Duncan Custom SH-5 & Pearly Gates SH-PG1N - 335 Semi-hollow Body

[Imperfect]

Hello...Long time lurker, first time joiner. This place is GREAT with a TON of information!

I'm looking to replace my stock 57 Classics with these in my 335 and am wondering if it is a good match. The tone profiles look to match very well but does anyone have first hand experience with these in a semi-hollow body or any input in general?

I found a Custom 5 SH-14 and if what I found out on here is correct is that I can change the magnet from an Alnico 5 to Ceramic 8 to convert it to a Duncan Custom SH-5, correct?

 

[jeremy]

Re: Duncan Custom SH-5 & Pearly Gates SH-PG1N - 335 Semi-hollow Body

welcome to the forum!

i used a sh5 custom with a 59n and i really liked that combo. then i switched the magnet in the custom to an old a5 i had laying around, it was rough cast from an old p90 i think, and put a pearly gates neck in there. i loved that combo the c5 with the pgn.

you are correct that you can swap magnets from alnico 5 to ceramic and change the pup from a sh14 to sh5. the wind is the same with different magnets

 

[Aceman]

Re: Duncan Custom SH-5 & Pearly Gates SH-PG1N - 335 Semi-hollow Body

I would have said that I was afraid of the Custom in there - too much juice! But, since I've been rocking a JB in mine….go for it. One can always turn down, but not up!

I can also see the appeal of a C5 in there I guess, but I've never done that or really used one. Just not a "semi" guy.

PG neck - never wrong.

 

[Imperfect]

Re: Duncan Custom SH-5 & Pearly Gates SH-PG1N - 335 Semi-hollow Body

welcome to the forum!

i used a sh5 custom with a 59n and i really liked that combo. then i switched the magnet in the custom to an old a5 i had laying around, it was rough cast from an old p90 i think, and put a pearly gates neck in there. i loved that combo the c5 with the pgn.

you are correct that you can swap magnets from alnico 5 to ceramic and change the pup from a sh14 to sh5. the wind is the same with different magnets

I would have said that I was afraid of the Custom in there - too much juice! But, since I've been rocking a JB in mine….go for it. One can always turn down, but not up!

I can also see the appeal of a C5 in there I guess, but I've never done that or really used one. Just not a "semi" guy.

PG neck - never wrong.

Thanks guys! I'm all ears if there are other recommendations but from the sound clips it sounds like they are my favorite pair to my ears. The only caveat is that the pickups need to be 4 wire as I'm going to be using the Jimmy Page wiring scheme. Also I'm not quite sure how much hotter the Custom is compared to my stock pickups. I don't want a pickup that can't do clean fairly well. From my research it looks like the Custom is a jack of all trades.

The JB from the sound clip sounds muffled and not as dynamic compared to others. Granted I don't know what rig they use to record.

 

[Chickenwings]

Re: Duncan Custom SH-5 & Pearly Gates SH-PG1N - 335 Semi-hollow Body

do yourself a favour. Get a set of whole lottas for your 335.

 

[dystrust]

Re: Duncan Custom SH-5 & Pearly Gates SH-PG1N - 335 Semi-hollow Body

Thanks guys! I'm all ears if there are other recommendations but from the sound clips it sounds like they are my favorite pair to my ears. The only caveat is that the pickups need to be 4 wire as I'm going to be using the Jimmy Page wiring scheme. Also I'm not quite sure how much hotter the Custom is compared to my stock pickups. I don't want a pickup that can't do clean fairly well. From my research it looks like the Custom is a jack of all trades.

The JB from the sound clip sounds muffled and not as dynamic compared to others. Granted I don't know what rig they use to record.

do yourself a favour. Get a set of whole lottas for your 335.

+1

If you're looking for a set that's similar in output to '57 Classics, the WLH set is a good bet. The Custom is a great pickup and possibly my favorite SD humbucker, but it's A LOT hotter than a '57.

