Does the CC have a vintage vibe?

[Majestic]

Re: Does the CC have a vintage vibe?

If the Custom Custom "EQ shape" is what you're looking for, then just go with that. If it's too "compressed" or too thick for your Gibson, then Hybrid it for the same price.

Think of a '59 as a square. Think of the Custom 5 as a large square. If you marry the two coils, and keep the A5 magnet, you've got a "medium" square. It's a very natural and intuitive combination. It's almost a no-brainer.

In your case, you're looking at a Custom Custom. Think of a 59' with an A2 magnet as a circle. Think of a CC as a large circle. Marry the two, and use the A2 magnet, and you've got a "medium" circle.

You'll get the thickness that you seek from the CC, but the "breathing room" that a low output pickup offers. Same price as a normal Duncan.

You need to contact BachToRock.

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Does the CC have a vintage vibe?

If the Custom Custom "EQ shape" is what you're looking for, then just go with that. If it's too "compressed" or too thick for your Gibson, then Hybrid it for the same price.

Think of a '59 as a square. Think of the Custom 5 as a large square. If you marry the two coils, and keep the A5 magnet, you've got a "medium" square. It's a very natural and intuitive combination. It's almost a no-brainer.

In your case, you're looking at a Custom Custom. Think of a 59' with an A2 magnet as a circle. Think of a CC as a large circle. Marry the two, and use the A2 magnet, and you've got a "medium" circle.

You'll get the thickness that you seek from the CC, but the "breathing room" that a low output pickup offers. Same price as a normal Duncan.

You need to contact BachToRock.

Weird examples but it works I guess? LOL :smack: :laugh2:

 

[Zerberus]

Re: Does the CC have a vintage vibe?

Sure! Vintage EVH anyway...:laugh2:
...

+1, N1 Lew

 

[Byakhee00]

Re: Does the CC have a vintage vibe?

Cc & A2p

 

[Robert S.]

Re: Does the CC have a vintage vibe?

I have a CC in a LP and its not what I'd call a vintage sounding pickup. I have an Antiquity set in another LP and those are vintage sounding.

While the CC sounds great clean and covers most any style it's output and eq are far from vintage. You'll notice the difference between a true PAF style pickup and the CC mostly when played clean or in a non-master volume amp with limited headroom. An 8k pickup just has more spank and airiness to its tone compared to the CC.

Im not sure what a vintage "vibe" is. If you mean does it have a good clean tone then sure but there's more to it than that. Under gain the CC is going to tighten up your preamp section and drive the power section harder than vintage will, giving you a bit more compression and focus.

Under high gain it won't matter, everything starts to sound the same anyways.

 

[Majestic]

Re: Does the CC have a vintage vibe?

Boy, I don't agree with that at all.

Under a true high-gain amp, with excess preamp tubes (5150, Recto, etc), a low output pickup is going to sound waaay different (ie. "Better") than a high-output pickup, unless you've got tin eardrums.

I cannot....I simply CANNOT imagine going back to a 17k pickup through a 5150. Yeck.......

In my mind, a lower output pickup and lower-wattage speakers are the only thing that makes them bearable. Unless you're into sludge-metal....BUT....you know what they say about opions....:laugh2:

 

[Robert S.]

Re: Does the CC have a vintage vibe?

I don't know that the high gain statement is that far off. I find that the differences in a pickups eq and output are far more apparent through a clean amp with tons of headroom or through an amp made before the "lets make them even hotter" mid 80s and 90s.

Through a pristine, clean amp you will hear the EQ of the pickup and the differences between a 59 and a CC will be readily apparent. There is far more openess in the mids with an 8k pickup and the top end will be far brighter. Even comparing a Seth or PG to a CC with simular magnets through a Twin will get you far different results. It's hard to miss the rounded top end and mid peak of a CC through a clean amp.

Through a 2203 or earlier Marshall you get something a little different. As you approach the point where the power section starts to clip a 14k CC is going to push the amp harder and you'll get more clipping and "push" from a CC than you will from an 8k vintage wind. That was the whole point behind the development of pickups like the JB, DD and Dmz Super Distortion. Push the amp harder, make more distortion, sustain and compression. You can hear and feel the difference that a hotter pickup makes in this case and its not something you need to struggle with to hear.

With high gain amps something a little different happens. As your saturation point approaches 100% you get a lot of compression. That compression levels off the mid spike you find in the CC and the tone starts to even out. Now this isn't to say that at a point all pickups sound the same under high gain but their differences do start to become less apparent. Granted, the levels of compression will be different due to output differences in the pickups and 8K pickups will retain more clarity under moderate amounts of gain but get the gain way up and even that starts to minimize.

