Gibson CEC replacement pickup

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Gibson CEC replacement pickup

Postby harryh » Wed Oct 03, 2012 8:12 pm

Hi folks,

I'm new to the ChetBoard and looking for advice about replacing the pickup on an early '80's CEC guitar.
I've completed a number of searches here on the board, as well as other places. What I'm coming up with is, first of all, no support from Gibson on replacement parts!

Accordingly, choices involve a complete replacement....

So far, I've seen the Sam Kennedy re-issue of the Prismatone III pickup that fits into the existing CEC saddle hole, plus the LR Baggs company Hex pickup set, with six separate sensors. The other choices seem to involve filling in the saddle slot, then picking either a Fishman or Baggs undersaddle pickup with a matching preamp.

Can somebody fill me in on what else might be out there?

Thanks, Harry
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Re: Gibson CEC replacement pickup

Postby BillB » Thu Oct 04, 2012 8:11 am

If it were me, I'd probably opt for the Sam Kennedy Prismatone II setup. Kirk Sand is installing them in some of his guitars, and they are very nice pickups. It's nice that they've made one that fits that Gibson bridge, and I think it's probably the only one that is readily available, unless you can find an original that still works. Anything else will be like you said and involve more extra work to the bridge. I've played guitars with the Prismatone II, and I really like it.

Bill B.
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Re: Gibson CEC replacement pickup

Postby jay » Thu Oct 04, 2012 1:29 pm

I may be totally off base here, but in my minds eye, the Gibson CE and Ovation pickup look very similar in size and shape. If oranges = oranges, then the only hurdle would be the wiring. Those are still available.
jay kantor
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Re: Gibson CEC replacement pickup

Postby harryh » Thu Oct 04, 2012 11:01 pm

Hi fellas,

Original poster here. Just wanted to thank BillB and jay for taking the time to make some suggestions. I like the Prismatone II sounds I just heard on youtube, a lot! Still, I want to hear, look at and read about everything I can.

I read over on the Baggs site that they are discontinuing the Hex pickups within the year, so I don't know if that's a viable choice. I've read a little bit about the RMC pickups, but that is perhaps a touchy issue;)

Thanks again, Harry
Last edited by harryh on Sat Oct 06, 2012 1:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Gibson CEC replacement pickup

Postby Skip » Fri Oct 05, 2012 9:18 pm

You don't have to use the same type saddle that was stock in the Gibson, You can use a standard 1/8 " saddle You just need to make an insert to fill the slot and have a slot cut intonation in the insert, That opens the door to a number of choices. Barbera has come out with a new pickup system that Kirk Sand is installing in His new model's also. And I installed one in My own Gibson 2005 Montana made Chet Atkins Studio CE, And it sounds great. I've had the Epiphone chambered CE, the Gibson chambered CE, And I now have 1993 Gibson Studio and the 2005 Studio and the Barbera saddle sounds the best of all the nylon guitars I've owned. So if My 1993 pickup has a problem I'll be replacing it with another Barbera saddle. I'm not selling these pickups but after hearing it at CAAS this year and installing it in My own guitar I know My guitar never sounded better.In My case hearing is believing. But I wish You good luck in what ever You choose.

Skip
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Re: Gibson CEC replacement pickup

Postby harryh » Fri Oct 05, 2012 11:37 pm

Skip,

What do you use for a preamp with the Barbera saddle? I went to the Barbera website and they don't have the info for the guitar saddle pickups yet, so I'd appreciate anything you could tell me about pricing and 'where to buy'.

A question prefaced with a statement- the Gibson Studio guitars I have seen from pics seem to be hollow, with some sort of fan bracing. If that's true (and it may not be, I may have it all-wrong or half-wrong!), do you have an opinion about whether the Barbera saddle pickup would perform differently in a comparatively solid-bodied instrument like the CEC?

I ask because I am borrowing a '99 model CEC from a friend for a few days and I have noticed that the guitar sustains more like a solidbody electric than anything else I am familiar with (especially on the bass strings). This isn't terrible, but it is different. I wonder how the CEC's increased sustain would impact the use of a Barbera pickup?

Thanks again for your comments and I appreciate your expression of Good Luck!

Harry

[EDIT added a couple of hours later:
Skip, just saw your thread about the Barbera saddle. Saw the preamp, too. Listened to John Knowles play with his pickup, too. What a great sound. That was a great show!]
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Re: Gibson CEC replacement pickup

Postby Skip » Sat Oct 06, 2012 10:00 am

Hello Harry,
I can't say for sure what the pickup would sound like in a solid or chambered body guitar, good question.
You can call Rich Barbera at (718-816-3025) and speak directly to Rich, and He may have the
answer You need, or You can email ( polytonez@gmail.com). Rich is pretty quick getting back to You. I'd like to
know what You find out also. I have only heard it in a hollow bodied guitar so My info is limited. Glad to see You
using Chet Board it's been a very good tool for information, sometime's I have a question, and sometime's I
have an answer. And now We have a new question and hope You find the answer that will help.

Happy Hunting Skip
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Re: Gibson CEC replacement pickup

Postby harryh » Sat Oct 06, 2012 9:00 pm

Skip,

I sent an email off to Rich, inquiring about pricing and asking if he had any opinions or observations about the way his pickup would work in a CEC. I'll let you know what I find out.

On a related topic, I talked to a friend who has been a repairman for 26 years and a player for a little longer. He used to play with a singer/frontman who used a CEC back in the day. He said the CEC's electrics had a problem with volume inconsistency and even individual strings dropping out. He said you couldn't get parts for them when they were new!!

I wonder who came up with the original electrics back in '81? Was the designer working for Chet, or for Gibson?
I wonder what pickup they were trying to emulate? The Original Baldwin Prismatone? Something like that but cleaner?
Inquiring minds want to know!

Harry
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Re: Gibson CEC replacement pickup

Postby bill raymond » Sun Oct 07, 2012 1:22 am

If you look up the patent on the CE and the pickup for it, you will find that the inventor is listed as Tim Shaw of Gibson guitars. The chambering was done to balance the bass and treble strings. There's all the information contained in the patent to allow you to make one, provided you can get the pickup; I doubt that the pickup would be easily reproduced outside a factory setting.
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Re: Gibson CEC replacement pickup

Postby jay » Sun Oct 07, 2012 10:59 am

I was my understanding that Gibson produced the first piezo saddles for the CE(C) model, but later subcontracted with Shadow to produce the saddles. The model, I believe, was SH-079P. It had individual output leads for each string.
jay kantor
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