I like both, but the Custom 5, IMO, is the best sounding humbucker Duncan makes. My ears are still ringing right now from an afternoon of highgain lead playing on two guitars,......guess what? One had a Custom 5 and the other had a JB.
I was also doing a preamp tube shootout on my Bogner tonight, using both those LP's. So, I was really listening to the nuances tonight! On clean,
plexi tone, and G. Lynch/Cantrell type highgain.
The Custom 5 is more balanced tonally from deep, tight lows, neutral mids,
and sweet airy highs. When jumping from channel to channel, the Custom
5 delivered the most satisfying tone, since it sounds like a nice, high output
version of everything you love about your guitar.
The JB has more density in the mids, which makes it sound thick and ballsy on highgain, but a bit nasally on clean channels. It has about the same output as the C-5. The low end is where the JB suffers, compared to the
Custom 5. It's nice and warm, but a little squashier in the lows.
One thing I really love about the JB is that lead notes high on the neck
have no shrillness, just creamy fat singing notes. The C-5 is similar, but
has a touch more sparkle in the high notes.
Also, during this tone test tonight, I started to notice that the 59 neck has
just a bit more output than I'd like it to have. Great for singing solos on the neck, but a bit hot for rhythm playing.
So, my summary would be that the JB and C-5 are the best of the bunch, but
I'd personally give the nod to the C-5, mostly because of it's tighter, more percussive lows, and more natural tone from the mids to the highs.
I'm also starting to wonder if I wouldn't rather have Jazz necks in my guitars.
I need to buy a Jazz neck soon, because I'm inclined to believe that the
Custom 5/Jazz neck might be my favorite humbucking Duncan set.