Duncan Custom with Saturday Night Special in Bright Guitar??????

[Bohemian Physicist]

So Tinkering with the idea of getting a new pickup Set for my Jackson Rhoads Model. Alder Body, Maple neck with rosewood Fingerboard and Floyd Rose Trem with Big brass bar.

I bought the guitar 10 years ago with crappy stock pickups.
I Put in a Dimarzio Super Distortion and a PAF Pro. It sounded better but I did not completely like . The PAF Pro was really boomy and The SD was just not working out.
I tried a magnet swap both of them last year (A8 in the Super Distortion and a A3 in the PAF pro) and It sounded a bit better.

I had a pair of Steward Macdonald Golden Age humbuckers in a box I had around for a while. I had them in my Les Paul some time ago (I remember the Stewmac's being really good, but the Custom 5 and the Screaming Demon (neck) was a better fit for the Les Paul).

I tried the Stewmac's with the stock A5 magnets and they sounded pretty good but I was having the same problem of the neck being very boomy and the bridge being too scooped in the mids for this guitar.

I took the Hot Bridge (12k resistance) and put the A8 magnet in it and Took the neck (8K resistance) and put the A3 in the Jackson Rhoads model and it is a huge improvement, but the guitar has ALOT of bite to it, both in the neck and the bridge.

So, now I see the new Saturday Night Special with A4s in it and I been thinking of trying A Duncan Custom Trembucker in the bridge with a SNS in the neck.

How well do you think this will pair up relative to each other? and in a somewhat bright guitar?


I use a 50W JCM800 amp with a Tube Screamer and a modded MXR Distortion III.

 

[darthphineas]

Re: Duncan Custom with Saturday Night Special in Bright Guitar??????

SNS neck is a touch edgy, when compared to some of the more common Duncan neck models. How it would pair up with a Custom would be up to someone that's actually tried that combo.

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Duncan Custom with Saturday Night Special in Bright Guitar??????

If the only problem with your current set up is that there is too much bite, can't you compensate for that with your tone controls on your guitar or amp, or the settings on your TS or MXR Dist?

You know there are no rules that say you have to run everything wide open.

 

[Rand-O-Monium]

Re: Duncan Custom with Saturday Night Special in Bright Guitar??????

You know there are no rules that say you have to run everything wide open.

It's Rule # 11...

Sorry,just had to.

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Duncan Custom with Saturday Night Special in Bright Guitar??????

:knockedou

 

[Bohemian Physicist]

Re: Duncan Custom with Saturday Night Special in Bright Guitar??????

SNS neck is a touch edgy, when compared to some of the more common Duncan neck models. How it would pair up with a Custom would be up to someone that's actually tried that combo.

I don't use common neck models in my Seymour Duncan Loaded Guitars. My Les Paul has a Custom 5/Screamin Demon and my Explorer has an Alternate 8/Duncan Distortion neck(Alnico V Magnet)

If the only problem with your current set up is that there is too much bite, can't you compensate for that with your tone controls on your guitar or amp, or the settings on your TS or MXR Dist?

You know there are no rules that say you have to run everything wide open.

My knob setup on most of my guitars is Volume/Volume/EMG-SPC Mid Booster. The only Guitars I have with a tone control is my Les Paul and SG. The tone knobs on the TS and the MXR are set at 9 o'clock.

One Idea I have is to take the Pickups on SG (EMG 85/60A) and try them in the Jackson Model. and if that works, go with something New in the SG.

 

[Bohemian Physicist]

Re: Duncan Custom with Saturday Night Special in Bright Guitar??????

So I tinkered around with different pickup height and polepiece heights and pole piece lengths and I got the tone to sound a lot better. Apparently Stewmac Golden Age Pickups use 5/8" pole piece screws. I changed the bridge pickup pole pieces to 3/4". Still a pinch edgy but a lot better than before.

I am also going to get a AlNiCo IV magnet in the neck pickup and experiment with that. The clean tone in the neck is awesome, but with distortion, it lack a some mids I am looking for.

Also going experiment with low value capacitors and attempt shave off some high frequencies, probably start with a 0.001uF cap and a 220K resistor and work from there.

 

[Chistopher]

Re: Duncan Custom with Saturday Night Special in Bright Guitar??????

I haven't actually played the SNS, but I have played a multitude of A4 Pafs, and they tend to have a more neutral tone as a result of the magnet. This makes them excellent in the neck, they never get boomy. And as you said the guitar is bright, so it won't sound dull. As for the Custom, you might consider a Custom Custom. These are definitely a solution if your bridge pickup is thin or too bright.

 

[Bohemian Physicist]

Re: Duncan Custom with Saturday Night Special in Bright Guitar??????

I haven't actually played the SNS, but I have played a multitude of A4 Pafs, and they tend to have a more neutral tone as a result of the magnet. This makes them excellent in the neck, they never get boomy. And as you said the guitar is bright, so it won't sound dull. As for the Custom, you might consider a Custom Custom. These are definitely a solution if your bridge pickup is thin or too bright.

I got spare AlNiCo 2, 5 and 8 magnets around but no ceramics. I will most likely get the Duncan Custom just so I have a spare ceramic magnet and go do some more magnet swapping.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Duncan Custom with Saturday Night Special in Bright Guitar??????

The PGn is a good neck pickup for those looking for a sweet neck tone without boominess associated with A5 or wooliness associated with A2 PAF's.

Out of all the variations of the Custom, my favorite is Unoriented roughcast A5 (UORCA5).

