Anyone owning the Custom 5?

[Kommerzbassist]

Hey guys... does anyone here own the custom 5 and could tell me about it? Like.. how'e the clean and distortion sounds 'n' stuff...
Best if you knew how its like in an alder strat
thanks

 

[KLINKDETROIT]

Re: Anyone owning the Custom 5?

Open, airy, lots of lows, scooped mids and chimey highs. I have a nickel C5 trembucker for sale $60 shipped, 3 months old

 

[Kommerzbassist]

Re: Anyone owning the Custom 5?

I don't need a nickel one and especially none with trem spacing
But.. why do you sell it? I mean what didn't you like about it?

 

[Sniper-V]

Re: Anyone owning the Custom 5?

I have never played it in a strat but I have them in a Les Paul and a PRS Custom 22. I not really crazy about it in my PRS for some reason... but I think it sounds best in my Les Paul, something about that combo really works especially with a 59n. There should be plenty of threads on this pup, but I agree with KLINKDETROIT's description...

 

[Artie]

Re: Anyone owning the Custom 5?

My first set of Duncan pups was a 59/C5 combo. Even though it was much better than stock, I thought the C5 was a bit too "twangy" for what I wanted. I eventually replaced it with another 59, which is the set thats in there today. The C5 sat on a shelf for some time, 'til I bought a Tele-clone. I first put a JB in it. It didn't quite fill the bill either. Then I remembered the "twang" of the C5 and installed it. Its now one of my favorite pickups, and until I just recently installed a Cool Rails into my Strat, it was the only bridge pup that I'd play by itself.

I consider it to be the perfect Tele bridge pup. (Albiet, with my guitar, setup, and playing style.)

Artie

 

[Rectotwin483]

Re: Anyone owning the Custom 5?

Hey Kommerzbassist I recently purchased a Custom 5 for the bridge position in my PRS Custom 22 a few days ago. In my opinion this pickup is great, very clear sounding in all registers yet still has enough output to drive dirty amps really well. As for how it would sound in a strat im not to sure but i think it would not have as muck highs as my guitar does, because of my flamed maple top but I think would still sound good. I bought this modle pickup in place of a SH-4 which sounded really harsh with my guitar.
If you have a two humbucker type guitar I recomend SH-14 Custom 5 in the bridge and SH-2n in the neck. I hope this helps you out

 

[nuntius]

Re: Anyone owning the Custom 5?

I have one, and I'll say that I only like it with how it sounds when my guitar is downtuned.

It stays clear with a nice punchy bass and doesn't get mushy in anyway... The fatness from thicker strings + being downtuned kinda counteracts the lack of mids a bit, whilst it still has some clarity.

Cleans are nice, but it's missing something in the mids IMO.

 

[Kommerzbassist]

Re: Anyone owning the Custom 5?

Thanks guys... well.. how is it compared to a '59? I really like that vintagy sound & the bite of the '59 and the description on the SD Site makes me think it's somehow a fatter '59...

 

[Rectotwin483]

Re: Anyone owning the Custom 5?

think of the charecteristics of the 59 the custom 5 is kina of the same just more output (almost double) yet not harsh enough for cleans like a JB. More bass clearer highs. I think its a great pickup.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Anyone owning the Custom 5?

It's been my favorite humbucker for some time now.
The whole reason I like it is that it has a vintage A5 tone with a tight low end, neutral mids that allows the wood and amp to dictate it, and present natural highs.
It's one of the only pickups that sounds great crystal clean, pushed, or highgain.
It's also one of the few that sounds good in almost any guitar you put it in.
IMO, it's one of the best pickups for mahogany guitars and EL-34 amps.

I've also used it in an alder/rosewood strat. It even sounds good in that, although it can be a bit hollow in the mids on a pickguard guitar. I'm still trying everything on HSS strats, including JB's, Jazz Bridge, 59B, but am having trouble nailing the sound I want out of it. The C-5 is close.

My UGD pickup was a slightly overwound C-5. That's about the most perfect Duncan Humbucker I've heard thus far. Something tells me that if the Custom and CC was slightly underwound, while the C-5 was slightly overwound, the Customs would be fine tuned to my idea of perfection.

 

[Zhangliqun]

Re: Anyone owning the Custom 5?

I like the Custom 5 okay but I'm a big fan of the CC, especially if you turn it into a C3 or C4. I know they're supposed to be the same wind but just with a different magnet but I think there's more to it than that. I know Alnico 5 pretty scooped mids but to go from such a pronounced mid-scoop on the C5 to an equally pronounced mid bulge on the CC just by switching from Alnico 5 to Alnico 2 doesn't seem possible. The DC resistance (14.4k officially) is the same but I'm beginning to suspect that the nature of the wind may be a little different.

Or maybe the bobbins on the CC are not quite as tall, which would widen the coil some and allow it to pick the mids and lows a bit more.

 

[FretFire]

Re: Anyone owning the Custom 5?

The Custom series is all the same except for the magnet. You could swap the A2 in the CC for an A5 and you'd have a C5 (instead of "basically" having a C5), etc.

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: Anyone owning the Custom 5?

The CC and the C5 are identical...I have often changed between the A5 and A2 magnet. I have a C5 that I bought as a C5, and a CC that I bought as a CC, there is no difference except the magnet.
I also sold it all
I am on the hunt for something else now.
My Wolfgang has a hybrid between an old 80's JB slugcoil and a 59b screwcoil with an A2 magnet, the CC and C5 was stationed in my old 87 Kramer Pacer.

 

[RiffGuy]

Re: Anyone owning the Custom 5?

I have a couple of C-5's. I was using one for my main bridge sound for a long time, but recently replaced it with an Anderson H3. I like a lot of things about the C5 and dislike a few:

Pro's: Warm and round. The bass is nice and deep. It has a nice slightly hot sound. Sounds good with/without distortion, for many kinds of music.

Con's: Bass can get very boomy. The mids are pretty scooped, can sound dark/thin, the highs can sound thin and weak.

I’ve used the C5 in 2 different basswood RG’s.

 

[Kommerzbassist]

Re: Anyone owning the Custom 5?

Thanks alot, people... I think I'll go more with the '59 rather than the C5 because I don't really like those boomy bass pickups for cleans... alos, the '59 seems to blend better with Single Coils

 

[Naps]

Re: Anyone owning the Custom 5?

My C-5 (Alder strat, rosewood board) has some shrill highs that I don't like and the mids are somewhat scooped. I like the tight bass, expecially with distortion. I'm thinking about a new pup sometime in the future. I think it would be much better in a les paul. It is IMO a bright pup, even with the 250K pots (instead of 500K pots).


.

 

[DeadSkinSlayer3]

Re: Anyone owning the Custom 5?

It's been my favorite humbucker for some time now.
The whole reason I like it is that it has a vintage A5 tone with a tight low end, neutral mids that allows the wood and amp to dictate it, and present natural highs.
It's one of the only pickups that sounds great crystal clean, pushed, or highgain.
It's also one of the few that sounds good in almost any guitar you put it in.
IMO, it's one of the best pickups for mahogany guitars and EL-34 amps.

Joe's right...I just got mine in today. Possibly the most perfect pickup I've ever played. Thick, raunchy, and aggressive, yet still sweet, rich, clear, and articulate. In mohogany through EL34's... this thing sounds too good to be true almost. I still have to compare it side by side with my JB in the RR-1, but this thing is perfect in mohogany.