Custom serries in semi-hollow body guitars?

[Techy Beccy]

Hi what experiences have people had with any of the Custom pickups - SH-5, SH-11, SH-14; in semi-hollow body guitars like an ES 335? Are they too hot?

I'm not interested in putting ceramic mags in my 335 at the moment, but open to any discussion on people who have!

Im thinking more the SH-11 in the bridge.
Thoughts and experiences?

 

[Aceman]

Re: Custom serries in semi-hollow body guitars?

You know - I play in a Hair metal band and have an Epiphone Dot Studio with a JB in it. Pretty much in the same zone as a C5, and a little less than a Custom. Never a squeal on stage. As expected, fairly high gain is the order of the day.

So I would say "No"

 

[Techy Beccy]

Re: Custom serries in semi-hollow body guitars?

You know - I play in a Hair metal band and have an Epiphone Dot Studio with a JB in it. Pretty much in the same zone as a C5, and a little less than a Custom. Never a squeal on stage. As expected, fairly high gain is the order of the day.

So I would say "No"

Do you use any pedals to stop feedback or anything!?

 

[Mincer]

Re: Custom serries in semi-hollow body guitars?

I don't know...to me a good semi- or full hollowbody deserves a touch sensitive pickup like an Antiquity or a Seth. Hotter pickups tend to water down the unique sound of these body styles.

 

[Techy Beccy]

Re: Custom serries in semi-hollow body guitars?

Yeah! Im digging my Seth's at the moment. I really love the neck possition. I don't find the bridge to be much different.. just not as beautiful as the neck if that makes sense? I kinda feel like I want something in the bridge that does something a bit different!

 

[allstarrme]

Re: Custom serries in semi-hollow body guitars?

I had a custom 5 I put an a8 in. Had it in a dot for awhile with a a2 pro neck. I then put in a 339. It was fine until the volume or gain got too high then was prone to feedback. It sounded great in both of those though, and there are ways to control it.

Pretty much any semi hollow will run into this at some point with enough gain or boost. A medium hot pickup like the custom is like having a low boost on all the time. If you can stand further from the amp it’s a little easier to control, or have some kind of noise gate in your effects loop it will be more useful. Even just using a wireless which gates pretty hard below a threshold kept it from feeding back.

 

[Techy Beccy]

Re: Custom serries in semi-hollow body guitars?

I had a custom 5 I put an a8 in. Had it in a dot for awhile with a a2 pro neck. I then put in a 339. It was fine until the volume or gain got too high then was prone to feedback. It sounded great in both of those though, and there are ways to control it.

Pretty much any semi hollow will run into this at some point with enough gain or boost. A medium hot pickup like the custom is like having a low boost on all the time. If you can stand further from the amp it’s a little easier to control, or have some kind of noise gate in your effects loop it will be more useful. Even just using a wireless which gates pretty hard below a threshold kept it from feeding back.

Yes!

Pretty hard to stand far enough away from an amp with small gigs im my area, youre lucky if you have enough room to move and not fall off the stage!

 

[Dave Locher]

Re: Custom serries in semi-hollow body guitars?

I have played semis and full hollowbodies with high-ish output humbuckers. No problems with feedback, just take care with muting strings. However, I once tried an ES 125 with the original p90 and it howled like crazy anytime I went anywhere near my amp!
So...it depends on the guitar construction as well as the amp and the pickup. I think most semis would be fine.

 

[Aceman]

Re: Custom serries in semi-hollow body guitars?

No pedals for anything special. Just Marshall/Mesa goodness and delays/chorus....

And yes Dave - a JB (etc.) DOES kill the sonic mojo of a 335 style. Totally agree. More an aesthetic thing and of course, a JB...

 

[dystrust]

Re: Custom serries in semi-hollow body guitars?

Hi what experiences have people had with any of the Custom pickups - SH-5, SH-11, SH-14; in semi-hollow body guitars like an ES 335? Are they too hot?

I'm not interested in putting ceramic mags in my 335 at the moment, but open to any discussion on people who have!

Im thinking more the SH-11 in the bridge.
Thoughts and experiences?

I've played a 335 with a Distortion and it sounded surprisingly good, so I wouldn't expect any issues with the Custom series. That being said I don't care for the Custom Custom in Gibson scale; the bass is a bit mushy and the midrange just seems off. Love it in a Strat though.

I'm rocking a WLH set in my 335.

 

[blueman335]

Re: Custom serries in semi-hollow body guitars?

Yeah! Im digging my Seth's at the moment. I really love the neck possition. I don't find the bridge to be much different.. just not as beautiful as the neck if that makes sense? I kinda feel like I want something in the bridge that does something a bit different!

My favorite Custom variant is with an UOA5, gives it a more vintage, richer sound, and would balance better EQ-wise with a Seth neck than any other kind of Custom.

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: Custom serries in semi-hollow body guitars?

Emil Werstler played in the metal band Daath with a PRS hollow body (full, not semi). You’ll be ok.