Farewell to the Custom Custom

[BachToRock]

Just changed my final 2 guitars with Custom Custom's to Alnico 59/Custom Hybrids... the Hybrid continually takes the throne as the best humbucker ever...
The guitars are outstanding acoustically so just about any pickup would sound good in them and the Custom Custom worked great... I think the 3 Customs are probably the best overall Bridge humbucker that Seymour makes.
The Hybrid combines the excellent tone of the Custom Custom with the clarity, response and definition of the 59... the clean tones really shine as the slightly congested/compressed response of the Custom dissapears and the distorted tones get that clear treble and a crunch in the low notes characteristic of a vintage PAF... I was playing Hells Bells fron AC/DC and it just nails that tone to the "T"!
AMAZING TONE... JUST AMAZING!
BTW... put Zebras in the Wine Quilt and kept the Gold Cans on the Tiger Flame

 

[Fritz6]

Re: Farewell to the Custom Custom

Man, I wish I could get the wires back in between the coils like that. And I wish the d!mn coil tape would stick better too!

 

[tone4days]

Re: Farewell to the Custom Custom

way to go, tone bro! ... bet they sound hellacious ... those guitars look beautiful too

now all you need to do is learn to resize photos

do the pickups sound the same in those two guitars despite the inherant differences in the guitars, or do they let the guitar's unique character come through?

and which mags are you using? a2? a5? ceramic?

cheers
t4d

 

[Erlend_G]

Re: Farewell to the Custom Custom

That seems really interesting; i've been looking for "a clearer CC" for a long long time.

 

[TheArchitect]

Re: Farewell to the Custom Custom

What make/model of guitars are those?

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Farewell to the Custom Custom

Geez Louise! If they sound as good as your guitar looks they must sound great! Lew

 

[Tru_Slice]

Re: Farewell to the Custom Custom

Hey, that's a pretty good idea of putting the tone knob up by the cut.

My hand always brushes it while I'm playing; I wish they made Les Pauls with that option.

 

[theodie]

Re: Farewell to the Custom Custom

and which mags are you using? a2? a5? ceramic?

cheers
t4d

I am curious to this answer also! Bach, seeing that you hold the custom series in very high reguard like I do, I think I will throw together my own hybrid soon! I have a special build going on for myself that will most likely get the hybrid.

Also, what coil is which in these custom/59 setups?

 

[BachToRock]

Re: Farewell to the Custom Custom

Those are GMP Roxies... http://gmpguitars.com/models.html
They closed their doors last year after making just over 1100 guitars...

The Roxie is the best guitar I have ever played... it absolutely destroys any Les Paul... shaped like the old Gretsch Sparkle Jets... most of them were Chambered Mahogony with Maple Tops... Mahogony Necks with Ebony Fretboards... 25.5" scale length like Fender!

I have rewired them so the knob on the horn is a Master Volume, the 2 knobs closest to the hand are individual Spin-A-Split's and the last knob is a no-load Master Tone... I can achieve an amazing range of tones with this setup... the 59/Custom Hybrid sounds like a Tele when split in these guitars!

 

[theodie]

Re: Farewell to the Custom Custom

GMP's are superb made guitars IMO! I have had gas on and off for one for a while!

 

[BachToRock]

Re: Farewell to the Custom Custom

I put A5's in the Red one and A2's in the brown one... I find the choice of magnet in the Hybrid is a fine tuning of the dynamics/response you want. I use really haevy strings .012-.052 so I generally lean towards A2 whereas I think A5 suits the player of lighter strings... I would not recommend a Ceramic in this particular pickup.
The Hybrid has a really flat response... neither scooped or middy, so it really let's the natural tone of the instrument shine through...

 

[BachToRock]

Re: Farewell to the Custom Custom

GMP's are superb made guitars IMO! I have had gas on and off for one for a while!

My Gibby's and PRS's are collecting dust around the house!

 

[BachToRock]

Re: Farewell to the Custom Custom

Also, what coil is which in these custom/59 setups?

Doesn't really matter except for your preference of coil if you are going to be splitting the pickup... the standard Duncan wiring makes the STUD coil active when split.
However, in a Strat, I prefer to flip the magnet and wire Black to Ground and Green to Hot to make the SCREW coil the active one when split... this gives the most authentic tone in the #2 position... it is brighter when used alone split since it is closer to the bridge... depends on which tone you would use most.

 

[theodie]

Re: Farewell to the Custom Custom

Thank you very much bach!

 

[BachToRock]

Re: Farewell to the Custom Custom

Notice the Phat Cats in Neil Giraldo's Roxie

 

[theodie]

Re: Farewell to the Custom Custom

I love those Roxies with tons of glitter! Actually, I like any of their guitars with that finish!

 

[D-EJ915]

Re: Farewell to the Custom Custom

GMPs are awesome guitars but why are they so ugly...actually their firebird model owned.

 

[TheArchitect]

Re: Farewell to the Custom Custom

THere's a guitar in that pic? Pat is still looking pretty fine.

 

[joelap]

Re: Farewell to the Custom Custom

BachToRock: I know you've had experience with the EVH model, the custom/59 hybrid, and the JB/custom hybrid... which would you recommend in a Mahogony body/mahogony neck with rosewood fretboard schecter 006 with 25.5 scale for a more modern rock tone?

 

[BachToRock]

Re: Farewell to the Custom Custom

For more modern tones the JB/Custom Hybrid is the best... the EVH and 59/Custom may be a bit too vintage sounding... they are both only slightly hotter than a PAF.