Hi, My current setup is a 50w 1977 Marshall Master Volume MKII head. It's the precurser to the later jcm 800. Pretty much the same amp I guess. The head is run through a Marshall 4x12 cab loaded with 2 celestion g12t75's on the bottom and 2 celestion vintage 30's on top.
My main axe is a type of strat copy that has a very odd tone for a strat. It's an identicle to a strat in everyway, except that it's slightly thinner, but made out of heavy mahogany. It has a maple neck and rosewood fretboard. Needless to say, it's actually a dark sounding guitar for a strat. I currently have a SD custom custom wax potted with a nickel cover cover in the bridge and the tone is "almost" there. People have described my bridge lead tone with the custom custom to be a blend between Santana's current tone with his neck pickup on on his PRS and Brian May's tone on the song "We will rock you." The lead tone cuts, yet is very smooth and mellow - almost violin like with a slight edge.
The rhythym tone is a cross between Brian May's rhythm tone with a slight bit of Iommi's tone in early sabbath, just a little rounder and less "cut."
The pickup sound a bit compressed and "closed" for my tastes. Almost as if the wah pedal was left on in the closed position, but not as nasal and thin. The bass response is a little "sloppy" and loose. The pickup has that subtle prescence that is almost more "felt than heard." It's enough to notice, but not so in your face. Great pickup!!!
Unfortunately, I need something a little more in my bastardcaster for rhythm hehe. I need something with the warmth of the custom custom, but little more presence and cut. Tighter, punchier bass would be great, and just a little boost to the high end and perhaps a shift in mids slightly towards the upper midrange. The custom custom seems to be too bottom mid focused.
I really have no complaints about the lead tone of the custom custom, it's just a little muddy for rhythm. Also, I find that notes can often get lost and are not clear in single not runs when the gain is pushed just a bit on the amp.
Is the custom 5 pickup I'm looking for? My custom custom pickup is wax-potted with a nickel cover so I really don't wanna go through the trouble of changing magnets.
My main axe is a type of strat copy that has a very odd tone for a strat. It's an identicle to a strat in everyway, except that it's slightly thinner, but made out of heavy mahogany. It has a maple neck and rosewood fretboard. Needless to say, it's actually a dark sounding guitar for a strat. I currently have a SD custom custom wax potted with a nickel cover cover in the bridge and the tone is "almost" there. People have described my bridge lead tone with the custom custom to be a blend between Santana's current tone with his neck pickup on on his PRS and Brian May's tone on the song "We will rock you." The lead tone cuts, yet is very smooth and mellow - almost violin like with a slight edge.
The rhythym tone is a cross between Brian May's rhythm tone with a slight bit of Iommi's tone in early sabbath, just a little rounder and less "cut."
The pickup sound a bit compressed and "closed" for my tastes. Almost as if the wah pedal was left on in the closed position, but not as nasal and thin. The bass response is a little "sloppy" and loose. The pickup has that subtle prescence that is almost more "felt than heard." It's enough to notice, but not so in your face. Great pickup!!!
Unfortunately, I need something a little more in my bastardcaster for rhythm hehe. I need something with the warmth of the custom custom, but little more presence and cut. Tighter, punchier bass would be great, and just a little boost to the high end and perhaps a shift in mids slightly towards the upper midrange. The custom custom seems to be too bottom mid focused.
I really have no complaints about the lead tone of the custom custom, it's just a little muddy for rhythm. Also, I find that notes can often get lost and are not clear in single not runs when the gain is pushed just a bit on the amp.
Is the custom 5 pickup I'm looking for? My custom custom pickup is wax-potted with a nickel cover so I really don't wanna go through the trouble of changing magnets.
