ASAT Bluesboy, with a Charlie Christian?

[Halowords]

Hey everybody,

For some reason I've got this crazy itch to get a semi-hollow Bluesboy and put a Charlie Christian pickup in the neck. Similar in a way to why I'm curious about the MFD's, it's that warm, sorta-like-a-rounder-P90, Jazz pickup thing.

First, if any of you have tried this, any notable differences, pro's, or con's to the Seth Lover in the neck and its general application?

Second, any good reasons to do this (or not)? Feel free to talk me out of this. Anyway, once I get the funds and spousal permission, I think I want to get an ASAT. If there are any persuasive points to push that motivation into (or away from) a Bluesboy with a CC in the neck (Humbucker sized or new pick guard that would fit the standard sized CC), I'm all ears.

If I'm going to try a CC, AND I already want an ASAT, this seems like as good a platform as any in which to consider it.

-Cheers

[sirmyghin]

Seeing as you don't have a bluesboy, have you actually sat down with one for a while? Don't try to fix a problem that may not exist is what I am getting at. Sounds like you are gassing so hard you are going from guitars to pickups and beyond, when all you might need is a guitar. Bad idea to buy a guitar looking for it to house pickups.

[astutzmann]

the seth lover is amazing, I love it, not sure why you'd want to change it. If you want the other pickup, put it in a different guitar, not a bluesboy

[Halowords]

Good points. You might be right that I'm going about this backward.

-Cheers

[blargfromouterspace]

I'm deeply in love with my SH Bluesboy as it is. The Seth Lover p/u is amazing and is one thing I never intend to change about it. But it's not like a pickup change isn't reversible so go ahead, I'd love to know how they match up with the MFD. I often have GAS for the CC p/u, I have a suitable sized route in a parts guitar to try it out one day. The only time I've heard one in the flesh was at a clinic hosted by Redd Volkaert, and man it sounded good.

If you do get one, don't get the humbucker sized one, they look sooooooo goofy. IMO.

[Xochitl]

I may understand your gas as we are not always looking for "only" a guitar but for a bit of a dream as well. Here are some links that may help you (or get you hooked) if you don't already know them:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuwQtM0Y9IM (Jason Lollar / Lollar Pickups - Charlie Christian install - Part 1)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuiKcPe-K58 (Lollar Charlie Christian Pickups Demo Vol.2)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgYsugjmITc (Tim Lerch / Lollar Charlie Christian Demo)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWaeIrVLhmE (Tim Lerch - Lollar Charlie Christian - 7 Sounds)

[sacklg]

I'm sure a CC will not fit into a Semi-Hollow, you have to remove to much wood. Check Lollar's site, I would put it in a ASAT Classic though.

[Xochitl]

Pup builders, like Lollar or Seymour Duncan, offer a construction without the original 3 bolts design. This version is apparently a (near) fit to a P90 route. I wonder then if a Classic Custom could take it.

[Halowords]

I may understand your gas as we are not always looking for "only" a guitar but for a bit of a dream as well. Here are some links that may help you (or get you hooked) if you don't already know them:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuwQtM0Y9IM (Jason Lollar / Lollar Pickups - Charlie Christian install - Part 1)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuiKcPe-K58 (Lollar Charlie Christian Pickups Demo Vol.2)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgYsugjmITc (Tim Lerch / Lollar Charlie Christian Demo)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWaeIrVLhmE (Tim Lerch - Lollar Charlie Christian - 7 Sounds)

Tim Lerch kind of got me into this mess. Seriously though, that is one time when I just listened to the clip of a pickup I was mildly interested in, heard Tim playing it in his two Tele w/ Charlie Christian neck pickups, and it set me off to tone chasing.

sirmyghin is kind of right though. I DID sort of start fantasizing about a sound without even having a guitar to play with first. I think I'd still like to try one but maybe in a Tele-Partscaster, and just plan on getting a Bluesboy to, well, have a Bluesboy, and not thinking how I could replace the Seth with something else without playing with what is a notoriously awesome pickup in its own right. However, I am interested in playing around with a Charlie Christian. Not to obsess on one pickup, but I do really like the overall sound profile they seem to throw out.

-Cheers

[sirmyghin]

Even if you use the same pickup as the man you won't sound like him. What sets a player apart, is it really 'their tone', is 'their tone' really just a product of the pickup? How do you get rounder jazz tones, you pick lighter, evenly and even use some fingers (I hybrid pick a lot), my ASAT special can do it, my Rebel yells (bareknuckle) in my Carvin contour can do it. Maybe you just need to roll off a touch of tone too. You really can't equate someones tone with their pickups. Notice how Lerch is playing finger style, that warms up stuff up right away. Looking at the Lerch demo, I don't hear anything special, nothing I could not mimic with what is already in my stable. The "balances well if set to the right height" made me laugh as that is a 'well duh' moment.

The right technique for the job, often trumps the 'right' tool.

[Halowords]

Even if you use the same pickup as the man you won't sound like him. What sets a player apart, is it really 'their tone', is 'their tone' really just a product of the pickup?

The right technique for the job, often trumps the 'right' tool.

Part of it is that I'm curious in trying different things. There is also a certain sound profile I am after. There is this slightly-rounder, humfree, Jazz-capable and somewhat P90-ish sound I'm envisioning. It is not so much that I am trying to sound just like anybody, just certain certain type/range of sound I like, and a Tele/ASAT neck seemed like a reasonably inconspicuous place to try something for kicks in the replacement-pickup department. Just going from the specs and sound clips, it seems like a setup (CC-neck and something like a Lollar Special T or MFD bridge) that I would probably like.

On the other hand . . . You might be totally right. That does make sense, and yeah, I should get and play around with an ASAT (or any guitar) before I plan on a replacement for something that might not even need it.

-Cheers

[astutzmann]

I just rebuilt a partscaster tele, was a fun project and want to do another. This post is giving me the idea to do a tele with 2 humbuckers! I dont have a 2 humbucker guitar..............

[Halowords]

I just rebuilt a partscaster tele, was a fun project and want to do another. This post is giving me the idea to do a tele with 2 humbuckers! I dont have a 2 humbucker guitar..............

Yeah, Hamer does a nice looking one, only they call it a Talladega.


-Cheers

[astutzmann]

ya, we should probably move this to the projects section but I have never tried a tone pro style bridge as thinking of a saddle lock style. Interesting, hmmmmm

[Halowords]

ya, we should probably move this to the projects section but I have never tried a tone pro style bridge as thinking of a saddle lock style. Interesting, hmmmmm

Well, not sure why I blanked on this, but the ASAT Deluxe is a 2x Humbucker:



Anyway, I didn't mean to go totally left-field on this.

-Cheers

[astutzmann]

yup, gotta get me one!

[Xochitl]

Tim Lerch kind of got me into this mess. Seriously though, that is one time when I just listened to the clip of a pickup I was mildly interested in, heard Tim playing it in his two Tele w/ Charlie Christian neck pickups, and it set me off to tone chasing.

This guy is somehow crazy as/and he doesn't help curing from gas!

[blargfromouterspace]

That Tim Lerch demo is great, he's a wonderful player. This one is a great lesson about another great lesson. I think his speaking voice matches his guitar tone:


[youtube]TLsNXbHtY8c[/youtube]

[asphalt-abate]

Do you have $3000?

You could just buy this one:

http://cgi.ebay.com/LENTZ-Telecaster-no ... 3924742667

Tom

[Halowords]

That Tim Lerch demo is great, he's a wonderful player. This one is a great lesson about another great lesson.

It is, however now my head hurts.

-Cheers