I haven't heard the new clips, but a JB is anything but muffled. I used to use them before I discovered the Custom and I find the JB to be slightly less thick and a little brighter than the Custom, though similar in terms of output.

 

[Imperfect]

Re: Duncan Custom SH-5 & Pearly Gates SH-PG1N - 335 Semi-hollow Body

do yourself a favour. Get a set of whole lottas for your 335.

+1

If you're looking for a set that's similar in output to '57 Classics, the WLH set is a good bet. The Custom is a great pickup and possibly my favorite SD humbucker, but it's A LOT hotter than a '57.

I haven't heard the new clips, but a JB is anything but muffled. I used to use them before I discovered the Custom and I find the JB to be slightly less thick and a little brighter than the Custom, though similar in terms of output.

Actually the WLH were my second favorite pair. I don't mind a hotter pickup at all as long as the cleans are relatively clean (even if I have to roll off the volume).

The JB clip sounds like the higher frequencies are lacking which I though was strange since I've read that people say the highs can be harsh and on the tone graph they are shown to be high. And your description is backing what I have read. Maybe SD should reevaluate their clip for that, which also makes me second guess all of the other clips or theirs I have listened to.

 

[Demanic]

Re: Duncan Custom SH-5 & Pearly Gates SH-PG1N - 335 Semi-hollow Body

From what I have heard of them, the cleans of the WLH set are very nice. I can only imagine that they would benefit from the natural tone of a semi hollow.

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[Demanic]

Re: Duncan Custom SH-5 & Pearly Gates SH-PG1N - 335 Semi-hollow Body

Just saw someone on the forum selling a set of 59's for a good price. Don't know if they are 4 conductor or not. They would also work just fine.

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[YeRedHouseOverYonder]

Re: Duncan Custom SH-5 & Pearly Gates SH-PG1N - 335 Semi-hollow Body

The PGn/Custom (5, 8, or other variation of magnet) is going to sound great in most guitars. Worst case, if the custom is too hot in the 335 you can try a custom/hybrid to dial it down a bit.

I had a WLH neck in my 336 and it sounded good, but it didn't fit with the guitars natural tone. You might fair better though since the 336 is a different from its bigger brother.

From the lurking I've done/digging through old threads, seths and antiquities are always a match made in heaven with semi hollows. I decided to take a chance with the antiquities in my 336 and it's made a huge difference. The guitar is lively now and no longer a finicky beast.


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[Demanic]

Re: Duncan Custom SH-5 & Pearly Gates SH-PG1N - 335 Semi-hollow Body

Yep, Seths or Ant's too. Though I still think a 59 set would kill.

 

[blueman335]

Re: Duncan Custom SH-5 & Pearly Gates SH-PG1N - 335 Semi-hollow Body

From the lurking I've done/digging through old threads, seths and antiquities are always a match made in heaven with semi hollows.

Seth's definitely yes, Ant's not so much, as they're pretty warm and rounded. I've had '59N's be boomy/bassy in 335's (as they sometimes do in LP's), so it wouldn't be my first choice unless it had an A4 or A3 in it.

I've got a Custom 8 in a 335, which gives it a full, warm, powerful tone; for me a ceramic isn't a good fit.

But in a 335, it's hard to beat a pair of good PAF's. Seymour knows how to wind A2 PAF's to bring out their best, and I can't see him ever settling for making anything as dull and muddy as '57's. I recommend one from the Duncan line, don't forget about A2P's.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Duncan Custom SH-5 & Pearly Gates SH-PG1N - 335 Semi-hollow Body

I am gonna go with Whole Lotta Humbucker set, or Seths here, especially if you are doing anything from clean jazz, to blues, to southern and classic rock. When you get into more modern harder rock, (late 80s/90s) is when you start hearing that open, powerful Custom sound. The Pearlies would be nice if it is a really dark sounding guitar acoustically.

 

[dystrust]

Re: Duncan Custom SH-5 & Pearly Gates SH-PG1N - 335 Semi-hollow Body

Yep, Seths or Ant's too. Though I still think a 59 set would kill.

