Looking to change the TH-11 Custom Custom

[NovaeSci]

Hi all,

First post here - I hope everyone is doing good.

I've been playing an Ibanez Prestige for the last couple of years - typical basswood body, maple neck, rosewood fretboard and locking term - which has a Custom Custom in the bridge, with the stock neck humbucker and middle single coil (I think V7 and S7 - the writing is a bit worn).

Starting with the Custom Custom, don't get me wrong, it's a great pickup, but I'm finding that I'm cranking the treble quite often, so I'm feeling something with a bit more treble/cut would do the trick. I love that upper-mid harmonic richness though, which I would like to keep. I also feel that I could do with a bit more bottom end - it's possibly the bottom end punch I'm missing with this pickup, rather than a bloated bottom end. Just something with a bit more punch and thickness in the low end.

It's mainly the bridge I'm looking at replacing, but I'm probably going to go for a complete change across the board.

Regarding the neck pickup, I'm looking for something that provides a more bluesy tone, but also with decent cut. The current pickups feel fluid(ish) but has a sort of cloth over-the-speaker sound to it. I like working with the volume control on the neck pickup, to clean things up, but I like it focused when it's on 10. Something that works just as well on the clean channel of the amp.

With the middle single coil, I can't say I'm all too familiar with what's out there. Just something which works well on positions 2 and 4 for that quack sound.

However, I think the neck and middle pickups will probably be better decided once I've picked a bridge pickup, so I can make sure it balances.

Anyway, if someone could help, I'd be forever grateful

Thanks in advance.

Best wishes,

Mike

[NovaeSci]

EDIT - It wouldn't allow me to edit my post - error 403 message:

I also feel that I could do with a bit more bottom end - it's possibly the bottom end punch I'm missing with this pickup, rather than just a bigger bottom end I'm looking for. Just something with a bit more punch and thickness in the low end I feel I need.

[Clint 55]

Welcome to the forum. You can get a lot of milage out of mag swaps with the Custom. If you didn't know, they have 3 different models where the only difference is the mag. CC is A2, Custom 5 is A5, and the Custom is ceramic. A5 has more defined bass, but is scooped. If you want round bass while retaining some of the harmonic richness, try A6. If you want max fatness to the pickup, you can use a double thick magnet.

[NovaeSci]

Thanks for the response.

This may be something I might try in the future; however, I'm actually going for a colour change for the pickups, too. So, I will be looking at getting a brand new pickup to match the aesthetics of the guitar.

I'll definitely look into this for a future project, but right now I don't want to make matters more confusing than they have to be. So, would just rather try different pickups first, without having to worry about the technical side of things

The Custom was actually one of the pickups I was looking at, though. It seems to be brighter, with a bit more in the bass. But I was also looking at the JB, as I hear this has that harmonic richness, with some punch in the lows. So, it was these two pickups that I was actually considering. But, thought it best to ask first to get opinions.

[NovaeSci]

Actually, scratch that last post about not wanting to mess around with the pickup.

Can you advise on what Ceramic magnet I actually need to buy, so it is the same as the actual Custom?

Also, how do I do it exactly? Can I do it without having to unsolder anything?

Thanks again for your help, it's greatly appreciated

[Clint 55]

The magnets work more or less universally as long as they're the same material. It's possible there's variation among different 'grades' but I haven't come across anyone who selects magnets based on that. I just use ebay.

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p4432023.m570.l1313&_nkw=ceramic+bar+magnet&_sacat=0

Here's a video demonstrating how to swap the mag. It's easy and you don't have to unsolder anything unless there's a cover on the hb.

[Cdwillis]

I'd try swapping a ceramic magnet to make it a regular Custom. You'll get a little firmer bottom end, good midrange, and some more treble. If that doesn't work there's always a JB.

Edit: The best place to get magnets is addiction fx: http://www.addiction-fx.com/gallery1.htm

[beaubrummels]

I would have suggested an A4 or UOA5 to retain some mids but get more top and bottom end out of it.

[Mincer]

Yes, while ordering one magnet, it is worth it to get a few different ones at the same time. The Custom Custom changes a lot with a magnet swap.

[NovaeSci]

Thanks, everyone. You've all been a great help.

I'll look at getting a few different magnets and playing around with them.

Does anyone have any recommendations for the neck and middle? I was thinking maybe starting with a 59 and working from there - it seems to be a good starting point from what I've read?

[Mincer]

This depends on what you like in a neck pickup. Clear open chords? Buttery leads? For the middle, is volume balance with the other 2 important? How about hum-cancelling?

[beaubrummels]

59n might be the right thing for an Ibanez/basswood super strat where you want some thickness/body to the sound. Also a Whole Lotta Humbucker neck might also be the ticket; some girth and focus to the mids, it's like a sweetened/improved 59 sound, no tubbiness or flubby bottom end. Sings and cleans up well.

For the middle, if it were me, I might consider just a plain STK-S4 Classic Stack single. Gives you Fender single coil tone with no hum and can be mixed with the others in split combinations to give Fender 2-4 quack sounds. And it's radiused for modern string gauges and neck profiles. But there are other options also, like Vintage or Cool Rails, etc.

[marcello252]

I think you want a standard SD Custom, the JB might be a bit too loose on bass, the Custom 5 a bit to scooped, I always felt the Custom close to the SD description, a PAF on steroids, you can play almost everything with it unless you want a quieter pickup, in that case you must use a vintage winding one, in the 8K/9K impedance range