CustomCustom as a strat pickup

[Dave Z]

OK it's been a coupla weeks now with the CC in the superstrat, it's a gas. The CC has a open & rude vibe that is sorta pafish and sorta strat-sh. Ol FZ said there's nothing more obscene than a really loud electric...well, few pickups are gonna be as obscene as the CC, it has the Strat "stink" under gain.

I've been having hella fun with the Tone zone inthe SG but that's a different vibe altogether, more big balls than obscene...makes the SG sound like a LP. Very thick & solid.

FWIW, I always thought the Tone Zone was the killer pickup to split...JB is good too but the CC sounds like a strat, so much it's scary, it's a better sound at the bridge than my strat (APS2). The TZ has so little treble that split it is kinda thin on top, though still big on the bottom, go figure.

 

[Johtosotku]

Re: CustomCustom as a strat pickup

Funny, I have an SG with a TZ in the bridge and I've been planning on getting a CC for the bridge of my superstrat! Great minds think alike, must be...

Thanks for the review, gives me a few more things to think about. What other pups have you had in your superstrat to compare to, if you can? I've also been looking at Dimarzio Air Zone and Air Classic as competitors to the CC. I also really like the Tone Zone in my SG and wonder if the AZ would have a bit of the same vibe, if I'd like it. But I'm afraid it would be too similar and too hot.

You actually split bridge buckers? What kind of stuff do you use it for? I never really bother to split other than neck buckers.

 

[dani]

Re: CustomCustom as a strat pickup

i split my bridge buckers too. its never bad to have options. i usually use it for cleans with the tone knob 1/4 to 1/2 way down.

 

[Johtosotku]

Re: CustomCustom as a strat pickup

i split my bridge buckers too. its never bad to have options. i usually use it for cleans with the tone knob 1/4 to 1/2 way down.

Ok, whatever suits your fancy! I always use my neck or neck/mid positions for cleans. A split bridge has always sounded too thin and weak to my tastes.

 

[JacksonMIA]

Re: CustomCustom as a strat pickup

I'm hearing you, man. I liked the CC's split tone nearly as good as the full bucker. You'll get loads of enjoyment from that thing.

 

[Dave Z]

Re: CustomCustom as a strat pickup

Yo Jo', in the SS I tried a Fred but it was too bright (bright guitar!)....that was after trying a bunch of stuff in the SG as a testbed. The TZ is great, much more functional than I expected and I was going to try it in the SS but the CC is sounding so good in there I don't want to take it out. Let me know if you try an Air Zone, I'm interested in those airbuckers, never tried one.

I like a split bridge for a more delicate clean sound, and some groovy leads (touch of OD, not distorted) in a strat sort of way...most humbuckers suck a$$ split in the bridge but the CC really works as Jackson noted, I think as good or better than a strat single there.

Like dani said working the tone helps though if I'm soing some lightly played arpeggios I'll keep it cranked, but my amp usually has the treble on 5. (That's another thing about the CC, sounds great with the treble rolled off where some pickups just end up lifeless...)

 

[ErikH]

Re: CustomCustom as a strat pickup

Ahh, another happy CC user. I'm lovin' it. In all the years I've used one (and that's over 10), I've never spit it. I have no clue how it sounds split.

Glad you're happy with it, Dave.

 

[ibanezrocks]

Re: CustomCustom as a strat pickup

The CC sounds so raunchy in my SG, I love this pickup.

 

[fenderiarhs]

Re: CustomCustom as a strat pickup

FWIW, I always thought the Tone Zone was the killer pickup to split...JB is good too but the CC sounds like a strat, so much it's scary, it's a better sound at the bridge than my strat (APS2). The TZ has so little treble that split it is kinda thin on top, though still big on the bottom, go figure.

To this moment i still haven't found a pickup that sounds so well when splitted as the JB. On the other hand while i liked the sweet highs of the CC , and i could live with the extreme mid content, i was never satisfied with the bass responce of the CC.

 

[OlinMusic]

Re: CustomCustom as a strat pickup

I say DO IT!

I split my CC all the time, and it's got a fat, rude, yet articulate sound even when split. I LOVE IT! It's not as balls out as the Tone Zone, but it has a lot more vintage qualities.

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: CustomCustom as a strat pickup

Sold mine, it was...hmm I liked it at first, then I did not like it, split or in parallel.
Stuck in an A5, no help, sold it and got some pickups with more attitude, guess I thought it was too polite for me, I do dig other guys that plays with it, so it is not a stinker for sure.

 

[hamerfan]

Re: CustomCustom as a strat pickup

Having a superstrat too (alder body,one piece maple neck, 1 HB /w pushpull for parallelel sound). The JB had a good parallel sound, but did like the HB, a Custom was great HB with lots of bass and a little harsh highs, and a Custom 8 is still my fave: less bass and warmer highs but still the Custom feel of ballsy PAF. The C5 which i recently bought was a complete failure - good allround but nothing special, which i'm looking around. Now i have a C3 (right now my second choice), rounder highs with a great parallel sound, the HB is not so punchy as the ceramic Custom and the C8 but has more compression under heavy distortion.
next step will be a JB8 and a JB with the smaller ceramic magnet of the Custom (should give a Distortion light). After that i think i gonna make my mind up what to use.

 

[Jeff5]

Re: CustomCustom as a strat pickup

The CC is my favorite duncan pup. I realize I don't like ceramics as much, they just seem harsh. I've tried so many, and I keep going back to the CC.