I have a set of 59s in my 335 and they sound pretty good; I find the tone quite similar to Alex Lifeson on All the World's a Stage. That being said I can't help wondering and GAS'ing for a WLH set. The 59N isn't boomy in that guitar, but that may have something to do with how I like to dial in an amp or maybe the guitar itself. The bridge OTOH is kind of bright and weak; I'm thinking the WLH set may provide that little bit extra I've been looking for.

 

[YeRedHouseOverYonder]

Duncan Custom SH-5 & Pearly Gates SH-PG1N - 335 Semi-hollow Body

Duncan Custom SH-5 & Pearly Gates SH-PG1N - 335 Semi-hollow Body

Ant's not so much, as they're pretty warm and rounded.

No doubt about that. Threw them out there because the unpotted nature of the ants. are *something special in a semi (IMO). My 336 is on the bright side, so the antiquities fit perfectly. Results may vary I guess.


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[Imperfect]

Re: Duncan Custom SH-5 & Pearly Gates SH-PG1N - 335 Semi-hollow Body

Geez Louise!! You people aren't making this any easier! HAHA You can definitely conclude from the talk that tone is in the ears of the beholder, but also circumstantial as well I suppose...

After listening to some other people's clips I'm still stuck on the Custom for the bridge. From what I can hear is sounds good clean and amazing overdriven. I wish I could hear one in person though. I definitely need a potted pickup (although I can do it myself) as my amp squeals like a stuck pig already.

I like to make my own tone so I'm not necessarily going after a certain era nor trying to go crazy tone matching/hunting. I just turn the knobs to what sounds good to me. I know this might be blasphemy to some (majority?) here but I'm not a fan of 70's & 80's music. That's not to say I don't like a song here or there but as a whole it is not my thing. The only gender that should be wearing tight clothing, makeup, and big hair is a woman from the 80's guys, but I digress.

The 57's sound a muddy/boomy to me in the neck but fine in the bridge, at least with the stock pots, so I assume it wouldn't be as bad with 500K pots?

The good thing though is that I'm going to make a custom harness so I can easily swap pickups if need be. So if I'm not happy with whatever is currently in there it can easily be changed.

 

[Chickenwings]

Re: Duncan Custom SH-5 & Pearly Gates SH-PG1N - 335 Semi-hollow Body

Actually the WLH were my second favorite pair. I don't mind a hotter pickup at all as long as the cleans are relatively clean (even if I have to roll off the volume).

The cleans are gorgeous. I play straight ahead jazz gigs with the WLH set in my 335. I love them. They make the thinline semi hollow 335 sound as fat and deep as my full hollowbody 175. They are also really meaty sounding when driven. I dont think "hot" is the right description for wlh's. When i think of hot i think of JBs or customs. I think "big is a better descriptor. Great pickups.

 

[Aceman]

Re: Duncan Custom SH-5 & Pearly Gates SH-PG1N - 335 Semi-hollow Body

I honestly think if you go with the Custom style - the 59/Custom Hybrid is as much mojo as I'd want. That pickup with Page wiring would be VERY interesting! You could choose which coil to have for tap - hot or regular!

PG + 59/Custom would be cool

A set of 59's is generally never a bad call

A set of PG's would be good

The WLH's (Which I have never played) is probably a good call.


So many Duncan's will do what you need….Lots of things close to and better (IMO) than the 57 Classics.

 

[Imperfect]

Re: Duncan Custom SH-5 & Pearly Gates SH-PG1N - 335 Semi-hollow Body

Alright, so I'm going to try the Custom/WLH setup and see how that goes. The WLH has the same tone profile as the PG but with a little less treble so I think it'll be a good fit.

If for some reason the Custom doesn't seem like a good fit I'll try magnet swapping, and if that doesn't work I'll probably try a 59/Custom Hybrid.

Also, what effect does an A8 have in the custom (and I guess any pickup for that matter)? I've read a lot of people rave about an A8 in the Custom so I'm curious.