VintageVibe Charlie Christian pickup--clips

maxvintage · June 11th, 2007, 02:16 PM

I know there's been some interest but I had a hard time finding many clips of these pickups. So here are a few clips of a VintageVibe Charlie Christian pickup in an alder body tele. It's got the ceramic magnets installed. I tried to do these clips as dry and direct as possible, but also posted some variations "dressed up."

(Note: I posted part of this in another thread but thought it might be easier to find this way)

First clip, part of the head to "Have you met Miss Jones," played on the neck pickup alone, direct into a Mackie Satellite using GarageBand. No EQ, no effects--the direct sound of the pickup

Miss Jones plain:
http://chnm.gmu.edu/courses/magic/jones.mp4

And now, just to show how deceptive clips are, the same track with verb, compression and an amp sim

Miss Jones dolled up:
http://chnm.gmu.edu/courses/magic/Jones2.mp4

And here's the CC pickup in the middle position, with I think a Duncan Broadcaster in the bridge, playing the head to "Blue in Green." Direct in, completely dry:

Green, clean:
http://chnm.gmu.edu/courses/magic/cleangreen.mp4

And with amp sim, verb and a little chorus:
Wet Green:
http://chnm.gmu.edu/courses/magic/wetgreen.mp4

Finally, a clip recorded with a Budda Twinmaster 12, using an SM57 and a bit of verb. Neck pickup only

http://chnm.gmu.edu/courses/magic/riffy.mp4

It has a really thick sound--I have the pickup adjusted very low to be close to equal to the bridge pickup. I'm pretty happy with it. Plus it looks cool. pete's service is fast and he offers to sell you the pickup in a precut pickguard, which is way cool

Larry F · June 11th, 2007, 03:24 PM

Thanks very much for the demos. I've been interested in CCs for many years and am thinking about putting one in my Tele. This is very useful info here. Thanks again.

Maestro · June 13th, 2007, 08:06 PM

lovely. lovely sounding pickup. Thank you I've been looking for sound clips of these.

how do these compare to the lollar version?

markothefish · June 14th, 2007, 04:57 AM

That was great , It was amazingly full sounding with quite a bit of high end dynamics. It really sounded almost like a hollow body , very nice . I'd like to put one in a thinline tele I think it would make a nice small comfortable Jazz Box . Thank you for the clips.

52blue · June 15th, 2007, 02:31 PM

Hi,
Sounds really nice.
How did you decide on VV versus Lollar or other CC PUs?
Is this a solid ash tele?
How hot is the pick-up?
Any thoughts on coupling with a P90 in a bridge or (routed) middle position?
Thanks.

maxvintage · June 15th, 2007, 03:00 PM

Thanks you guys! I'd like to post a clip where I work on getting a really good sound instead of a flat sound, but then it wouldn't be saying much about the pickup

52blue:

I picked the VintageVibe because Pete will sell you a precut pickguard to fit. I can rout wood, but I just have a terrible time cutting pickguards--they always look awful when I cut them. Kind of a dumb reason, i know. Also Vintage Vibe is cheaper. I'd love to try the lollar version

It's an alder body tele, maple neck, string with roundwound pyramid 12s

It's a very hot pickup, especially with the ceramic magnets. It comes with two magnet sets, alnico and ceramic, and you can swap them out. The Alnico is weaker, and to get it to be even with the bridge pickup you need to raise it closer, which makes it a little muddier/bassier. With the ceramic mags it's very powerful--like a strong p-90 or a humbucker. It sounds great but it completely overwhelms the bridge pickup when it's raised close to the strings.

