Custom Custom with more sizzle?

[JimmyO]

Playing a home made alder body, maple neck super strat with a Floyd Rose and rocking a Custom Custom bridge and a Pearly Gates neck pickup. I’m playing 80’s style metal and hard rock like Dokken, Ratt, Motley Crue, Van Halen, Skid Row etc. Playing through Marshall JCM800, JCM900-SLX, DSL50, JVMs etc. Use a Maxon 808 as a boost when needed. Play live in a band with a pretty loud drummer.

Liking the Custom Custom, it gives a nice fat rock tone, but sometimes could use a little more sizzle and harmonics. I already have another guitar with a JB/Jazz combination that I love, and one with Pegasus/Sentient for modern metal. This is my 80s guitar. Doesn’t have to be Alnico II but would like it to pair with the Pearly Gates in the neck. Could go custom shop if needed.

Thanks for suggestions

 

[Mincer]

You might try the 59/Custom Hybrid. It doesn't have the mids of the CC, but it would have the high end you want without being overpowering.

 

[beaubrummels]

StagMag might work. It's a brighter A2. But sounds like a Distortion (bright, not quite as tight, but pretty good) in a bright/Floyd super strat. But it still has that little A2 bump that can be chimy clean and sing a little bit when distorted. (I have one in my Jackson SL3X right now.).

Might have to play with the tilt a bit, since it has Strat stagger. (I'm thinking of reversing mine so the high strings have the even arc, and tilt it up for the low strings as needed).

Hmm, anyone put an A2 in a 59/Custom? Could put the mids in it.

 

[jeremy]

swap a uoa5 in there. little more bottom, little more top but not a world different than a2.

 

[Clint 55]

Stick 1 or 2 ceramic spacers in there.

 

[Demanic]

Stick 1 or 2 ceramic spacers in there.

That would certainly do it.

Sent from my SM-A115A using Tapatalk

 

[eclecticsynergy]

Or the OG ceramic Custom. Plenty of sear, though it isn't exactly loose or warm.

Perpetual Burn maybe. Not as syrupy-sweet, yet it has alnico bounce & is fairly rich & liquid. And it sizzles.

Gotta say, ceramic spacers in a CC is a pretty intriguing idea.

 

[JimmyO]

So, with ceramic space thingies or a ceramic magnet it would sound like a regular custom? And the unoriented A5 would be along the lines of a custom 5 I’m assuming.

what about the RTM, Frankenstein or Hunter from the custom shop? For 80s rock and metal played by my guitar heroes was wondering if these may work. Have been looking at the RTM recently and wondering if compared to the custom custom it’s a hotter A2 with some JBish tendencies? Perpetual burn may be worth checking out as suggested above.

 

[Clint 55]

The Custom is a ceramic only. But if you keep the A2 in the center of your CC and add 1 or 2 ceramic spacer sized magnets on the sides, it will retain a lot of the sound of the CC but add sizzle. You said you like the sound of the CC but want more sizzle. This solution will give you exactly that and is cheap and easy so that's what I recommend.

 

[Mincer]

A Screamn Demon or Black Winter are both good stock choices, too.








































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[ErikH]

Turn up the presence on the amp and/or tone on the Maxon 808. You'll get some sizzle and harmonics. I use the CC for all that stuff too. You should be able to get what you want with EQ adjustments on the amp.

If you do decide to swap pickups, the Perpetual Burn would be a great option.

 

[JimmyO]

I think I like the ceramic spacer idea. Overall I like the custom custom, especially for leads and clean tones. I just sometimes think I’d prefer a little less rounded and more lively attack for rhythm playing.

Could someone help walk me through how to add the ceramic spacers and what materials I’d need, thanks!

Also please share any experiences with the Warren Demartini RTM from the custom shop. That one has me interested

 

[Clint 55]

Unwind the tape on the humbucker so 1 side is exposed. Slightly loosen the screws on the bottom of the baseplace. Replace the spacer with the ceramic spacer magnet. Have its pole oppose the pole of the alnico magnet that it's adjacent to.

https://www.mojotone.com/Ceramic-8-Bar-Magnet-2-35-Long?quantity=1&keywords=ceramic magnet&page=1

 

[Clint 55]

Starting with 1 is a good idea because it's a small change and requires minimal faffing. To add 2 you have to get the hookup lead out of the way that you see pictured on the left.

 

[JimmyO]

Starting with 1 is a good idea because it's a small change and requires minimal faffing. To add 2 you have to get the hookup lead out of the way that you see pictured on the left.

Awesome, thanks for the help!

 

[Clint 55]

Awesome, thanks for the help!

No prob!

 

[skelt101]

Starting with 1 is a good idea because it's a small change and requires minimal faffing. To add 2 you have to get the hookup lead out of the way that you see pictured on the left.

How is this done? Does the hookup lead need to be run underneath the baseplate, or is there room for it and the magnet?

 

[dotsdad]

Switch to a 500k volume pot to give the custom custovm just a little more sparkle

 

[Clint 55]

How is this done? Does the hookup lead need to be run underneath the baseplate, or is there room for it and the magnet?

The hookup lead attaches to the coils on the side of the coils and then is run under 1 of the coils and then out a hole on the bottom of the baseplate. All you do is pull it out from the hole and run it directly out the side instead. There's not room for it and a magnet.

 

[JimmyO]

So figured things out. Custom custom and pearly gates came out and in went a JB Trembucker and Jazz neck. Perfect for this guitar. Increased harmonics and tighter sound, a bit higher definition. Originally the custom custom and pg were doing pretty good but ended up putting in a FU tone big brass block and a new warmoth neck (original one was really thin and wide like a lollipop stick and giving me hand pain). With these new parts the guitar was really rich and thick sounding which the custom custom accentuated.

The JB paired with either a jazz or 59 is like the sound of Rock to me, and can cover a range of music. Very commonly used but it just seems to work for me and now have this combination in 4 of my guitars.