Replacement pups for Custom 5/Jazz in LTD EC-1000

[Mincer]

OK, so to drill down a bit, how do the Custom and Distortion stack up against each other?

The Distortion has more treble, more mids, and less bass than the Custom. It is also a little bit louder.

[Aceman]

OK, so to drill down a bit, how do the Custom and Distortion stack up against each other?

Distortion: Ultra tight chunking bass, big present mids, screaming highs. Great for down tune, and my go to for Dokken, Priest, Metallica. I have played all kinds of things with it though. It is very metal.

Custom: Tight thumping bass, present but more scooped mids, same screaming highs. Great for all kinds of rock, and my go to for Def Leppard, Whitesnake, Megadeth. I would play more things with a Custom that a Distortion. It is more all around.

[Mincer]

Distortion: Ultra tight chunking bass, big present mids, screaming highs. Great for down tune, and my go to for Dokken, Priest, Metallica. I have played all kinds of things with it though. It is very metal.

Custom: Tight thumping bass, present but more scooped mids, same screaming highs. Great for all kinds of rock, and my go to for Def Leppard, Whitesnake, Megadeth. I would play more things with a Custom that a Distortion. It isomer all around.

I agree with all of this.

[weepingminotaur]

Distortion: Ultra tight chunking bass, big present mids, screaming highs. Great for down tune, and my go to for Dokken, Priest, Metallica. I have played all kinds of things with it though. It is very metal.

Custom: Tight thumping bass, present but more scooped mids, same screaming highs. Great for all kinds of rock, and my go to for Def Leppard, Whitesnake, Megadeth. I would play more things with a Custom that a Distortion. It is more all around.

Really helpful, thanks. Actually a bit of a dilemma. I probably gravitate to the Distortion's EQ more by default (I like mids), but I do play a ton of Leppard and Megadeth. Though not so much Leppard on this particular guitar, since it's in E flat. I've got a decision to make...

[Aceman]

E/Eb they both sound fantastic. You can set that 3/7/7 eq at the amp if you want with the custom, whereas that IS the EQ of the Distortion.

If I were gonna play hard rock/metal most of the time, and was willing to adjust the amp on occasions for blues/pop/whatever - Distortion. (Which could do a nice Chicago blues style, I'd add...and the cleans are crisp - if somewhat Sterile and less than full...depending on the axe.)

If I might play a bit of this that or the other thing and wanted to dial in an all around sound except for Gain - Custom. While it isn't going to have the raw aggression of the Distortion, it can definitely be Aggressive. The volume can PAF it up a bit, if it is somewhat less than really warm when you do that.

Do a Mag swap with a Ceramic on that C5 and see how you like it.

[weepingminotaur]

E/Eb they both sound fantastic. You can set that 3/7/7 eq at the amp if you want with the custom, whereas that IS the EQ of the Distortion.

If I were gonna play hard rock/metal most of the time, and was willing to adjust the amp on occasions for blues/pop/whatever - Distortion. (Which could do a nice Chicago blues style, I'd add...and the cleans are crisp - if somewhat Sterile and less than full...depending on the axe.)

If I might play a bit of this that or the other thing and wanted to dial in an all around sound except for Gain - Custom. While it isn't going to have the raw aggression of the Distortion, it can definitely be Aggressive. The volume can PAF it up a bit, if it is somewhat less than really warm when you do that.

Do a Mag swap with a Ceramic on that C5 and see how you like it.

While we're on the subject, can I ask you for your recommendations on neck pickups to pair with either the Distortion bridge or the Custom? For the former, I'd venture a Distortion neck, and for the latter, a '59, but maybe there are better choices. (this guitar is mostly metal and hard rock with the odd foray into blues and pop, if that helps at all)

[donaldr]

Personally I would not touch the pickups, they are good IMO. I have a Katana 50 and I would say that it's not the greatest amp for metal, for blues no question.