I've never tried a P-90 in the middle position--interesting idea

June 11th, 2007, 02:16 PM	#1 (permalink)
maxvintage Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Age: 49 Posts: 427	VintageVibe Charlie Christian pickup--clips I know there's been some interest but I had a hard time finding many clips of these pickups. So here are a few clips of a VintageVibe Charlie Christian pickup in an alder body tele. It's got the ceramic magnets installed. I tried to do these clips as dry and direct as possible, but also posted some variations "dressed up." (Note: I posted part of this in another thread but thought it might be easier to find this way) First clip, part of the head to "Have you met Miss Jones," played on the neck pickup alone, direct into a Mackie Satellite using GarageBand. No EQ, no effects--the direct sound of the pickup Miss Jones plain: http://chnm.gmu.edu/courses/magic/jones.mp4 And now, just to show how deceptive clips are, the same track with verb, compression and an amp sim Miss Jones dolled up: http://chnm.gmu.edu/courses/magic/Jones2.mp4 And here's the CC pickup in the middle position, with I think a Duncan Broadcaster in the bridge, playing the head to "Blue in Green." Direct in, completely dry: Green, clean: http://chnm.gmu.edu/courses/magic/cleangreen.mp4 And with amp sim, verb and a little chorus: Wet Green: http://chnm.gmu.edu/courses/magic/wetgreen.mp4 Finally, a clip recorded with a Budda Twinmaster 12, using an SM57 and a bit of verb. Neck pickup only http://chnm.gmu.edu/courses/magic/riffy.mp4 It has a really thick sound--I have the pickup adjusted very low to be close to equal to the bridge pickup. I'm pretty happy with it. Plus it looks cool. pete's service is fast and he offers to sell you the pickup in a precut pickguard, which is way cool

June 13th, 2007, 08:06 PM	#3 (permalink)
Maestro Tele-Holic Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: The United Lowlands Of Holland Posts: 755	lovely. lovely sounding pickup. Thank you I've been looking for sound clips of these. how do these compare to the lollar version? __________________ A clean conscience is usually the result of a bad memory.

June 14th, 2007, 04:57 AM	#4 (permalink)
markothefish Friend of Leo's Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Greenville, Rhode Island Age: 43 Posts: 2,362 7 Photos	That was great , It was amazingly full sounding with quite a bit of high end dynamics. It really sounded almost like a hollow body , very nice . I'd like to put one in a thinline tele I think it would make a nice small comfortable Jazz Box . Thank you for the clips. __________________ Quote me as saying I was mis-quoted. Groucho Marx

June 11th, 2007, 03:24 PM	#2 (permalink)
Larry F Friend of Leo's Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Iowa City, IA Age: 56 Posts: 3,040	Thanks very much for the demos. I've been interested in CCs for many years and am thinking about putting one in my Tele. This is very useful info here. Thanks again.

June 15th, 2007, 02:31 PM	#5 (permalink)
52blue TDPRI Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: San Francisco Posts: 67	Hi, Sounds really nice. How did you decide on VV versus Lollar or other CC PUs? Is this a solid ash tele? How hot is the pick-up? Any thoughts on coupling with a P90 in a bridge or (routed) middle position? Thanks.

June 15th, 2007, 03:00 PM	#6 (permalink)
maxvintage Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Age: 49 Posts: 427	Thanks you guys! I'd like to post a clip where I work on getting a really good sound instead of a flat sound, but then it wouldn't be saying much about the pickup 52blue: I picked the VintageVibe because Pete will sell you a precut pickguard to fit. I can rout wood, but I just have a terrible time cutting pickguards--they always look awful when I cut them. Kind of a dumb reason, i know. Also Vintage Vibe is cheaper. I'd love to try the lollar version It's an alder body tele, maple neck, string with roundwound pyramid 12s It's a very hot pickup, especially with the ceramic magnets. It comes with two magnet sets, alnico and ceramic, and you can swap them out. The Alnico is weaker, and to get it to be even with the bridge pickup you need to raise it closer, which makes it a little muddier/bassier. With the ceramic mags it's very powerful--like a strong p-90 or a humbucker. It sounds great but it completely overwhelms the bridge pickup when it's raised close to the strings. I've never tried a P-90 in the middle position--interesting idea