Custom Custom or Custom 5

[itsall4you]

I have a new Warmoth VIP
(Maple cap, Korina Body and Ebony and Mahogany Neck).

I have decided on the PG for the neck but what are your opinions on the bridge pickup?

I have a custom 5 and a Custom Custom lying around the house and I wanted to ask about your opinions.

This is my first non-jazz guitar that I have that I got for doing stuff other than jazz(duh) for college at UNT.

I want funky tones, bluesy tones and rock tones but not metal tones. (I mean those palm muted power chords :28 So basically anything versatile with importance on the clean/crunchy side than the heavy gain side.

I'd really appreciate the help!

 

[itsall4you]

Re: Custom Custom or Custom 5

I forgot to mention, which one would coil split better?

And the reason for me not just trying out both is because they're both brand new so I'm wishing to sell one of them

 

[guitarkid]

Re: Custom Custom or Custom 5

I say use the Custom Custom. I have the PG/CC set in my Les Paul right now and I'm really liking it. I always found the Custom 5 to just be too scooped, even in mahogany.

 

[WGTP]

Re: Custom Custom or Custom 5

I agree C5 too scooped, but CC can be short on treble. Splitting would help. The bridge coil sort of had a Rickenbacker tone to it and the away coil had more of a fenderish tone. Sort of depends on how bright your guitar and amp are.

Yeah, forgot about the SH-5. Love it.

 

[Ed Hunter]

Re: Custom Custom or Custom 5

Original custom sh-5 FTW:headbang:

 

[Kam]

Re: Custom Custom or Custom 5

That's a tough one. I think they'd both work well for your purpose in those woods. The CC will be fatter, smoother and sweeter for leads, if that's what you'll be playing most. It really does tend to fatten up those single notes, but in my experience it's not the clearest pup around.

The C5, in my opinion, sounds better for cleans. It'll be crisper for those funky up-strums and retain a little sparkle. It's tighter and raunchier than the CC and sounds great with a little grit.

Personally, the C5 is more my thing, especially for the styles you listed, but I've never played either of those pups in a guitar with a maple cap and ebony board. Both those things would work well in curing some of the CCs weak points, so it might be a good fit in your guitar.

However, you should know that the only difference between the CC and the C5 is the magnet. The CC has an Alnico 2 and the C5 has an alnico 5. Swapping magnets is a really simple operation that requires no longer than ten minutes with a screwdriver. I've done it countless times with no problems and I'm an incompetent child. If you decide you want to try the CC and then find it isn't really working out, you can easily turn it into a C5 by swapping in an Alnico 5 magnet. So really, if you're confident enough to give it a go (and you should be) then no matter which one you buy, you'll have both at your disposal.

A simple search of this room will net you no end of information on how to swap magnets and the results you can expect from each one.

Best of luck with it, man. :beerchug:

 

[blueman335]

Re: Custom Custom or Custom 5

However, you should know that the only difference between the CC and the C5 is the magnet. The CC has an Alnico 2 and the C5 has an alnico 5. Swapping magnets is a really simple operation that requires no longer than ten minutes with a screwdriver. I've done it countless times with no problems and I'm an incompetent child. If you decide you want to try the CC and then find it isn't really working out, you can easily turn it into a C5 by swapping in an Alnico 5 magnet. So really, if you're confident enough to give it a go (and you should be) then no matter which one you buy, you'll have both at your disposal.

A simple search of this room will net you no end of information on how to swap magnets and the results you can expect from each one.

+1. The Custom family works very well in mahogany. The CC is the darkest, but your guitar may be on the bright side. Of the two, I personally like the C5 better than the CC, but it's a bright, scooped PU. What may turn out as working best for you is either PU with an UOA5 or A4.

Like Kam, I have no prior handyman or electrical skills.

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Custom Custom or Custom 5

I agree (somewhat) with Blueman in that I think the C5 would be a better fit, especially with the PG in the neck which is a fairly bright sounding pup. But my favorite Custom pup for the bridge is any of them with an A8 magnet. I like the extra mids, the smoother highs, and the increased output that the A8 gives it.

 

[itsall4you]

Re: Custom Custom or Custom 5

Thank you so much everyone for their opinions.
It's a tough decision for sure..

I think I'm leaning towards the Custom 5 because I have an alnico 2 lying around the house and my clean sound is more important. (or I think so, can't make up my mind!)
I know the custom family are just magnet swaps away. The only problem with magnet swapping is that I have nickel covers and I don't know how to take them off and back on.

 

[Aceman]

Re: Custom Custom or Custom 5

I use a Custom Custom with a PG in an Epi LP classic. It's a pretty bright LP as things go.

I really like this combo, and played it just recently. One thing that I am always digging is the neck/bridge combo position. The CC and the Custom just sort of sonically go together in a very cool way. You can get all kinds of very cool clean sounds with a tweak of the volume or tone on one pickup or the other.

