It's really a personal thing Rid. I tried the CC, a 59b with A2, and a Burstbucker #2 and liked none. I like the standard 59b, the C5 (for rhythm only), the Custom, the DMZ Fred, Super distortion and Paf Classic. All A5 or ceramic... so I came to the conclusion that I don't like A2 mags in the bridge.
But you use top-end equipement and I use a low-end tube amp... so your probably don't really notice anything lacking
I think the amp is more significant than the pick-up in terms of tone. Great amps make even stock PUs sound good.
Heh topend...this was recorded through a small solidstate op-amp equipped direct amp
Nothing highend there, just plain useful stuff.
It sounds about the same through almost any amp I have, and a few of those are really nothing special, they work...some barely
Rid - that was killer! Now you've got me wondering the same thing as everyone else. The 59b in my Patriot is a bit too shrill, and bright. Now I need to figure out whether to move it to another guitar and get a different pup, or change the magnet. Decisions, decisions.