eclecticsynergy
Well-known member
What's with the Patent Pending stamp? Is Duncan trying to file a patent on the bar magnet?
First magnet swap was a success! (10/10)
- Thread starter Top-L
- Start date
Its probably a wax impression from something inside the pickup. I think that was on the upward facing side.
Lewguitar
New member
That makes sense. It's not stamped into the metal of the magnet.
I'd be curious what a ROUGHCAST A5 would sound like in that pickup.
Fuller and more textured than polished A5 I think, but maybe creating a lot of treble was part of the plan.
I would guess that the finish of the magnet does not change the magnetic field in any way.
Lewguitar
New member
They say it does.
They say that polished magnets can hold a slightly stronger charge than rough magnets.
When I compared rough vs. polished A5 magnets in the same 59 pickup set, I felt that the polished magnets gave the pickup a slightly brighter steelier sound.
I thought that rough A5 had more mids and more texture to those mids, and looser lows like you'd find with A2 but not as loose as you'd find with A2.
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Well, you could just put an A4 in there if you want a little less than an A5.
Lewguitar
New member
I have five PRS guitars. Two USA made CU22's and three Korean made SE Singlecuts.
I have A4 in a set of Seth Lovers in one.
A3 neck and A2 bridge in two others, one with 59's and one with Antiquitys.
A2 neck and A4 bridge in two others, both with Antiquitys.
I feel like I'm getting the best sound I've ever gotten in my life!
I did have A5 in the Antiquitys of one of my PRS SE Singlecuts. I found that only A5 gave a pickup real sparkle in the treble frequencies.
But that makes them bright. Too bright for me although I still love Eric Clapton's sound from back in the 60's when he was wailing away on his SG or ES-335 with A5 pickups.
BB King too. He got gorgeous tones with A5 humbuckers. Wes Montgomery, Larry Carlton and Robben Ford too.
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Lewguitar
New member
You should try a roughcast A4. Also a roughcast A5. Either should sound fuller, smoother and not so steely as that polished A5.
Doh! I only have a smooth A4! (seriously. not serious.)
Put the A5 back in the Custom. It sounds more modern and got rid of the honk. Solo notes not as thick.
Now its clear to my why they shipped this guitar with the Custom 5. Would be nice if it was just a bit hotter. Maybe 10s would bring about that sound.
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Gtrjunior
New member
When I first installed my Custom I felt the top end had too much sizzle.
Im going to recommend that you live with the pickup for a couple of weeks before you decide to swap back.
It has grown on me and I feel like it is possibly the best bridge pickup I have tried so far.
If you dont end up liking it, swap back. No harm, no foul.
I just installed a Breed in my Ibanez and during band practice I didnt love it. But Im going to let myself get used it it. Its different than what I was used to and it deserves a shot. Lol
Edit: just saw that you already swapped....
It all depends on the guitar. This guitar has strong upper mids but isnt particularly bright. I found it could sound a bit nasal in the upper registers with a ceramic magnet (found this with both the Evolution and Custom). With the A5 magnet, the top has more air and it sounds more balanced. The down side is the notes aren't as thick. I'm thinking the perfect pickup for this guitar would be a Norton.
Gtrjunior
New member
Yeah, if you find that several different pickups seem to exhibit similar characteristics then yes, maybe the A5 is your best bet in that guitar.
I’ve never tried a Norton but I’ve seen quite a bit of positive feedback about it.
You'd be wrong.
Not the same as a roughcast A5.
You could try an A8 or A9.
You guys are bringing up an old subject. The Custom is one of the most versatile pups, as it sounds great no matter what magnet you try in it (that's not to say that everyone likes every version). And every magnet made HAS been tried in the Custom. There have been many threads on this forum about that.
I personally have tried ceramic, A2, A4, A5, Roughcast A5, UOA5, and A8 in the Custom. I haven't tried the A9 or A6 in it yet, but I'm thinking that the A9 might be just what the OP wants...Stronger than A5, not as much scoop as A5, not the brittle scratchy highs of ceramic, nor the honky mids that some complain about with ceramic.
I personally have tried ceramic, A2, A4, A5, Roughcast A5, UOA5, and A8 in the Custom. I haven't tried the A9 or A6 in it yet, but I'm thinking that the A9 might be just what the OP wants...Stronger than A5, not as much scoop as A5, not the brittle scratchy highs of ceramic, nor the honky mids that some complain about with ceramic.
Its worth a try. I only have spare A2 A3 A4 and A5 magnets. Maybe I can find some A8 and A9 on Amazon.
Generally I want it to be hotter but have more air on top than a ceramic.
I've heard that EVH comes from the Custom Custom, but I have no evidence he ever used it. And I certainly don't go for that sound, but you can get pretty close with the right amp. I just like that it makes a pretty sonically big sound, which is great for 1-guitar bands. It occupies a big swath of frequencies.
dystrust
New member
Lew is right. If you swap a roughcast A5 into a '59, the resulting pickup is the closest thing I've heard to an early 60s Gibson patent number humbucker.
I've never actually owned one, but I have played a decent number of original '58-'60 PAFs as well as early patent number humbuckers and T-Tops. Of these I actually liked the '64-ish patent number humbuckers the best. I've never played a '57 PAF, so I'm guessing that most (maybe all) of the PAFs were A4. Generally speaking I've yet to encounter an A4 that I didn't find bland, while A2 only works for me in the bridge of a Strat.