As for the CC highs, no doubt a potential issue. A couple of well documented tone tweaks for the CC include:

1. Raising the treble poles a touch. The CC has highs, but the mids just overwhelm them if you don't raise the treble up a bit. Also, it's a really round/fat A2 high, so it is fat/sweet, not cutting. You can juice the treble at the amp also.

2. If the bass is not tight enough swapping for short hex poles in the bass helps, or cutting (carefully) regular screws. For whatever reason shorter screws tighten the bass.

And of course, you are a mag swap away....and the covers come off by just melting the solder that holds them on and carefully putting a drop back on to connect the cover to the bass plate.

i was using the CC for Allmans, old Clapton tones, etc...It was fantastic for what I wanted it for. But it is definitely a particulalr pup in a LES PAul style guitar. Very different creature in a 25 1/2 scale floyded strat.

 

[blueman335]

Re: Custom Custom or Custom 5

The CC has highs, but the mids just overwhelm them if you don't raise the treble up a bit. Also, it's a really round/fat A2 high, so it is fat/sweet, not cutting. You can juice the treble at the amp also.

Right, treble's there, but it's 'in the background' and it can be hard to get cut and bite. That's the challenge I have with some A2 PU's. I love a big dose of mids and low end, but I need a dash of sharp high-end too. In a brighter wood/guitar, a CC can be ideal. I have a CC in a Hamer SATF, and it's got the high-end I need. Sounds great. In an LP that same CC made the bridge PU sound like a neck PU.

That's why a lot of us take the middle ground between the extremes of a CC and a C5, and use an A8, UOA5, or A4 magnet. We get mids and warmth, but still have a high-end that can slice.

 

[WGTP]

Re: Custom Custom or Custom 5

Don't forget 1 Meg pots.

 

[Ascension]

Re: Custom Custom or Custom 5

For your combo the Custom Custom. The Custom 5 for me just does not cut it due to the lack of mids. The Ebony board is the key here as the extra snap will offset the CC darkness on the high end and should also tighten it up some.
the Custom 5 has sizzly highs booming lows and a big scoop in the mid. With the set up you have and that ebony board adding some top end zing I suspect that the CC will work MUCH better.
I have a CC with an Alnico II in my 08 Washburn WM-24 with a mahogany neck and body and resin board and that combo is jaw dropping good in that guitar.

 

[Aceman]

Re: Custom Custom or Custom 5

Right, treble's there, but it's 'in the background' and it can be hard to get cut and bite. That's the challenge I have with some A2 PU's. I love a big dose of mids and low end, but I need a dash of sharp high-end too. In a brighter wood/guitar, a CC can be ideal. I have a CC in a Hamer SATF, and it's got the high-end I need. Sounds great. In an LP that same CC made the bridge PU sound like a neck PU.

That's why a lot of us take the middle ground between the extremes of a CC and a C5, and use an A8, UOA5, or A4 magnet. We get mids and warmth, but still have a high-end that can slice.

What do the A8, UOA5 and A4 give comparatively to the Custom?

In BMT metrics...

 

[guitarkid]

Re: Custom Custom or Custom 5

As I said earlier, I have a PG/CC combo in my Les Paul. I have a Gibson Les Paul Studio Faded and for some special reason it is a VERY BRIGHT guitar. With the guitar being so bright, the CC sounds Great in the bridge position! As does the PG in the neck.

 

[blueman335]

Re: Custom Custom or Custom 5

What do the A8, UOA5 and A4 give comparatively to the Custom?

In BMT metrics...

In a word...alnico flavor. UOA5 has A2 type dynamics and response, with a little sharper high-end. A8's have become very popular here in many bridge PU's, you've seen the posts. A4's are like a dialed-down A8 if you want less output. I much prefer any of these three to a ceramic.

 

[Kam]

Re: Custom Custom or Custom 5

Some good posts here. Lots of great advice.

As I said before, I think both could work really well. The ebony board is the only thing throwing me off, since it's the only thing here that I have no personal experience with.

I think the real question you need to answer before coming to a decision is how your personal guitar sounds to you. Play it unplugged for a while and get a feel for it's natural sound and resonance. If it seems like a bright, present guitar with good attack then go for the CC. If it's already pretty fat sounding with a healthy dose of mids then go for the C5. That's how I'd go about it.

 

[King IzzO)))]

Re: Custom Custom or Custom 5

Def CC with an ebony board. I pretty much hate the C5 though.

 

[o.p-i.v]

Re: Custom Custom or Custom 5

go for the cc, splits really nice, sounds great full, all around awesome

 

[Fly_with_v]

Re: Custom Custom or Custom 5

I have the CC in both a Mahogany/Maple/Ebony Les Paul and a Mahogany/Maple/Maple Ibanez and I definately like it better than the C5 with those setups. As said it is very fat. I have no problem with it being to dark at all. Works great in both for EVH type stuff, much better than the C5. The bottom end is definately more spongy than the C5, so if you need tight bottom end you might look elsewhere.

That being said it does have a lot of output, so....