All anout the SH14 Custom 5

[Orange]

Ok i've ordered this pickup based on the description on product reviews on Harmony Central. People said it was a clear, powerful les paul replacement pickup.

I own a mahogamy fernandes, rosewood fingerboard.
Has a Floyd Rose trem on it too.

The stock Pickup was muddy. Not bad at all though but when you're used to Di Marzio's and Sd's................

But after ordering, i received an message from Luke Duke, and it mentioned the C5 as being too bassy for some users. I'vealso read somwhere it was Bright...

So i am really starting to wonder if i made the right choice. I wanted a paf with that little something more....

So if some of you tried or own the C5, please tell me what's your guitar (wood etc..)
what results did you get ?
To bassy ? too trebly ? or just right ?
What music do use it for ?

Oh and in case i don't have time to come back, Merry Christmas to everyone.....

 

[kmanick]

Re: All anout the SH14 Custom 5

I had one that I put into an old JAckson USA strat and I found it too trebly.
In that particlular guitar (poplar body maple fret board) it sounded like a high output "strat" pickup"
I switched it out for a Custom SH5 and I liked it much better. It was "punchier" and "thicker" sounding
It may be ok in a Mahoganay body with a rosewood board though.

 

[I_M_Ken]

Re: All anout the SH14 Custom 5

Personally i have no experience with the C5, however many ppl have told me that its similar to a Dimarzio Steve Special which i have.

If it really is similar, then i would say taht it would be a good replacement pup for a LP. It would have a scooped tone, plus theres very good articulation/clarity when playing in clean and it drives well too under high gain. It might get alittle bassy but then again it would see how you set your amp settings as well.

Remember to put up some clips when you've installed it! we always love clips!

 

[Nagarajah725]

Re: All anout the SH14 Custom 5

I have the custom five on the NECK and Full Shred on the Bridge. The full shred I bought was intended for the neck, but I went for the bridge instead. The people who did it had to adjust the height of the pickups, the Full Shred being slightly lower, and the Custom 5 higher.

The guitar is a superstrat with quilted maple top, basswood body, maple neck, and rosewood fretboard and H/S/H compartmant. I use a Laney tfx fusion tube amp with it and it sounds very balanced, a little bright since I set my amp that way and use GHS Dave Mustaine strings. The best part is the sustain and wailing it delivers.

I play, or at least try to play prog metal/blues/neo-classical.

 

[fab.regnaut]

Re: All anout the SH14 Custom 5

Orange , the main complaint about the C5 is that it is REALLY mid scooped , so you have big and tight bass , and highs strings sound thin because of this lack of mids ; it not a treebly pickup , it is the lack of mids to smooth the treebles , and then for chords what you hear is bass and treebles .
And for lead it is not thick enough .
Unless you play something weird like country music ! :chairfall

 

[RockStarNick]

Re: All anout the SH14 Custom 5

In my opinion, the Custom5 works on a guitar that is naturally thick and mid-heavy. I.e, a les paul. I think the C5 is the perfect LP bridge position pickup.

I wouldnt call the mid's scooped though. I'd just say that most other pickups have boosted mids.

 

[I_M_Ken]

Re: All anout the SH14 Custom 5

i like boosted mids, especially in alder or basswood guitars.in mahogany, i think maybe there isnt so much a need for it.

 

[Artie]

Re: All anout the SH14 Custom 5

I use a C5 in the bridge of a basswood HH Tele, (along with a 59 in the neck). I didn't like it in anything else, but I think its perfect there. It has the basic "twang" of a Tele bridge, but with sophistication. It's a JD wearing a tux. It's an STL-2 Hot with 'tude. Roll back the tone control and its "Chet".

Outstanding Tele pup.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: All anout the SH14 Custom 5

It's a great pickup, especially in mahogany guitars. You'll like the deep tight bass, the natural mids, and clear articulate highs. It only sounds scooped in something like a Fender Strat, which doesn't have enough of it's own mids from the wood. Think of the C5 as the 59 Hot, and you'll have a pretty good idea of what it is. It's in my top 3 of favorite Duncan humbuckers.

 

[saladin]

Re: All anout the SH14 Custom 5

I use a C5 in the bridge of a basswood HH Tele, (along with a 59 in the neck). I didn't like it in anything else, but I think its perfect there. It has the basic "twang" of a Tele bridge, but with sophistication. It's a JD wearing a tux. It's an STL-2 Hot with 'tude. Roll back the tone control and its "Chet".

Outstanding Tele pup.

+1000 In the past year my Tele has had a JB, a 59b, a CC, a Custom and now a Custom 5. The Custom 5 is it! It matches beautifully with a 59n as well and I would highly recommend it!

 

[Kosh Naranek]

Re: All anout the SH14 Custom 5

Think of the C5 as the 59 Hot, and you'll have a pretty good idea of what it is. It's in my top 3 of favorite Duncan humbuckers.