Your idea of the Custom/SNS should sound good for an organic metal axe.

 

[Bohemian Physicist]

Re: Duncan Custom with Saturday Night Special in Bright Guitar??????

Your idea of the Custom/SNS should sound good for an organic metal axe.

I'm going for it. I found a place with a 10% off coupon and got myself a Duncan Custom and a SNS. Going to do some magnet swapping and see what happens as well.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Duncan Custom with Saturday Night Special in Bright Guitar??????

Let us know how this turns out!

 

[Bohemian Physicist]

Re: Duncan Custom with Saturday Night Special in Bright Guitar??????

I finally got them in.

The SNS in the neck is perfect. Exactly what I was looking for and it sounds really good. Its definitely got low end, but not as bloomy as I find the 59n. I like the slight bump in the mids and the highs are not overpowering like the problem I had before. When compared to the Screamin Demon in the neck of my Les Paul, its got a little more low end, more mids and slightly less highs. I sense a little bit of an alnico II pro feel in it as well.

The Duncan Custom is definitely an upgrade. Its not ear piercing like before, but still a little bright. I'm going to give it a few days of playing and decide if I want to install a small treble bleeding cap or make it into a Custom 8.

The Duncan Custom/SNS, I think, fit very well together. My favorite set is still the Custom 5/Screamin Demon in my les paul and when I compare the DC/SNS to it, both the DC/SNS both have a nice boost in the mids.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Duncan Custom with Saturday Night Special in Bright Guitar??????

If the Custom is still a little bright after the mods, also try an Alnico II as well as the VIII.

 

[Bohemian Physicist]

Re: Duncan Custom with Saturday Night Special in Bright Guitar??????

If the Custom is still a little bright after the mods, also try an Alnico II as well as the VIII.

The polepiece screws were a little high. I lowered them and now they are ever so slightly sunk in the bobbin and I raised the pickup closer to the strings. Surprising big difference doing this.

One other thing I noticed is when I have the selector switch on the middle the SNS tone is more dominant, but separately, the Custom is hotter.

 

[Bohemian Physicist]

Re: Duncan Custom with Saturday Night Special in Bright Guitar??????

If the Custom is still a little bright after the mods, also try an Alnico II as well as the VIII.

I tried magnet swapping the Duncan Custom with a few different magnets

A Custom 8 did not sound good in this particular guitar, The upper mids really pushed through and did not sound pleasant, Which is kind of a disappointment because I had high expectations for this one.

A Custom 5 though had a better high end, but overall sounded off. It felt like it was missing something and I could not figure out what.

A Custom Custom sounded really good. I really dig the tone and in the middle positon, both pickups blended well. HOWEVER, the output was much lower than the SNS neck. I had to lower the SNS down to about 5/16" to get the volume to match up with the Custom Custom about 1/8" from the strings.

So I am going back to the Ceramic Magnet and I do like it

I did find some Alnico II Magnets on eBay that are twice as thick as the normal magnet in the Custom Line. I might get one to see if I can get the tone of the Custom Custom with a little more output. I may also try a Custom 4 and see how that sounds just to see.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Humbucker-g...-2-3-4-5-L-58mm-X-W11mm-X-H-6mm-/292002242447

 

[Demanic]

Re: Duncan Custom with Saturday Night Special in Bright Guitar??????

Try a UOA5 Custom. More mids than the Custom 5. More power than the Custom Custom.

Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using Tapatalk

 

[darthphineas]

Re: Duncan Custom with Saturday Night Special in Bright Guitar??????

how about putting an Alnico 4 in the Custom

 

[Mincer]

Re: Duncan Custom with Saturday Night Special in Bright Guitar??????

I tried magnet swapping the Duncan Custom with a few different magnets

A Custom 8 did not sound good in this particular guitar, The upper mids really pushed through and did not sound pleasant, Which is kind of a disappointment because I had high expectations for this one.

A Custom 5 though had a better high end, but overall sounded off. It felt like it was missing something and I could not figure out what.

A Custom Custom sounded really good. I really dig the tone and in the middle positon, both pickups blended well. HOWEVER, the output was much lower than the SNS neck. I had to lower the SNS down to about 5/16" to get the volume to match up with the Custom Custom about 1/8" from the strings.

So I am going back to the Ceramic Magnet and I do like it

I did find some Alnico II Magnets on eBay that are twice as thick as the normal magnet in the Custom Line. I might get one to see if I can get the tone of the Custom Custom with a little more output. I may also try a Custom 4 and see how that sounds just to see.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Humbucker-g...-2-3-4-5-L-58mm-X-W11mm-X-H-6mm-/292002242447

Weird, the CC should be slightly louder. Maybe the EQ difference between the 2 pickups causes the SNS to sound louder. The CC, to me, is pretty loud.

 

[Bohemian Physicist]

Re: Duncan Custom with Saturday Night Special in Bright Guitar??????

Weird, the CC should be slightly louder. Maybe the EQ difference between the 2 pickups causes the SNS to sound louder. The CC, to me, is pretty loud.

I ordered a new Alnico II magnet. The one I tested with was pulled from a Alnico Pro 2 I purchased used 15 years ago and the magnet been on the refrigerator ever since. I tried it again today and its not matching up in terms of output with the SNS and it is quite a bit lower in output compared to my Custom 5. I expected a little decrease in output between the CC and the C5 because it is a weaker magnet, but not as much as I am hearing. I order a new A2 magnet to see if maybe if the one I used has degaussed overtime.