Charlie Christian PU Question

CrowBear Schmitt · Post by **CrowBear Schmitt** » 22 Feb 2008 10:17 am

Hello again

is the PU on a Gibson EH 100 (split blade) considered a Charlie Christian pu ?
is it only the one on an EH 150 that has the name CC ?
what is it called then if it's not a CC pu

Mercy bookoo

Post by **Brad Bechtel** » 22 Feb 2008 11:03 am

The Gibson EH-100 does not have the "Charlie Christian" pickup. It's a white square pickup that sounds very good by itself, but is not the same critter. I've never heard it referred to as anything other than the EH-100 pickup.

The EH-150's pickup was called the "Charlie Christian" pickup because Charlie Christian played a Gibson ES-150 standard guitar, which had the same pickup.

Gibson EH-100:

Gibson EH-150:

CrowBear Schmitt · Post by **CrowBear Schmitt** » 22 Feb 2008 11:13 am

Thanx Brad !
that clears it up fer me

Rick Aiello · Post by **Rick Aiello** » 22 Feb 2008 11:18 am

The magnets in the ES 150 were tiny ...

The magnets in the EH 150 were massive ...

Here's both styles ... that I made of Jason Lollar ... several years back.

http://www.horseshoemagnets.com/_sgg/m4m2_1.htm

Bill Hatcher · Post by **Bill Hatcher** » 22 Feb 2008 1:14 pm

Rick. Did you use the same cobalt magnets as the originals?

Rick Aiello · Post by **Rick Aiello** » 22 Feb 2008 2:01 pm

16% cobalt steel is very difficult to obtain ... in the sizes we needed for the horseshoes and these big bar magnets (3/8" thick) ...

Once alnico came onto the scene ... the need for "magnet steel" decreased to almost nothing.

Most cobalt steel alloys made today ... have tool and die applications ... so getting large flats with that kinda cobalt content ... well, I couldn't find any in production.

Funny story ... when we went "searching" for stock 16% cobalt steel ... none of the US steel foundries would even consider making it.

I found a foundry in China ... but their minimum to make that grade was ... 100,000 TONS ...

I used a high carbon tool steel for those particular bar magnets ... and high carbon alloy steel for the horseshoes

After machining ... they were heat treated and cryo-ed ... so they would retain their magnetism.

They held a charge ... maybe 70% ... of the original 16% cobalt magnet steel ones ... when both were saturated ...

That's why I turned to neodymium-iron boron and steel ...

I figured out how to meet and if needed ... exceed ... any specs (size, shape , strength) of these vintage units ... that Jason wanted.

I even made a set of NIB CC's for Andy V once ... called them "Ultra Christians" ...

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 22 Feb 2008 3:03 pm

Here's my oddball CCs. & string, adjustable pole pieces!

Tighe Falato · Post by **Tighe Falato** » 22 Feb 2008 3:21 pm

EH-100 blade pu

Charlie Christian pickup in a 1937 Recording King 1271 lap steel

Gibson also produced a version that used a horseshoe magnet in some lap steel models after 1938.

Bill Creller · Post by **Bill Creller** » 22 Feb 2008 7:25 pm

I have a 7 string with the massive magnets. Those guitars were made of many pieces of wood. The curved sides were laminated sections, and the neck a separate piece etc. Must have been a labor-intensive guitar. Nice tone, but not great sustain.

Max Laine · Post by **Max Laine** » 23 Feb 2008 12:43 am

Here's my '37 EH-100. Is there a difference between EH-100 and EH-150 pickup except the shape and color of the coil assembly?

[/img]

CrowBear Schmitt · Post by **CrowBear Schmitt** » 23 Feb 2008 1:55 am

Thank you gentlemen for your posts & pics

if i may be so bold or stupid
i have 2 EH100 & 1 EH 150
honestly, i find that the sound of these steels are very similar
do i need to clean my ears more often ?

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 23 Feb 2008 4:28 am

Those magnets Rick made for my EH-150 combined with Lollar's reissue CC PU are killer. To my ears, it added a slight twangy edge to the guitar that gave it more versatility of tone and all the power you'd ever want. I recently contemplated selling the guitar but couldn't bring myself to do it. It's like a dented but lovable old car - comfortable and second nature - albeit with a tigar in the tank.

Here's a look inside ...

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 23 Feb 2008 5:10 am

Well! On second look inside my D-7, it appears that my pickups are not CCs, but only look like CCs from the topside? Perhaps a very, very early model of the next generation of Gibson pickups? This guitar gets odder and stranger with every examination! Very strange body shape, and only two legs. Hmmm,,,,...

Jeff Hyman · Post by **Jeff Hyman** » 23 Feb 2008 10:18 am

If I had one wish for tone perfection, I'd ask for a Charlie Christian pickup for a 10 string PSG. I own 5 lap steels including the EH-100 and 2 EH-150's. I assure you, that the CC pickup is in a world class of its own. Never have I heard such warmth and sweetness from a pickup, and its not a slight difference, its a huge difference. Just my opinion.

CrowBear... I hope you don't send the French Foreign Legion after me :-)

CrowBear Schmitt · Post by **CrowBear Schmitt** » 23 Feb 2008 10:44 am

topic drift : ON
Jeff, i'll send the Cultural attaché from the French embassy w: a good bottle of wine
the foreign legion are too busy in French Guyana right now

Joe A. Camacho · Post by **Joe A. Camacho** » 23 Feb 2008 5:11 pm

I'm actually looking for an EH-150, or does the EH-100 sounds close enough for a player, not collector?

Bill Creller · Post by **Bill Creller** » 23 Feb 2008 5:36 pm

The pickup assembly on mine is mounted on the bottom wood cover panel like Andy's Don't have a clue what year it is. Serial no, is 501-24

Bill Hatcher · Post by **Bill Hatcher** » 23 Feb 2008 5:59 pm

Jeff Hyman wrote:If I had one wish for tone perfection, I'd ask for a Charlie Christian pickup for a 10 string PSG. I own 5 lap steels including the EH-100 and 2 EH-150's. I assure you, that the CC pickup is in a world class of its own. Never have I heard such warmth and sweetness from a pickup, and its not a slight difference, its a huge difference. Just my opinion.

Same for the 6 string guitar. I have an original 1936 Gibson ES150 and it sounds like no other guitar I have ever heard.....except those Gibson archtops that have the CC pickup in them.

Jussi Huhtakangas · Post by **Jussi Huhtakangas** » 24 Feb 2008 9:15 am

I just added a Jason Lollar CC PU ( the Tele version ) on my New Yorker style arch top. Now If I could only play like Barney Kessel I could get those Poll Winners sounds out of my box!!

I actually scored a pair of NOS unfinished CC pick up covers for it, looks and sounds like million bucks!!

Max Laine · Post by **Max Laine** » 24 Feb 2008 9:46 am

Jussi, why the Tele version, why not the archtop?

Jussi Huhtakangas · Post by **Jussi Huhtakangas** » 24 Feb 2008 10:35 am

The bracing and routing on my archtop wouldn't allow the "real thing", which is a heavy duty SOB. And honestly, the sound is the same, the Tele version is just lighter assembly.

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 24 Feb 2008 10:59 am

Anybody know anything about the CC-lookin' pups in my Gibson D-7?

Michael Lee Allen · Post by **Michael Lee Allen** » 24 Feb 2008 4:29 pm

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