Custom 5 & Jazz Combo

Moonge

New member
Has anyone used this combo? What are yourr thoughts? Is a 59 n a better option that the jazz n with the custom 5? Also if you have used the C5 what are your thoughts?
 
Re: Custom 5 & Jazz Combo

I think the JazzN is superior to the 59N, which was too bass boomy in all my applications. The C5 is very scooped and worked best with full blown Marshall amps, so for me a kind of one trick pony imo
 
Re: Custom 5 & Jazz Combo

I have a Custom 5-- Its EQ is 6-3-8-very mid-dipped! This is ok for the right person, but also gets sloppy with high gain. Im trying the Custom and should be here next week hopefully. Same exact wind, but ceramic magnet. It brings the mids up but retains that PAF-like EQ for its better qualities when played clean.
 
Re: Custom 5 & Jazz Combo

Has anyone used this combo? What are yourr thoughts? Is a 59 n a better option that the jazz n with the custom 5? Also if you have used the C5 what are your thoughts?

I play rock & blues, and have the C5/JazzN in a LP, and like it a lot. I think this combo is very good in SG's and 335's too. For me the C5 is a bit bright, so I use 250K's on the bridge, and that gives me more mids. For massive amounts of distortion, 500K's would be better.
 
Re: Custom 5 & Jazz Combo

BTW, I think the C5/JazzN pair is far superior to the JB/JazzN set they gets so much publicity.
 
Re: Custom 5 & Jazz Combo

BTW, I think the C5/JazzN pair is far superior to the JB/JazzN set they gets so much publicity.

I agree. The C5/Jazz is a nicely calibrated set. Very versatile from sweet cleans all the way to the heaviest tones.

I used to put the C5/59 in most of my guitars, until I discovered that I liked the Jazz neck or bridge models more for neck pickups.

I tend to like the C5, Custom, Brobucker, JB, and 59 the most for bridges, and the Jazz models and PG's for necks. After trying most of the Duncan humbuckers, I've narrowed my tastes down to those mostly.
 
Re: Custom 5 & Jazz Combo

The C5/Jazz is a nicely calibrated set.
In my case, I prefer the Jazz bridge on the neck with the C5.

It has a slighty less brilliant tone than the JazzN and a more "malish" tone that I find more appealing for the styles of music I play. I can't reccomended it enough!

HTH,

Pepe aka Lt. Kojak
Milano, Italy
 
Re: Custom 5 & Jazz Combo

I have a C5/APH1n set in my Ibanez RG321MH.
I can't get over how crisp and thick the C5 sounds in this guitar.
Spectacular--Perfect match.

The C5 does not actually "remove" mids from the tone of the guitar, it just does not boost the mids to the point of compression, as many other high output pickups do.

The APH1n, by contrast, sounds a bit too middy, and compressed. Sloppy on the low end, and not bright enough. It will be replaced with a Jazzn or a 4-conductor '59, or perhaps I will just put an A5 magnet in the APH1.
 
Re: Custom 5 & Jazz Combo

My main guitar uses this combination. I replaced a JB with the C5 and replaced a DD Jazz with a SD USA Jazz.
The C5 is warm, meaty, and has a bit of a mid scoop going on. I had to adjust my pickup height a few times to find the sweet spot. I use a 70's Marshall tube head so the C5 pushes the amp nicely dirty or clean. The clean tone is right before breakup so its nice and sharp with good clarity. Dirty, the C5 is a beast. IMO it beats the hell out of the JB, Dime, or Invader. At 14.4k, it has perfect amount of output to remain versatile for all kinds of rock.

The Jazz is a dream come true. Far better in neck position than the '59. IMO the '59 neck just sounds thin and trashy. Since my amp is 1 channel, I just use the Jazz neck with the volume knob around 5 as my OD channel. Sweet, articulate, with plenty of warmth. I can see why this is their bestselling pickup. I still say that a Jazz neck with a good stereo chorus is about the best clean sound I've heard for heavy blues or fusion. I have a Jazz bridge on my 12 string and it is also beautiful and IMO the best choice for Semi Hollowbodies.
 
Re: Custom 5 & Jazz Combo

I have this combo in my SG, thanks to the advice of the good people on here, and I like it a lot. The Custom 5 is perfect for classic rock, like Deep Purple, AC/DC and the like. The Jazz fits it well, although it's not my ideal neck pickup, I still don't know what that is (the neck pup in my new Blackouts set is AWESOME though!).
 
Re: Custom 5 & Jazz Combo

A friend of mine has this set in a GLP, it sounds godly!

That's THE combo i'd have in a GLP (or any mahogany body & neck guitar).

The C5 is tight as **** & delivers a great rhythm & lead tone. The jazz has a great lead tone as well as plain awesome cleans.

I think the fact both have low mids EQ is great when going in a mahogany body. I'm not a big fan of mids-heavy pickups in an already mids-heavy wood.

I have the C5 in my basswood Ibby RG atm (i'll probably change to DiMarzio's and keep the current combo for when i get a mahogany bodied guitar) but it sounds great in such a lifeless wood as basswood.

So in summary, both are individually great pickups & work well as a combo (espescially in mahogany) IMO.
 
Re: Custom 5 & Jazz Combo

Yeah, the C5/jazz combo is a GREAT choice!
 
Re: Custom 5 & Jazz Combo

It's probably the most fool-proof pickup combination. If you're not sure exactly what you want, it's hard to go wrong with it.
 
Re: Custom 5 & Jazz Combo

It's probably the most fool-proof pickup combination. If you're not sure exactly what you want, it's hard to go wrong with it.

I totally agree!! Half of everyone says the JB/Jazz and that is a great set but, it does not work at all with alot of guitars and alot of ears. Its hit or miss. It can be GREAT or horrible depending on the guitar. The C5/jazz is a much safer bet.
 
Re: Custom 5 & Jazz Combo

Never thought much about it. But - now that I do, I agree. How could you not at least think that was decent?
 
Re: Custom 5 & Jazz Combo

This combo sounds like it might be worth a try...I already snagged a Jazz neck for my old '83 Kramer Voyager I'm restoring, and have been debating what to put in the bridge slot...though since it is Alder and I play through a Boogie MkIII, the mid-scoop might not be a good thing (I stopped doing the full-on "smiley-face" with the EQ on the amp some time ago)...I'm torn between a C5, regular Ceramic Custom, or an Alt 8....was thinking of going with a Distortion to have the Rhoads combo, but started debating with myself again (especially after someone on here was describing a C8 as the "Annihilator")...decisions, decisions...:D I'm currently swapping out bridge humbuckers on four of my guitars with Floyds, and with all the possiblities kind of driving myself nuts...:chairfall

Heck, maybe I'll just get a Custom along with an A5 and A8 magnet from John @ Wymore, and just spend a couple of weeks comparing and contrasting...lol
 
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