Anyone tried a Whole Lotta Humbucker Neck with a SH-5 Custom?

[David Garner]

For whatever reason I keep waffling on my 93 Les Paul -- I had settled on the JB, but then I put a JB in my superstrat and it sounds better in that one than in the LP, so I considered other options. I am about to try a set of Dimarzios that I got for a song ($80 for a Super Distortion bridge and 36th Anniversary neck), but if those don't fly, I've been considering other Duncan pickups.

Which brings me to the 59/Custom. Looking at the EQ on Duncan's website, what strikes me about the 59/Custom is the 59, Custom and especially the Custom 5 are really scooped. All of them have basically the same tone profile -- more bass and treble, less mids. This particular guitar needs mids for any power. It has a natural scoop to the tone, so it's either super low wind PAF types or (if you want it to rock, which I do), you need mids. Hence the JB and before it the stock 498t.

The 59/Custom Hybrid by contrast is voiced a lot more like the JB, but with a touch more mids and a touch less treble. The other pickup that falls in that category is the Custom Custom, which has even more mids and treble (but still the mid/treble balance of the 59/Custom), and less bass. My guess is the CC is going to be more compressed than the 59/Custom, and obviously a little hotter. I like a bit of bass in the tone, so it wouldn't be my first choice for this particular guitar, though the JB also shows a lower bass profile and seems to have plenty of punch.

All of that to say this -- I think the 59/Custom would be a great match for an A5 neck pickup in a guitar that needs more mids. If the guitar is naturally mid-heavy, I'd stick with the SH-5 (or something else with a modest mid scoop).

[beaubrummels]

This particular guitar needs mids for any power. It has a natural scoop to the tone, so it's either super low wind PAF types or (if you want it to rock, which I do), you need mids. Hence the JB and before it the stock 498t..

Custom Custom. Power plus mids. The other options are Whole Lotta Humbucker or Pearly Gates, but the latter is bright. (Not a problem if you are ok keeping the tone on 8). If you are hesitant about the Custom Custom, then the Whole Lotta Humbucker might be for you. It's got power and evenness and plays well with Gibsons.; WLH is like the ultimate 59/Pearly.

[Hank-]

I didn't like the Custom in my korean prs cu22, I hated the Custom5 in it. The Sh11 was great. What I have in it now it hybrid I made using the OEM pups I had around. For some reason A2 or UOA5 mags based pickups seem to work the best for me in this guitar.

From Duncan's lineup I be looking at the Sh11, 59/C hybrid or maybe the Invader for the bridge position, the neck position choices are huge but I'd avoid the stock 59n, it sounded very generic here as in the upgrade over stock was minimal at best.

[alex1fly]

For whatever reason I keep waffling on my 93 Les Paul -- I had settled on the JB, but then I put a JB in my superstrat and it sounds better in that one than in the LP, so I considered other options. I am about to try a set of Dimarzios that I got for a song ($80 for a Super Distortion bridge and 36th Anniversary neck), but if those don't fly, I've been considering other Duncan pickups.

Which brings me to the 59/Custom. Looking at the EQ on Duncan's website, what strikes me about the 59/Custom is the 59, Custom and especially the Custom 5 are really scooped. All of them have basically the same tone profile -- more bass and treble, less mids. This particular guitar needs mids for any power. It has a natural scoop to the tone, so it's either super low wind PAF types or (if you want it to rock, which I do), you need mids. Hence the JB and before it the stock 498t.

The 59/Custom Hybrid by contrast is voiced a lot more like the JB, but with a touch more mids and a touch less treble. The other pickup that falls in that category is the Custom Custom, which has even more mids and treble (but still the mid/treble balance of the 59/Custom), and less bass. My guess is the CC is going to be more compressed than the 59/Custom, and obviously a little hotter. I like a bit of bass in the tone, so it wouldn't be my first choice for this particular guitar, though the JB also shows a lower bass profile and seems to have plenty of punch.

All of that to say this -- I think the 59/Custom would be a great match for an A5 neck pickup in a guitar that needs more mids. If the guitar is naturally mid-heavy, I'd stick with the SH-5 (or something else with a modest mid scoop).

Jealous. Those DMZs sound like a great combination in a Les Paul.