Custom Custom in LP Review

[ErikH]

First, thanks to Lew of Lews Guitars for the great business. I will buy more from him in the future. Now, on to the review.

Last night I installed my newly arrived Custom Custom in to my Epi Les Paul. I'm pretty sure this one is mahogany and not alder although it's a bit tough to tell exactly because the cavities are painted black. :smack: It certainly doesn't sound like my other alder bodied guitars though.

Anyway, I see lots of questions about whether the Custom Custom sounds good in a LP. Now that I can truly comment on it, HELL YES!!! Those buttery highs, nice lows, and the strong mids make my LP scream. It sounds so full, beefy and "creamy" I think is the word I'm looking for. With my amp set to clean it rings beautifully, nice and soft yet can cut through with a hard pick attack. Kick on some nice overdrive, not heavy, and it's the blues all the way. Go high gain and it's really rockin', pinch harmonics and strong sounding chords all the way. It cleans up real nice too when rolling back on the volume.

I just can't say enough good things about the CC. This is my second CC with the first one now in my Kramer which was originally in my homemade strat for the past 12 years. I've never doubted the quality of the CC but this latest purchase reaffirms my confidence in it. Now if SD would make a CC Junior I'd throw one in my Fender.

 

[Zhangliqun]

Re: Custom Custom in LP Review

I'm a fan of the CC, and its home-modded variations, the C3 and C4. It's one of the few humbuckers SD makes that isn't top-heavy. I like a midrange on a bridge pickup that barks and blooms even when played squeaky clean.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Custom Custom in LP Review

All the Customs really sound great in Les Pauls. They each have their own character, but none of them will disappoint you. I really like CC/Seth, C-5/59, Custom/59, and if you're into magnet swapping, the C-4/Jazz is a combo that's glassy and articulate.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Custom Custom in LP Review

Thanks Erik! I have the CC in my Hamer Monoco and love it too. "Creamy" is a good description. "Syrupy" is a description I sometimes use too. It's very easy on the ears and lacking in any of the annoying "ice pick in the ears" tones of some other pickups. But I find that I can do just about any style with it from hard rock to jazz to blues. Sounds great played through a TS-9 or DS-1 or Duncan Pickup Booster too. I love the mids of the CC and with a little overdrive I can squeeze off pinch harmonics and up-pick those growly notes on my low E string that sounds like I'm burning rubber and peeling out in a GTO! I kind of look for that quality in a bridge humbucker...sort of the tone Jeff Beck got on Truth and some of his early solo stuff. Anyways, thanks for the business and I'm glad you like the pickup. Lew

 

[ErikH]

Re: Custom Custom in LP Review

I'm a fan of the CC, and its home-modded variations, the C3 and C4. It's one of the few humbuckers SD makes that isn't top-heavy. I like a midrange on a bridge pickup that barks and blooms even when played squeaky clean.

Interesting variations. I've never tried a A3 or A4 mag pickup before. I'm not performing any surgery on this one though.

All the Customs really sound great in Les Pauls. They each have their own character, but none of them will disappoint you. I really like CC/Seth, C-5/59, Custom/59, and if you're into magnet swapping, the C-4/Jazz is a combo that's glassy and articulate.

My current favorite Custom combo is the CC/Jazz. For some reason I really love how they sound together in the mid position even though they are different magnets.

"Syrupy" is a description I sometimes use too. I love the mids of the CC and with a little overdrive I can squeeze off pinch harmonics and up-pick those growly notes on my low E string that sounds like I'm burning rubber and peeling out in a GTO! I kind of look for that quality in a bridge humbucker...sort of the tone Jeff Beck got on Truth and some of his early solo stuff.

Yes, that's another good description. I never liked boomy low pickups. The lowend is for the bass guitar. I like it to be there but just enough to fill out the sound and round it out. The lows of the CC are just right to me.

Besides Beck, Walsh also had that "creamy", "syrupy" tone on some of his solo stuff and with the James Gang. The Bomber...awesome tone.