The Chetboard

Feedback any fellow Chet-boarders?

I have a 1959 Gretsch Nashville Classic (I believe from the first run of these guitars around 2003 or 2004)which has a TV Jones Classic Bridge pickup and a TV Jones Supertron neck pickup. I love the sound of these pickups together and really love the smoothness and evenness of the Supertron.

What I'm wondering is have any of ya'll tried one of the Paul Yandell Duo-Trons (bridge or neck) or Ray Butts Full Fidelity (bridge of neck) pickups as a substitute for one of those pickups? If so how did it sound?

Micah - do you have any suggestions about the Duo-Tron your Dad came up with?

Has anyone tried replacing one of the pickups on a Gibson Country Gentleman with a Supertron, Duo-tron, or Ray Butts Full Fidelity pickup? Is it possible to replace one of the Gibson CG pickups with a lower output TV Jones pickup?

The reason I'm asking this is I got a second Epiphone Country Gentleman II and want to experiment some with it changing perhaps one or two pickups to make it sound different.

Any feedback or thoughts would be appreciated.
Thanks.
Steve

Steve, I think that you might find some info about the Duo-Trons on the website of Craig Dobbins. I have a 6122-1958 incoming, and I'm pretty certain that I'll put one of TV's Ray Butts pickups in the rear. This instrument already has a TV Supertron at the neck. If I do this, and if your decision is still pending, I'll try to post some feedback here. I absolutely love late 50s and early 60s Chet. It's my favorite Chet era. Of course, the 58 will sound a bit different than the 59. But this is a 2008 version, which should have trestle bracing--increasing the sustain a bit over the original 58, which--I believe--did not have trestle bracing. (Experts [no sarcasm intended], please chime in and correct me about the bracing if I'm incorrect.) ** Craig, if you still visit the Chetboard, have you played around with TV's Ray Butts pickups? Your impressions? Best, LMark

P.S. Steve, after I wrote all this, I realized that you are modding an Epi CG II. The Gretsch 58 RI differs so much from the Epi that my experiences may have little value for you. Sorry I did not read more carefully. But, of curiosity, does the Epi have a full, solid center block? If it does not, it may be a bit more Gretschy. But, you know, only a Gretsch with filtertrons sounds like a Gretsch with filtertrons. But still, why not experiment?

LMark,
Thanks for the post and feedback. Please update when you try out the new pickup configuration. I agree that the Youtube Posts with the Ray Butts pickup sound good. Will be curious how that sounds in combination with a Supertron in the neck. I don't recall seeing a Youtube posting of someone using a Ray Butts bridge with a Supertron neck combination.

The Epiphone CG 2 has a center block in the middle. It is different from both the Gretsch CG's and Gibson CG's in that it is a mahogany guitar with a spruce top but looks very similar to a Gibson CG. With those woods it seems to have slightly less punch to each (fingernail plucked) note and leans to the jazzy side. But it has a real nice full note when plucked with a pick. I'm curious what replacing one or both of the stock pickups will sound like with TV Jones (Supertron, Ray Butts, or Duo-tron). My favorite thing about the Epi CG 2 is the neck shape. In comparing it with the 1959 Nashville Classic neck and a Gibson Tennessean neck it seems easier to play (at least to my hands) and has a raised bump right where the base of your thumb hits the nut while playing an open E chord which helps your hands find the open chord finger positions without looking.

I replaced the stock tuners on the Epi CG2 with Gotoh 510 chromes and they look really nice and turn easily. Considering adding a metal medallion or something with some weight to the back of the end of the headstock to increase sustain. Working on adding a Bigsby now to it also.

I'll have to check out Craig's website for info on the Duo-trons.
Thanks
Steve