That's pretty accurate. The Custom is described as a PAF on steroids, but I think the C5 really meets that description.

I have a Jackson USA Custom Shop PC-2 that came with a C5. I have no complaints with it. The PC-2 has a mahogany body with quilt maple top, bolt on, and the neck is maple with maple fretboard. It has a Wilkinson non-locking trem.

There is ample bass, but it's not loose and muddy. It doesn't sound thin to me in that guitar. Doesn't sound too trebly either. It does slightly remind me of a 59, much more than a Custom, which sounds more aggressive. I don't know how much of it is the pickup and how much of it is the guitar, but it outcrunches even some of my guitars with Custom Customs in them.

I don't know how accurate the comparison between the C5 and the Dimarzio Steve's Special is. They have similar EQ curves, but the Steve's Special is supposed to be a hot pickup, and sound hi-fi like and active pickup. The C5 doesn't sound like an active pickup, and it's medium output not high output.

 

[Orange]

Re: All anout the SH14 Custom 5

Thanks everyone. I finally recived the C5 ans here's my opinion:

I don't really think its sound is SCOOPED.
On this guitar, it sounds just balanced to me. The highs are rounded enough and the bass is not muddy AT ALL.
The sound is not as fat as a gibson etc, to me it sounds more like a "strat replacementy humbucker" in a way, because the sound is clearer and brighter.

Since this guitar sounds muddy to me i like this pickup a lot it adds brightness and bite but is perfctly trasmparent, balanced and clear.

However, i have to say that thius pickup doesn't sound too different from the stock GOTOH that was in the guitar. Gotoh makes good pickups. But as often, stock pickups tend to be versatile but a little dull.

 

[Artie]

Re: All anout the SH14 Custom 5

In my opinion, the Custom5 works on a guitar that is naturally thick and mid-heavy. I.e, a les paul. I think the C5 is the perfect LP bridge position pickup.

Yup. I just put a C5/59 combo in a friends Epiphone Les Paul Custom a few days ago. It sounds killer.

 

[Orange]

Re: All anout the SH14 Custom 5

Yeah i wouldn't put it in a brighter guitar. Would sound too trebly.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: All anout the SH14 Custom 5

Also, experiment with height and using your volume and tone controls to sweeten the C-5 a little. I like pickups that have enough brightness, so I can dial it in by playing with the volume and tone. If the pickup doesn't have enough brightness, you're stuck using your amp's treble.

I know the C-5 sounds best fairly close to the strings....but not to the point where you get 'string pull.'

 

[Pacer_87]

Re: All anout the SH14 Custom 5

I had Custom 5 in an alder strat with a maple board and I felt
the solo sound was a little thin. Rhythm sound was better, but
maybe not the best pickup for the guitar, anyway. Now I got
Custom Custom there and I'm trying to find the best sound out
of it.

 

[Orange]

Re: All anout the SH14 Custom 5

Also, experiment with height and using your volume and tone controls to sweeten the C-5 a little. I like pickups that have enough brightness, so I can dial it in by playing with the volume and tone. If the pickup doesn't have enough brightness, you're stuck using your amp's treble.

I know the C-5 sounds best fairly close to the strings....but not to the point where you get 'string pull.'

Yeah more treble is better to me.
My c5 is close to the strings. I don't have a tone in my guitar and i don0t want to drill one.

BTW here's a picture of the guitar (on the fernandes website)

 

[drpietrzak]

Re: All anout the SH14 Custom 5

It's a great pickup, especially in mahogany guitars. You'll like the deep tight bass, the natural mids, and clear articulate highs. It only sounds scooped in something like a Fender Strat, which doesn't have enough of it's own mids from the wood. Think of the C5 as the 59 Hot, and you'll have a pretty good idea of what it is. It's in my top 3 of favorite Duncan humbuckers.

I have one in a short scale carved top mahog under maple semihollow VW from Warmoth. It is HsH and it is the best pickup I have had in the bridge of that guitar for cleans to high gain. It does nto seem scooped to me in that guitar, but pretty well balanced.

 

[Metalblaze]

Re: All anout the SH14 Custom 5

The C5 helped me nail one of my favourite tones from one of my favourite bands.
Children of the night - Whitesnake.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: All anout the SH14 Custom 5

it is the best pickup I have had in the bridge of that guitar for cleans to high gain. It does nto seem scooped to me in that guitar, but pretty well balanced.

The C-5 is one of those rare pickups that sounds just as good clean as it does with any kind of gain. It sort of bridges the gap between a 59 and a pickup made specifically for metal.

Like all pickups, it's got to be in the right guitar though. I didn't love it in my strats or a basswood superstrat. It really belongs in mahogany guitars like Gibson and PRS.