Pete Biltoft VVG Humbucker Sized Charlie Christian in Tele

[daddyopapa]

I just installed the VVG HCC in the neck of my spruce topped chambered ash Telething. From the time I ordered it to the time it arrived in Canada was 6 days! That's freakish fast considering I don't believe he had it in stock. I also ordered a regulat humbucker.

The pickup is really well made and Pete shipped it with AlNi 2 magnets installed and Alnico 3 magnets as spares as part of deal. Instead of the regular sheetmetal legs with threaded holes, Pete's pups have a brass threaded insert and matching threaded screws that are a bit heavier than normal.

The pickup sounds instantly like an old jazz guitar - dark and woody through a DRRI set on 5. The pup is very powerful although it measures out at only 5.6K ohms. I've got it adjusted pretty much flush with the body. It delivers woody jazz and blues tones easily overdriving the amp when you dig in. I'm using 250K pots and -022mF caps so I'm going to experiment with 500K pots and .047mF caps to experiment a bit.

I'll be putting the humbucker in the bridge of my Flying V onc some new pots show up.


I'm very happy with VVG.

[Stackabones]

Cool! Any clips?

btw, looks like a beatiful grain on the git.

[dB]

Lotsa love for Pete here. I have his regular CC + bridge pickup in my Tele and I LOVE them for all the reasons you described, plus Pete is really great to deal with. Definitely two thumbs up.


dB

[daddyopapa]

Wow, didn't realized I'd pasted the text twice.

I'd love to do clips but I'm not set up for recording.

Thanks for the compliments on the grain. The top is tight grained spruce with some bear claw. I was lucky to get it from USACG. The top sat in his special area for months.

Here is a few pics from before when it had a Seymour Duncan Alnico II neck pup. I tried a SD Vinatge Minibucker and then a Seth Lover and I like the HCC best.






Cheers.

[Ed Bickert]

That's a freakish looking pup! lol Sounds like it could be very interesting though. I currently have a Benedetto A6 in the neck of my tele. This pup is almost impossible to overdrive (which I wanted), very clean with a flat response across the spectrum (no boomy bass or shrill highs). Perfect for jazz, perfect for non-overdriven blues, terrible for anything requiring overdrive. Though it can be overdriven from the preamp or a pedal...of course.

[axmaker]

pete is great. he used to live by me before he moved to oregon. went to his shop a few times. used his pups on a couple of teles:

[RomanS]

Another user of the HCC on a (Thinline) Tele here - that HCC is BY FAR my all-time favorite neck-pickup, I've never played another neck pickup which has such a full, warm, big, yet always transparent sound!
Thinking about ordering a regular CC for my other Thinline at the moment...

[daddyopapa]

Cool guitars, Axmaker. The Tele style seems to be the most mod-able guitar there is. The small block Chev of the guitar world.

[axmaker]

Originally Posted by RomanS

Another user of the HCC on a (Thinline) Tele here - that HCC is BY FAR my all-time favorite neck-pickup, I've never played another neck pickup which has such a full, warm, big, yet always transparent sound!
Thinking about ordering a regular CC for my other Thinline at the moment...

you're preachin' to the choir....

[OaklandA]

Until recently I had a Vintage Vibe CCR in the neck and it's a great pickup. Fat, warm but articulate. Really unique and nice on a Tele.



Pete is a great guy to deal with...I'd definitely reccomend them.

Sadly, due to finances I had to part with this guitar.

[daddyopapa]

I switched the pots to 500K and the high end became much more open and airy but still full when pushed. I quick twist of the tone knob and it's back to a full jazz sound. I'm very pleased with this mod.

[BigDaddyLH]

Axmaker,

I'm thinking a getting a Charlie Christian - type neck pickup, and I really like the "no pickguard" look of your Teles. I thought it might be impossible to get a snug fit in the rout because the CC Rider has a much wider bottom flange than top:



But I hadn't thought of using the HCC (humbucker-size)! Did you have any problem going without a pickguard with the HCC? I also notice the top guitar has mounting screws and the bottom doesn't. Anything up with that?

[Chris S.]

All these comments were made well over a year ago, so they may not be following (or looking for) this thread anymore. But maybe you'll get some answers, we'll see. Just FYI. -- CS

[BigDaddyLH]

Woops! Sorry about that. I'll send a private message if there's no response, but I thought other forum members might have some insight as well.

[axmaker]

Originally Posted by BigDaddyLH

Axmaker,

I'm thinking a getting a Charlie Christian - type neck pickup, and I really like the "no pickguard" look of your Teles. I thought it might be impossible to get a snug fit in the rout because the CC Rider has a much wider bottom flange than top:



But I hadn't thought of using the HCC (humbucker-size)! Did you have any problem going without a pickguard with the HCC? I also notice the top guitar has mounting screws and the bottom doesn't. Anything up with that?

it's doable, but eveything has to line up perfect. i'm blessed with thin long fingers, and was barely able to get the mounting hardware threaded in.

[BigDaddyLH]

Thanks for the warning. I'm cursed with sausage fingers