C-5 pup
- Thread starter Pepi
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St_Genesius
New member
Re: C-5 pup
Make it a normal Custom?
Make it a normal Custom?
slightly_rude
New member
Re: C-5 pup
Make sure you use 500k pots with a C-5.
Pepi said:
Make sure you use 500k pots with a C-5.
KLINKDETROIT
New member
Re: C-5 pup
Why a 500k pot? What about a 1 meg pot? Do you know what effect it may have on tone?
slightly_rude said:
Why a 500k pot? What about a 1 meg pot? Do you know what effect it may have on tone?
Gearjoneser
Gear Ho
Re: C-5 pup
Klink. One idea I've had, rather than buying a new Custom Shop overwound C-5, is to just take 1 of my C-5's and have it rewound hotter by a boutique pickup maker, or whoever does the best work for the least $$. I want something that's a slightly bulked up C-5. I wish they didn't wind all the Customs the same. I think the A-5,
A-2, and Ceramic pickups should all be dialed in with a more suitable wind. That's just my opinion, thus far.
Klink. One idea I've had, rather than buying a new Custom Shop overwound C-5, is to just take 1 of my C-5's and have it rewound hotter by a boutique pickup maker, or whoever does the best work for the least $$. I want something that's a slightly bulked up C-5. I wish they didn't wind all the Customs the same. I think the A-5,
A-2, and Ceramic pickups should all be dialed in with a more suitable wind. That's just my opinion, thus far.
papersoul
New member
Re: C-5 pup
I agree with Gear, they should be treated as different pickups with slight tweaks in the wind to accomodate the magnet, etc. The C-5 seems comparable to the JB in terms of output which will feel a little different based on pickup height. I have to say the C-5 would be one of my favorites if it had some thicker midrange. I just crave fat mids, even from the pickup. The one problem may be that puting more mids in the C-5 may end some of its versatility? Not sure.
Anyway, you should be able to use 300k or 500k pots with the C-5. I know Gear uses the C-5 in his LPs whith the stock caps/pots. I can guarantee they are 300k or close.
I agree with Gear, they should be treated as different pickups with slight tweaks in the wind to accomodate the magnet, etc. The C-5 seems comparable to the JB in terms of output which will feel a little different based on pickup height. I have to say the C-5 would be one of my favorites if it had some thicker midrange. I just crave fat mids, even from the pickup. The one problem may be that puting more mids in the C-5 may end some of its versatility? Not sure.
Anyway, you should be able to use 300k or 500k pots with the C-5. I know Gear uses the C-5 in his LPs whith the stock caps/pots. I can guarantee they are 300k or close.
RiffGuy
New member
Re: C-5 pup
The C-5 has been my bridge pickup of choice for a few years now. I do like this pickup, but there are a few things that I wish were a little different. I wish it had more mids and maybe just a little more output. The boominess that the low E string gets sometimes can be annoying in certain situations, too. This pickup seems kind of "dry". Anyone know what I mean?
It does have a nice warm/cutting/punchy tone, which is why I use it despite it's shortcomings. And it's VERY versatile, both clean and dirty.
The C-5 has been my bridge pickup of choice for a few years now. I do like this pickup, but there are a few things that I wish were a little different. I wish it had more mids and maybe just a little more output. The boominess that the low E string gets sometimes can be annoying in certain situations, too. This pickup seems kind of "dry". Anyone know what I mean?
It does have a nice warm/cutting/punchy tone, which is why I use it despite it's shortcomings. And it's VERY versatile, both clean and dirty.
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Nightburst
New member
Re: C-5 pup
How is your C5 adjusted in your axe?
I set my pickups quite high and raise the polepieces also. This will make the pickup sound a little brighter and hotter, might give that extra little kick you are looking for.
How is your C5 adjusted in your axe?
I set my pickups quite high and raise the polepieces also. This will make the pickup sound a little brighter and hotter, might give that extra little kick you are looking for.
RiffGuy
New member
Re: C-5 pup
I have it raised fairly high. I have the polepieces raised a little as well, following the subtle arch of the fretboard radius.. How far did you raise your pole pieces? I always feel like I'm doing something I'm not supposed to whenever I raise them, especially when that little bit of wax potting comes out. I do it with all my pickups though.
Nightburst said:
I have it raised fairly high. I have the polepieces raised a little as well, following the subtle arch of the fretboard radius.. How far did you raise your pole pieces? I always feel like I'm doing something I'm not supposed to whenever I raise them, especially when that little bit of wax potting comes out. I do it with all my pickups though.
