Re: Custom 5 in a basswood bodied guitar
Since the C5 is probably my favorite Duncan humbucker, I've used it in all my guitars at some point, including my basswood/flamed maple veneer G&L Legacy Deluxe.
Since the C-5 is voiced almost like a natural soft U on a graphic equalizer, it works best in woods with their own nice midrange, especially mahogany or mahogany/maple.
It's really the perfect bridge humbucker for LP's or PRS guitars.
In basswood, it really depends. In my G&L, I'm using a nickel C5 that's fairly close to the strings and it sounds very good. However, I'm not sure it's the 'be all end all' pickup for that guitar. The CC was a little soft on the bottom end. The JB is what came stock, but like usual, it sounds better for soloing than rhythm. My next move will be to try a 59B and Seth Lover. The Seth is always overlooked by rock/metal players, and it's unfortunate because it's got such a great tone, it often sounds better than pickups designed for higher gain.
I guess what I'm getting at is that for basswood I'd probably steer toward the C-5, 59, Seth Lover, Custom, or JB. I'm sure many Duncans would sound good too, but I'd start with those models.