Custom Shop Humbucker Debate.....Please offer opinions if you have used these pickups

[bagouser]

I am trying to choose a set of non production custom shop SD humbuckers for a mahogany/flamed maple gibson/PRS style guitar.....while there is plenty of info on the production pickups via the tone chart, the custom shop pickups are somewhat mysterious.....the 3 in question are

Brobucker (10K) Aged Alnico 5

Bug-Sey Bucker (16.6K) Alnico 2

S-Deco (11.5K) Alnico 5


Can anyone shed some light on the differences in EQ and voice for these 3?

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Custom Shop Humbucker Debate.....Please offer opinions if you have used these pic

I've only played the Brobucker and S Deco in the same guitar, so I'll only comment on those. The BB is fatter, has a bigger, looser bottom, and creamier highs. The Deco is more articulate, has a deep, almost twangy bottom end, and has a cleaner, wider frequency response in the high end. Both are voiced in the PAF vein, but I feel that the Deco is a bit more modern and takes to high gain (i.e. Recto, TSL, et. al.) better than the BB and has a bit more sparkle when clean.

FWIW, I kept the Deco. This is with my Rivera R100 in my Hamer (at the time, the Hamer now sports an El Diablo and the Deco lives in my Godin).

 

[nondeplume]

Re: Custom Shop Humbucker Debate.....Please offer opinions if you have used these pic

S-Deco w/ A-II:
Wow!…it’s a can of whoop-ass…big, bold and charismatic, not bright but snappy, you start doing more percussive moves…almost like a big ass strat…you can’t hide, so get the technique in order… dynamic as hell…harmonic feedback for days…for me, it has a grittiness to it when running with OD….I get the feeling this pickup is made to be a blues/rock/rock on roids monster….the PAF that isn’t…idk

Bugs-eye: Smooth liquid lead heaven, ‘ok’ doing chordal stuff…double stops are weird, better on the low strings in this regard….has a nice chewy give to it…..seems more at home for single line stuff…shrug…

I opted on a Custom Custom….I WISH there was a pickup that exhibited the feel/dynamics/response of the S-Deco…but had that butter smooth midrange loveliness of the CC when running OD..I will use the other two in a guitar as they do have a place when cutting tracks.…cool pups.

I’m using an early pre pro Charvel, vintage trem. Bogner XTC 101b…red channel gain around 2:00, V=11 and TR Em-Pro V=11…gains maxed…..and each amps respective clean channels….fwiw.

 

[super rad stuff]

Re: Custom Shop Humbucker Debate.....Please offer opinions if you have used these pic

i've heard that the bug-sey is basically a JB w/alnico 2. i'm not totally sure on that one though:scratchch

 

[dr. ad]

Re: Custom Shop Humbucker Debate.....Please offer opinions if you have used these pic

I WISH there was a pickup that exhibited the feel/dynamics/response of the S-Deco…but had that butter smooth midrange loveliness of the CC when running OD

OT, but try an A2 JB/custom hybrid.

 

[nondeplume]

Re: Custom Shop Humbucker Debate.....Please offer opinions if you have used these pic

OT, but try an A2 JB/custom hybrid.

o)...will do...thanks!.....interesting.