6 things you can do:
1- Play with the height of the pickups (half a turn at a time) and play with the filler screws (again half a turn at a time). If the Jazz is too bright, turn the filler screws clockwise. You way have to raise the pickup to compensate the output level.
2- Get Katana Librarian app for Androids. This changed the way I was dialling my Katana 50. It's way easier with this app than it is with BTS. Start by adding an HPF and a LPF. There's a good chance your Jazz will sound good with just that. Removing some low and some high will also makes the Custom 5 less scooped. Had just enough mids. With the Librarian, it's also very easy to have 4-presets for blues, 4-presets for Def Leppard and another 4-presets for metal. Takes 5 seconds to load them.
3- Get an external close back cab. This will change the response of the Katana 50 and it will sound closer to an amp for metal. I plugged my 4x12" cab on the Katana 50 and it transformed the amp. I also have a custom 1x12" close cab with an Eminence GB128 that I really like for blues, classic rock and hard rock. Don't get me wrong, the Katana 50 is great for the price but a bigger cab and a better speaker transformed the amp.
4- Get a Katana Head and whatever cab to get the sound you are after.
5- Try your guitar on a different amp. Go to a friend or the a music store with that guitar to compare your amp vs another amp. Maybe it's the way you dialled your tone on the Katana.
6- Change your pickups, we are on Seymour Duncan forum after all

Again, an amp and a cab will give you better result IMO because the Custom 5 and the Jazz are already good/great pickups.

[Aceman]

While we're on the subject, can I ask you for your recommendations on neck pickups to pair with either the Distortion bridge or the Custom? For the former, I'd venture a Distortion neck, and for the latter, a '59, but maybe there are better choices. (this guitar is mostly metal and hard rock with the odd foray into blues and pop, if that helps at all)

A 59 works with either if a PAF is desired - Which I think is you.
A Jazz is not out of place either, but not my thing - Might dig it for pop.
I prefer a 59 with the Distortion and a Pearly Gates with the Custom. That's just me
A Screaming Demon is not a bad option with the Distortion
Of course, A Distortion neck is always in style, if loud. I have that set in a Silverburst Cadillac

[Hank-]

I have a 59n/Custom combo in my LP copy. The 59 is more bass & highs but less mids. Its good for a variety of stuff but if I was given an option then I'd definitely pick Pearly Gates neck over it.

The Custom can be bright with strong bass, mids are there but not honking kind. I didn't get along with the C5 but the Custom is a keeper.

The 59n + Custom combo blends well eq wise. I've not looked into a PGn & Slash Bridge combo, I wonder what that would be like

[jeremy]

Distortion. (Which could do a nice Chicago blues style, I'd add...and the cleans are crisp - if somewhat Sterile and less than full...depending on the axe.)

what the hell kinda chicago blues are you listening to?

[Aceman]

what the hell kinda chicago blues are you listening to?

I'm talking about a super clean bright snappy sound. Generally solid Fender guitar into bright Fender amp treble tones.

[weepingminotaur]

Personally I would not touch the pickups, they are good IMO. I have a Katana 50 and I would say that it's not the greatest amp for metal, for blues no question.

6 things you can do:
1- Play with the height of the pickups (half a turn at a time) and play with the filler screws (again half a turn at a time). If the Jazz is too bright, turn the filler screws clockwise. You way have to raise the pickup to compensate the output level.
2- Get Katana Librarian app for Androids. This changed the way I was dialling my Katana 50. It's way easier with this app than it is with BTS. Start by adding an HPF and a LPF. There's a good chance your Jazz will sound good with just that. Removing some low and some high will also makes the Custom 5 less scooped. Had just enough mids. With the Librarian, it's also very easy to have 4-presets for blues, 4-presets for Def Leppard and another 4-presets for metal. Takes 5 seconds to load them.
3- Get an external close back cab. This will change the response of the Katana 50 and it will sound closer to an amp for metal. I plugged my 4x12" cab on the Katana 50 and it transformed the amp. I also have a custom 1x12" close cab with an Eminence GB128 that I really like for blues, classic rock and hard rock. Don't get me wrong, the Katana 50 is great for the price but a bigger cab and a better speaker transformed the amp.
4- Get a Katana Head and whatever cab to get the sound you are after.
5- Try your guitar on a different amp. Go to a friend or the a music store with that guitar to compare your amp vs another amp. Maybe it's the way you dialled your tone on the Katana.
6- Change your pickups, we are on Seymour Duncan forum after all

Again, an amp and a cab will give you better result IMO because the Custom 5 and the Jazz are already good/great pickups.

Thanks for this. Getting a back cab isn't in the cards, but I'll think about re-dialing my Katana 50 settings. I mean, I'm perfectly happy with my metal tones on my other guitars. It's just this particular guitar with the Custom 5 that lacks a bit to me.

[weepingminotaur]

Necro-ing this thread one more time to say thanks for all the suggestions. I think I've pretty much decided on a Distortion/'59 pairing for the EC-1000.

[Demanic]

Let us know what you think. It would certainly work for me.