Custom Custom lack of bottom end?

[mike2nyc]

Hey guys,

I have a JB in my swamp ash Jazzmaster with maple neck, ebony fb and a hipshot fixed bridge. There is a certain spikeyness that is listen-able but tiring with the JB.

Really want to try a custom custom - want this guitar to scream and crunch and ability to clean up in a good way.

my one concern is lack of bottom that I keep reading about - any thoughts?

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Custom Custom lack of bottom end?

Hey guys,

I have a JB in my swamp ash Jazzmaster with maple neck, ebony fb and a hipshot fixed bridge. There is a certain spikeyness that is listen-able but tiring with the JB.

Really want to try a custom custom - want this guitar to scream and crunch and ability to clean up in a good way.

my one concern is lack of bottom that I keep reading about - any thoughts?

IMO, there is no lack of bottom end with the CC. It's just a little "looser" than with an alnico 5 Custom or Custom 5. But the CC has plenty of bottom end.

It's a great pickup but not especially crunchy unless you're playing through a crunchy amp with crunchy speakers.

Even through a Marshall, it's smooth like a squishy caramel you've been chewing on for a while, although through a Marshall or tweed Fender Bassman it'll crunch in an EVH brown sound sort of way.

 

[hanumanlangur]

Re: Custom Custom lack of bottom end?

What pots/caps are you using with the JB?

 

[mike2nyc]

Re: Custom Custom lack of bottom end?

500k push pull/ (1)v and (1)t w/ a treble bleed. Not sure of the cap value - would have to look - probably nothing peculiar.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Custom Custom lack of bottom end?

500k push pull/ (1)v and (1)t w/ a treble bleed. Not sure of the cap value - would have to look - probably nothing peculiar.

You might want to ax the treble bleed when using the JB.

 

[mike2nyc]

Re: Custom Custom lack of bottom end?

Does a treble bleed make it brighter than if it wasn't there (assuming volume is at 10)?

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Custom Custom lack of bottom end?

Does a treble bleed make it brighter than if it wasn't there (assuming volume is at 10)?

Theoretically no. Theoretically...

The reality is that guitars with a bright cap DO seem brighter, perhaps because most of the time the guitar is not on "10".

 

[MikeS]

Re: Custom Custom lack of bottom end?

With volume at "10," no, the treble bleed has no audible effect. Lew's right, though, that as soon as you start turning that volume knob it gets brighter, and depending on the cap/resistor values can get brighter in a hurry.

The CC isn't completely devoid of bottom end (it's not exactly strong in that area, either), but what it does have has the tendency to be flubby. Not my first choice for higher gain music requiring precision from the low end. Cleans up well, but not my first choice for "scream" and "crunch." Otherwise it's a very toneful and musical pickup.

The first thing I would do is try a 250K pot. That really tends to tame a JB's top end, but wouldn't do anything for the upper mid spike (except maybe tame the bright part of the spike).

 

[DonP]

Re: Custom Custom lack of bottom end?

The first thing I would do is try a 250K pot. That really tends to tame a JB's top end, but wouldn't do anything for the upper mid spike (except maybe tame the bright part of the spike).

+1.

You might want to try the 250K pot with the treble bleed and without. You'd think with the lower pot value the treble bleed would be more helpful, but you never know unless you try it and let your ears tell you how to decide.

 

[hanumanlangur]

Re: Custom Custom lack of bottom end?

For a bright guitar, I'd use 250k pots with the JB, and a 0.022uf cap. This will almost certainly tame the treble.

500k pots just don't work with the JB, IMO. There's something about the JB's treble that is very strong and piercing without 250k pots. If you need more headroom than 250k pots with a 0.022uf cap will give, going up to a 0.01uf cap is probably a better choice than going with higher value pots.

And I believe that a treble bleed cap will give more treble than otherwise, so I would remove this, and use standard wiring or the 50's mod.

 

[mike2nyc]

Re: Custom Custom lack of bottom end?

wow, thanks for all of the great info guys.

I love the sound of the clips I've heard of people using the custom custom played distorted, but I don't hear much of a chunk in the low end. Is there a pickup that Duncan makes that sounds like this but has a more defined/articulate sound on the bottom? (have you heard the Steve Stevens clip on the Bare Knuckle forum?)

In this guitar the JB didn't quite do what I wanted it to. Also the JB (w/cover) is microphonic and Duncan is nice enough to take it back and let me basically get whatever. So here in lies my desire to try something new...

 

[mike2nyc]

Re: Custom Custom lack of bottom end?

PS: what's the 50's mod?

 

[Empty Pockets]

Re: Custom Custom lack of bottom end?

I use the Custom Custom in the bridge of my Strat and i think it's really crunchy. I'm not a seasoned guitar veteran like Lew but I think it gives that kinda 'pissed midrange' that i associate with cranked Marshalls in any amp that i plug it into. You'd think in an alder Strat with an all-maple neck I would really notice a lack of lowend but it's totally balanced out by my amp. I play pretty bass-heavy stoner metal (kinda like Sleep but faster, or Boris but slower) so my amp is kinda geared for more lowend than usual, and the bright Strat with mids-focused pickup creates a really good tonal balance.

Of course for the really heavy, DOOM-style stuff, i use my SG-X with the stock pickup. That thing is murder...can't wait to try that P-Rail in it.