Custom 5 close, but no cigar

M

mindbender

New member
OK, I have a Custom 5 (SH-14) in the bridge of my Signature Odyssey and it sounds decent but I need a little more 'bite'. I tried the Custom in it, but it had way too much mids in this guitar. This guitar seems to be 'mid-heavy' so I'm looking for something a bit scooped: decent lows but a nice high-mid/treble presence to make this guitar come alive. A JB maybe? Full shred? I want something with a nice 'sting' at the top end, but it has to be fairly hot, preferably Alnico 5, and it needs to balance with an Air Norton in the neck. How are the trembuckers (since this guitar has a Floyd ROse in it). Thoughts? DiMarzio's are OK too, but the ones I've tried are very mid-heavy and a little dark sounding. Maybe the PAF PRO?
 
Re: Custom 5 close, but no cigar

Try the JB, I had a Dimarzio Super Distortion bridge on my explorer and it was too dark. The JB gave me the tone that I was searching for, with good mids, and enough treble and bass. It's great for any kind of rock in my opinion
 
Re: Custom 5 close, but no cigar

See if messing with the height helps any. C-5's sound better closer to the strings.

A Screamin Demon or JB might be a good direction. I don't like the Fullshred bridge much.
 
Re: Custom 5 close, but no cigar

devastone said:
Does it have to be a Duncan? I would try a DiMarzio Steve's Special.
Click to expand...
How does the Steve's Special sound? I want punch with good top end bite. Isn't that a ceramic? A ceramic might be a little over the top in this guitar though, like I said the Custom was too obnoxious although I love it in my Schecter.
 
Re: Custom 5 close, but no cigar

I don't have any experience w/Dimarzio humbuckers but
the JB has upper mids and a good amount of treble, but not much in the lower mids and bass department. Great for leads.
 
Re: Custom 5 close, but no cigar

The JB sounds just right for what you're after. It has plenty of bite, and is mildly hot in the output department.
 
Re: Custom 5 close, but no cigar

I feel that the C5 has more true treble than the JB. I'd recommend the Screamin Demon for the tone you described.
 
Re: Custom 5 close, but no cigar

I second the height expermentation suggestion. The C5 seems very sensitive to height adjustment.
 
Re: Custom 5 close, but no cigar

mindbender said:
How does the Steve's Special sound? I want punch with good top end bite. Isn't that a ceramic? A ceramic might be a little over the top in this guitar though, like I said the Custom was too obnoxious although I love it in my Schecter.
Click to expand...

Don't get too hung up on magnets, the SS is great in a mid-heavy guitar. It has a very even response, with a slight mid-scoop. It has a nice bite on top, it's different than most high output DiMarzios in that it doesn't have that low-midrange hump.

The Demon would be a good lower output choice too, I'm not trying to steer you away from Duncans on the Duncan board, it's just that when you mentioned what you are looking for the SS came to mind, especially since you thought the Custom 5 didn't have enough bite and the Custom was too midrangey, not to mention you already have an AN in the neck position. The SS and AN was Petrucci's setup before he started using the Dropsonic.
 
Re: Custom 5 close, but no cigar

The JB has a huge upper-mid boost so if your guitar is already mid-heavy it may not work well. I would go for the screamin demon or full shred bridge. Both fit your description well, Keep in mind that the tone chart cannot respresent how a pickup will sound in your guitar...
 
Re: Custom 5 close, but no cigar

I really like the soundclip of the Screamin Demon, but I don't know if it's hot enough at 10k. WOuld it still balance well with the Air Norton in the neck? The Steve's Special sounds like a good idea, as long as it's not TOO scooped. The original pickup in this guitar was an Evans lead pickup that was super scooped: icepick highs and huge lows but no mids. It's output was also too low. I want something in between. The C-5 has the right amount of mids, if it only had just a little more bass and highs... I'll fool around with that height adjustment. Thanks so far for all the replies guys!
 
Re: Custom 5 close, but no cigar

devastone said:
Don't get too hung up on magnets, the SS is great in a mid-heavy guitar. It has a very even response, with a slight mid-scoop. It has a nice bite on top, it's different than most high output DiMarzios in that it doesn't have that low-midrange hump.

The Demon would be a good lower output choice too, I'm not trying to steer you away from Duncans on the Duncan board, it's just that when you mentioned what you are looking for the SS came to mind, especially since you thought the Custom 5 didn't have enough bite and the Custom was too midrangey, not to mention you already have an AN in the neck position. The SS and AN was Petrucci's setup before he started using the Dropsonic.
Click to expand...
I LOVE Petruccis's tone on 'Images and Words', is that what he was using back then?
 
Re: Custom 5 close, but no cigar

No, he was using a Tone Zone then, but if your guitar was too middy with a Custom, I'd stay away from the TZ, YMMV of course.
 
Re: Custom 5 close, but no cigar

Back then he used the tone zone but it was to middy with his amp and DM made the SS so he started to use it by then. That's a story I heard somewhere...Not sure if it's true.
 
Re: Custom 5 close, but no cigar

mindbender said:
OK, I have a Custom 5 (SH-14) in the bridge of my Signature Odyssey and it sounds decent but I need a little more 'bite'. I tried the Custom in it, but it had way too much mids in this guitar. This guitar seems to be 'mid-heavy' so I'm looking for something a bit scooped: decent lows but a nice high-mid/treble presence to make this guitar come alive. A JB maybe? Full shred? I want something with a nice 'sting' at the top end, but it has to be fairly hot, preferably Alnico 5, and it needs to balance with an Air Norton in the neck. How are the trembuckers (since this guitar has a Floyd ROse in it). Thoughts? DiMarzio's are OK too, but the ones I've tried are very mid-heavy and a little dark sounding. Maybe the PAF PRO?
Click to expand...


Is this "my momma was a Gibson, my daddy was a Fender, that's why they call me Mindbender" from Andy Z's place?
 
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