CC he could find after searching endlessly for an original without much luck. Long story short, my friend who also happens to be a luthier in So Cal orders one and installs it in the ES250 clone he was building and it is just awesome.

My friend plays it through an old Gibson tube amp and it sounds like Barney Kessel is sitting in the living room with you. The one he got was the solid bar 1936 model.
- Rated: 42 ↑
May 19, 2008 8:43 p.m. Dan:

I've seen their (UK) site and those CC pups look very, historically correct.

Seymour claims he's also remaking his CC pups to original specs...and also offers custom wound versions to user's specs.

The SD CC I have sounds great, but I would like to have the UK version and SD's mounted on the same style guitar to rate these guys.

Too bad there's hardly any technical info out there for these pups...at the UK or SD website. There were no specs or instructions included with the SD CC pup I purchased...bummer.

Bear, can you have your friend check the pickup (from the top of the bar) to the strings distance on the CC equipped guitar you've mentioned? I would appreciate having that info.

I like old guitars and old sounds...the older the better :-)

Thanks JC
- Rated: 61 ↑
May 19, 2008 10:19 p.m. Bear:

Bear, can you have your friend check the pickup (from the top of the bar) to the strings distance on the CC equipped guitar you've mentioned? I would appreciate having that info.

Done! I sent my friend an email and asked for the measurement you requested. He can sometimes be a little slow in responding so please be patient.

I understand that he is currently building a TV Jones equipped 2 1/2" fully hollow Tele with Bigsby for a certain renowned British guitarist partial to black Stratocasters... and yes, I already asked for pictures.
- Rated: 42 ↑
May 20, 2008 7:53 a.m. Dan:

Thanks Bear...and I save every photo I can get re: CC installs as well (if thats not asking too much :-) Dan
- Rated: 61 ↑
May 20, 2008 9:56 a.m. Bear:

I'll definitely see what I can do.
- Rated: 42 ↑
Jun 8, 2008 10:57 p.m. Dan:

For members who are interested in CC pickups... I came across this custom archtop builder's site recently. I'm sure some of our members are indeed aware of Daniel Slaman and his quality guitars, but this was my first visit to his site.

Wow...nice guitars he builds- and lots of CC photos.

I sent him an email regarding pickup height settings re: a CC pup... he responded below :-)

His reply: "I would say average height is the bar about 8 to 5 milimeters under the strings, depend on the guitar and the sound you want. Closer to the strings is a warmer, deeper voice and less close to the strings is a lighter more rhythm type of sound. I love the CC pickups, both Lollar and CC from Great Britain, best jazz guitar sound for me."

Bear is also working to get more info regarding CC pups.

www.slamanguitars.com

Dan
- Rated: 20 ↑
Jun 8, 2008 11:10 p.m. TAG4:

Dan--We NEVER get tired of seeing your projects! How many beautiful sunbursts have you done--FORTY? Each one a masterpiece!

TAG4
- Rated: 10 ↑
Jun 9, 2008 3:43 a.m. Daddy-O:

I have two CC type pickups made by Vintage Vibe one a jet and the other on a 16'' Ibanez archtop. I had these wound a hair under 5 ohms and I get a nice Barney and Charlie sound . A friend just got cut a CD with one of these pickups and gets a nice Kessel sound with the vintage vibe pickup on a ES-175. Soundclips will be posted on the VV website in about a month. With my Jet I get a sound like Dave Biller on his You Tube video he is playing a Lollar CC on a Tele. I guess this is a poor mans CC pickup. I paid under a hundred for the pu and installed it in about twenty minutes. May I say on the jet I get some blues tones that I cannot compare to other players tone but I can tell you they are nasty ! I love the sound of a CC pickup maybe the best jazz pickup ever made. Charlie Christain he was the man
- Rated: 42 ↑
Jun 9, 2008 8:07 a.m. Dan:

Thank you Tag4! Not that many yet :-)

DaddyO: Walter says you can get real close with the Lollar because of its design. Post some photos of yours DaddyO... What is the distance between the top of your Lollar CC's and the strings? And, how do you adjust the pup height? I would like to see your specs and photos posted.

The Slaman link above shows archtop guitars with Lollar pups...and how Daniel installs them with his unique mounting system...NEAT!
- Rated: 6 ↑
Aug 29, 2008 3:09 p.m. Echosonic:

Dan, your pictures are no longer in this thread, wonder why?