L
Lewguitar
Guest
Re: C-5 pup
I agree. And I think the JB is what Pepe should try next. It has alot more midrange IMO. I don't hear the c5 as being louder or having more output than the JB, BTW. I've had both in the same guitar: '92 Hamer Studio Custom. I never use humbuckers with anything except 500K pots...otherwise, I lose highs and the pickup sounds like I'm playing through an amp with a wool blanket over the speaker. Lew
papersoul said:
I agree. And I think the JB is what Pepe should try next. It has alot more midrange IMO. I don't hear the c5 as being louder or having more output than the JB, BTW. I've had both in the same guitar: '92 Hamer Studio Custom. I never use humbuckers with anything except 500K pots...otherwise, I lose highs and the pickup sounds like I'm playing through an amp with a wool blanket over the speaker. Lew
L
Lewguitar
Guest
Re: C-5 pup
A 250K pot on "10" will allow some highs to bleed out of the circuit and return to ground never to be heard from again.
A 500K pot on "10" will prevent almost 100% of those highs from bleeding out of the circuit...but some will. That's why a guitar with no volume or tone controls will always be brighter than a normal guitar and why EVH used to not even a put a tone control on his guitar at all: it's brighter w/o.
papersoul said:
A 250K pot on "10" will allow some highs to bleed out of the circuit and return to ground never to be heard from again.
A 500K pot on "10" will prevent almost 100% of those highs from bleeding out of the circuit...but some will. That's why a guitar with no volume or tone controls will always be brighter than a normal guitar and why EVH used to not even a put a tone control on his guitar at all: it's brighter w/o.
Gearjoneser
Gear Ho
Re: C-5 pup
That's the exact reason why I've kept the 300K pots in any Paul that came that way, and I also leave the 250K volume pot in HSS strats. I don't mind that tiny bit of treble bleed, because it removes any icepickiness. On 500K pots, I find myself backing my tone to 8. It doesn't sound like a blanket over the amp, since I usually have those suckers cranked. I like the effect of warming up my tone by backing off the volume, rather than having unison tone, while pulling back the volume. I guess I'm just stubborn, and got used to stock wiring for so long.
That's the exact reason why I've kept the 300K pots in any Paul that came that way, and I also leave the 250K volume pot in HSS strats. I don't mind that tiny bit of treble bleed, because it removes any icepickiness. On 500K pots, I find myself backing my tone to 8. It doesn't sound like a blanket over the amp, since I usually have those suckers cranked. I like the effect of warming up my tone by backing off the volume, rather than having unison tone, while pulling back the volume. I guess I'm just stubborn, and got used to stock wiring for so long.
papersoul
New member
Re: C-5 pup
I have to agree, I hear ice pick galore with 500k pots in a Les Paul and prefer 300k for a thicker/warmer tone to my ears.
The odd thing is that PRS guitars still tend to sound nice and warm without the ice pick and that is with the stock 500k pots. I have heard those pots in the PRS guitars are really closer to 400-450k.
gear, you gonna remove the 500ks in your PRS McCarty for some 300ks?
Gearjoneser said:
I have to agree, I hear ice pick galore with 500k pots in a Les Paul and prefer 300k for a thicker/warmer tone to my ears.
The odd thing is that PRS guitars still tend to sound nice and warm without the ice pick and that is with the stock 500k pots. I have heard those pots in the PRS guitars are really closer to 400-450k.
gear, you gonna remove the 500ks in your PRS McCarty for some 300ks?
fab.regnaut
New member
Re: C-5 pup
I tried first the C5 in a Gibson M III set neck and it was boomy on the basses and to mellow on the highs , then i changed the regular screws for allen head screws and it improved it a lot : tighter basses and more agressive highs , you can try that it is simple and effective .
But man a few weeks ago i put this p-u in an Ibanez roadstar with basswood body and flamed top , very bright guitar and full of mids , and this C5 was screaming so much that i had to put back the regular screws , and it has still more bite that it had in the Gibson .
Morality : listen to you guitar and choose a pickup witch doesn't have the same EQ than your guitar .
In the gibson now it is a TB6 , the only way to cure the excessive bass and the lack of brigthness of this guitar .
Hope this help .
fab
I tried first the C5 in a Gibson M III set neck and it was boomy on the basses and to mellow on the highs , then i changed the regular screws for allen head screws and it improved it a lot : tighter basses and more agressive highs , you can try that it is simple and effective .
But man a few weeks ago i put this p-u in an Ibanez roadstar with basswood body and flamed top , very bright guitar and full of mids , and this C5 was screaming so much that i had to put back the regular screws , and it has still more bite that it had in the Gibson .
Morality : listen to you guitar and choose a pickup witch doesn't have the same EQ than your guitar .
In the gibson now it is a TB6 , the only way to cure the excessive bass and the lack of brigthness of this guitar .
Hope this help .
fab