Being the owner of an amp with gain to spare and quite a bit of tone shaping available I have been able to do a bit of experimentation over the last couple of years and you'd be suprized just how simular a 59 can sound to a JB if you roll the gain around and push the EQ where you need it to spike.

I"ve been doing quite a bit of recording and mixing lately and once you start EQing high gain tones the differences are even less apparent.

All this isn't to say that you will get the same results with a 59 as you will with a DD and that the differences in tone and the effects of output on the pre and power sections relating to tone and compression don't count because they do and dramatically but the differences between a 59, a CC and a DD will be far more noticeable under lower gain settings.

I guess the statement "it won't matter" is a little too absolute and the differences will exaggerate the farther the specs of two pickups become. A Custom will sound closer to a DD than a 59 will under gain but if you spin the knobs correctly you might be suprized how close you can get them.

Some of the most brutal tones I have gotten from my rig are a DD in a LP or a Dime in a PRS through the Recto, Mark II, III and IV voices of my Triaxis/2:90 rig. Both are 16k+ pickups into a high gain rig and both will rip your head off without loss of clarity or dynamics.

You just have to know how to dial them in.

BTW Magestic, if you are in the greater Detroit area look me up. I'm always open for new folks to make overly loud guitar tones with.

 

[Byakhee00]

Re: Does the CC have a vintage vibe?

Um... I agree. Well put, Robert.
:notworthy :headbang:

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Does the CC have a vintage vibe?

I think of the C-5 and CC as the answer for those wanting a beefier sounding 59 or Seth Lover. It's for that reason that all 4 are some of my favorite pickups.

I just dial in a guitar, knowing whether I want low output A5 or A2, or higher output A5 or A2. In mahogany guitars with lots of mids, I balance it out with A5's or low output A2's. In guitars that need to be pushed, or have feeble mids, I'll go for high output C-5 or CC. Sometimes, you need to hear all your favorites in the same guitar, then you REALLY know what you want.

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Does the CC have a vintage vibe?

Boy, I don't agree with that at all.

Under a true high-gain amp, with excess preamp tubes (5150, Recto, etc), a low output pickup is going to sound waaay different (ie. "Better") than a high-output pickup, unless you've got tin eardrums.

I cannot....I simply CANNOT imagine going back to a 17k pickup through a 5150. Yeck.......

In my mind, a lower output pickup and lower-wattage speakers are the only thing that makes them bearable. Unless you're into sludge-metal....BUT....you know what they say about opions....:laugh2:

Robert has the same answers I'd have on the subject and I don't agree with your mindset on the topic. The 5150 has a pretty buzzy(mosquito like)preamp and doesn't make a good candidate for talking about articulation of notes with any pickup?

 

[inter]

Re: Does the CC have a vintage vibe?

It's pretty simple really, any hi-gain amp doesn't need any extra windings on a pickup for a sweet singing articlate tone.

Anything over 12k start's to push the preamp section, espeacially at lower volumes.

If your after a vintage tone from the CC, I'm sure you could teak any amp to get a raspy grinding distorted tone, but I doubt it'll have that airy quality of a 8-11k pup.

 

[Aceman]

Re: Does the CC have a vintage vibe?

If by vintage you mean "Like a 59" no -
If by vintage you mean not a mega-distortion pup - yes
If by vintage you mean "Led Zep IV black dog / rock & roll" - It's my go to pup!

Pair it with a PG neck - awesome combo for all things classic rock and more.

 

[Majestic]

Re: Does the CC have a vintage vibe?

I don't agree with your mindset on the topic.

It's actually a pretty popular sentiment around here, I've found.

I'm not a fan of a low bandwidth pickup through a low-bandwidth amp.

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Does the CC have a vintage vibe?

It's actually a pretty popular sentiment around here, I've found.

I'm not a fan of a low bandwidth pickup through a low-bandwidth amp.

It's all good though and just one's opinion...:beerchug:

 

[kmcguitars]

Re: Does the CC have a vintage vibe?

I find the CC in a clean amp like my Princeton on 3 sounds kinda hard or barkie playing blues licks. But turn the vol. past 6 and kick on a TS-9 and the PuP totally comes alive with sweet singing sustain. Where a vintage tone is desirered the CC wouldn't be my 1st choise, But it's very capable of achiving some vintage vibe. It's a very verseatile PuP.