I've been testing the Custom 5, Custom 8 and Custom Unoriented A5 for a time now and I'll try to do a quick comparison here, in order to help whoever is interested in this pickups.
Guitar used: SG
Neck Pickup: Stock 59n
Amps: many, including tube and SS
Here we go:
Custom 5
Originally, I bought this pickup, following the recommendations of the forum:
Characteristics: bright; sharp high end; tight bass; kinda scooped mids; percusive on heavy picking
Pros: matches perfectly with the 59n (tonally speaking); the scooped mids helps in the sg, which is a very "middy" guitar; the output is nice and not overpower the 59n; very nice to do chord and powerchord rythms, specially when you're with a band, since it has a tight sound and not much mids, this allow the other guitar (doing dolo) to shine more in the mix.
Cons: Sometimes it gets to bright, kinda ear piercing highs; the scooped mids can also be a problem, specially if you are the lead guitar (in this case you must be sure that the rhythm guitar is at a lower volume or mid scooped too)
Resume: I think this pickup works really nice in the SG and deliver those clapton tones very well. Also does a little Zeppelin, since Jimmy Page has a bright tone sometimes. And, of course, you can get nice Angus Tone by rolling back the tone (and maybe the volume) a bit.
Custom 8
The second I've tried, doing a magnet swap and putting an A8 in it.
Characteristics: More balanced EQ than the Custom 5; tight bass; more lower mids; rounded highs; increased output; basically, a very hot pickup;
Pros: Nice to do metal tones and powerchords; good to overdrive the preamp; nice solo tones; good output for heavier tunes; modern sounding for modern sounds; it cuts nice through the mix; rounded cleans.
Cons: too much output when compared to the 59n (if you set a soloing distorted tone for the 59n, you'll get metal tone from the C8 - if you set crunchy sound for the C8, you'll get almost clean sound from the 59n); not so clear notes when playing crunchy chords; sometimes it seems to modern to do old classic rock tunes; you have to set it a little bit further away from the strings.
Resume: nice pickup for heavier tones, but it can do softer either, due its rounded highs and not so percursive sounding. This pickup can be a monster with a live band.
Custom Unoriented A5
The last one I've tried.
Characteristics: Warm; a lot of mids; kinda looser bass; soft highs
Pros: great for doing solo in a band, since the mids shine and cut through the mix; nice vintage tone when compared to the other 2; very nice dynamics, when you pick hard, it crunches, when you pick light, it gets cleaner; very complex and unique tones.
Cons: sometimes it can get way to middy in the sg; the loose bass can get annoying when you want to hit hard and get a more percusive response; if you're doing rhytym guitar in a band, maybe it can be a little difficult for the lead guitar to cut through the mix, since the midrange is yours; it's not a nice tonal match to the 59n, since the tone is way different and much more complex; sometimes it's too warm and the 59n seems even a little brighter (of course i'm talking just of the high end frequency.
Resume: nice pickup for vintage tones, specially if you're a lead guitar. Not so great for doing chords like the chorus of "You shook me all night long", since the loose bass kinda hide the lower notes. I'll describe it as a hot lead vintage pickup, but I must remember that this one is the one which gets the lower output between the 3 (because of that, you can leave it closer to the strings, since it's noticeable the weaker magnet - for string pull).
I hope it helps, guys. I'd like to thank the honorable member Blueman335, who sent me those magnets and turned me in this tone freak I am now.
Sorry for any mistakes in English too. If you have any question, feel free to ask.
Guitar used: SG
Neck Pickup: Stock 59n
Amps: many, including tube and SS
Here we go:
Custom 5
Originally, I bought this pickup, following the recommendations of the forum:
Characteristics: bright; sharp high end; tight bass; kinda scooped mids; percusive on heavy picking
Pros: matches perfectly with the 59n (tonally speaking); the scooped mids helps in the sg, which is a very "middy" guitar; the output is nice and not overpower the 59n; very nice to do chord and powerchord rythms, specially when you're with a band, since it has a tight sound and not much mids, this allow the other guitar (doing dolo) to shine more in the mix.
Cons: Sometimes it gets to bright, kinda ear piercing highs; the scooped mids can also be a problem, specially if you are the lead guitar (in this case you must be sure that the rhythm guitar is at a lower volume or mid scooped too)
Resume: I think this pickup works really nice in the SG and deliver those clapton tones very well. Also does a little Zeppelin, since Jimmy Page has a bright tone sometimes. And, of course, you can get nice Angus Tone by rolling back the tone (and maybe the volume) a bit.
Custom 8
The second I've tried, doing a magnet swap and putting an A8 in it.
Characteristics: More balanced EQ than the Custom 5; tight bass; more lower mids; rounded highs; increased output; basically, a very hot pickup;
Pros: Nice to do metal tones and powerchords; good to overdrive the preamp; nice solo tones; good output for heavier tunes; modern sounding for modern sounds; it cuts nice through the mix; rounded cleans.
Cons: too much output when compared to the 59n (if you set a soloing distorted tone for the 59n, you'll get metal tone from the C8 - if you set crunchy sound for the C8, you'll get almost clean sound from the 59n); not so clear notes when playing crunchy chords; sometimes it seems to modern to do old classic rock tunes; you have to set it a little bit further away from the strings.
Resume: nice pickup for heavier tones, but it can do softer either, due its rounded highs and not so percursive sounding. This pickup can be a monster with a live band.
Custom Unoriented A5
The last one I've tried.
Characteristics: Warm; a lot of mids; kinda looser bass; soft highs
Pros: great for doing solo in a band, since the mids shine and cut through the mix; nice vintage tone when compared to the other 2; very nice dynamics, when you pick hard, it crunches, when you pick light, it gets cleaner; very complex and unique tones.
Cons: sometimes it can get way to middy in the sg; the loose bass can get annoying when you want to hit hard and get a more percusive response; if you're doing rhytym guitar in a band, maybe it can be a little difficult for the lead guitar to cut through the mix, since the midrange is yours; it's not a nice tonal match to the 59n, since the tone is way different and much more complex; sometimes it's too warm and the 59n seems even a little brighter (of course i'm talking just of the high end frequency.
Resume: nice pickup for vintage tones, specially if you're a lead guitar. Not so great for doing chords like the chorus of "You shook me all night long", since the loose bass kinda hide the lower notes. I'll describe it as a hot lead vintage pickup, but I must remember that this one is the one which gets the lower output between the 3 (because of that, you can leave it closer to the strings, since it's noticeable the weaker magnet - for string pull).
I hope it helps, guys. I'd like to thank the honorable member Blueman335, who sent me those magnets and turned me in this tone freak I am now.
Sorry for any mistakes in English too. If you have any question, feel free to ask.
