Brown-ish PuP Advice: Custom, CC, C8, C3...?

C

cholly

New member
Greetings all -- I know this has probably been beaten to death already, but looking for some current hands-on experiences.

Just put a Custom in a Strat build (alder/maple, vintage trem), going for a vintagey feel, brown-ish type sound, not looking to get early EVH exactly, but in the ballpark -- fat, chewy, harmonics, pushy mids... I really like the Custom but find it a bit "hard" overall.

I play through a NMV Marshall clone, usually use a BB Preamp, or DS-1, and/or eq to push it.

I'm comfortable doing magnet swaps, and already have a bunch -- but before I dive in, looking for some suggestions -- I'm leaning either A2 or A3 (A8 a longshot I think)-- any one of these stand out best?

Thanks
 
Re: Brown-ish PuP Advice: Custom, CC, C8, C3...?

EVH has played a lot of different guitars and a lot of different pickups.

so.... look to your amp and to your hands.
 
Re: Brown-ish PuP Advice: Custom, CC, C8, C3...?

Custom Custom, EVH Frankenstein, '78, DiMarzio Super Distortion, Mighty Mite MM1400, Ibanez Super70, Jalen 78, Bare Knuckle VHII... Lots more. All depends on which guitar and what album you're going for.

Sent from my VK810 4G using Tapatalk
 
Re: Brown-ish PuP Advice: Custom, CC, C8, C3...?

Thanks -- The pickup I'll be using is a Custom -- question I have is what magnet goes in it? A2, A3, A8. Grazie
 
Re: Brown-ish PuP Advice: Custom, CC, C8, C3...?

I'd suggest getting a UOA5.

Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using Tapatalk
 
Re: Brown-ish PuP Advice: Custom, CC, C8, C3...?

Put Alnico 2 in it for Diver Down / 1984 sounds
 
Re: Brown-ish PuP Advice: Custom, CC, C8, C3...?

cholly said:
I really like the Custom but find it a bit "hard" overall.
Click to expand...

The Custom is the VH1 album pickup.

If you dig it but find it too "hard" sounding, swap the ceramic magnet with an A2 magnet (you will then have a "Custom Custom").

A2 is the "squishy" magnet.
 
Re: Brown-ish PuP Advice: Custom, CC, C8, C3...?

LLL said:
The Custom is the VH1 album pickup.

If you dig it but find it too "hard" sounding, swap the ceramic magnet with an A2 magnet (you will then have a "Custom Custom").

A2 is the "squishy" magnet.
Click to expand...
And UOA5 is just slightly less squishy.

Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using Tapatalk
 
Re: Brown-ish PuP Advice: Custom, CC, C8, C3...?

Yup. I put one in a JB. Love it. More mids but still decent top and bottom. I can only imagine that it would do the same in a Custom. I've also heard someone mention an A4 in the Custom. I'd bet that would sound good too.

Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using Tapatalk
 
Re: Brown-ish PuP Advice: Custom, CC, C8, C3...?

UOA5 is sort of a nice half-way point between a regular, polished A5 and an A2. Any of the three would be softer in response than the ceramic in the regular Custom, but you'll want A2 or UOA5 to keep the mids in EVH-territory. The regular A5 is a little too scooped in the Custom wind, in my opinion, at least for early-ish EVH.

Also, the RTM, '78 and EVH Frankenstein (which is also made by SD for EVH) are all hotter A2-based pickups that are great for getting that "brown" sound.

All that said, Darth was right when he said to look more at your amp (and your hands for that matter)...the amp you use plays more into getting "that" tone than the pickups do, to be honest, although pickups are the icing that finishes off the cake ;)
 
Re: Brown-ish PuP Advice: Custom, CC, C8, C3...?

cholly said:
Thanks -- The pickup I'll be using is a Custom -- question I have is what magnet goes in it? A2, A3, A8. Grazie
Click to expand...

If you must choose that one, play it first and see what you think

And there are also the 3 sets of pickups that we know EVH has been playing for the past 25 years: DiMarzio, Peavey, FMIC/EVH.

Have you seen/heard any live footage of EVH since the early 90s and thought "that's not Eddie!"? Eddie gonna be Eddie no matter what he plays.
 
Re: Brown-ish PuP Advice: Custom, CC, C8, C3...?

Brown = CC - Think 1984 sound.

A Custom 8 is brownish.
 
Re: Brown-ish PuP Advice: Custom, CC, C8, C3...?

I got instant EVH vibe from Custom in alder/maple T-style guitar that specifically used for playing hard rock. I recognize 'the hard' part you mentioned and consider it would be good for harder music style. I have Custom Custom in that guitar now and couldn't be happier.
 
Re: Brown-ish PuP Advice: Custom, CC, C8, C3...?

Thanks to everyone for the input.... all good stuff. I'm gonna try A2 and UOA5 for now, will let you know what happens. Never really cared for A3 in a bridge, love it in a neck PAF though,
 
Re: Brown-ish PuP Advice: Custom, CC, C8, C3...?

i did a lot of mag swaps in different guitars with the Custom pickups.

For a brown sound in a alder strat i liked a A2 and for little more beef a A8. In a mahogany set neck Les Paul i liked an UOA5 and a A6!
 
Re: Brown-ish PuP Advice: Custom, CC, C8, C3...?

hamerfan said:
i did a lot of mag swaps in different guitars with the Custom pickups.

For a brown sound in a alder strat i liked a A2 and for little more beef a A8. In a mahogany set neck Les Paul i liked an UOA5 and a A6!
Click to expand...
Remember, the Shark was an Ibanez Destroyer made of Sen with Super70s. Take a set of '59s and swap A8s in and you'll get pretty close to Super70s.
 
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